Rural and remote benefits

Are you one of the adventurous people our young people need? Learn about the many benefits of teaching in a rural and remote location.

Benefits of teaching in rural and remote schools

Be a valued member of the community

Parents in rural and remote locations are passionate about their children’s education and value teachers who care about their children’s success. Your commitment will be rewarded by being warmly welcomed into their community and introduced to the many positive aspects of rural and remote living. Small towns have clubs, groups, sporting teams and activities you might never have encountered before.

 

Shontelle reflects on her move to the outback town of Cunnamulla and how she and her family have been welcomed by the community.

Read more about Shontelle's experience in Cunnamulla.

Many great places to raise a family

Many of our rural and remote communities are great and safe places to raise a family. With an abundance of space to run around in and plenty of fresh air, your kids will have opportunities to exercise, explore, make friends and learn about the natural world around them. With a shorter commute time in many locations, you’ll also have more time to spend with the kids and make life-long memories.

 

Monique Podolak has been a teacher in Emerald for the past 14 years. Since arriving in Emerald, she now has 2 children and is enjoying a relaxed and safe lifestyle with her family.

Read more about Monique's experience in Emerald.

Great for couples

Are you and your partner adventure seekers? Moving to a rural or remote location can open up a whole world of opportunities to do things that you just can’t do in the city. From the extreme to the sublime, Queensland’s rural and remote towns and surrounding natural environments have so much to offer.

We cover your moving costs there and back

If you accept a permanent or long-term temporary role in a location that requires you to move from your current place of residence, you may be eligible for support to help your move, including reimbursement of some expenses.

Payments or reimbursements may cover:

• moving employees and family along with personal effects
• temporary board and lodging
• other expenses related to taking up duty.

Subsidised housing is offered in some locations

Subsidised rental rates may be available for teachers and their families in some rural and remote locations when we’re able to provide access to teacher accommodation. These rates can vary depending on the location and are subject to availability. Our teacher housing policy provides more detailed information.

If this is something that is important to you, send us an email at TeachQueenslandRecruitment@qed.qld.gov.au so our team can give you some information about the options in the geographic area you are considering teaching in.

Opportunities for professional learning and career progression

Teachers in rural and remote communities often cite the professional learning and career progression opportunities they received as one of the key reasons they valued the experience.

When you teach rural or remote, you’ll have access to professional learning opportunities like you would in the city, but in addition, you may also be supported by one of our 4 rural and remote Centres for Learning and Wellbeing located in Atherton (Far North Queensland), Mount Isa (North Queensland), Emerald (Central Queensland) and Roma (Darling Downs South West).

You may be offered the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities and accelerate your leadership options through our Take the Lead Program. We’ll also support you to pursue voluntary national Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher certification if you choose to do so.

In some locations, we will also provide you with specialised induction and onboarding programs, including cultural awareness training when necessary, to ensure you have everything you need to be successful in your new community.

If you’re an experienced teacher in a transfer rating 4–7 school location with at least 2 years’ experience, we may also support you to complete an additional post-graduate qualification within the education field through a professional learning grant. This grant will provide up to $10,000 each year towards your tuition fees and is a great way to get ahead in your career while living in a rural or remote location.

 

Teaching in Cunnamulla has provided Shontelle with the professional development and support to progress her teaching career.

Read more about how she has been supported.

Financial allowances and benefits that may support your rural and remote adventure

In addition to your salary, depending on the location, you may be entitled to receive:

• a one-off beginning teacher payment (up to $2,000)
• a recognition of location travel allowance, for you and your eligible dependants to offset your cost of travelling in and out of your community
• a recognition of service payment every year from your first year to your eighth year in a TR4–7 school
• a locality allowance, which is a specific allocation of funds for your location
  
• an identified location allowance if you’re teaching in an identified Indigenous community
  
• options to choose flights or cash payments for teachers working in specific indigenous or remote schools
  
• a flight home each year for teachers and their eligible dependants plus a cash payment for teachers and their families living in the remote islands of the Torres Strait
  
• a specified site allowance.
  

Locations that are eligible for benefits

Every state school has an allocated transfer rating from 1–7. Teachers in schools with a transfer rating between 4 and 7 may be eligible to receive the allowances detailed above. Schools with ratings of 1 and 2 are generally in metropolitan and regional cities and do not attract these benefits.

In addition, if you are permanently appointed to a school with a transfer rating between 4 and 7, you may be entitled to seek a guaranteed transfer to a school in your preferred geographic location after a number of years in that location.

Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debt reduction

If you extend your stay in a remote community, you may also be eligible for a reduction of your HELP debt from the Australian Government. This applies to specific very remote schools as identified by the Federal Department of Education. Teachers in these locations are also able to apply for the indexation on their HELP debt to be waived each year they work in a very remote location.

Visit the Department of Education website for more information and to see which schools are eligible.

Enjoy Queensland’s beauty on your doorstep

Whether you prefer to spend your weekends by the beach, camping, fishing, bushwalking or socialising over a coffee, you’ll find a community in Queensland that can offer you the lifestyle you are seeking, all with the added benefit of peace and tranquility and no peak hour traffic. Bonus!