Wolla Bolla Bing Bong

Hey Johnny, We will be arranging another get together towards the end of June beginning of July so I shall keep you posted. If anyone else is interested just let me know Cheers Matt

Hey, your not late! Its just starting So come on over. PM me for phone number. Cheers

Hi Trevnod, I did the exact same thing you did in October 2011 and I to was sh*tting myself. Its just a natural reaction. Where abouts are you heading to? I came close to not coming out here to be honest but my friends and some of my family were so supportive that I headed out and its been the best move of my life. Of course I was scared to begin with but you soon make friends. What sort of working industry will you be in? Best thing to do when you get here is 'socialise'!!! I dont mean go out and get drunk at the pub and dance on tables, even though that would be funny. I mean get out and about, join up with clubs, groups, gyms etc. You soon get chatting and before you know it 6 months has passed by and you have a great selection of friends which can only grow. If you are heading to Brisbane then let me know and if you have any questions, dont hesitate to give me a shout. Cheers Matt

Hey, I sent you a PM

Hey all, just a little update. The get together will be this Saturday 23rd May and will be Harcourt Road, New Farm. It kicks off around 5.30pm. They will be UK treats and pastries including home made little meat pies & mini apple crumble cakes and some UK chocolate There is a few people going already but more are welcome so get in touch if you fancy it. Cheers Matthew

Hello there fellow Poms in Oz, Cass and I were thinking of hosting a ‘Little Britain’ get together this month where everyone is invited. Come and socialise with old friends and make new ones. This would be particularly great for any new comers not only to the website but to the City and if you have any questions then I am sure there will be plenty of answers for you J The get together will be held in New Farm, Brisbane. There will be finger food and some beverages available but maybe not beverages to suit everyone’s taste so please feel free to bring your own. It would be a great opportunity to share stories, tips and advice with fellow Poms in Oz member. Thinking the Saturday 23rd May? So come and down, we'll pop the kettle on

Yeah you dont really want to head to far south such as Logan but where I live, Woolloongabba is pretty decent. Then just near me is the places I mentioned. There is work North and South of Brisbane, just depends on what you are generally looking for?

Hi Metrolink, It entirely depends on what you are looking for. There are great areas southside such as a Bulimba, Hawthorne and Morningside and great places northside such as Chermside, Hamilton and Teneriffe. It also depends on your finances but when you have time check out the places I have mentioned and see if any tickle your taste buds Great to hear you are planning on moving over, when do you think you will be arriving? Matt

Hey Stacey, Morningside is a nice place for sure. Have you moved out to Brisbane yet or you still in Blackburn? If anyone has any questions regarding the area just let me know.

Hey Bluebell, Where abouts in Salford are you from? I use to live in Swinton / Worsley area. I am currently living in East Brisbane next to Woolloongabba. Whats your visa progress like?

Chumleys is a little UK area called Britain on the Bayside. They also own a shop which sells sweets, crisps, biscuits etc. I think we should organize a get together, what would be fun. I help with that if any of you are interested?

Hi Hodgies, Ha ha I definitely dont miss the White Horse ! It was OK to meet up with friends before heading on somewhere else but thats about it. Bulimba or Hawthorne are two very nice places you might want to look into. As for mountain biking, your husband and son would absolutely love 'Gap Creek'. Its amazing and has various courses to suit what experience your family has. I was there a few weeks ago and had a fantastic time. ONe particular course has about 20+ jumps in a row all the day down so you nearly spend half your time in the air than you do on the ground! Just be careful Both sides of Brisbane have their qualities. Southside is Bulimba, Hawthorne East Brisbane. Northside has New Farm, Teneriffe and Hamilton. All of them are near the river. If you can live within walking distance of the City Cat then getting in and out of the City will be a breeze. Plus its cool to ride the City Cat

Ha ha it was a bit of a surprise result for me to wake up to also. Looked like a great game. HOw did you go with watching Match of the Day? Bulimba is a nice place, we normally go there for a meal and the cinema.

