MariaL

Hi pls can someone advise me if this is a good school. We are looking to move in a few months friom NSW we are originally from London. My son will be in year 2 and daughter in Kindy. Some people say the area can be a bit dodgy in terms of what do they mean? We live in a nice suburb here3 in Newcastle NSW but the suburb to us next can be dodgy in terms of break ins but I shop there and feel safe daughter goes to a great preschool in this area so just wanting to know what they mean by dodgy. So far the school information I have got for St Helena's is all very postive and its much cheaper to send my daughter to Kindy there rather than preschool here in NSW where I nearly pay $500 dollars a month. We will look to find a property to live in in Aveley so won't be living in Ellenbrook. Also is there a good kids soccer club in this area? Many thanks Marial

Thank you for the information

Hi We live in Newcastle and hubby has been offered a job in Sydney we were thinking of moving an hour from Sydney on the Central Coast but somewhere that rent is affordable or to buy with good Catholic School and good preschool. Will pay up to $450.00 a week rent. We would like to be 20 mins from the beach. Which areas are good areas to live in with good schools train line and 1 hours drive from Sydney ? Really appreciate any advice. Thank you

Hi I have been looking for work as a Technical Administrator/IT Scheduler since we moved to Newcastle 17 months ago. I have extensive experience in Tech Admin working for IT Corporate Companies in the UK. All my roles were Call Centre based. We are on a 457 visa and go for permanent residency next year with my husband’s employer. All my references are checkable. I am on linkedin under my married name and have a recommendation from my last employer in the UK. All work references are checkable and I have a reliable work history. If you know someone that’s looking for an honest, reliable, hardworking person with good experience pls contact me via email on here.

Hi I am looking for part-time administration work or customer service work. I have over 16 years experience based in Call Centres for Corporate IT Companies and 3 years working for BUPA as a Senior Bookings Clerk all my roles were Team Leader based. I have put this note up as a last resort have beening looking for work here in Newcastle since May. We are on a 457 visa so a lot of companies will not employ me. I am from the UK. If you know anyone that's looking for a reliable, committed hardworking person with good administration experience pls PM me I can also work from home and have owned my own Virtual PA business in the UK for a year. I have a certificate as a Virtual PA as well. So don't hesitate to contact me pls. PM me with any info Thanks Kind regards Maria

Hi Are their any teams around Macquarie Hills or nearby suburbs that have any spaces for my husband he is also a refereee but looking to get back into football for the excersie and socalising side of it. Kind regards MariaL

Hiya We used Crown Relocations they were fantastic not sure how much they cost as my hubbys company paid and we moved on a 457 visa from the UK too. I guess you know all the facts unless your hubbys employer will pay public school fees here on a 457 visa are $4500 for the year. Newcastle is a fab area there is so much to do for the kids we moved last April and love it. There are some really good areas and some not so good. New Lambton, Kotara, Mereweather, Cooks Hill, Eleebana, Warners Bay and all those areas are fab there are loads more. We do get a lot of rain here sometimes but have to say we have been outdoors constantly now since we got here only had 2 bad weeks of rain. With regards to rental properties just a bit of advice for you bring a copies of your mortgage if you have one to say you never failed on payments, copies of your latest council tax. When you view a rental property you will need to put an application in for the house and the landlord then decides if you are a good match its a crazy system here so different to home. Its all based on points having a job, good refs from mortgage, and bring some personal references from friends and past employers this will all be good for an application if you would like to know anything else pls email me. Depending on how old your kids are the playgroups are fab here for little ones you can look up Playgroups NSW. Theres a bike park at Speers Point very good too. You can download a guide to relocating to Newcastle on the Newcastle City Council webpage has loads of info. Wish you and your family well with your move. xx

Hi just wondering if anyone know of any Parades on here in Newcastle tmrw or anywhere Many thanks:biggrin:

Hiya Good luck moving back home there is loads to do there for the children and they will find lots to do. I am english born and proud of it and I have to say something England is a good country you will always find work if you want it or a business to start up. We left a beautiful home and a very comfortable lifestlye last April to move here to OZ I have to say its not been easy but we have to give it a chance we have more family time but miss our long time friends which is a hard thing and family. I don't know what the future holds but we have kept our home for now incase we want to go back next year best of luck with your move

Hi Does anyone know of any nice Hotels in Nelson Bay or, Sydney for families apart from the Crowne Plaza in the Hunter Valley as thats always booked out. I am struggling to find any on the internet all are Motels compare to Perth they had so much more choice or am I not looking in the right places on the internet in Newcastle NSW? Any info would be helpful pls Maria

Hi Karen that would be lovely can you drop me and email pls on maria_lenihan@yahoo.co.uk so we could arrange to meet up I am busy next Wed and Thurs and Friday so whenever you are free would be nice. Kind regards Marial

Hiya Yes would love to meet up pls drop me an email when you would like to meet up when you back in Kotara maria_lenihan@yahoo.co.uk. Look forward to seeing you. Kind regards MariaL

Hi again Yes try Mr Rentals we had furniture until our stuff arrived from UK and the couch bed bases and fridge were really clean on arrival I know friends who had stuff from Radio Rentals and it was bad. Also if you are thinking of renting my good advise when you put an application in for a rental write nice letter in to say a little bit about yourself and your family and where your working if you already have a job it will give you a better chance of getting a property we were luck to get somewhere within 2 weeks of arrival.

Hi Just wondering if any familes moved out recently and looking to make friends we moved from Watford in UK in April and have a little boy of 4.5 years and little girl of 15 months we are living near Kotara. Regards MariaL

Hi I am sorry to hear you are finding it hard to make friends in Perth. We are living in Newcastle in NSW and I have made quite a few friends in 3 months. Are you tied to Perth or can you move to another state. The thing I find difficult here is there is massive waiting lists for childcare but my little boy is in a Private preschool which is cheap $36 dollars a day and you can get them in from 3 years old if space available I thing its mad we have to pay as in Watford where we lived my little girl could go to preschool from 2.5 years for £7.00 for 3 hours a day. On the other hand like you I think its crazy we have to pay for schools like to have my little boy in a good school I have chosen Catholic but we have to pay $1700.00 a year. I hope you can work things out and decide whats best for you. My heart aches for my home in Watford and my family in Southern Ireland even though I have 2 brothers here I know things are not good in UK now but like you I cannot decide right not if this is forever but could not cope we dark skies if we went back in 2 years x