Is it worth starting?

Hi guys! I've been reading your Tazzie posts for ages now and I've just plucked up the courage to ask your advice. My family and I (my OH, 2 daughters 9 and 4, and my Mum) are so fed up with falling house prices, violent crime and near recession in the UK that we're seriously thinking of coming accross the water to Tasmania. My Mum and I are both Australian citizens. (I was born in Mornington) Having read your posts Taz sounds like a lovely place to put down roots for our family rather than mainland Oz.

The only thing that worries me is that I've read a lot of posts from other people in various parts of OZ who say they are financially no better off or worse off than they were in the UK.

My husband is a Bus driver and earns about £18000 a year and I work part time as a Drs Receptionist and earn about £6000. We do get help through the governments Child Tax Credits and we manage here in the UK. There's never any money left at the end of the month to save but we're not paupers either. If we came over we'd have about £40000 equity from our house and my Mum would bring £50000 approx to put towards a house for us all to live together.

What I realy want to know is will we be able to build a reasonable standard of living with this equity and the jobs we do? I really feel there's no point in persuing this dream if we'd be worse off financially.

Sorry for such a long winded post, but your friendly words of wisdom would be appreciated as you're the ones in the know!

Sarah x

Hi guys! I've been reading your Tazzie posts for ages now and I've just plucked up the courage to ask your advice. My family and I (my OH, 2 daughters 9 and 4, and my Mum) are so fed up with falling house prices, violent crime and near recession in the UK that we're seriously thinking of coming accross the water to Tasmania. My Mum and I are both Australian citizens. (I was born in Mornington) Having read your posts Taz sounds like a lovely place to put down roots for our family rather than mainland Oz.

The only thing that worries me is that I've read a lot of posts from other people in various parts of OZ who say they are financially no better off or worse off than they were in the UK.

My husband is a Bus driver and earns about £18000 a year and I work part time as a Drs Receptionist and earn about £6000. We do get help through the governments Child Tax Credits and we manage here in the UK. There's never any money left at the end of the month to save but we're not paupers either. If we came over we'd have about £40000 equity from our house and my Mum would bring £50000 approx to put towards a house for us all to live together.

What I realy want to know is will we be able to build a reasonable standard of living with this equity and the jobs we do? I really feel there's no point in persuing this dream if we'd be worse off financially.

Sorry for such a long winded post, but your friendly words of wisdom would be appreciated as you're the ones in the know!

 

Sarah x

hi sarah

welcome to pio, have you looked on which type of visa first you can come over on as there are quite a few, speak to an agent they will advise which is best and give you 15 minutes free go matilda are rated highly on here......

my hubby is a builder and only his wages as i help out in a school but like you get working family's tax credit which is a big help were going on a skilled visa and i will get a part time job over there to help with money.

financially we may be worse of to start with but want a better life style for the kids plus more time as a family.........................

find out as much info as poss eg jobs over there seek.com can give you an idea of your jobs what the pay is, then realestate.com for house prices will give you a ruff idea if you will manage or not...................

we dont know if it will work but are going to give it our all as fed up with this country.

good luck with whatever you do

julie :wubclub:

Hi Sarah, we're in a similar situation as yourselves, except the Mum part. We are going for Tasmanian sponsorship at the mo to see if we can move there instead of Victoria. We are going to give it a go, sure we are expecting a fall in salary but if you don't go mad and spend wisely then you should be ok. I have a little girl who will be 2 when we go over and as with all my kids have never put them into daycare, so I will be a stay at home mum for a while longer, so we will be surviving off whatever hubby earns. Do more research as to wages, places to live as Julie says, then have a chat with agent. The fact that you and you mum are citizens will definately help with visa application, but again have a chat with an agent first.

Best of luck and let us know how you get on. If you need anymore info give us a shout.

Helenx

Hi Sarah,

We leave for Melbourne in August and I got a spouse visa as my wife has citizinship, and this only took about 2 months to get from filling in the forms.

We are going purely for lifestyle and to give our son a better life than we can in the UK. I don't think you should look at it as a chance to be better off financially, but a chance to be better off in everything else life has to offer.

I wish you the best in whatever you decide

Hi Sarah,

When we went to TAS last year on our rekkie, we kept all of our shopping receipts so that we could compare them to our uk shopping but it doesn't really give a true reflection as the exchange rate then decides how cheap or expensive things are. I don't know much about the cost of utilities, there have been a few posts on here but they vary quite alot. For us, the main reason for heading to TAS is for the freedom and relative safety that our kids will have compared to the UK and the fact that there are so many outdoor activities that we can do quite cheaply (or free) which we can't do in the UK due to the weather and expense of family activities. The real estate is also among the lowest in OZ, and the housing is fab. Hopefully someone from TAS can give you a better idea of living costs, and once you've managed to work out your expected salaries you might get a clearer picture.