Morning Birdy, Also give Hays, Randstad, Adecco and Manpower a look into if you havent already. I dont know if they are hiring but they're some of the popular recruitment agencies around Australia. Great to hear you are coming over to Oz, shame its not to the best City in Australia, Bris Vegas that is!! But Sydney is OK Hope you guys have a nice safe journey and keep in touch on your progress Matt

Hi Hodgies2Oz, Yes you are right there are so many places to choose from. Are you searching for areas with Schools I take it? Where abouts in Worsley were you? I use to live near the White Horse pub. My name is Matt by the way, nice to hear that you are sorting out your visa. You would love it over here

Hi B Bear (Pete), Haha glad to see you found Chumleys I tend to go there when I need my fix of chips gravy and a barm cake I am actually a Man United fan and I have just read the scores on BBC Sport As for Match of the Day you need to be using Google Chrome web browser. Then download and install 'Zenmate'. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/zenmate-security-privacy/fdcgdnkidjaadafnichfpabhfomcebme?hl=en Its easy to set up and will ask for your email address as a password and install in the top right hand corner. What you do from here is click on the Icon in the top right hand corner and select the United Kingdom. When this is done and its up and running head to the BBC iPlayer website after Match of the Day has been on or is currently playing. If you catch it live you can restart the show even if there is very little time left. Where abouts in Brisbane are you living? Yeah I would be keen for a beer sometime. Cheers Matt

If you have 110v tools then would be best to sell them whilst you are still in the UK. No one uses them over here, all 230v on site. Unless you are doing things around the house then no worries. TV's are pretty cheap out here, I think they're cheaper than the UK. I have bought decent second hand furniture off Gumtree pretty cheap but if you have stuff off sentimental value then bring it over. Quality made furniture is also a must to bring over. Bring bed linen, curtains etc as this stuff is expensive over here. Also other stuff like toothpaste, shower gel, vitamins etc are all expensive here.

Hi Alan Cooper, I reckon it can be done in this time frame. There is a lot of preparation and organising to do which I am sure you are aware. Remember if you are sending stuff over here by container then this normally takes a minimum of 6 weeks to arrive. Arriving at Christmas here will put you into the first month of Summer here in Queensland. If you have not been here before then it will certainly be a huge change for you. Humidity is normally the problem over here with anyone living here. Its not as bad as Darwin up North but we are just finishing up a summer as I write this. Its gone on far to long with humidity hanging around but finally its cooling down. The funny bizarre part about living here for sometime is how your body adjusts to the temperature. Heres an example, anything below 20c and I start to put on extra layers like a hoody or something! This coming from a guy from Manchester where 20c would be very hot for me....not anymore! Once you spend a few years out here its surprising what your body considers cold. Australia is funny in what is deemed expensive for some unknown reason. If I were you I would stock up on bed linen, underwear and socks (you are probably laughing now but when you have to pay $15 for one pair of underwear, you will understand) its crazy. HDMI leads for some strange reason are very expensive unless Aldi has them on offer. Basically any summer clothing, bring with you! Curtains are expensive. But its not all doom and gloom, fuel is cheap compared to the UK, very cheap considering the exchange rate at the moment. Electrical devices such as TV's and laptops are pretty good to. Not sure on the white appliances though. Oh and one more crazy thing that is expensive that you would not believe.....Ferrero Rocher chocolate!! I dont know what it is but that stuff is more expensive than gold. It was on sale half price in supermarket last week but it was still $6 for 8!!! Its crazy. Oh and if you bring over some Ferrero Rocher, then be sure to bring some for me to They go well with a cup of Yorkshire Tea.....infact anything goes well with Yorkshire. Right I reckon I have waffled on to much but I hope I have helped you in some way and if you need anymore advice or have any questions, then fire away Cheers

