Hello UK and Ireland, this is Australia Calling.

JohnKelly · 18-09-2005, 06:23 AM

G'day folks, I left Nth Ireland 40 years ago and that was under the 10 Pound Assisted Passage Scheme.

Australia is my home, and the home of our children and grand children.

My wife and I have been back to Ireland for a holiday and we also toured England and Scotland, we enjoyed it immensely, but it was a holiday and it was good to return home to The Lucky Country.

I will browse through the Forum and if I can help with any questions, then I will.

Cheers.

Mark&Justine · 18-09-2005, 10:40 PM

Hi John

Welcome aboard, since registering I have found this site to be very useful, there is obviously so many questions, queries that need answering before we all fly off to the other side of the world. if only they decided to do the £10.00 system again!!

Where abouts are you in Australia, me and husband are heading to Perth. I notice your occupation is Police Officer, I work as a Probation Service Officer here in England, Criminals - there everywhere! I do hope Perth's crime rate is low? Do you think it would be fairly easy to work in this field. I am sure the systems are alot different.

Enjoy the site.
Justine

JohnKelly · 19-09-2005, 10:13 AM

G'day Justine, you should not have any trouble continuing in the same job in Perth, it is after all a growth industry.

The Australian legal system and therefore the Courts System is based on the British and you would find no problem.

In so far as cities go, Perth has a relatively low crime rate.

In any case, who knows what you might end up doing, Western Australia Police is on a big recruiting campaign, are you interested? :)

All the best and good luck.

Cheers.

Shaz · 24-09-2005, 10:38 PM

Hi John...........what's the craic?

I'm also from Northern Ireland, we hope to be heading to Perth in a couple of months time, we're on the last leg of our visa application now so fingers crossed!!

My partner is a plasterer and I've been told he'll have no probs work wise.

I've got my mum & 3 sisters in Perth so I am a bit luckier than some.......they've got a lot of babysitting to catch up on!!

Good to hear from you!!

BTW............You don't have a recipe for soda bread by any chance coz I know I'm gonna miss it, especially with the bacon & eggs in it!!???

JohnKelly · 25-09-2005, 01:44 AM

G'day Shazaaa, good on you.

I lived around the Ballyhackamore area and I used to work as a part-time Message Boy in Cherry Valley, but that was a long time ago and I don't think that the shops would have Message Boys any more.

Yeah, there will be no problems getting work as a Plasterer.

That is why this immigration push is all happening because of the skilled shortages in Australia.

I'll bet that it will be a great reunion for you when you hit Perth!

Yep, we still get our Soda Bread and Potato Bread and sure we could even rustle you up an Ulster Fry, which would include a few slices of Black Pudding. :)

We have three Grand Children, so we know what this baby sitting lark is all about. :)

All the very best.

Cheers.

Shaz · 25-09-2005, 09:46 PM

Right you can forget about the black pudding for a start John!! How come you can get soda & potato bread out there?

Whereabouts are you anyway?.................I'm moving there if they've got soda bread! :lol:

So your from the 'East' then...we've got family there (and his granny drinks in the 'Hack' club!

We're living in the Newtownabbey direction soon to be Greenisland come Thursday as we've just sold the house and moving into a rental until the visas come through!!??? fingers crossed!!

The shipping company come on Wednesday so it's all mad in this house...I'm sick of looking at boxes!! We just want to get out there and start leading some kind of a normal life.

40 years eh? You must be full Aussies by now!!! :lol:

Shaz · 25-09-2005, 09:49 PM

By The Way........seeing your used to the ' babysittin' lark.......I'll pay....promise!!! :lol:

joanne mc gowan · 29-09-2005, 09:09 PM

hELLO< i WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD HELP ME? Do you know how much a working holiday visa roughly costs? been given loads of different answers Iwould be very grateful> Joanne and Mark

joanne mc gowan · 29-09-2005, 09:10 PM

hELLO< i WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD HELP ME? Do you know how much a working holiday visa roughly costs? been given loads of different answers Iwould be very grateful> Joanne and Mark

afs · 01-10-2005, 07:29 PM

Hi there, my Working Holiday Visa cost about £80 (paid in AUD and it converted to just under £80). If you go to the immigration website www.immi.gov.au there is a fees and charges enquiry you can have a look at (just to confirm that my memory is working properly)