Introduction

After reading the site for a couple of months now we decided to join as we may be able to assist some of you in the process of your move from the green and pleasant land to the land down under.

We moved over to the sunny Gold Coast, Queensland in November 2003.We moved with our son who was 12 at the time.

We have all settled really well and will be happy to answer any queries that anyone may have.

We also have a brother and his family and a sister and her family emigrating out hopefully this year, who have also been through the immigration process. Brother and family have their visa's and are waiting to sell house. Sister and her family have just this week had their medicals. So fingers crossed.

We believe it is best to intergrate with the locals and we have also come across some friends from the UK that have emigrated out here as well.

Hi Pozzy

You are obviously proof of a better life down under as you have so many members of your family coming over to join you!

Could you tell me a bit more about how life in Aus compares to life over here with specific reference to children? When we were last in Australia we didn't have kids and although we're pretty convinced the lifestyle would be better for all of us it would be nice to have a bit of reassurance from someone who's done it!

Info about childcare facilities and early schooling would be particularly welcome - our eldest is 2 and our youngest 6 months.

Your son must be in his teens now. Do you find there is less of a 'yob' culture over there?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Hi Pozzy

I am looking to move out to Southern Queensland (Brisbane or Gold coast) within the next year with wife and kids. My main concern is giving up a good job in the UK without one to go to in OZ.

WHat is the job matrket like there at the minute. I am currently an accountant for holiday company in the UK.

Cheers

B

G’day Aliduck

As always there is someone who will ask the hard questions.

Its not that the questions you asked are that difficult but so wide ranging and it would be so easy to generalise. So here goes we shall give some of our observations and experience and hopefully our answers will be of some assistance to you.

The first couple of years will seem difficult as you possibly will not know anyone. Nor will things be that familiar even though many things are similar. My wife at about the 18 month mark expressed the point that we only did things together as a family with no Aussie friends. Though we had made contact with some friends from old Blighty who lived some 100 kilometres away. Eventually after attending Parents and teacher nights, regular attendances at local boot sales and events, we soon picked up with the friendly natives. Of course some “fell” by the wayside because it was obvious our differences. However we now have quite a small group of local friends whom we go to each others places for the usual B-B-Qs, dinners and meals and other social and sporting events.

We initially came for a year but as that time drew nearer neither of us even bothered discussing our return to England. We just stayed. (We applied for immigration just in case.)

Our son had been in high school in the UK for just over a year and we were taken aback when we discovered that it is very much age related to when they start school. So in fact he looked like starting high school over again. As we arrived in October just prior to the 6 weeks school holidays, the headmaster at the high school suggested our lad go to primary school for the last few weeks, so as to give him a chance to become friends with some other kids in the more relaxed end of year. That way, the headmaster explained, would allow our lad to come to the high school with some new found friends, and would not feel totally alone as a new boy with a strange pommy accent. Unfortunately in that in the 2 years the accent has almost gone. Our family came to visit and immediately they arrived back home they applied and are eager to get here.

Whilst we do not have young kids we enquired about pre-school, and child care for our relatives. There seem to be plenty of child care centres and the fees are based on earnings regarding being subsidised by the Government. The facilities we look at were very professional. Though some booked up two years in advance. Here again it is age related to the child. May I suggest looking them up on the web by getting some address from the phone book on the web Telstra is the phone company. We are in the Gold Coast by the way. You ask of yob culture? YEP it is here as well, just as it is throughout the world. We had some problems with kids locally however that was cleared up soon after forming a local; “Action Group” (meet more people) and we have been trouble free for quite some time. These problems seemed related to many kids gate crashing local parties. Unlike the UK and boy racers in their 4 cylinder cars, over here all the morons have outclassed their abilities by “hotting” up their V8 cars. More power and noise. The usual party trick is the occasional “wheelies, burnouts, doughnuts” at the local roundabout. And speeding! With yob culture everywhere in the world we know that kids hang around after dark and at shopping centres but we do not allow our lad to do this, so we do not encounter any problems in this area. I personally do not feel as threatened as I did at home. There is so much for the kids to do as the Gold Coast (Queensland) has so much for them. Sport is so readily available to everyone. For instance our lad now plays golf at 15 years of age, I have also started. He not only plays on school sports days but socially. This year he has also elected to do tennis and indoor football (soccer).

