rachaelm0

I am thinking of changing my career, maybe at first for a couple of days a week, to working for myself and becoming a cleaner? There is clearly a need for this in Australia, it appears especially with all the rentals and people wanting end of lease cleans. I have two young children so the flexibility of doing this is a major factor. Just wondering whether anyone has done the same after coming over to Oz and how it worked out?

The amount of paperwork is the same, the application slightly different. The level of self-justification and bureaucracy is actually slightly worse over here. It's not as busy overall though and the money is better.

My husband is a current serving Qld police officer and did the PACE program in January so is up to date with current requirements. There is a standard colour blindness test (ISHIHARA), you don't have to get 100%, but you do have to achieve the minimum standards. He recommends that you go to your GP/Optician and have a go at test? Best of luck.

Hi Mrs R, we live in Springfield Lakes, moved here in August. You will love it here it's great for kids. I will PM you.

We also heard nothing, on the system it stated things were still being processed, then we suddenly had an email from a CO asking us to leave the country so we could get our visa granted. Start to finish took us 4 months and that's including our delay to leave the country (due to my work commitments).

I have a friend who bought land and is now building. Overall even with the grants it worked out a lot more than if they were to buy land with a run down property which they lived in and eventually looked at building. You can also get grants for being a first time buyer (in Australia).

I've just finished work and just been over the road to the 'Pirate Park' which is on the lake. Our children love it and at weekends people canoe along the lake here. It's all man made/purpose built if you know what I mean, but it suits us perfectly.

I drive through Greenbank and through Boronia everyday to and from work and I visit people in both suburbs, they are a world away from one another and you know when you drive into each suburb. Yes they are next to each other, but that's about it!

We live in Springfield Lakes. I wouldn't live anywhere near Boronia Heights, it's not nice. Greenbank is nice, more rural.

We live in Springfield Lakes!! We have two young chrildren aged 3 and 1. It is a purposed built village for those who are working professionals commuting to the CBD and who work in the local Army base. There are parks everywhere with free electric bbqs, there is a free waterpark which my 3 year old loves. People from all around commute to it at the weekend and even at it's busiest there is no bad language, no shouting, everyone behaves theirselves-it wouldn't last two minutes in the UK. There is no trouble in Springfield Lakes, it is safe at night and quiet. We pay $320 week rental for a three bed detached house with a small paved back yard, garage, utility room etc. I work and my husband looks after the kids at present, but he walks everywhere with them. The Orion shopping centre is brilliant and in walking distance it has every shop you need and great cafes. It is very family orientated here and there are lots of families with young chrildren. I wouldn't have chosen anywhere else to live. The bushland walk park which the waterpark is in is huge and kept very clean and tidy. Everywhere is in commuting distance-Ipswich, CBD, beaches are all 30 mins away. We are getting a train station here next year which they are actively building the lines now and it's coming along nicely. My job involves driving around the suburbs around Brisbane and I really wouldn't recommend going any further in than here. Houses are in great demand here and we had to content with at least 3 other applicants for the two properties we applied for. We stayed with relatives for two weeks until we checked everywhere out and decided where we wanted to live, why don't you rent for a week and check ot the suburbs? I think it helped with the careers both myself and my better half are in, also we had lots of references from uk employers and character references. We put down a bond of around $1400 which you will need too. There is also Springfield Lakes Anglian College which is from Kindy/Prep to college age, is private though affordable and has a good reputation. Our son goes to the Springfield Lakes Nursery which has a huge outdoor play area and is very nice, friendly, he seems to love it. All is in walking distance. Hope that helps! But PM me if you need any more info on Springfiled Lakes!

Hi We are looking for a 7 seater car currently and live in Brisbane west. I will PM you. Thanks

Hi the email from our CO states at least 5 days we have to leave for. I'm not sure if there is another option as we logded off shore. We plan to fly to NZ. Going to cost us around $1400 for four of us. May have to take unpaid leave as I accrue leave every month. My medical was referred but then granted a few weeks later. Wouldn't worry too much about that.

Hi everyone, just for an update after 10 weeks of waiting we got our CO yesterday! whohoo! We are now in Oz on a 457 visa and he has asked us to leave the country, present at the local Commission in the country we travel to, to present our passports. All very exciting and he requires no further documentation-we risked it and front-loaded our medicals and police certificates, thankfully it all worked out ok! Good luck to you all!

Are you suggesting tomatoes are expensive here, they are big and cheap! Happy days!

Great news!