This is my first time on the forum! My family and I are hoping to move over to Brisbane next August. Visa application all underway. Can anyone give us any good tips, on any subject at all? The children are 18, 16 and 12.
Any info appreciated.
This is some information that we sent to an immigration article about Brissie!!
Neighbourhoods/ suburbs
We picked Sinnamon park as it is close to the city (12ks) but not too close. There is a bikeway direct to the city from our door. Good bus services. Plenty of park areas. So far havent noticed much kids hanging around (like you get in the UK!!). Tend to not get the kids hanging around anyway.
HAve heard good things about Kenmore, Jindalee, Springfield Lakes (the newest `place`)
Restaurants/ cafes
We love brekky at "The Regatta" on Corononation drive. This is outside eating beside the river. Also love "Hogs Breath Cafe" which do steaks to die for! They are a franchise all over Oz. "Cold Rock Cremery" is another fav. Ice creams, milkshakes etc.
Coffee and cake and light lunch at "The Kuta Cafe" on Mount Coot-tha which has an uninterrupted view of the city and the coast. Also local to us here at Rosalie we have "the bali grill" which is australain/asian food and "freestyle" for desserts. The desserts are $12 but hey, they would feed at least 2 people if not more! They are HUGE!
Pubs/ bars
Our local is the Jindalee Tavern which does nice meals, great drinks, has the "pokies" Also we have The Centenary Tavern which is pretty similar. In the city there are a chain called "pig and whistle" which is promoted as an English Pub but is pretty Aussie to us.
Shopping areas
Our local is mount Ommaney shopping centre which is less than 1/2 kilometre from our door. Indooroopilly shopping town is the next local which is about 5ks away. Here you find every shop you could need from KMart to Big W to Myers and several clothes shops for the ladies!
The biggie shops is Chermside which would be comparable to Lakeside in Essex and Meadowhall in Sheffield. We also have DFO (direct Factory Outlet) at Brisbane Airport and there is also a local one being built at jindalee.
Schools
No kids (sorry!) but husband is a bus driver and says that the kids are always polite, noisy but polite!
Hotels
We stayed at the Alexander Appts at Woolloongabba. We were in the process of moving and had a 4 week gap with nowhere to go. They are self contained appts for about $300 per week. Local there to trains, buses and of course the Cricket capital - The Gabba.
Outdoor activities
Brisbane river hosts several water based activities, you can do canoeing, kayaking, sailing, jetskis. Plenty of rowing regattas and local dragon boat racing. Rock climbingon the local cliffs. BRissie has hot air ballooning. 1700ks of cycleways. PArk areas are plentiful,
Healthcare
For the first two years we had to go private as we were unable to claim medicare. Drs appts costs us $45. You can pretty much get an appointment teh same day 95% of the time. They are also open at weekends too. Have been in a private hospital myself for surgery and found the service and care to be exemplery. Made BUPA look like the local NHS! (I am an rn so can speak with some authority!)
Music/ entertainment venues
SUNCORP STADIUM - seen Robbie Williams here and are going to see the Police here in January. Great stadium and home of the BRisbane Broncos! (NRL). Stadium is close to trains and has own bus station underneath. Full stadium can be cleared by bus in under 60 minutes.
BRISBANE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE - this is out of town about 25ks at Boondall. Nice entertainment centre, wherever you sit is a good view. plenty of parking, well organised and close to highway! Saw Eric Clapton and Billy Joel there and WAR OF THE WORLDS!
BRISBANE EXHIBITION CENTRE - this is where the "home shows" and stuff like that are held. Also saw Billy Connolly there. Good seating there, good views from all angles.
QPAC THEATRE - saw Dirty Dancing there and Miss saigon there too. In the summer on South Bank Piazza there is an outdoor cinema which shows kids films and it is free!
CINEMA - cinemas here have GOLD CLASS Which basically is recliner chairs, only 40 of you in a cinema and whatever food you order is delivered to your seat when you want it. Alcohol too. There is no other way to see movies!!!
DRIVE IN MOVIES - About 30ks away at Yatala we have a drive in Movie theatre, which shows double features weekly. 2 screens with a 50s diner in the middle where you can stock up on food throughout!
