calNgary

Possibly not reading this -'' Travelling from Australia to New Zealand People who have been in Australia for 14 days prior to departure are able to travel to New Zealand without applying for an outwards travel exemption. Note: This provision is only applicable when New Zealand is the destination of travel. If you are transiting through New Zealand to another destination you must apply for an outward travel exemption. https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/new-zealand-safe-travel-zone

I think you would get interconnecting rooms but you may need to ask for them. I am sure there is some procedure set up for larger families as you couldnt all squeeze into a 1 bed apartment.lol. (well not without driving each other insane!) Lots of luck with everything and if you get bored in quarantine a thread on how you found the flight, transfer to quarantine etc would be interesting. Cal x

Brisbane is booming as babies are born and southerners began to flee lockdowns for the Sunshine State’s (usually) COVID-free lifestyle. Brisbane’s population grew by 1.9 per cent during 2019-20, recording the highest growth rate of all capital cities, according to new Australian Bureau of Statistics data. https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/brisbane-news/brisbane-records-fastest-growth-of-any-australian-capital-city-20210330-p57fdl.html Pimpama and Caloundra are 2 of the biggest growth areas, which is easy to imagine when you see all the development and new housing estates. I do have a soft spot for Caloundra, it just seems to have everything you can need and prices are still reasonable. Cal x

To be fair Toowoomba has grown a lot over the last few years just like its population and its no longer that like country town. If you work nearby, Toowoomba has pretty much everything you could need/ want on a day to day basis and is beautiful when all the flowers are in bloom. Cal x

I agree with Marisa ,that is ridiculous. Do let us know how you get on. Cal x

I know a few families who have ping ponged but they seem to keep it quiet as they feel embarrassed! no idea why, each to their own and who's business is it anyway except theirs. On the flip side this is one of the reasons i personally wouldn't think of moving back until i had citizenship. It is just that bit more security for you / your kids to return without any hassle and hoop jumping at some point in the future if they wanted. Cal x

Hi guys Are you taking Arnold with you? i know very few airlines fly snub nose breeds so it can be tricky to fly them. This is our boof head Bulldog, we bought him from a family in Brisbane who were returning and couldnt take him with them, We have had him 7 years now.

Deception Bay and Morayfield are known for being a bit 'ikky'. North Lakes is a bit like a huge English estate but with detached houses and shops, schools etc and quite popular with migrants. Bribie Island is lovely but if anything happens with the bridge you are stuck there / cant get home. Sandgate, Redcliffe, Scarborough would be worth a look if you want access to a beach/ waterfront.all nice places for families. To be fair there are way more good areas than bad, so a lot comes down to personal choice. The best way to find an area is to spend days driving around when you arrive and see what 'feels' right for you. You would be surprised how much one suburb can vary compared to its neighboring suburb. Some of a lot of wooden Queenslander style homes which lots of people love. Some are more brick 2 stories, a lot brick single story (a bit like a bungalow ), so again its what you would like. Have you been on Realestate.com and looked at houses, purchase prices and rental costs and availability? I spent hours on there short listing areas before we moved so we could check them out once here ( although we still ended up at the opposite side of Brisbane once we got here and drove around ! lol). Hope this helps a bit Cal x

I think you now have many peoples personal opinions on what you have done / should do. If you really want to stay / return to Australia at any point i strongly suggest you call a MARA registered agent as soon as possible (we have quite a few who post on here in the migration section). As the thread has started to get personal and very speculative ,i will now close it as there is no more information anyone can give on top of what as already been said. Good luck with everything Cal x

The whole education system is so different here. When we moved i had a son start in Yr 4 and a daughter Kindy. My son graduated Yr 12 a few years ago at 17, he was one of the youngest in his year here. My daughter will graduate Yr 12 this year at 18, she was one of the oldest in her year ! (there birthdays are 3 weeks apart) It feels a bit odd when you have got used to the UK system but you will soon get to grips with it all. The advantage of your child doing the last year of primary is that he can make friends prior to high school and it will give you an insight into what High schools are the better ones. Good luck with the move Cal x

They were asked to pay for a consultation PRIOR to getting the vaccine which is free . However that was quickly squashed ,hence a bit further into the article you linked to it states - Let me be 100 per cent clear — there are no out-of-pocket costs for patients receiving the COVID-19 vaccine," she said. "The suitability assessment, the cost of the vaccine and the vaccine delivery in general practice are fully covered for patients through Medicare." Cal x

Its different here,, but could well be why my car was a lot cheaper in Adelaide when i bought it all those years ago, so was worth the road trip to pick it up. Manuals are more expensive here i have found (ive been looking for a fair few months now for a new 2nd hand one). My daughter just passed her test along with quite a lot of the kids in her year, only 2 have done Auto licences and that was because their parents have auto cars so dont have access to a manual for their hours, everyone else has done manual. Ultimately it may all depend on where the OP settles but if doing a test in the UK prior to moving ( as suggested above) and still unsure on where to go once here ,i wouldnt be gambling with an Auto licence. Cal x

Yes, Auto cars are probably more popular although i wouldn't say Manual are rare.. You only need to look at job ad's to see how many require an Open Manual Licence. Its definately something the OP needs to bear in mind if its going to narrow to his work opportunities. Cal x

I actually think an Electrician may really struggle getting work if he doesn't have a licence or only has an Auto one. Lots of electricians drive vans, the majority of which are manual. Cal x

I would guess it was because electrical items were made to last back then, where as now you are lucky to get 3 or 4 years out of them. As an example,I remember my nannas washing machine lasting years and years. Here ive gone through 3 in 14 years! Cal x

By the book, you should use a sparky but after 14 years here i am yet to meet anyone who has called a sparky in just to change a plug. We didn't ship much out with us when we came, but for the couple of electrical items we did bring, i just bought replacement leads. Cal x

We moved 14 years ago with a 3 yr old and 8 yr old. We have no regrets what so ever about raising them here at all. They are both doing well and happy with their lives. Cal x

We used Crown many years ago because its Crown here and there and although a tad more expensive we had only a small charge this end as we settled in a regional area so had a delivery charge. Everything we sent (in a shared container) arrived, on time and intact. Communication was pretty good too. I would use them again if necessary. Cal x

You could try Send My Bag. A friend recently used them to bring a case from UK to Aus, they seem to offer a few options. Cal x

Hi If you set it up via your profile it will save you typing it out every time. Cal x

What area on the Sunny Coast are you looking at? May help people narrow down schools for you. Cal x

Look at a Telstra T box, we have one as part of our internet package and it has all the usual channels you can play catch up on plus things like Netflix, Binge, Stan on it if you want . Cal x

Hi Diane Welcome to PIO. May i ask you add a signature to your posts please with your agent details listed,as per the site rules. - Signatures are a great way of promoting your online business and we encourage their use on the board and within profiles. However, please keep signatures to a maximum of two lines, do not include large images, large text or banners. The only exception to the two line rule is for migration agents who are permitted three lines, due to the requirement to display their Migration Agent Registration Number. One external link to a business website is allowed. Thanks Cal x

I haven't looked into the Canberra area but have read on here its quite fierce. My son is looking for a new rental at the moment and each property is getting around 60 applicants, its gone crazy since the Covid Lockdowns. Cal x