The drivers are fairly bad and do not give way as they assume they have the right of way, Even when they are in the wrong. Backing in and out means nothing to most as they will squeeze past as you try to manoeuvre in and out. Give way to them and wave them on and they just sit looking t you as they have probably never experienced anyone giving way to them Don’t expect a thank you wave when you do give way to them. Oh I could go on and on but as it is winter and only heading for 24c today I think I should go sit in the sun. I couldn’t resist that as I have just spoken to my brother-in-law and he told me his summer is the same as our winter so far. Oh he also mention the longest day coming up soon. Darn. The weather on the Gold Coast is what is nice with the exception of the latter part of summer being quite humid and quite trying. Coldest overnight this winter so far has been 5c. tho 22 in the day. We have not had rain for quite some time but when it rains.. it pours for a week at a time and I am talking of pouring tropical rain. Being a sub tropical area we also get the electrical storms but no cyclones etc. Club life is wonderful but stay away from the poker machines as you only have to look around and wonder who pays for the décor and the subsidised meals. Shopper docket will give you two for one meal deals. We often have a meal and drinks for the two of us for around $15 AUD (£7 ?) A lot of these clubs and cafes are on the beach side and during the right time of year one can expect to see the dolphins at play and the whales migrating along the coast to warmer waters. That part is free.

Petrol goes up and down and at present petrol is $1.20 per litre (.49 pence per litre ?) Remember wages are lower here than in the UK.

In general, please leave you problems behind. Try to integrate with the locals. Try to give up all the things you can’t get here, without moaning about back home etc. The Aussies coined the phrase Whingeing Poms with good reason. We know Brits who have formed enclaves of locals from back home and do nothing but talk about back home and compare almost everything whilst telling the locals about back home. Accept this place and the people for the change you made. This doesn’t mean you do not have the right to compare or have an opinion but be aware and try not to moan too much. The Aussies are a funny lot and a seemingly feral looking person might surprise you with his views and knowledge on many things. Give every one a chance and accept most situations for what they are, There is the big picture in all of this so don’t sweat the small stuff. An instance is my wife feels she must cook a Christmas dinner on a day when the temperature is 35C, then whinges about it. Forget it have a prawn and a beer or a cold Chardy) and relax . Strangely most Brits do not know how to let go and chill out. Sorry to waffle on and hope I have assisted some one.

A further request for information on the job market? Quite stable at the moment. May I suggest looking at some agencies to start with. You can always change once here. My brother in law was offered a position through an agency. . get back to us if we can assist. Brisbane is beautiful City sometimes known as a sophisticated country town. Sorry about the length of this posting. Cheers and good luck!

Wow, Pozzy, a good long post

I've picked up a couple of points that you mentioned that I also fully agree with, and I consider need highlighting.

There seem to be plenty of child care centres This can vary in different areas, but more seem to be being built all the time.

There is so much for the kids to do as (Queensland) has so much for them. Sport is so readily available to everyone. Netball is very common for the girls from about 7yrs up to .. well... 40+

I personally do not feel as threatened as I did at home I still feel uncomfortable when a group of youths walks towards me, but then a smile and a "hi" comes from them, or they considerately walk around you, and you can't help comparing. There are of course some areas in Australia where this would not be the case.

Driving: Don’t expect a thank you wave when you do give way to them I got a thank you wave about 2 months back, must have been a recently arrived migrant

great post, im moving to brisbane at the end of august and cant wait. Have travelled extensively through europe and understand that you want to feel the comfort of a recognised accent. Most of the people i've spoken to about migrating worry about mixing with the locals and want to know where the brits all go to drink etc so that it helps them settle in. Id suggest the exact opposite, your not going to live with other brits, your going to Oz and you wil meet one or two australians on your travels! no point in being shy about it, you've had the balls to go in the first place so may as well put yourself out there.

I learned on my travels that to really enjoy a place you have to engage the locals, you'd be surprised at the reaction you can get. I have had invites to family banquets in lithuania (was brilliant), put up in a family hom in Norway for a week at no cost, amongst other things. This of course works both ways and i've had friends i met in germany and in denamark stay with me in Scotland. You will only get out of it what you put into it. People are generally open and interested and learning about somthing different. I appreciate it will be difficult when I first arrive as i am going on my own but the first thing im doing is finding a 'local' drinking hole and frequent it. With my delicate scots accent im sure i'll attract attention !

Brisbane CBD here i come ...... visa permitting (please hurry up with my 457 !)

Wow, Pozzy,

Thanks for such an informative post, I reckon that was way above and beyond the call of duty, particularly as you're having such good weather and could have been relaxing outside! We have had a couple of days of good weather recently, although over half term we set off one morning and the temp was only 5 degrees! Actually, not constantly thinking and talking about the weather is one of the things I am most looking forward to about Australia!

Once again, thank you very much, you're a star!