hi from a really scared soon to be ex pat!!!!!!

[Clare Pickersgill]

Hi everyone I need help with a hugely capital H!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My husband is at the moment securing a job and sponsorship to relocate to prob Brisbane and will be moving bout June. We have 2 children aged 15 and 8 and I will be following him in august after my daughter finishes her GCSE exams. I am so excited but terrified as I do not have a clue bout education, cost of living ect ect ect. Any help would be a God send. Please please please give me some support and advice.


Clare

[wardy]

Hi clare

Welcome to PIO from another north easterner, whereabouts are you we are in Newcastle.

We are relocating to Perth but was going to brisbane initially but have had a change of heart.

our boys that are coming with us are 14 and 12 and we will be looking into the high school system.

I am sure someone in Aus will be along soon to answer your questions most of them are probably still in bed.

[Paul n Ness]

Hi Claire

Welcome to PIO!!!

Although I cant really help with your questions as not familiar with Brissy and no kids to think of but you have certainly come to the right place! The people here are great and will give you loads of support and advice in all areas

GOOD LUCK with everything

[cantwait]

Hi

I'm jealous!!!! Seriously though, well done and go for it!! We went to Brisbane last year for 3 weeks to explore and hope to settle there ourselves. It's a beautiful place, loads for the kids to do and see. I'm sure you'll love it.

Good luck
Karen
X

[Quoll]

Good luck and dont be scared!

Your daughter will be of an age where you will have to think carefully about her education. Best idea would be to make sure that she gets to do the last two years of schooling and not to hop in part way through year 11. In Aus years 11 and 12 form a two year course leading to a university entrance score - if that is what she wants. Her GCSEs are going to be totally irrelevant but, as she is so close to finishing them, you are perhaps wise to let her get the exams done just in case everything falls apart and she needs to re-enter the UK education system at some point. Usually, however it isnt really an issue as no one in Aus is either going to know or care that she has them under her belt.

Cost of living - probably not that much different from where you are relative to weekly earnings but going up steadily - mortgage interest rates are rising quite rapidly at the moment and there is some question about whether they will continue to rise or plateau for a while.

Meanwhile, I think you are very lucky - send the DH over and he can get everything established for you so you wont need to bother, just rock up to your new home and expect him to have the kettle on!!!!

[lynneflinn]

Hi Clare & Kaye and everyone else

I to am from the north east - Whicham near the metrocentre to be exact. Welcome tp POI, even though I am fairly new myself I find some of the stories hillarious and the amount of back up is great. We are at the early stages really, just doing some ground work on salaries and stuff and was wondering if anyone could tell me if its possible to have a nice 3 bed house in a good area in Adelaide for about £200,000. You just cant tell from the agents about the areas and we have never visited OZ before. Will we like it?

All the best Clare, we wish you and your family the best of Brittish
love
The Flinn's

[Clare Pickersgill]

Hi Kaye and everyone else

Thanks soooooooooo much for all yor replies I nearly died when I logged on and found so many messages!!!!!!!!!!!

I currently live in Hartlepool but am a Sunderland girl so Know well where all you North East peeps are from ha ha

I hope I am replying properly as I am useless on a computer!!!!

Please keep in touch as I am needing as much support as poss all I can say is that from the numbers of us heading Down Under there must be something good about the place!!!!!!!!

Love Clare

A very useless computer user!!!!!!!!

[Paul n Ness]

Hi The Flinns

You are very fortunate in that Adelaide is still probably one of the cheaper areas to buy, although prices are on the up. Not overly sure on what £200k will get you but something pretty decent! If you go out of the city suburbs a little you will get a lot more for your money too!

Good Luck

[BrisbaneReturners]

hi, I'm a brisbane girl returned in June back to Brisbane. I lived there for over 20 years.. but haven't been back for 4 years so not sure how much I can help. Re cost of living. my friends tell me it's better than here but it's catching up quick but it's still cheaper at the mo. housing is really hard to find. lots around for rent but huge amount of people looking so you hard to get. buying a house is easier right now i believe? we used to live in the southside of brisbane and we're moving back that side as my family still live there. ask me anything and i'll try and help..?

[lynneflinn]

Hi Paul & Ness

Thanks for the info.The reason I said £200,000 is that we were thinking of not having a mortgage if it was possible. Now found out that there could be a way in for us in WA probably Perth.I know the money won't go far there I'm just about to do some research cos I have mainly done Adelaide.Where are you going and have you been to OZ before? We haven't

The Flinn's