calNgary

There is a few oldies still around however i havent heard off Pablo on here in ages.

                Cal x

On 23/04/2024 at 16:57, MC2 said:

Hi all. Myself and my family (two kids aged 4 and 7) have been back in the UK for 3 years but it’s just not working out for us. Previously we lived in Sydney for 7 years and we are considering moving back to Australia. My husband can get a job in Brisbane. What I’m after is info on areas to live in. In Sydney we lived a 5 minute walk to beautiful beaches and this is the life I envisage again but understand it may not be as easy as we’ve had it before. 
I would like to know of nice family friendly areas, good schools (state) that would be close to nice beaches. Thank you!

Would Hubby's job be in the CBD ? pinpointing where it will be will make it easier to suggest areas. As an example , you wouldn't want to settle in a far south suburb if the job is on the North side. Also would you be relying on public transport or have cars?

                  Cal x

Yes i believe most people do have a good experience when using a shared container,  i am personally unaware of anyone who has had issues (stuff missing) with a shared container and that includes all the years i did Relocations.

But one thing i will say to avoid any confusion is, if customs want to inspect something in a Movecube , it is unsealed just like any container. Its not like Movecubes never get unsealed as portrayed in an above post. 

                 Cal x

We used shared containers twice and didn't have a single issue either time. I wouldn't hesitate to use one again if the need arose.

                Cal x

6 hours ago, Blue Manna said:

Seriously, if Australia don't want you with engineering degrees, you don't want Australia. Australia is screaming for engineers! Migration guys, how do these guys get to Australia?

One agent answered above. Unfortunately a skills test and language test is needed for lots of visa's and to be fair thats only a snippet of cost compared to the whole migration journey.

         Cal x

$200k is a bloody good salary and above average, especially if the car, fuel card and Super are on top of that. 

On seek.com you can find Melbourne has over 29,000 jobs advertised, restrict the search to jobs paying $200k and it drops to 1,700,restrict it again to jobs paying $250k and it drops to 860 . Maybe see if you can find hobby's job position on there and see what sort of salary is being offered.

                  Cal x

If you can get a visa and want better weather than what you have ,head for QLD, ive been here a fair few years now and am pretty happy with the heat and beautiful sunshine, except when it rains for days and days which does sometimes happen.

 I think cost wise it is much of a muchness compared to the UK, some things cheaper, some more expensive. Once you have been here a while, you 'learn' when to shop for certain things to maximise savings..

Lifestyle around here is pretty laid back. Holidays are not so cheap (unless you want to go to Bali) as flights can be expensive, on the flip side here in QLD you can holiday every weekend on your doorstep and such vast differences in places can be found only a few hours drive apart, from sandy beaches, to sunflower farms in the country, walks in the rainforest, bathing in waterfalls and dipping in warm streams and did i mention the beaches ,lol...

    Good luck with everything and keep us updated

                 Cal x

It is definately worth speaking with a good agent (quite a few post on here so look at their signature), a quick google keeps throwing this up, so looks like there is ways in if you can fit the criteria and haven't left it too late (age wise) - 

Visas that allow you to gain PR above the age of 45 include:

– DAMA Visas (where you can get an employer-sponsored visas in special regional areas up to the age of 55)
– Or through standard 482 Employer Sponsored Visas (Subclass 482) – under select circumstances

Yes, you can get PR anywhere in Australia (Sydney, Melbourne Brisbane, etc,) on a standard 482 visa if you are over the age of 45. However, there is a catch. If you are over the age of 45 and want to get Permanent Residency on a standard 482 Employer-Sponsored Visa, you must earn above the high-income threshold. You can then access Permanent Residency through the 186 Temporary Resident Transition Stream.

Applicants generally cannot access PR if they are older than 45. However, there is an exemption through the 186 TRT stream if you;

– have been employed by their nominating employer in their nominated occupation at all times during the two years on a 482 visa immediately before applying; and
– had annual earnings for each of the three years, that were equal to or greater than the Fair Work High Income Threshold (FWHIT) that applied at the end of that year

How much is the high-income threshold? From July 1, 2023, the High Income Threshold is AUD167,500. Please note, that this will usually
increase every year with inflation. Therefore, if you are on a 482 visa and are above 45 years of age, you can still gain Permanent residency if you earn above this amount.

