nicolesmith

I shipped all my horse gear over from New Zealand when we came here, and it was in quarantine for some time (a few months), while it was fumigated and stored before being reinspected. It may have been a shorter time if we had not shipped wooden patio furniture as well, I don't know. But it took months for us to get everything back, though it is all here safely now.

How many years to get the decision for 143 visa !! I read this as being around five years to process, and the cost for the single visa to be over $60,000. There's also a retirement visa, but I don't believe you can work on that visa, and you have to be able to support yourself without cost to Australian and social welfare services. I think also that it's only granted for 4 years initially, and then you have to meet certain criteria to be given the next 4 years and so on. I know someone who came. over on a retirement visa, and after several years of nothing but golfing, returned back to the UK and back to his business there.

Yep, that and there are also loads of Chinese people buying up the properties in Auckland, forcing the prices there higher. I think the prices are slowing down a bit now, certainly outside of the Auckland area, and where we were there have been a couple of price reductions recently due to the houses not selling. I had heard that Golden Bay in the South Island has a community of Americans who moved there in the 80s waiting for 'the end', and they are still there!

Hi Julia, Thanks for your reply - I really appreciate it, and found it very helpful. We are currently in Australia, having spent the previous 6 years in NZ. The reason I asked about PR is because if you have Aussie PR, you will automatically be granted residence in NZ on arrival at the airport. https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/why-choose-nz/compare-new-zealand/australia We applied for Aussie PR and were granted it back in 2011, because I had loved it here as a backpacker in the early 2000s. The only thing was that once we got PR and came here, we didn't feel as if it suited us as a family. So we went across to NZ to visit friends and from there we were going to go back to the UK. Anyway, long story short, we were given residence on arrival (as is any Aussie PR holder) and we loved it there, so we stayed. After two years we applied for NZ PR and got it, and after five years, we became citizens. We absolutely loved it there, but sold up to go back to the UK because having the kids sit in a house at the end of the world away from family, just seemed a bit empty. But nothing has come together on the work front yet, so we have ended up here in Aus, this time on our NZ passport. I do enjoy my time here, and we love the better weather. But whilst we feel as though Oz suits us better this time around, we are still missing family and so hope to get something sorted out on the work front so that we can move closer (at least somewhere in the northern hemisphere, if not the UK). So basically I was wanting to say that NZ could also be an option if you didn't fancy anywhere else in Australia, but if you are wanting to move back for the culture and for family, then I guess NZ wouldn't really do anything for you either, though it is lovely there!

Sorry, this won't be an answer to your post, but I just wanted to ask as we are considering a move back to the UK next year...you mentioned that you don't know if you want your kids growing up here as there are so many social issues. Is that compared to the UK? Would you mind saying what some of those issues are? We've always thought the UK had more issues than here, and it's been a concern for us, so I would love to hear your opinion of the difference between the two countries. As an aside, I wonder if things are different in Perth. You mentioned that your partner has found it difficult getting on with people there. We visited Perth four years ago and my hubby who gets on with literally everyone, found that every time he opened his mouth to say something in any shop or restaurant in Perth, the person he was speaking to seemed to be really offended and was very snippy in response. We've never encountered that ANYWHERE else, just Perth. It was so weird. I know some people like Perth, but for us the week we spent there was plenty enough for us to realise that we never wanted to go back there. It just wasn't for us. And yet we love the East Coast, Queensland in particular. Could you make the move over to the east coast, or do you have a requirement to stay in WA? Do you have permanent residence here?

I hope it all goes really smoothly for you. We have just returned from a visit to the UK, and to be honest I feel really flat. Some of that could just be from the wrench of leaving family (again). Actually, leaving family gets harder and harder each time we visit. We spent 6 years in NZ, and have only been here for just under a year, and I have loved every minute of our adventures. The only thing is, that I am really starting to question whether it is all worth it, when all the people we love are on the other side of the world... Anyway, congrats on your decision, and hope it all goes well...

We had 31 degrees here this afternoon (an hour north of Brisbane). So lovely and warm, though some rain would be really helpful!

Wow, all the best - hope your move goes smoothly!

Me too. As soon as the daylight hours start shortening, and the mornings and evenings cooling off, I start thinking of flying north for the winter! We had a car without air con in a Cyprus summer (up to 45 degrees a couple of days). We managed ok, but I sure do appreciate being able to drive in a cool car.

You're right - I wasn't telling the OP that they would be fine. I was just saying how we had found it on our first summer here. And as I don't know the OP I obviously can't tell them how they would feel. My family would probably think the winters too hot here. They don't like it any hotter than 20 degrees in the UK summers. The first time I came here was in the winter, and I spent three months being the only one in t-shirt and shorts while all the people I knew were well rugged up. I guess I acclimatised, as I now wrap up for the arctic for my walks each morning.

We just used Airbnb. Often you will find that the host will offer a weekly or monthly discount which really helps.

We live an hour north of Brisbane and only have ceiling fans. Fortunately we have high ceilings downstairs, so the air flow is good. We found it fine in the summer, hot but bearable, with only two nights that we felt we needed more than open windows and fans. So we bought a portable air conditioner, and had the kids camp out in our room for the night. But we really had no need for it other than that. Can't comment on Melbourne though, as I've never been there.

Yeah, we were about ready to fly north for the winter! You'd think coming from the UK and then NZ, that we'd be used to it! But no...

I don't actually live quite as far up as the Sunshine Coast, but in the area I am, there are probably about 15 salons within a 10-15 minute drive of me. So I don't imagine there's any shortage of them on the Sunshine Coast.

I live just below the Sunshine Coast and love it around here. I love the fact that we can get to Brisbane quickly by car or train, and that the Sunshine Coast is just up the road. Also love that we have all amenities nearby, as well as decent beaches. The best part of it all for me, though, is the laid back vibe. I'm just not a city girl, and prefer a quieter life with less concrete and the houses less squished together.