MHKflyer52 Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Hay KiwiBirkin, Hope your OK after today's (06/13/11) 6.0 quake that we are just hearing about here in the States. Sounds as if Christchurch is getting taken to the ground with all of the old damage and the new damage. Stay safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Hi Martin cheers for your thoughts. We are OK but shaken up AGAIN. The house has a few more cracks in it but nothing too bad and its very livable still. Both the 5.5 (violent) and 6.3 (not so violent but long) came through while I was workin on Grace in the garage, I was busy putting a rear seal in the gearbox of the Birkin I was sitting in the car tapping the seal in place when the second one arrived (6.3) and the whole car and house started rocking and shaking and I stood up in the cockpit of the car and it felt like I was riding a surfboard as the car bucked about on the axle stands. Funny though as the house was also being inspected for damage by the NZ EQC & builder (Earth Quake Commission) for my Feb 22nd claim and they both bolted out the house through the garage outside and stood watching me ride it out in the car. :party: But we are now over it and the wife's nerves are shot and we are looking to sell up and leave NZ to greener pastures in Aussie in the future and away from all the doom & gloom that Christchurch has become because of these EQ's, with each one a little bit of the heart of the city gets ripped out and its going to be a very long time before it gets put back (if it doesn't bankrupt NZ first) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slngsht Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobone Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 So sad! It must be ruinous financially. Is everyone selling and moving all at once? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHKflyer52 Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 Hi KiwiBirkin, Glad to hear that you and your family are OK and sorry to hear that Christchurch is in such bad shape. On the liter side here is a photo that you might find amusing after your impromptu surfing lesson in your garage. Hope it lifts your spirits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Hi Martin thanks for the pictures they certainly did bring a smile to my face. TwoBone lots of people would like to sell up and move but as with everything the reality isnt quite as easy as people would like it too be. Those people who rent have left the city and are moving out to the suburbs built on stronger ground (old riverbed) as the main center of Christchurch and the Eastern Suburbs (worst hit) are built on reclaimed swamp land. Our house is out to the North of Christchurch and is solid ground we have been told and has only really minor cracking in the interior paint & jib and is a area people are looking to buy in as they move away from the city. The latest stats put the rebuild at 30 Billion NZ $$ and 20 years which is a long time to be with out central bars, restaurants and culture and this is another reason to leave for a lot of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHKflyer52 Posted June 19, 2011 Author Share Posted June 19, 2011 The latest stats put the rebuild at 30 Billion NZ $$ and 20 years which is a long time to be with out central bars, restaurants and culture and this is another reason to leave for a lot of people. I use to frequent a Pub / Tavern that was in the main square that the main Cathedral was in which I think was Baillie’s if I remember correctly but that was quite a while ago. It was on the coroner just north of the Cathedral and was the place that my flight crew would meet when in town for the day before heading back to the NSFA compound at the airport as we could always have a beer or two and we could always find the Cathedral and then find the Pub just north of it on the corner. Easy to find and the beer was always good. Wonder if it is still open or if it was damaged by the quake. Have they fixed the bell tower of the cathedral yet or is it still laying in the square. Well it is good to know you and your family are OK and doing well. Stay safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) Martin sad to say Baillies bar has gone it collapsed in the Feb 11th EQ and has been demolished along with several buildings in that area The CBD is a no go zone with a fence built around it and patrolled 24/7 by the NZ Defense force too stop looters getting in, think it's a 5x5 km exclusion zone. The Cathedral in the square you so fondly remember has now also lost it's west wall along with the belltower, the picture below is from the Feb 11 EQ but it now has that much more damage that it cant be saved, they are now talking about relocating the city and starting again. http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/news2011/christchurch/christchurch_photogallery/cathedral_1406_pgb.jpg Catholic Church also badly hit and a city icon http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2011/02/22/1226010/393907-christchurch-earthquake.jpg Edited June 20, 2011 by KiwiBirkin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHKflyer52 Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 KiwiBirkin, That is ashame as it will never be the same. Well maybe it will become the most modern city in the southern hemisphere and bring even more tourist into it when it is rebuilt. Just will not be the same but all thing have to change in order to progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Sorry didnt get time to finish my post before my iPhone cut off so have added some more txt and a couple of pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slngsht Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Looks like Christchurch got hit AGAIN?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Hi guys. 2 big ones on Friday that hit after a really quite period of about 7 months, both came thru our house with a real force and shook lots of shelfs but nothing damaged which is great. The easter suburbs didnt fair well again with lots of liquifaction, this is the 4th time they have had to clean the mess up again and its really getting to people now. We are at the point of moving on and looking to maybe relocate to Aussie because of the ongoing quakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 G'day Kiwi - I saw the news the other night just after I arrived in Sydney. The liquefaction looks really bad this time and so many people were interviewed on TV were clearly at breaking point saying its time to get out. I can understand your desire to want to move. If you need an Aussie citizen reference for the immigration papers let me know. I am helping another friend of mine make the move to Sydney for all the same reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHKflyer52 Posted December 24, 2011 Author Share Posted December 24, 2011 KiwiBirkin, Glad to hear you and your family are OK. Be safe and take care of yourselves. By the way Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Thanks Croc for the offer, I should be ok I will be coming over on a Kiwi passport which will allow me to work if we decide to relocate. We are looking at Brisbane at the moment but we keep hearing conflicting reports of the work situation in Aussie with lots saying its heading towards depression unless you head to the mines. Still we are both skilled which helps and I have a trade background. Once againg thanks for the thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 We are looking at Brisbane at the moment but we keep hearing conflicting reports of the work situation in Aussie with lots saying its heading towards depression unless you head to the mines. Still we are both skilled which helps and I have a trade background. Its not heading for depression - call it modestly positive growth (major growth around the mines, less so in the suburbanized east coast). Aussie/US dollar will come back to 0.93 during 2012 but the share market looks primed for a minimum 10% gain over all of 2012. Some people are doing it tough but overall it is better than what you are putting up with in Christchurch. Melbourne and Sydney feel fine from what I have seen this trip but I am hearing from the various family members I have in Brisbane that it is little flat with more workers than jobs. Sydney is way too expensive for accommodation costs but maybe do some research on whether Melbourne can offer the same opportunity with a better climate. I think it may just surprise you. Other options - reserach Newcastle/Hunter and Wollongong regions - larger in population than Christchurch, plenty of jobs, cheaper accommodation and a great quality of life available around there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Thanks for the info Croc, we will do some research around those areas. Cheers Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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