Best wishes

CC

x

Hi guys,

Thank you all so much for replying. I'm 90% sure we will start the long journey on our way to Tasmania. As you've all said, the lifestyle is much better and safer for my children and I believe they'd have a far better future in Oz than in the UK. I just don't want to get out there and be too worried about if we've got enough money to pay the bills to enjoy the more relaxed lifestyle we set out for in the first place!!!

Nevertheless, last night I applied to get my Australian passport (I haven't seen my original one for years!!!) and started to get the info together for my children's visas and husbands spouse visa. Agents seem to be very expensive so I wonder if we'd be able to sort things ourselves.

Anyway, I'll keep reading all your posts for advice, particularly about beloved Tasmania and keep you up to date of what we decide. You really are a great bunch!!! Thank-you.

Sarah x

Hi Sarah,

As is the same everywhere the cost of living is going up. Our out goings are approx

Rego for the Car $515 per year

houses Insurance $60 per month

Rates $560 per quarter

Electricity $480 per quarter.

Telephone $150 per month this includes Broadband

We have a wood heater which I suppose we use about $120 per month, through the Winter .It is our only heating . Our house quite big 6 bedrooms. So it is more expensive to run I suppose

Food is not too bad really . Somethings are expensive but depends on where you buy them the same as in UK. We dont have young children so we dont have the cost of schooling

But it isnt only the cost of living .Although of course you have to have enough to pay the bills and eat . It is the way of life and the ease of living here. There isnt the stress nor so much worry. We moved here on a business visa and I had a really good job in the UK and drove a top of the range car. and all the trappings that went with it. But to be honest with you it means nothing, I have nice house granted but then because houses are so reasonable out here so can most people who migrate. NOt sure what it is like for the rest of Australia .But I wanted a better life for our son and us. We do have to work and put a lot of hours into our business certainly dont earn the money like I did in the UK The difference is that it is comfortable living . . It feels great to pop down into Hobart and have a coffee around the harbour. Get the ferry to Bruny Island and just wander around on the beaches. Take the dogs for a walk on Seven Mile Beach and be the only ones on there . Thing is you can go to all these places without it taking umpteen hours and not being able to park and if you did park it costs the earth. And even having to take a mortgage out for a family to go out for the day.

Also reading the daily Newspaper and not finding it with murders and serious crime in it daily is better.

Sally

Hi Sally,

Whereabouts are you in Tassie, I looked at some houses on the net last night for Tassie and they are so reasonable to buy, but haven't got a clue about any areas, could you let me know so I can google some more, not bothered about beaches per se, don't want a city area, any ideas for me?

thanks in anticipation

Hi Jaynie

We live in Kingston. Which is growing quite fast. More shops coming. It still has a country feel to it but only 11 kms from Hobart. We like this side of the river. We havent got a sea view and to be honest we went for the house and block size . Unfortunately the houses with a sea view are ususally $ 1000's and the houses are on small areas. But that was our choice . Margate, Snug, Kettering all nice places rural but good areas. Middle school in Margate and Snug. Leslie Vale, Grove, Longley , Bonnet Hill, Taroona Blackmans Bay, Tinderbox Howden are a few more

Huonville is really an up and coming area now and it has all the facilities. Smallish Country Town but the people are really friendly Took Colin 1/2 to fill the car up with petrol because someone was talking to him about the car and then another 1/2 inside talking to the cashier. Needless to say it happens all the time . Now take a book to read!!.

We came from a market town in the UK were everyone knew everyone else and its a bit like that over here So that is probably why we have settled so well.

hope this helps.

Sally

thanks Sally,

That gives me something to work with, I as said before haven't been down there yet, but really looking forward to it, you never know we might move from NSW one day and give it a try, reminds me a lot of the lovely countryside in the UK.

Johns Parents and his Brother have been there for a holiday and they all gave it rave reviews, so will get there soon I think!

thanks again

no worries Jaynie. Tassie is certainly worth a trip for a holiday. I would think that it would make a nice break even for a long weekend.

Sally

Hi Sarah' date=' we're in a similar situation as yourselves, except the Mum part. We are going for Tasmanian sponsorship at the mo to see if we can move there instead of Victoria. We are going to give it a go, sure we are expecting a fall in salary but if you don't go mad and spend wisely then you should be ok. I have a little girl who will be 2 when we go over and as with all my kids have never put them into daycare, so I will be a stay at home mum for a while longer, so we will be surviving off whatever hubby earns. Do more research as to wages, places to live as Julie says, then have a chat with agent. The fact that you and you mum are citizens will definately help with visa application, but again have a chat with an agent first.

 

Best of luck and let us know how you get on. If you need anymore info give us a shout.