35 minutes ago, Toots said:

I think Qld weather is at its best in the winter months.  Lovely sunny days not as much rain.  The summers are far too hot, wet and humid for me.

Hubby would agree with you there Toots, but i hate it. As i've got older i just cannot tolerate the cold and love the heat. I pmsl when i first came and saw hats and gloves in shops, now its me that is wrapped up in fleeces and hats, lol

            Cal x

I pretty much would've said the same as you. I remember saying QLD is 10 yrs behind the UK and that's in manyyyy ways, some for the better , some not so much.

Shame about the bottle, hooning is an everyday occurrence ,especially if there's been a drop of rain, lol,, but throwing glass bottles is on another level and not something ive heard of happening much.

   Cal x

Ute's ,mullets and Tat's are pretty normal in QLD, especially the more regional (out of Brisbane CBD) you go. Fashions sense is totally different too over here compared to the UK, i was shocked when i first arrived but after a few years when you stop comparing things so much, it just becomes normal. 

Utes are used a lot by younger ones and teens as there is a big '';off road'' and 'beach',  camping and /or fishing scene rather where having a 4wd makes sense. Insurance is also cheaper for younger ones here.

 One thing i will say is I've found the more regional (out of city) you go, the more friendly people are and places seem to have more of the community, everyone helps each other type of feel.

                      Cal x

11 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Yes thanks, so since we have got back I have been trying to gather some quotes for a container, get the process moving for sending our 2 dogs over and also gather paperwork for school applications. Since they seem to reserve school places in the womb I am applying to a few in the hope that a space comes up. Our moving date will depend on the dogs. 

Lots of luck with everything and glad your trip went well. I'm south of Brisbane but let me know if you need help with anything.

           Cal x

On 11/03/2024 at 17:13, pob said:

We are making plans to move back and we obviously need a car.

We purchased an older Golf it's about 20 years old, nothing seriously wrong with it. We got it thinking that we would only use it a few months, maybe a year and get something newer.

We never got around to buying that new car and have just driven around the old golf. It's tatty, got plenty of dings, a few scratches. But it runs great, starts on the button and gets us from A to B.

The thing is we need a car until the end of our stay, so what should we do with it?

Selling it is a hassle here, I REALLY hate all the haggling!!!

Sell it for scrap? And then pay for an Uber to the airport? Just park it at the airport and forget about it???

Gumtree? Ebay?

What do we do with a 20 year old cheap car? Any suggestions?

If it runs and has rego you will get a few hundred for it.

I have seen some advertised on backpacker sites, stating a collection date so it isnt unheard of. 

The other option is to contact a charity or group and see if they're interested in it.

           Cal x

Congratulations and good luck with the move.

            Cal x

11 hours ago, TheGrahams said:

What bank was she with? Just been speaking to nationwide on the live chat and they are adamant they will send a cheque in GBP and there is no other way!

She is with Commonwealth Bank. The trust fund was held by One Family as it was originally set up with Asda and these guys took them over.

            Cal x

12 hours ago, TheGrahams said:

My kids have children trust funds back in the UK which the grandparents have been paying into. 

My eldest turns 18 this year and the youngest in 2 years. 

Has anyone had any luck in getting theirs transferred to an Aus bank? 

Granny has been in touch with nationwide and they said a cheque will be issued but Aus banks don't accept foreign cheques anymore!

We just applied for my daughters last month. She had to send copies of ID via email, they had to speak with her personally on the phone and a few days later they bank transferred the money into her Aus bank account. It was a much easier process than i had expected.

       Cal x

19 hours ago, Sea breeze said:

This is a bit of an outpouring 

We my husband and I are thinking seriously about moving back to Oz the end of the year. we have been back in the uk 10 years 

we have moved around a bit and currently live in lovely Cornwall. We both get decent pay I have a small business that’s doing well with lovely clients. This took a good few years to get to this stage. I’m concerned that we will be “ back to square one” and will have to work harder and longer 

we want to keep our house here and rent it out ( no pensions in uk) so we have to save up to head back. We are mid 40s now and I think it’s just hit me that it maybe a bit late to start again? 
we do like living here but the weather is a massive downfall and our leisure time is constantly compromised 

Is this enough reason to move back? 
We never gave it a proper go before, lived in share houses didn’t choose where just worked travelled then OH went up the mines 

I feel we might regret it if we don’t give it another go ! 
thank s 
 

Don't worry about your reasons for wanting to move back, the weather and leisure time spent together as a family are 2 of the main reasons we moved here and we are now 16 yrs on with no regrets, most of the time the weather is fab and there is soooo much to do and see for free or very little $$$. 