Hope that some of this helps! If you wanna know anything specific more than happy to help!
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Joanne
"POZZIE" - HAPPY AND LOVIN` IT
This is my first time on the forum! My family and I are hoping to move over to Brisbane next August. Visa application all underway. Can anyone give us any good tips, on any subject at all? The children are 18, 16 and 12.
Any info appreciated.
......
Hi Mrs C
Welcome to PIO website and what a fantastic reply you had from JOHATTS, read with loads of interest and was glad to hear there was an outdoor movie place in Brisbane as went to one in Adelaide and loved it!!
We are heading the same way as you, hope to be there October (if not earlier) next year, our visa went in yesterday 16/11.
We have 2 boys ages 16 and 14. The youngest will prob go into year 10 in Australia as this would be his school year anyway and it is not bad timing as far as Australian schooling goes as he will do year 10, 11 and 12 - year 12 being when he will do his exams (unlike here when its year 11). The eldest little more tricky I would like him and he would like to repeat year 11 (his current year here in the UK doing GCSE next year here). Alot of the exams in year 12 in Oz will be based on what was learnt in year 11 so it seems a good idea to repeat it and also to help him get some friends before leaving school.
Thanks for your reply, and Snap our visa application was submitted yesterday also. Richard my husband was born in NSW but left when he was three, so we are both going in blind as have never visited Australia before. We have timed our emigration around the education of our children, both our girls will be in college, but Brad at 12 will obviously be going to school. I have heard that the education system is great over there.
Hi April, Not entirley sure yet but we visited Brisbane in December 2006 and I loved the Sunshine Coast. Been looking at Beerwah and around the Mountain Creek area, loved Noosa but quite away from Brisbane CBD and we are thinking that there may be more work opportunities in Brisbane for us. My Oh passed his TRA on Refigeration/Air conditioning mechanic and this is the line of work he would like to stay in along with Mechanical services or Plumbing.
What colleges are you looking at for the girls? what do they want to study? Are your children looking forward to the move? Have you been to Australia before?
We will have to stay in touch as interesting that your Visa lodged the same time as ours and children roughly the same age. Are you awaiting a date now for your medicals? We are using an agent he said that they will call for the medicals December/January time now that the Visa has been sent.
Thanks for your quick reply, not sure if you got mine back as I am a forum Virgin.
Richard my husband wanted to ask how the Australian people have treated you? I am intrested to know about the cost of living over there.
April
Aussie people treat you ok. You get the whinging pom insults but hey, I can live with that!! Its all said in jest anyway! I think if you come here expecting little britain then you will be disappointed. If you come prepared to get engrossed in the Aussie way of life and culture you will do fine!
Cost of living varies.........
Food: some food dearer, some cheaper but the upsides are that fruit/veg are fresher + taste much better.
Fuel: much cheaper! We pay on average $1.05 per litre
Rates: we pay in $ what we paid in pounds in the UK - and that includes your water!
Electric - we pay about $300 per quarter.
We paid $16000 for brand new Toyota Echo (like the Yaris) in 2005
Third party insurance is in with your car tax.
no MOTs needed - 6 monthly service done on my car in order to keep up warranty - service around $100 for my little car.
Im sure I will think of a thousand more things. PM me if you wanna know anything else
:wub:
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Joanne
"POZZIE" - HAPPY AND LOVIN` IT
Our Medicals have already been done, a lot of money for a chest x-ray and a blood test.. No never been over before! Big step to take I know, the girls are doing Travel & Tourism for the 17 year old and Hairdressing for the younger one. I don't know which college yet as really want to get the go ahead with the visa first. I don't want to count my chickens, but think we have a good chance as Richard was born there and I can get a transfer with Avon Cosmetics to Avon Australia with no probs, so got a job when I get off the plane.
Would love to keep in touch as it is good to know someone in the same situation. Where do you live at the moment. We are in Gillingham, Kent.
Thanks for the info. I'm glad to hear tht Little Britan is not on the cards. We are looking forward to a better way of life. I have a job lined up already with the company I work for here (Avon Cosmetics) but Richard is a builder with his own business. That will provide us with a decent income but Rich wants to work maybe part time to keep him occupied. However I'm sure he'll find loads to do, we are really excited and even a bit nervous.
