For many international teachers, the prospect of trading cold winters for warm sunshine is an exciting opportunity and one that offers a chance to explore a new environment, grow professionally and experience different cultures. However, for one Kiwi teacher, Mareta, the decision to move to Queensland was shaped by unexpected circumstances that would ultimately change the course of her career.
Born and raised in New Zealand, Mareta's journey to Queensland was anything but ordinary. After graduating from the University of Canterbury, she spent two years teaching and travelling across Asia. However, life took an unexpected turn when the Christchurch earthquakes struck in 2011, leaving her hometown in ruins. ’I returned to a very broken, very changed hometown,’ Mareta recalls. With limited work opportunities in Christchurch, she made the decision to move to Mount Isa, a remote outback town in Queensland.
‘I had a friend in Mount Isa who had already made the move and I still wanted some type of adventure. I had no interest in moving to a major city - that would be the same as NZ. Going to outback Australia suited my plans to continue my travels,’ she explains. Mareta initially planned to save money in Mount Isa for a year before continuing her travels in Europe. Little did Mareta know, the experience would spark a long-term career in teaching in Queensland state schools.
Mareta’s first week teaching in Mount Isa was during NAIDOC Week, a time dedicated to celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. ‘I was covering for all the teachers who had non-contact time, which meant I got to join in all the activities for the week with the students,’ Mareta says.
‘Coming from NZ, where Te reo Māori is embedded, I found it so interesting this one week a year was set aside to do all these cultural activities. Particularly being remote, I feel I was exposed very early to a side of Australia many Kiwis would find fascinating.’
This introduction to First Nations culture resonated deeply with Mareta. Over the years, she has worked predominantly in the First Nations space, teaching in diverse settings ranging from Mount Isa to remote communities in Cape York. Mareta is now based in South East Queensland, where she continues her work in the First Nations space as part of Netball Queensland’s Diamond Spirit Educate program at Bremer State High School.
Mareta’s transition to teaching in Queensland was made easier thanks to the mutual recognition process between the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) and the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. ‘I was very lucky to have my friend who had already done this, so I didn’t have to hunt for the required paperwork. At the time I was still provisionally registered in NZ and this converted straight over through QCT,’ she explains.
Once Mareta gathered the necessary documentation, it only took a couple of weeks for her to gain provisional registration in Queensland with the QCT. The seamless process allowed her to start teaching quickly and begin her new journey in the Queensland state education system.
When asked what advice she would give to other New Zealand teachers thinking about making the move to Queensland, Mareta offers heartfelt encouragement:
‘NZ will always be home and Queensland offers so many additional adventures and opportunities to grow. I still go home at least once a year and regularly share with my students how important home is to me. Enjoying the country and land where I work and sharing my culture with the communities here is how I make connections. Leaving NZ gives you a much better perspective of where it sits in the world.’
Outside of teaching, Mareta enjoys playing and watching sports, though she admits it can be challenging to find rugby union in Queensland. She also cherishes the sense of community she has found in Australia. ‘From the moment I landed in Mt Isa I had a community and there has not been a place I have moved since where I couldn’t find another Kiwi to connect with. I love the opportunities through teaching to go remote, have some outback adventures, and still save and support family back home,’ she says.
While Mareta misses the winters and countryside of New Zealand, she has grown to love Queensland’s warm weather and abundance of adventure opportunities. ‘I have learned to love the access to adventure and opportunities in Queensland,’ she reflects.
Mareta’s story highlights the incredible opportunities awaiting New Zealand teachers in Queensland. From professional growth to cultural experiences, Queensland offers an environment where teachers can thrive both personally and professionally.
If you’re a New Zealand teacher considering a move to Queensland, now could be the perfect time to take the leap across the ditch. Join the Kiwi teaching community in Queensland and explore the opportunities waiting for you across our 1,266 state schools.
To learn more about becoming a teacher in Queensland and explore the opportunities waiting for you, visit the
New Zealand teacher eligibility section of our website.