Work wise ,do you have jobs lined up? depending on your professions you may struggle if your nearing 50yrs to find work quick, some proffesions seem more ageist than others but definately not all , so maybe put the feelers out as soon as you can if you do go for it.

Did you get citizenship when here before or do you need to get a resident return visa?

Not sure how long it is since you were here, or even what area you were in, but over the last few years the cost of living and rental costs have risen a lot here in QLD so bear this in mind as securing a longer term rental is also harder and may take a couple of months. 

Will you regret it??? Only you really know but in your shoes ,i think i would.

  Good luck with your decision and at least you wouldnt be moving totally blind, so your a step ahead of some new migrants.

                      Cal x

14 minutes ago, BendigoBoy said:

I did get censored.

But thanks to the moderator for toning it down and posting it anyways!

It wouldn't let me approve the post unless i did,lol

  Cal x

1 hour ago, Simontucks said:

So let me get this straight..... 

Public schools are terrible yes, or is that just for the purpose of this forum?.....

Seems like there is a big dark cloud sitting right over this site.

Everyone I've been in touch with in the west area of brisbane and there's been a few(yes I have done research away from here,more so the last fortnight due to not quite believing the negativity on here on most subjects) every single person has said the schooling is good both private and public. Yes ,I'm not stupid enough to think it's perfect,no schools are,kids can be horrible but,listening to this site Australia is the pits of the earth.

Stay happy guys,I'm out

I will be honest with you both my children have gone through the public school system here in Brisbane and i cant complain. Schooling here is pretty different (my son did 3 years uk schooling before we moved here) and did take some adjusting too, i found it to be a bit more relaxed and my academic child finished YR 12 with fab scores, even my non acedmic child completed and passed YR12. Being able to start his school based apprentiship in YR10 was briliiant and suited hime well. 

 There is a private school not very far from us and the amount of families i see pulling their kids out and moving to other schools is pretty darn high. The main reasoning being as said by   parents( friends /aquanticies of mine) or what i have read on local community pages,is the school cares more about the uniform and if you are not accedmic they write you off''..

 As for the dark cloud, i guess its a glass half full, glass half empty scenrio .

          Cal x

22 hours ago, mandymark said:

Update which may help anyone else in this position in the future, my son's RRV was granted on 24th January with one year travel facility.

Fantastic and thank you for taking the time to come back to the forum and let us know. 

             Cal x

Back on track and please lets discuss the topic and avoid personal comments as per site rules

           Cal x

On 06/02/2024 at 19:37, Cheery Thistle said:

Well a quick Google shows 1,700-ish crimes per 100k people in Brisbane as opposed to 93 per 1000 in England (so 9,300 when you scale it up) and 52 per 1000 in Scotland (so 5,300 when scaled up). Am I doing the maths right? 

The maths is only correct if cases are reported. 

Ive always said the crime here in QLD is 5 to 10 years behind the UK, hence stealing cars may not be the done thing in the UK anymore but it has kicked in here in the last couple of years.

           Cal x

22 minutes ago, Simontucks said:

Just a thought,we have a container coming in April when we move to brisbane.our white goods are old and a bit battered.we are thinking of buying new here in the UK and putting in the container obviously out of the packaging as we've heard white goods are very expensive in Aus?

If doing this means leaving other things behind i wouldnt bother, however if you have the space in the container anyway, go for it. Just compare prices first as i dont think there is much difference but haven't needed to look for a while.  Also bear in mind, some places can be funny with warranty's if the product wasn't bought overseas.

Some popular places around Brisbane for white goods would be -

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/

https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/

https://www.harveynorman.com.au/

A few people also use Kogan or Appliances on line, so check out their prices too.

          Cal x

11 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

 

Anyway, I fear we are veering far from the original purpose of this thread and as much as I enjoy debate I don’t have unlimited time to spend on it. 

Thanks for acknowledging that, out of respect for the OP can we all answer the OP or scroll by .

     Cal x

We set up an on line account months before we moved with the ANZ. Doing it allowed us to send money over when the exchange rate was good. As someone mentioned earlier, you couldnt withdraw any funds from it until you were here and went into a branch to proove ID etc.

    Cal x