doubter

I suppose you have got to dress like this when you do The Great Barrier Reef a must do for Australia

Looking down from my apartment in Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays Qld I think.

Good luck where there's a will there's a way ?

Yum Yum ? think I will eat my double decker in the fridge now.All this talk of chocolate is making me hungry.

If I remember correctly as well as a residential address you need to produce ID in person at the bank as well. When I left UK I kept my UK bank account with my parents forwarding address. I wouldn't worry too much about the Co Op bank not finding a buyer there will be some alternative at some point. I have a current account and a mortgage with them. I am sure they are not going to right the mortgage off ?

My occupation was on the CSOL and I got PR with an employer who was looking to fill positions under a Labour agreement. My qualification had already been deemed equivalent by the Australian employer but that was back in 2009. A horse trainer is a specialist job and the same skill will be used in the same way in Australia I would imagine. You need to find an employer to sponsor you.

That's my summer in Wales ?

Is that between Ipswich and Toowoomba? Only went as far as Gatton with work.

I did that loading calculator thing and if I go back as PR I still have 12 months before lifetime loading starts, if I did it right.

Bit harsh to say they are idiots just because they pick fruit on WHVs. They work damn hard and choose to do it to fund their travels and hell of a lot go on to professional careers. The Australian agriculture industry relies on them and are upset the Aussie Government have introduced the backpacker tax which may impact their workers.

I was trying to remember where I went back in 2010.I was literally like a kid in a sweetshop and I think we had only been away from the UK couple of months. I lived in Pacific Pines so the shop wasn't that far away sure it was Coomera. Am I right and is it still there?

Definitely need nurses from overseas after Jeremy Hunt stopped the funding for healthcare students in England. NHS bursary and tution fees are still funded in Wales and make a big difference.

I would definitely be applying for the 5 year RRV if you have that option to keep your options open in the future plus it's easier the sooner you do it.

You might have an expired visa but for super (pension) purposes you are stilled classed as a permanent resident in Austealia. I know this because I looked in to having my contributions back but have to wait until retirement age. As far as I am aware only temp visa holders can claim back.

I did all that too and have to agree. Loved the drive up to Port Douglas and stopping in the pull ins on the way looking at the views and beautiful coves. Port Douglas would be my choice for retirement if I had the choice

So if you return after a few years away the lifetime loading starts again and you have 6 months as a PR?

You will enjoy my cover photo then which I took on Castle Hill overlooking Magnetic Island

Back in UK last 6yrs but lived in northern GC Pacific Pines. Not a bad place but I felt it wasn't quite right for our needs. I only knew a general area where I could be working before I left the UK and only found out a few weeks before while in my short term rental in Wynnum. Panic set in then so settled on Pac Pines as knew a little about that and was in our price range. Felt more laid back and not so smothering in far north and great place to go in winter, beautiful climate.

Crikey £10-12000 seems a lot. Don't think I could have afforded to do it if I had to pay thousands for a visa. I filled my own application in back in 2009 and the only thing I had to pay for and arrange was the visa medicals and police checks. My employer then processed it in a couple of months which was a subclass 120 labour agreement. Unfortunately those days are few and far between and the process has tightened with more hoops to jump through.

I managed with about $4500 every 4wks living on the Gold Coast and my rent was $1640 every 4wks. No water or council rates to pay included in rent. I also salary sacrificed with employer so had money back on rent and electricity bill (never understood that but always had all my electricity bill money back once paid from good accountant ?) 2 kids in state schools so no private fees and 1 car. Once you realise you need to shop around you bring your grocerie bill down. We used to go to one of those big freezer outlets where you have to put a coat on to go in to buy all sorts of meat cut to size. Much cheaper and more for your money than Coles and Woolworths. Aldis was also cheaper for some items and finding a good market for fresh produce might save you money. We were also entitled to family and rent assistance as permanent residents back in 2010, bit like tax credits in the UK. Can't remember exact amount but probably made our income up to about $5000 every 4wks. I seemed to have far more disposable money in Australia then than I did in the UK but I didn't have medical insurance relied on Medicare.

£30k in UK depends where you live people do and are managing on that. Where I live housing is cheap not London rates

That's mad my last post had Edit under it but no other post or thread I made has. Is there a time frame you can edit a post?

I am not seeing that on my iPad. I have the + sign and Quote but no Edit under the posts. Still none the wiser anyone???

How do you edit a post or thread you already submitted? Can't see an option for this even though I am sure you could before.

Feelings and opinions also change. When I left OZ I had a good old moan about why I left and all the bad things just to justify to me and others why I made that decision. Now it's the complete opposite I find my self putting down the UK and praising Australia It's just a case of wanting the good of both countries. If I was in a position to live in and enjoy both countries I would but I am not. Both have negatives and positives like anywhere and like someone said to me recently you can do everything in the UK you can do in Australia but with more clothes on