The big move to Queensland!

[Suzannecopps]

Hi All,

 

New to the forum and generally seeking some advice! We are waiting for our 457 visa to come through. And I am actually in a bit of turmoil, we are selling our house and I am starting to doubt our move! I am starting to no longer think of the positives only the negatives, the mozzies, the spiders, the rush hour traffic that everyone seems to mention on here (I myself would need to be in work in Brisbane CBD for 8am - so it would mean an early dart of the morning) my husband will work in construction, so he will be outdoors and more than likely in Brisbane or gold coast for work.

 

We don't mind the heat or humidity as we lived in Dubai for 5 years and totally got used to it. We wont miss family either as we don't have that many left anymore!! Its just me, hubby and two dogs!

 

I am reading stories that Brisbane is stuck in the 1970's and supermarkets are terrible and its so expensive to live, Australians love to bash us poms, and that people from the UK don't feel a sense of belonging and its all starting to put doubts in my mind. So I was hoping to hear some really positive experiences so I could get my excitement back up and realise my house is only "bricks and mortar" and I could always get a new one once a PR is confirmed in a few years (I hope) and the life we hoped for is really there, sun, sea, outdoors, friendly and laid back people etc etc.

 

Also any ideas on were to rent - we were looking at (what seems to be the usual suspect's for this area) Coomera, Pacific Pines, Hope Island, Helensvale and I am going to commute in a car or train to Brisbane CBD - are they nice areas. Oh I have a million questions and could go on for ages - So I am hoping someone could give me a real idea on life in Australia.

 

PS: We cant rent our house - as we need the money it will provide us with a sale to relocate xxx

[Bungo]

I didn't live in Brisbane but I spent a lot of time up there for work, in that I was there a couple of days every fortnight on average. I lived in Sydney.

 

To some of your fears. I saw no more spiders in Australia than I ever have in the UK, I do not recall being troubled by insects at all other than in Western Australia where they are prolific at some times of year.

 

Traffic can be bad, but no more than anywhere else and no more than in UK. At least once you clear the city boundaries the roads are generally clear (I mean on longer road trips here).

 

Housing was expensive in Sydney, I don't think so much of an issue in Brisbane although if you are from the north of England you might feel it a bit. As for everything else, I think it is swings and roundabouts, no point worrying about it. All that matters is if you can live the life you want to live, don't be constantly converting prices, try to forget about it. Salaries and cost of living usually find an equilibrium. Supermarkets are just different, I think there is a wider product offering in the British supermarkets, but not to the extent that it would make me rethink a move. You just get used to the product offering available and I am sure you will find most things you need.

 

No, the only thing that would worry me if I were you was the one thing you don't seem to be worried about. And that is the visa! This is a temporary visa, always will be, it will not magically convert to a permanent one with the passage of time. If you do want to move permanently, I would recommend you come up with the strategy for that now rather than later, especially if you are selling up and putting all your capital into this.

[Suzannecopps]

Hi Thank you for replying to me message. I know what you are saying about the visa, but I have what I hope is a plan of some sort, my new employer will more than happily sponsor me for PR after 2 years I believe (as long as I am a good employee) In the meantime I am looking to study the Australian equivalent of HR Management AHRI course - so in the event something was to happen - I could potentially apply for my own PR on completion. I currently work as a HR Manager and I am moving into a lower level position for this move but I honestly don't mind (it might be nice to have less pressures that a management role can bring for period of time and I am looking forward to It LOL)

 

I have read far too many stories in the forum of reasons why people are moving back to the UK and I was thinking WHY? And I was thinking is this life not what I think it will be. I think I mainly wanted to hear some reassurance and positive stories about life in Queensland. I also think as the sale of my house comes closer my emotional strings are being frayed a bit but as my friends keeps saying its only "Brick and Mortar" so I need that mindframe which I haven't got yet :-(

 

Great to hear about the insects / mozzies at one point on a thread I heard they were being bitten alive LOL - Now that WOULD drive me nuts!! x

[Wirephobia]

Only moved here (south Brisbane...bayside) 6 weeks ago so bear in mind I'm no expert. We had a similar emotional roller coaster as the house sale concluded. After all, we'd spent a long time making it home and it held many memories. It made us worry about the negatives (which we'd consciously researched).

