Cost of Living - I was concerned that everything would be more expensive in "the bush." But to my surprise it would seem that the cost of living may well be less than it was in Sydney. Perhaps a few examples might help. 
Petrol. Yesterday we bought petrol for 78.9 cents per litre. Whilst this may sound outrageous to my North American friends, who have what seems to be a constitutional right to cheap gas, this is the cheapest you'll get fuel in NSW. At the time of writing Sydney prices are fluctuating between 79 and 89 cents per litre.
Milk and Bread. With five children, a small difference in the price of milk and bread can have a big impact on ones budget. In Sydney we would buy 2 litres of milk for $1.99 and a 500 gram loaf of bread for $1.20. In Casino we purchase 2 litres of milk for $1.99 and a 700 gram loaf of bread for $1.19. The bread goes a l-o-t further than it did before.
Meat. We would regularly purchase our meat from Woolworths, most at mark down prices. This would mean that we would be paying anything from $2 to $20 per kilo for meat, depending on the cut. One day while walking around Casino I found a butcher who would select, butcher and pack a half steer for $4.50 per kilo. This turned out to be a great buy. The half beast he selected for us was 83 kilos of the tenderest beef I have tasted for a long time. And at $4.50 per kilo it's a steal.
Fruit and Vegetables. No real difference in prices for these staples. Being so close to Brisbane I guess vendors take advantage of markets there.
All in all I have been pleastly surprised at the prices for things here. Water and gas are the big unknowns at the moment.
8:53:15 AM 
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