Scozzie

Best of luck Louise, Give me a shout for a beer or coffee when you get here. S x

Hi Louise323, We managed to get a rental in varsity lakes. Kids start school ay varsity college soon. Been here over a week note. People are very friendly here and driving is a joy compared to sydney! Leaving the uk was easy as it wasn't rushed and we'd psyched ourselves up for it. This time we had to do it to quickly and i started work the next day which was way to soon! I think for you the hard part is getting a place to stay. If was hard getting a place from nsw as most places want you to view the property first. We signed a form that stated we'd take it as is. The lake is really nice and I've jogged round it a couple of times. There's a park run there every Saturday plus there's a kayaking club there too. S x

Great news! We moved 6 days ago and are now exploring the area. Went to sea world today. Have to say this move from Sydney was bloody hard going and worse than our one from the uk. Glad to be here now and hoping to get the kids in school quick. They get bored very easily! Best of luck with your move louisej323. S x

Hi All, I am due to move to the Gold Coast next month. I'm thinking about playing again after having a year off last year. I was playing in the over 35 B grade in Sydney. I had a look at football clubs in Gold Coast but they don't seem to have very many for us older blokes? I'll be looking around the Robina or Burleigh area as that's where I'll be based. Not sure how old you guys are? If you're up for a game or a beer PM me. S

The very best of luck to you Sawsand! We are likely to be moving to the Varsity area in a month's time. I am just waiting to get the go from work. I will be moving with a 7 and 5 year old. We were up there a couple of weekends ago and it looks really nice. I hadn't been before but we were totally skunnered with Sydney's prices. Been in South Sydney for 3 years after moving from Edinburgh. Hoping to buy next year near Varsity in Robina where the blocks are a bit bigger. Houses in Varsity are like a lot of new areas and so close together as to be able to hear your neighbour fart with the window open! We like the Varsity College and Palm Beach Currumbin High Schools but they are both large schools. S x

Hi Heather, We are thinking about moving up to Varsity Lakes or Burleigh in the near future. I have an interview by phone on Thursday. I am in Sydney just now but it's ridiculously expensive here for a house. We will be coming with a 4 and 7 yr old and we'd be up for a wine/beer and snags! Fingers croossed. Hope you are settling in nicely to the lifestyle. S x

Hi Ambrose, there is a mobile shop in the airport. It is slightly more expensive than other places. You can get a sim and credit there on arrival or as mentioned above grab one in any supermarket. S x

Thanks Daxx2! That's ideal! s x

But I was sure that the UK did have a reciprocal agreement with Australia as I was here on a working holiday visa in 2003 and I was given Medicare then but my other half wasn't? She is Australian but as she had been outside Oz for the previous 2 years she wasn't entitled. Has there been a change? Sx

Hi All, I am a General Nurse but I found that AHPRA aren't all that bad, 6 months is a perhaps pessimist timeframe. If you are applying they run from May to end of April so we all have to pay the same amount for even part of the year. It isn't all that expensive though and you can claim it back from your tax return for that year after July along with any training expenses and laundry, shoes purchased etc. The local health care providers (NSW Health) are really slow at getting back to you. I was told that I didn't get the job 3.5 weeks after the interview and only after I phoned them daily. My other half had a similar experience. She started her job 5 months after applying. Perhaps some of the job fairs or agencies may be able to provide something a bit more concrete for you. It is not easy doing everything and it is expensive so if you are going through all of this for 6 months I'd say it's not worth the expense to be completely honest. I'd say a 2 year trip would be more worth the outlay. Also your employer would perhaps be willing to allow you a 2 year leave of absence but I know that is very unlikely to be an option for you. Most houses and units here are rented unfurnished. Gumtree or a house swapping /house sitting site may be an option for you. The very best of luck to you! S x

Hi MRMR, I'll PM you with more detail. Lambethlad you are correct. It is very expensive for what you get but you are at least near to some culture. I've been elsewhere and as much as they are nice areas I have just felt that something was missing. I am not one for a big city but I do need to have access to good schools, hospitals, museums and inspirational architecture. I do love the Opera House too! S x

Hi Callie, I am not sure what you would get but as a temporary resident you would have access to medicare but likely to have to pay for any schooling which can be around $14k per year (I've seen quoted elsewhere). Some schools here you pay for anyway like the Catholic system schools. http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/dhs/centrelink the above link will take you to the centrelink website that can give you more info. As a Permanent resident I know I am not entitled to any benefits until I have been here for two years. I do not know what rebates you will get for childcare as I get some money back against my kids childcare costs. Sorry not much help but hopefully someone else will be on that visa who can help. Best of luck! S x

Hi All, I live in the Shire and don't know much about your area..... but: It is Sunday morning and I am finding myself with some tie on my hands so I thought that I would revisit one of my old cost of living calculations that I did prior to moving. I opened two windows and looked at the Tesco grocery shopping site and the Coles site, I find them similar ish in terms of place in the market. I was surprised to find that Australia is less expensive now than when I moved in 2012. When I did my weekly shop I found Australia to be about double the price of my UK shop. Today my shop was nowhere near that expensive. The £ has improved against the $ so now we get $1.83 per £ (35 cents more than when I moved) but the cost of a basic shop was only perhaps 20% more than if I were buying it in the UK. The main thing is that my wage is 60% higher here. It appears that costs of living have increased substantially in the UK as well as the currency improving. Think it may be useful as an exercise to see how your outgoings would be once you are here. Hope this helps. S x

Hello All, Thought I'd post again to give it a bump in case anyone has any more suggestions. I read somewhere online recently that Mike's Pub in Sutherland is the best for pub food in the Shire. Never been myself but another option. I believe there are some good spots over the water in Beverly Hills or San Souci. S x

South is good with great schools. I live near Cronulla and there is definitely a community feel here. Domain will tell you the prices of rentals which don't stay on the market long here. Better education website will rate the schools by naplan results. S X