 

To cut it short, we love it here. The people are great and the surroundings are beautiful. If you want a quiet or busy area, there's something for each taste. Ignore comments about being stuck in the 70's....it's definitely not!

 

Seen no spiders or snakes (except in Australia zoo!). Have seen a couple (literally) of cockroaches and a few mosquitoes. Nothing problematic though.

[Suzannecopps]

Thank you for you reply- its great to hear you went through similar - can I ask did you sell on a 457 visa or PR? We are on a 457 and taking a huge gamble. xxx

[srh82]

Brisbane is a good place don't worry.

 

I recommend that you aim to live closer. If you need to be in the city for 8am, you do not want to be commuting from anywhere near the GC! There are some beautiful inner suburbs which would make your commute a dream.

[Suzannecopps]

Hi Wirephobia - just seen you PR results a below your reply :wink:

[Suzannecopps]

lovely to hear from you srh82 - Any recommendation on places to live near Brisbane lol! I hope I get a PR too x :wink:

[Johndoe]

lovely to hear from you srh82 - Any recommendation on places to live near Brisbane lol! I hope I get a PR too x :wink:

 

I could recommend many suburbs but your choices so far would not even be considered. You are setting yourself up for one hell of a bad commute which would really take the edge off any enjoyment that you may get from your job and if by car at peak times, stick a minimum of 3hrs on your working day and if there's a crash anywhere on route, you could be adding 5 or 6 hrs. The train would be the best bet.

 

You need to tell us a bit more about what you expect from your life in order for someone to recommend suburbs to you.

 

Never mind the doom and gloomers, I've been her 21 yrs and don't regret a minute of it, except when I visit my other 3 sons back in the UK. I still get the wobbles when I come back here, which disappear after a couple of weeks as my other two boys have been raised here and this is now our home no matter how much we may miss those back in the UK.

 

Brizzy is wonderful. Take a look at this thread and see what you are likely to experience within such short drives: http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/queensland/245799-bracken-ridge.html

[Suzannecopps]

Hi Sausage Supremo - So lovely to hear your positive note. I understand that commute and the problem I have is my husband could very well be based in GC? We wont know until her arrives and gets a job as he is on my visa (lucky sod) but I think I wanted to be near the coast in all honestly. But I would definitely consider Brisbane suburbs - ideally we would look for a clean and green area, dog parks, shops and restaurants - Oh and maybe a few bars or two (although that is not a must) I do believe that the commute would be bad for me after hearing from others - so I will definitely start to look into Brisbane suburbs too - What about Wynum and Manly also? I am going to have a good look on the link your provided me, so thank you very much for that :smile:

[Johndoe]

Hi Sausage Supremo - So lovely to hear your positive note. I understand that commute and the problem I have is my husband could very well be based in GC? We wont know until her arrives and gets a job as he is on my visa (lucky sod) but I think I wanted to be near the coast in all honestly. But I would definitely consider Brisbane suburbs - ideally we would look for a clean and green area, dog parks, shops and restaurants - Oh and maybe a few bars or two (although that is not a must) I do believe that the commute would be bad for me after hearing from others - so I will definitely start to look into Brisbane suburbs too - What about Wynum and Manly also? I am going to have a good look on the link your provided me, so thank you very much for that :smile:

 

There's the misconception that Brizzy doesn't have any beaches and is too far from decent ones. Most of the Eastern suburbs would put you in close proximity to the coast. No surf, but some perfectly acceptable beaches/promenades/dog walks.

[Skani]

 

So I was hoping to hear some really positive experiences

 

 

There's a special thread for positive emigrating stories:

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/news-chat-dilemmas/193833-positive-emigrating-australia-true-life-stories.html

 

How any one person copes with migrating is very individual so it is impossible to predict how you will find it. However, having lived in Dubai for 5 years means you have some experience of living in a very different environment. The main reason for migrants returning home seems to be missing family and friends...and a sense of familiarity which had always been taken for granted.

[kaiapoilady]

Well here is a positive story

 

Love Brisbane, it's awesome... I really don't know where people have given you the impression of being stuck in the 1970's, it's a beautiful city, great shopping, lovely restaurants and bar's and near to some of the world's most beautiful beaches, what more can you ask for.

 

Stay away from negative thought's from people, it just drags you down, and makes you doubt your own views.