 

Helenx[/quote']

Hi Helen,

Thanks for your post. Where abouts in Tasmaina are you wanting to go to?

 

Sarah x

Hi Sarah, We're hoping to go to an area outside Hobart where we could set up a hobby farm and be reasonably self sufficient, but as you can see by my signature we have been granted our visa with sponsorship from Victoria, so we will be going there first and then over to Tas all being well.

Take care speak soon,

Helenx

I have lived in Hobart area since 1975, origibnally from West ham. If you have any questions I can help answer feel free to ask.

Alan

Hi Alan

Thanks for that. It's great to know there's someone like you who's lived there a long time for me to be able to pick their brains!!! I think it's particularly difficult when, like us, you can't afford a reccie trip, so all advice is invaluable.

Still in the very early stages at the moment but rest assured I'll be bombarding you with questions a plenty.......you'll be sick of me by the end of it all!!!!

Sarah x

This link may be of interest. It is a webcam from top of Rose Bay High School on the Eastern Shore. Looking at Reiver Derwent, Tasman Bridge, Mt Wellington and you can just see the city on the far left

Rose Bay High School Webcam

Alan

Thanks for that one Alan. Certainly a terrific view especially when it's illuminated at night.

Great stuff. Makes me even more determined to get there.

Sarah x

I have lived in Hobart area since 1975, origibnally from West ham. If you have any questions I can help answer feel free to ask.

 

Alan

Hi Alan,

Can I ask you why you moved to Tas? What were your reasons for choosing Tas? And what do you love about it? We are coming over beginning of March, probably to do a reccie as I don't think our house will be sold by then, wish it would I can't wait to get there. I have two sons who will be old enough to drive in Tas, what's the traffice/driver's like, I've heard it can be horrendous on the mainland. Would it be wise for oldest son to ride a motorbike or get a car instead?

Any answers gratefully received.

Helenx

p.s. you don't have to answer them if they're too personal.

Hello Vanessa,

Me & my wife were in Sydney many years ago and we were very unsettled, I saw a job advertised for one of the Tas West Coast mines, Savage River Mines, well I got the job.

Savage River is a remote mining town in a very mountainous area, in the middle of rain forest, on a high plateau. It can get quite cold, its very windy and oh boy does it rain, it is as far removed from ones thought of what Oz is meant to be like.

The Savage then was a new town with people from all over the world, lots of young families like us,my wife was expecting our first. The wages were good, lots of overtime and a 3 bedroom house was $6.00 a week.

My wife really felt at home.

We were there 18 months and worked a lot and saved a lot.

We left there and went to New Zealand and then back to London.

Literally, and I mean literally as soon as we arrived at Heathrow I thought what have I done, get me out of here, Beam me up Scotty.

I hated working back in UK, the old serfs and masters attitude was still very prevalent, some thing that did not exist too much in Oz.

We lasted 5 months and we returned. I got a job back at another west coast mine, we were stony broke. I worked all the hours god sent and in just over 12 months we had enough for a deposit for a house, and a few months later we had a house in Hobart.

We especially like the casual lifestyle here. I have always loved the sea and have always been able to live near it here. I have a boat and there are many good boat ramps and lots of bays to explore. We now have 4 grandchildren who in summer call me to go out in the boat, we have a lot of fun.I am teaching the eldest to get here power boat licence.

I have no idea what wages are compared to UK. Wages here were higher but I suspect they are not now.

I have seen a few ex Poms in recent years who have had highly paid jobs in UK in a specialised area, they have not been able to match that here.

We do not have much large industry here which provide high paying jobs. The economy is based on tourism, mining, aquaculture, fishing, forestry & timber, agriculture and some small niche manufacturing industries.There would be others I have missed.

Expect to pay $300+ per week for a 3 bedroom house, good rental properties are in short supply.

Please dont let your boys have a motorbike they are too dangerous.

The traffic here is very light compared to UK, it takes me 20 mins in peak hour to go 22 kms to work. Melbourne and Sydney are very busy just like any large city anywhere.

I like all the Australian cities, they all have their own appeal, but Sydney is too expensive.

Hobart does have 4 seasons, this winter has been the coldest I have known in 33 years,it was minus 2'C at my house this morning but it did warm to 12-13. Summers in Hobart are great, not too hot and never humid. We never have hot sticky nights where you cannot sleep. We usually get an afternoon sea breeze that cools the place down.

As a consideration have a look at Port Macquarie in NSW if you are looking for warmer weather. It never gets above 30 or below 15 during the day.

regards

Alan

Just to add.

Used cars are dearer here than UK but they last much longer as the climate is kinder, rust is not a problem like UK.

Petrol has just dropped to $1.49 litre, diesel $1.79 litre, for some reason diesel is dearer