James O'Brien
@james_ob
Construction project manager based in Brisbane.
Reviews by James
“Decent dosa, could be crispier”
The potato filling was well spiced and the sambar was properly tangy, but the dosa itself came out a bit soft rather than the paper-thin crisp you want. Still enjoyed it and the chutneys were fresh. Would try again to see if it was just an off batch.
“Surprisingly excellent, will order again”
Ordered this on a whim while waiting for a coffee order and it turned out to be the highlight of the visit. Good char on the chicken, sauce had real depth rather than tasting like it came from a jar. Staff were friendly and checked in without being pushy.
“Completed Diploma of Project Management — nationally recognised, worth every dollar”
I completed SkillUp Australia's Diploma of Project Management over 9 months while working full-time. The self-paced format was essential — I could study around project deadlines and adjust my weekly hours as needed. The assessments were practical, not just multiple choice. I had to submit actual project documentation for my current employer's projects (with confidential details removed), which made the learning directly applicable. My student success coach checked in every 3 weeks by phone, not just by email, which helped me stay on track when the final unit got tough. The nationally recognised certificate was accepted without question when I applied for my PM lead role. The Smart and Skilled government funding saved me approximately $4,200.
“Mental health care plan via telehealth — accessible and well handled”
After months of delaying seeking support, I used HealthHub AU for an initial mental health consultation and to set up a GP Mental Health Care Plan. The GP was compassionate, took appropriate time (40-minute consultation), and referred me to a psychologist on the platform within the session. The platform's mental health section has clear information about what to expect, which reduced some of my anxiety about the process. The psychologist I subsequently booked (6 subsidised sessions via Medicare) was excellent. The appointment reminders and secure messaging between sessions are well implemented. There are some wait times for preferred psychologists (2-3 weeks), which is not the platform's fault — it reflects national demand. Overall HealthHub AU made accessing this care significantly easier than it would have been otherwise.
“Corporate retreat at Bowral — exceptional venue, flawless event coordination”
We held a 22-person executive off-site at Cove's Bowral property over two days. The events coordination team were thorough from the planning stage — detailed dietary requirements, AV setup, and breakout space requirements all accommodated without issues. The private dining dinner on night one with a guest chef using Southern Highlands produce was genuinely memorable and the team used it effectively as a bonding moment. Accommodation for all 22 attendees was on-property which made the evening optional activities easy to manage. The morning wellness session (optional yoga, guided walk) had good uptake. The business centre equipment was modern and reliable. Cost was at premium end for corporate rates but the outcomes justified it — best corporate retreat feedback scores we have had in three years.
“Direct trade sourcing is the real deal — the farm transparency sets them apart”
What I respect most about Grounds is their transparency on sourcing. Each origin page on their website shows the farm, the producer's name, the altitude, processing method, and the price per kg they paid vs Fairtrade floor. For their Colombian lot they paid 42% above Fairtrade minimum. This is verifiable commitment, not marketing. The coffee reflects this — the Sumatran Mandheling is one of the best low-acidity coffees I've found for my espresso setup. Their Smith Street cafe has some of Melbourne's most technically proficient baristas. The food menu is good quality but the coffee is clearly the priority. Happy to pay slightly above market price for the sourcing ethics and quality consistency.
“Great for tax time — the annual income/expense report saves hours”
I'm a freelancer with income from multiple sources and tax time used to be a nightmare of spreadsheet reconciliation. MoneyWise AU's annual tax summary report exports all income and deductible expense categories in a format my accountant can use directly, saving me roughly 4-5 hours of prep work. The work-from-home expense tracker (premium) is particularly useful. The app correctly identified my home internet subscription as a potential deduction and prompted me to categorise it properly. Support responded to my billing question within 2 hours via in-app chat, which was good. The app sometimes misses transactions for 20-30 minutes after they appear in my bank — not a big deal but worth noting.
“Shopify integration works well — our products were live in under an hour”
We connected our Shopify store to OzCart as an additional sales channel and the integration was painless. Product listings, images, and inventory synced automatically within an hour. Orders from OzCart appear in Shopify's order dashboard so we manage everything from one place. The free delivery threshold ($49) is shown clearly on listings which helps conversion. We saw our first OzCart order within 3 days of going live. The monthly reporting dashboard shows OzCart-sourced revenue cleanly. The platform is clearly earlier-stage than Shopify or eBay in terms of buyer volume but the seller experience is well designed and the team communicates clearly about new features via their seller newsletter.