 

Good luck with everything

[Maggie2012]

I cannot see people not liking Brizzy, but each of us is different. The only town we thought was stuck in the 70's was Adelaide and mt.Gambier. Brizzy? One of the best hidden gems. :-)

[Yidmister18]

I have lived in Brisbane for nearly 6 years now.......and i LOVE IT. Don't believe those people that tell you it's still in the 1970's, what a load of rubbish. Brisbane is a modern, vibrant city with great bars, cafes, restaurants and shopping. I personally live 6 km away from the CBD and as the public transport is so easy, I manage to get from door to my daughters school each day in less than 10 mins. Obviously if you go by car, then like all major cities, there is the typical rush hour traffic, so try to avoid it. After moving from London, trust me the volume of traffic is much, much less!

 

Overall, Brisbane is a beautiful, safe and great place to live and work Brits fit in just fine. Its up to you how you integrate with your new surroundings that will decide if you fit in. Make as many new friends (not just brits) and you will be just fine. You wont regret your decision.

 

I hope this helps, if you need any help please let me know.

 

Paul

[Bungo]

Hi Thank you for replying to me message. I know what you are saying about the visa, but I have what I hope is a plan of some sort, my new employer will more than happily sponsor me for PR after 2 years I believe (as long as I am a good employee) In the meantime I am looking to study the Australian equivalent of HR Management AHRI course - so in the event something was to happen - I could potentially apply for my own PR on completion. I currently work as a HR Manager and I am moving into a lower level position for this move but I honestly don't mind (it might be nice to have less pressures that a management role can bring for period of time and I am looking forward to It LOL)

 

x

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong woth moving on a 457 visa if you want to move temporarily or if you are accepting of the fact that you could be moving back. I guess it is the selling up to use your equity on what could be a temporary move that is the only thing that would trouble me in your shoes. Unless of course you think that the life experiemce is worth it, which is perfectly valid.

 

Many an employer has changed their mind about sponsoring or is simply unable to when the time comes. As for getting a permanent visa independently, I would just recommend you look into that a little bit more. The skills assessment for HR Manager is done by AIMS is notoriously difficult to pass, you would need layers of management below you. The skills assessment for Human Resources Advisor requires a degree and the visa would need to be sponsored by a state, Queensland is not currently sponsoring this occupation and other states would be put off sponsoring whilst you live eksewhere in Australia.

[Keith and Linda]

Hi All,

 

New to the forum and generally seeking some advice! We are waiting for our 457 visa to come through. And I am actually in a bit of turmoil, we are selling our house and I am starting to doubt our move! I am starting to no longer think of the positives only the negatives, the mozzies, the spiders, the rush hour traffic that everyone seems to mention on here (I myself would need to be in work in Brisbane CBD for 8am - so it would mean an early dart of the morning) my husband will work in construction, so he will be outdoors and more than likely in Brisbane or gold coast for work.

 

We don't mind the heat or humidity as we lived in Dubai for 5 years and totally got used to it. We wont miss family either as we don't have that many left anymore!! Its just me, hubby and two dogs!

 

I am reading stories that Brisbane is stuck in the 1970's and supermarkets are terrible and its so expensive to live, Australians love to bash us poms, and that people from the UK don't feel a sense of belonging and its all starting to put doubts in my mind. So I was hoping to hear some really positive experiences so I could get my excitement back up and realise my house is only "bricks and mortar" and I could always get a new one once a PR is confirmed in a few years (I hope) and the life we hoped for is really there, sun, sea, outdoors, friendly and laid back people etc etc.

 

Also any ideas on were to rent - we were looking at (what seems to be the usual suspect's for this area) Coomera, Pacific Pines, Hope Island, Helensvale and I am going to commute in a car or train to Brisbane CBD - are they nice areas. Oh I have a million questions and could go on for ages - So I am hoping someone could give me a real idea on life in Australia.

 

PS: We cant rent our house - as we need the money it will provide us with a sale to relocate xxx

 

Brisbane is good, in fact SE Qld is good, it is nice here and I am sure you will make it a nicer place too! so come, leave your worries behind, come and enjoy.

[Guest]

If you work in Brisbane you are probably better off living in Brisbane. The commute would use up a big part of your day and with it getting dark relatively early you wouldn't go to the beach after work anyway, especially in the Gold Coast suburbs you mentioned which aren't that close to a noteworthy beach anyway. I'm off to the coast tomorrow, living in Brisbane does not stop you going to surf beaches and the drive is much quicker at the weekend than in the week.

