Where are all the single men?

Megan Chambers at the worksite with Dan Zirkel (sitting), Paul Jobe and Scott Muller.

Alistair Brightman

FOR all the 30-something women out there who have been unlucky in love it will come as no surprise that the older one gets, the harder it is to find Mr Right.

Now, just to rub a little salt in the wounds, statistics have confirmed that at least on the Fraser Coast, that's exactly the case.

A report based on a recent Census shows that in Hervey Bay in particular, there are 682 single women for every 523 single men in the 30-39 bracket.

Things are drastically different for the singletons who are testing out the dating scene for the first time.

In the 20-29 age bracket, there are 926 single males (the majority of whom are tradies) for every 891 single females.

This could be bad news for the eligible bachelors who have to work a little harder in a tougher market but it could also be a sign for 30s gals who might be prepared to set their sights on someone a little younger.

As for choosing the right sentence to break the ice, a survey of more than 4000 men and women showed that while we might pretend otherwise it's the mushy and often downright cheesy ones that are the winners.

POPULAR PICK-UPS

Based on a survey of 4000 men and women

Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?

I've had a really bad day and it always makes me feel better to see a pretty girl smile. Would you mind smiling for me?

Should we talk or continue flirting from a distance?

Hi I just want to give you the satisfaction of turning me down. Go ahead, say no.

Did it hurt when you fell out of Heaven?

I seem to have lost my number. Can I have yours instead?

Apart from being beautiful, what do you do for a living?