“Genuinely saves 2+ hours per day on code navigation — impressive product”
Our team adopted DevScope six months ago and retention has been 100% — nobody has asked to cancel. The whole-codebase understanding is the key differentiator. When I ask it to explain a complex service, it traces dependencies, surfaces related models, and writes a clear explanation. The automated refactoring handles rename-across-codebase safely, checking all call sites. It caught a potential null dereference in a PR review that our existing static analysis missed. The onboarding was smooth with good documentation. A few features described in the roadmap have slipped on timing, but the core product is strong enough that I am not concerned. Best developer productivity tool investment of the last two years.
“Good platform for Australian compliance requirements — data sovereignty sorted”
For our fintech application, data sovereignty is non-negotiable — all customer data must remain in Australia. CloudCraft AU is the cleanest solution we evaluated for this. Their infrastructure is solely Australian-hosted with no cross-border data replication by default. SOC 2 Type II report was available on request under NDA. The object storage and managed PostgreSQL services are solid and have been reliable over 14 months. The pricing model is slightly opaque — egress costs are not surfaced clearly in the UI and we had a surprise bill in month three. Their billing team resolved it quickly but the dashboard needs clearer cost forecasting. Overall a solid choice for Australian compliance-constrained workloads.
“Custom branded vests delivered in 6 days — quality is excellent”
We needed 80 custom-printed hi-vis vests for a new project with our company name and logo on the front and back. SafetyVest AU handled everything from artwork setup through to delivery. The screen print quality is crisp and durable — I've washed several vests 20+ times and the print is still perfect. All vests carry the AS/NZS 4602.1 tag and the compliance documentation they provided was accepted without question by our site WHS officer. Delivery was 6 business days from artwork approval, which beat their quoted lead time. We've since placed two more orders of different styles for different site requirements and the service has been consistent every time. Priced competitively, especially at 80+ units.
“Wide product range, knowledgeable support — highly recommend for NDIS clients”
I work as a disability support coordinator and have recommended NappyHub to several NDIS participants who require incontinence products. The range covers light, moderate, and heavy needs across brands that are NDIS consumables-approved. The support team fielded detailed product questions from my clients with patience and accuracy. Delivery to regional NSW was within the timeframe quoted. The ABENA products they stock are particularly well-regarded among my clients with higher absorbency needs. Would suggest they add a product selection guide specifically for NDIS consumers as a useful resource, but the existing offering is very strong.
“Custom load cells arrived calibrated and certified — zero hassle”
We needed custom compression load cells for a conveyor weighing application with a non-standard capacity range. Sands Industries' sensor team understood the brief immediately, proposed a solution from their 200+ model catalogue, and had calibrated, certified units to us within the lead time quoted. The calibration certificates and NATA-traceable documentation were complete and exactly what our QA department required. We've since ordered six different sensor types from them for various measurement applications across our facility. Every order has been accurate, documented, and delivered on time. Their technical team responds to specification queries same-day, which is rare for sensor suppliers.
“Mobile app delivered with great UX — users love it”
Mobeius built a React Native app for our field service teams. The UX design work alone was worth the engagement — they ran proper user research sessions with our technicians before writing a line of code, which meant the final product actually matches how our people work in the field. The offline-first architecture they proposed solved our connectivity problems on remote sites. App Store approval handled by their team. We've had 98% adoption in our field workforce within the first month, which is unheard of for enterprise mobile tools. Only critique is that turnaround on the occasional post-launch feature request takes a few weeks — but the quality when it arrives is consistently high.
“Finally — a scrap marketplace that actually works”
I've been selling scrap steel and copper from our demolition jobs through ScrapTrade for over a year. The quoting process is straightforward — list your load with approximate weights and metal types, receive quotes from licensed dealers within a few hours, and accept the best one. Collection has been reliable every time. The biggest benefit is the competitive pressure: I routinely get 10-20% more per tonne compared to calling my regular yard directly. The platform handles all the compliance paperwork (licensed dealer verification, load documentation) which saves time and gives me confidence I'm not accidentally dealing with unlicensed operators. Would be nice to see a mobile app, but the website works fine on phone.
“Best custom packaging supplier I've found in Sydney — fast and professional”
We needed custom-printed adhesive tapes and cartons for a product launch and CareWell delivered on every front. The design team helped us spec the right tape width and adhesion strength for our box closure requirements. Samples arrived within 4 days, we approved and placed a full order, and it was at our door within the quoted lead time. The print quality on the tapes is sharp and consistent — our brand looks premium. We've since ordered their aisle marking tape and floor safety tape for our warehouse too. Their knowledge of different adhesive formulations for different surfaces is genuinely impressive. Not the cheapest option but the quality and service are worth every dollar.
About
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Avg score given: 89/100
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Joined RatingHub
18 June 2026
Posted first review
18 June 2026
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