Moving to Australia – Moving to Newcastle

Newcastle is a beautiful place to live when considering moving to Australia with IntlMOVE Australia. The city is located about 100 miles outside of Sydney in New South Wales on the southern bank of the Hunter River. Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populous area in New South Wales, with Sydney being the most populated.

Jobs in Newcastle

Newcastle is well-known for its coal industry. Currently, Newcastle is the largest coal exporting harbor in the world. Newcastle also has a small shipbuilding industry, which employs a good amount of people.

The University of Newcastle is one of the largest employers in the Newcastle area. The Hunter New England Area Service is another big employer.

Weather

The weather in Newcastle is very mild. The coldest months are June, July and August, when the average temperatures may dip down into the 40s during the evening. The highs are typically in the 60s during the day. The warmest months are December, January and February, when the daytime temperatures reach the high 70s, or higher, on average, and are still in the high 60s at night.

When choosing what clothing to pack in your IntlMOVE Australia shipment along with your household goods, try to bring clothes for warm and chilly weather. You probably won’t need a parka, but definitely pack sweaters, long sleeve shirts and jackets.

Things to Do in Newcastle

If theater is a passion of yours, you will love Newcastle. Victoria Theatre is the oldest purpose-built theater in the country.

Newcastle also has an established visual art scene. There are a number of commercial and private galleries. The Newcastle Art Gallery is the largest art gallery in the metropolitan area and has a beautiful collection of contemporary and historical art.

Live music is a favorite pastime of people living in and visiting Newcastle. There is a popular underground music scene and a colorful youth music culture.

People in Newcastle are a festive bunch, so there are plenty of festivals and events put on throughout the year. Some of the festivals you will want to attend include: the Newcastle Regional Show, the Mattara Festival and the Shoot Out 24-hour Filmmaking Festival.

The Newcastle Jazz Festival is three day event held in August. Australians flock from all areas of the country to perform or attend the festival. This is Not Art is another festival, which is held in October. This is one of the largest art festivals in Australia.

Popular sports from Newcastle include: rugby, soccer (football), cricket, horse racing, ice hockey and netball.  The ice hockey team is the Newcastle North Stars. The Newcastle Knights is the rugby team that plays at Ausgrid Stadium. The Newcastle United Jets is the soccer, or football, team that also plays at Ausgrid Stadium.

If you love the water, you will love Newcastle. Newcastle has many beaches, where you can have fun in the sun. Surfing is very popular in Newcastle, and the city even hosts Surfest.

Famous People from Newcastle

Yahoo Serious, made famous by his movie Young Einstein, hails from Newcastle. Silverchair, the popular band, also comes from this area of Australia.

Moving to Newcastle will be a decision you won’t regret. When you are planning on moving to Australia, contact IntlMOVE Australia to ship your household goods to Newcastle.

 

Moving to Australia – Business Dinner Etiquette

When moving to Australia with IntlMOVE Australia, you should learn the local business customs to fit in and make a great impression. Although Australia is typically relaxed, it is better to know the basics to avoid any social faux pas.

Business Attire

Business suits are the norm in most companies, but like the United States, many companies have taken on a business casual approach to office attire.

Handshakes and Greetings

Handshakes are quick and firm and used as a form of introduction or greeting. Women are typically expected to extend their hand to a man. Women do not always shake other women’s hands.

Although it is a sign of respect to call a person by their last name when first meeting, most business relationships are on a first name basis. Avoid introducing yourself with your professional title, which can come off as arrogant. That said, it is also not a good idea to hype your company.

“G’day mate,” is a greeting reserved for Australians. Don’t try to use it. Just be yourself and you will be well received.

Table Etiquette

The guest of honor should be placed at the head of the table. Other important guests will be seated directly to the left of the honored guest, and then to the right. When a couple is hosting a dinner, both hosts will take a seat at opposite ends of the table. However, this is only reserved for formal dinners.

When dishes are being shared, always pass the dish to your left. Do not use your own set of utensils to serve yourself food.

When eating, your knife remains in your right hand and your fork will stay placed in the left hand. Try not to switch the utensils between hands while eating. When you are finished, place your utensils in a parallel position on the upper right side of your plate.

When you are not using utensils, keep your elbows off the table. Try to keep your hands folded in your lap.

Dinner Reservations

When choosing a high-end or exclusive restaurant, you will need to make reservations. Make sure you confirm your reservations the day before your arrival.

Other Business Dinner Tips

Always be on time. Australians value punctuality.

Australians avoid talking business over a nice dinner. Keep the topic of conversation light and friendly unless they bring up business matters. However, business can be discussed over lunch. It is best just to follow the Australians’ cues.

When it is time to pay the bill, the person who invited the guests should always get the bill. However, guests should make an offer to pay. Leave a tip for your server. Appropriate tips are between 10 and 15 percent.

If you are invited to a dinner party, you should bring a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates or another appropriate gift.

When the people you are with are taking turns buying rounds of drinks, don’t skip your turn.

Lunch is typically served around noon. Afternoon tea, which includes a light snack, is served around 4 p.m. When you are invited for tea between 6 and 8 p.m., this is considered an evening meal. Supper is a late night snack.

When moving to Australia, you will get the hang of things pretty quickly. Etiquette is very similar to the United States with a few slight differences. When you are ready to start your new job or business venture in Australia, contact IntlMOVE Australia for shipping your household goods from the U.S. to Australia.