Hi Lissyqq, Are you coming over this May? QLD seems to be bustling with all sorts of work. There's plenty of projects in the pipeline to with a couple of them starting up next year. I am not entirely sure about Sunshine coast work, I believe there is the Sunshine Coast University Hospital which is currently being built up there. That is with Lend Lease Company. As I mentioned in a previous message be sure your 'hubby' completes his White Card before arriving. Of course you can complete it when you arrive but to save time you can complete it online. https://bluedogtraining.com.au/courses/queensland-white-card You cannot get on site without this card. I would also recommend registering his details with some agencies. When I arrived a few years ago I did exactly this so all I had to do was pop into one of the several agencies I joined up with online, show my face, they took copies of my certificates, licences etc. We had an interview and bingo, I had a job a week later. Of course its an agency job but everyone has to start somewhere and getting jobs through an agency will help get his foot in the door, make some contacts and learn the lingo. They do some things a little differently out here plus they call things a little differently out here....These aussies have some strange names for tools Is your hubby planning on bringing all his tools over? 110v tools are not used on site over here. He could use them for personal use but not on site. Its a pain in the @rse really coz when I found this out I just sold my corded 110v tools which was a real shame. Agencies your hubby should look into; Telum.com.au (they can get excellent pay rates with extra add ons) Hays (Nationwide agency so always handy to be involved with) Randstad (Nationwide agency so always handy to be involved with) I hope this has helped in some way and if you have anymore questions then you know where to find me Matt

Hi Dan, Great to hear you are making the move out here. I have not ventured of to WA just yet however I am making the move at the end of May for a few days to go Whale Shark diving. I can possibly tell you more then. As for the construction information, you will need your 'White Card' which is basically the same as the CSCS card that we had in the UK. The best place to do it online is https://bluedogtraining.com.au/courses/western-australia-white-card Its pretty easy to complete and you do it online so you could complete it from over there. Without it, you will not be allowed on any construction site. Are you bringing over your tools? I would recommend you do bring you own tools or as much as you can. I had a couple of friends who were bricklayers and I think they would struggle to get decent hand tools out here. They had Marshall Town gear which I am still struggling to see in the shops over here. The major construction shops are Bunnings, Masters and Mitre 10. Take a sneak peak at these just to familiarize yourself with what they have to offer. The best piece of advice I can offer which I did before arriving is getting in touch with agencies. Get registered with them and notify them of the date when you will be looking for work. It helps to get the ball rolling before you even arrive so all you have to do then is just physically pop in one of the offices and sign a bit of paperwork and have an interview. There is plenty to choose from but first take a look at Randstad and Hays Recruitment agencies. I definitely would get in contact with these two as they are based nationwide. I hope this has helped in someway and if you have anymore questions then just PM me or reply on here. Cheers Matt

Morning all, Huge apologies for taking so long to get back on here but I have been extremely busy with living life here in Brisbane and frickin loving it. I am a Carpenter living in East Brisbane and have been here since arriving in October 2011 on a 176 Sponsored state visa, which was kindly changed to a PR. I had to complete the Carpentry assessment exam so if you have any questions regarding any tradie questions then pass them on. I also have recommendations in where to live, places to see, what to do on the weekends in the River City plus so much more so dont be shy, say hello. Just a little about myself, I love to cycle (but no lycra shorts thank you very much), Kayak and Scuba dive. This great state offers it all. You can repay me in cups of Yorkshire Tea and / or fig rolls :wink: In addition I am originally from Manchester and know a sneaky place out west which has all the comfort foods of home. Its called Chumleys Britain on the Bayside out in Birkdale. They have lots of goodies such as Pickled Onion Monster Munch to Sage & Onion Paxo Stuffing, plus lots lots more. They also have a fish and chip shop and its about the only place in Australia where you dont get a funny look for requesting a 'Barm Cake'. I head for when I have a craving for Chips & gravy on a barm cake So if anyone has any questions about anything really then fire away, only to happy to help Time for a brew P.S. And for any mad Football fans out there I can show you how to watch Match of the Day for free and totally legal

