russ&jackie

Hi, we too brought a load of stuff over with us and to be honest I wish someone had said not to bother ! We moved to the Sunshine Coast ( Buderim ) QLD and while we waited for our belongings to arrive on the container ship we rented a house, bought a 2nd hand bed advertised locally, a TV and fridge/freezer from Joyce Maine ( cheap superstore ), sofa from Gumtree, etc etc. We`ve since bought furniture from the local market and from garage sales. When our old stuff arrived from the port there was only the personal/cherished items that we really needed so could have saved a fortune on transporting it all and maybe sold it in the UK for a reasonable amount. I know we are lucky that where we live there is a big choice of stores and OP shops ( charity stores ) but I honestly feel that we wasted a lot of time and money ( not to mention all the stress and worry ) getting a houseful of old rubbish sent over.

Hi just read your thread. Guess what ? I`m a chippy too and live in Qld 100kn north of brisbane on the glorious Sunshine Coast. Work here is pretty slow just now but you do make good contacts when you`ve been in Oz a while. We only arrived last October and I found work easy to come by initially but there are quite a few tradies who have had to travel out west to get decent work. As for the power tools, I sold all my 110v stuff before I left UK and only brought my nail guns and battery tools as well as hand tools. I`ve since bought 240v replacements and I think thats the best option. One other thing you`ll find when you work here is that chippies are expected to use different materials ( other than the usual UK ) and quickly develop new skills such as plastering, concrete finishing. Don`t be put off though, I`ve found everyone to be pretty helpful plus its warm here. All the best.

Hi, we flew to Heathrow via Hong Kong from Brisbane with Cathay in June and I found the long 2nd leg was pretty uncomfortable. This leg was on a 747 and it was by no means new so maybe you`ll get a newer one with better seats. We came back with Singapore Air on the A380 and that was more comfortable. The best thing to do is get as much exercise at Hong Kong as possible and try and sleep on the plane. Good luck Russ

Thanks for all the replies. I`ve done the commuting to brisbane, north and south, and am really trying not to do that any more. Anyway since I posted this thread on Monday I`ve picked up some work in Noosa ( good old Gumtree ), Brisbane, and Hervey Bay so theres a lesson in patience. All the best to everyone who reads this post. Russ

Hi ALL, we`ve been living on the Sunny Coast QLD since Oct 2011 and absolutely love it here. HOWEVER it has taken my wife over 6mnths to get a job ( she is now a facilities officer for the council ) as each advertised job gets an average 200 ! applications. I have been very lucky and got work with a builder soon after arriving but he has run out of work as the building industry in this area has suffred a major slowdown, so I find myself looking for carpentry work wherever I can find it. It is great being able to fish everyday but that won`t help with the bills ! Any expat here on the coast need a chippy ?

Hi, we used PSS and they gave us a brilliant service. Their quote was competitive ( also we were able to play one company against another on price ), their packers came to our house an were polite and very efficient. They stored our belongings in Brisbane ( and cleared customs etc ) while we looked for a rental property and finally delivered it all in A1 condition. Highly recommended. hope this helps.

:cool:Hi, we are also staying at Alexandra Headland but at a different apartment block which is very nice ( pool, 2bed suite, secure parking etc ) that we booked while still in the UK but having checked locally I feel we can now get a better deal. There are plenty of short and long term rentals available all over the SC so its worth spending some time on the internet looking. Also being slightly inland will bring the price down, we are looking at Buderim at the moment which is very nice. All the best Russ

:chatterbox::biggrin::daydreaming: Hi, we stayed in and around Cairns in 2008 and loved it. I can`t offer advice on suburbs or schools but I can say that it was my 1st choice for our move to Oz. It is warm all year, the esplanade is fantastic for families and the city has all the facilities you will ever need, not to mention great wildlife outside the front door. We arrived there at the end of the wet season so I can`t comment too much on the rain but on the few occasions it rained on us it was OK. At the moment we are on the Sunshine Coast but we may look to head north in the near future. Sorry I can`t be of more help but good luck with Cairns, ITS GREAT !! Russ

Hi, I have worked as a carpenter for over 25yrs in the UK and applied for Skilled Trades Visa as a carpenter but when I put on the application that I had been an indentured apprentice in cabinet making they fast tracked me and it became very easy. My wife dealt with the paperwork ( so no agency fees ) and we received our residency visa in Jan 2008.. So if you served an apprenticeship you should be OK, if not you may find it useful to speak to a visa agency for advice. Goodluck, be persistant.

:chatterbox:Hey All, All our worldly goods were packed up yesterday for the journey to OZ. After many emails and phone calls, quotes and new quotes we decided to go with PSS ( we arranged our own shipping insurance with Letton Percival ) and I have to say that their packing service was excellent. Three friendly and very professional lads arrived first thing in the morning and hardly stopped until everything was packed in their van, advising us of any items which would not be allowed through customs or quarantine. So far so good. We are sharing a container being shipped to Brisbane and finally delivered to our new address on the Sunny Coast. I`ll let you know how that part of the service went. Excited & ready to go. Russ & Jackie

:GEEK: Hey All, we are finally off to the Sunny Coast QLD on Monday and are just tying up loose ends, one of which is to arrange TRAVEL INSURANCE that will cover us for the journey and for a month in OZ while we sort out a permanent address and get Aussie health cover. We have looked at " duinsure.com " who have an EMIGRATION POLICY which will cost us £56.00 each ( this seems very reasonable covering 5 days travel and 1 month in OZ ). Has anyone used this company or recommend similar cover ? Excited & Apprehensive. Russ

:err:Hi everyone, we have a Border Collie to get to to Brisbane and have looked at a few Pet shipping companies. AIRSUPPLY are coming out at a reasonable price but I would love to hear from anyone who has used them.

Hi, I can`t give you specific advice but there is usually a way to get what you want if you want it bad enough. The clearest route to a residency visa is with your partner as he qualifies but is also worth looking at employers willing to sponsor you. One option is to contact a visa agency, though I`m not sure if initial advice is free, they are the experts ( having said that, my wife completed all of my paperwork without a hitch, so we saved ourselves a load of money by not using an agent ). Also look through previous threads and postings from people in similar situations and try and glean info that way. Good luck. Russ

Hi , thanks to everyone who took the time to reply, all the info has been very useful ( special thanks to Si & Gem for the detailed message ). We`ll be arranging quotes for shipping over the weekend. We have already arranged a holiday let on the Sunshine Coast for when we arrive so we have a base for job hunting and searching for a more permanent rental. The clock has certainly started ticking down now so the laptop is getting some serious overtime, I`m also busy looking for a good carhire deal - any recommendations ? Thanks again for all the input. Russ

:confused:Hi All, we`re moving to QLD next month and need some info on shipping : Is it possible to have our possessions shipped to Brisbane and stored until we have a permanent address ? Which companies can provide this service at a competative price ? Will this company supervise customs clearance ? Is this a common way of doing things ? Any tips on the possible pitfalls / advantages would be very much appreciated. Russ ( Chippy )