Helen

Hi Pom Queen, Thanks for being such an active member, I love your posts, and appreciate your contribution to the forums to help folks like myself who are taking the plunge and coming to Perth, flying this Saturday with husband and two children. We'd love to meet up for a social event, thanks, Helen

Hi, I'm moving to Perth in 2 weeks, and just wondered whether I can take my current mobile phone, an iPhone 5s and pay to get a sim-only contract down under. Are there any foreseeable difficulties with this? Does the phone need to be unlocked especially? Thanks, Helen

I am sure it's better than the previous response. I am hoping to bring my Mum too, in the future. Two years after you arrive with a PR visa, you're allowed to sponsor a parent to migrate. I think the cost is currently £22,000 or £44K auD. Medicals are required. Certain conditions may prevent migration, such as insulin dependent diabetes, HIV, tb. I'm not sure what else. I'm absolutely desperate that we can get my Mum in too. Don't know what I'd do if we couldn't. But have a chat to a migration agent, mine was able to reassure me that we'd be able to get my Mum in hopefully-probably-pretty-please!

Thanks very much for your responses, I was thinking originally that, with my husband's desire to cycle to work, we could only look at suburbs like subiaco, Claremont and Nedlands, but this knowledge will definitely give us more options. Much appreciated.

Hi, I just wanted to ask, is it possible to cycle safely across the swan river to Perth CBD? I've seen that there are big busy roads crossing the river, the Causeway, crossing Heirrison island, and the Kwinnana freeway. We we're thinking of suburbs to live in, and we'd like it to be a short cycle to the CBd, was considering South Perth, or Victoria park. Thanks in anticipation for your help!