Morning all, Most of you will not know me but that's OK as I am here to help out where I can. Huge apologies for taking so long to get back on here but I have been extremely busy with living life here in Brisbane and frickin loving it. I am a Carpenter living in East Brisbane and have been here since arriving in October 2011 on a 176 Sponsored state visa, which was kindly changed to a PR. I had to complete the Carpentry assessment exam so if you have any questions regarding any tradie questions then pass them on. I also have recommendations in where to live, places to see, what to do on the weekends in the River City plus so much more so dont be shy, say hello. Just a little about myself, I love to cycle (but no lycra shorts thank you very much), Kayak and Scuba dive. This great state offers it all. You can repay me in cups of Yorkshire Tea and / or fig rolls :wink: In addition I am originally from Manchester and know a sneaky place out west which has all the comfort foods of home. Time for a brew

Hi Birch4, My shorter name is Matt or Matthew or Sir Matt, whatever you prefer What are your names? Great to hear you are coming over to the River City. My friends daughter who is a teacher used an agency to gain work as a supply teacher which became very successful for her. I shall find out the details over the weekend and pass them over to you. As for your husband being an electrician I can honestly say that he will not have any trouble gaining employment in this state and especially this City. Just make sure (which I am sure already will) that he brings over all his Qualification Certificates / Licences etc. I had come to Australia as a backpacker many years ago so I still had agency details which are the best thing to do before arriving. If your husband can contact these agencies before coming out here supplying them with all the details and especially when he will be available for work. So once you arrive all he will have to do is physically register with the agency and Bingo! With any luck they will have work ready for him. Telum (Great agency) Randstad Hays Once you guys get your visa your husband would need to apply for a 'White Card' which is basically like the UK's CSCS card. He wont get on any site nor will any agency take him on until he has this card. The best place to complete this course online and only takes minutes is https://bluedogtraining.com.au/courses/queensland-white-card I live in East Brisbane which is a nice quiet area but close enough to the city or public transport like the City Cat (Ferry) which only takes 10 minutes to get to the city. I am not the most experienced with schools but I have asked a few friends who have recommended an all boys secondary school, called Anglican Church Grammar school. One of the best schools for girls is 'All Hallows Catholic School'. But I dont know obviously what your religion is if any :wink: If you check out the link http://bettereducation.com.au/school/secondary/qld/brisbane_top_secondary_schools.aspx It should give you a better understanding of the schools around. Great idea about keeping hold of your house back in the UK. Will you be renting it whilst you are away? Great areas to live; Bulimba Hawthorne East Brisbane Ascot Hamilton New Farm Teneriffe I would highly recommend the top three of these places. They are very family orientated towns which also have great outdoor facilities such as parks and also restaurants for you guys to relax. If you have anymore questions then dont hesitate to Personal Message (PM) me or reply on this forum/ Only to happy to help. Time for a brew :cool:

Hey, Great to hear you are coming over to Brisbane. I currently live in East Brisbane and have been here since October 2011. I brought over some gear with me but not a lot. What I can tell you to bring over if you can is stuff like bed linen! Sounds crazy but for some strange reason that stuff is sooooo expensive over here. I would recommend the cot if you can fit it in as I dont know how much room you have in the container? There's things over here that are pretty expensive; HDMI leads (dont laugh), bed linen, underwear! (Buy lots), decent tea bags, curtains, pillows etc....basically anything to do with bed clothes, decent quality furniture can be very expensive. They already have Ikea over here plus you can pick up OK furniture on Gumtree if need be. Vitamins and cod liver oil tablets etc are insanely expensive over here, its crazy. Its late here so I will attach more to this tomorrow if thats OK? Since you are coming to Brisbane, you may want to ditch all your winter clothes. Brisbane winter here gets down to about 12c at night and 22c during the day. I would take about 10% of winter clothing with you.....trust me. Right I am off to bed now but I shall continue tomorrow. Cheers, Matt

Hi Cal, You are always the first person to give me a warm welcome when I return here. You must live on here, literally! I see you are from Bury, I am originally from Worsley in Manchester. So how are things going for you in Jimboomba?