 

Mozzies - Probably suburb dependent. Don't even really think about them though can get the odd bite while sitting outside at dusk.

 

Spiders - See way less of them than in the UK. However a monster huntsman may surprise you now and again

 

Humidity - Totally overrated in Brisbane. Sweaty late evening in the summer.

 

Supermarkets - Probably what they were in the UK in the 90's before the millions of ready meals and electronic goods etc

 

Brisbane - Stuck in the 70's? Completely out of date. Would say it is the 2nd most trendy Oz city after Melbourne now. Actually in my electorate both the Main candidates were openly gay at the recent federal election, hardly a sign of non progressive attitudes.

[Chortlepuss]

When I moved to Brisbane the best advice I got from someone was to live near to the city, to make it easy on myself. Please don't consider the Gold Coast/Brisbane commute - I've seen it break a lot of people and you're not going all that way to sit in traffic. You can go to the beach at the weekend... Some perfectly nice places to commute from near the sea - Manly etc but make sure you are on a train line (or bus way) - Public transport in Brisbane in and out of the city is pretty good. You can live a long way out of the city if you're on a bus way - it makes for a pretty civilised and fast trip into the city. Parking charges in Brisbane if you have to pay are pretty prohibitive.

[NorthernLights]

It's so great to read all these positives. We're planning a move out to south Brisbane in early 2017 and positive stories really help! Very excited about the opportunity but still a little terrified! Thanks for posting the good news stuff.

[srg73]

Brisbane is booming and certainly not stuck in the 70's....I'm guessing that came from somebody living in Gold Coast!

[Gbye grey sky]

If it helps we are in a Poms Facebook group here in Redlands bayside. A few weeks ago someone asked a general question about whether members of the group were happy living here or were they wishing they could return. Members are a real cross-section with some arriving recently and others who have lived here many years. Out of dozens and dozens of responses only a handful wanted to return and all cited missing family. Many said they would not return even if they were guaranteed to be financially much better off by returning. Nobody dissed the lifestyle here.

[Maggie2012]

What is it with people and commute? If you had to travel to work in the UK it is walk in the park. We both used to travel 2-3 hours for work daily back in the UK (just like everyone else we knew). I travel 20 miles to work now, taking me 30 minutes and people think it is too far!

 

Your option could be, just like us to set up house in-between the two towns (Brisbane and Gold Coast) and have options to go both ways. Again, worst day it takes me 1 hour drive to the city and 40 minutes to the South Gold coast. Also, there is a train service to central Brisbane, which could be another option to travel.

 

What really stressful is, and no offense to anyone, people do not know how to drive. The "keep to left unless overtaking" rule doesn't apply here. You will find people sitting in lane 3-4 doing 80 (50 mph) in the 110 kph (70 mph) zone. Indicators not used, people speed up when you try to pass them, they won't let you in, people heavily tailgate and pull across 3-4 lanes with no reason. Running red lights and blocking the intersections is a daily thing. Cops do squat about this (to be honest I do not know what cops do here because you never see them). So you need to be extra careful to drive which can be the tiring factor especially between GC and Brizzy.

[Maggie2012]

Hey! The GC is not any better or worse than Brizzy

 

Brisbane is booming and certainly not stuck in the 70's....I'm guessing that came from somebody living in Gold Coast!

[robfromdublin]

Just to echo everyone else, it's not stuck in the 70s and you can get fantastic produce in fruit & veg shops and/or markets. From what you've written the only thing I would be concerned about is the commute. You'd be better living in Brisbane and your hubby commuting to the GC if required. Roads will be clearer when he is travelling as the construction industry (usually) starts work at 7am. As others have said, though, there are ways around this and I know a few people who commute from GC without issue. You just need to choose your suburb carefully. I would decide what you want out of the 'sea' bit too. The Brisbane suburbs are all on Moreton Bay so there is not much in the way of waves. You would definitely need the GC for that. And it's unlikely you'll go to the beach midweek due to the short evenings so perhaps living in Brisbane and heading to the beach at the weekend is a better idea. Plenty of things to think about, but if you put the thought in and you both get work then you can get a fantastic lifestyle here.