jatkins

Hi Tina, What school are your children at?

Hi All, Has anyone got kids at Ormiston College, Brisbane? Based on research on this forum and elsewhere (including there impressive naplan results) we really liked the look of the school (although we've never been or had a tour) & have applied for places for our three daughters, in readiness for us finally making the move over later this year. As we anticipated when we submitted the enrolment forms, they don't currently have any 'in year' places for our girls, but we're on the waiting list. Does have anyone have any experience of how long the waiting lists are at Ormiston? We've not really been able to pin this down with them to anything other than a place 'could become available at anytime' We don't really want to have to start them in a the local state catchment school then move them again as and when places become available. They would be going into year 4, year 1 & prep. We visited the Redeemer Lutheran School when we came over to activate our visas, seemed very friendly & at the time they had placed for all 3 of our daughters, but at the time we weren't ready to make the move. We'd still consider this School - but on balance would prefer to be further towards Bayside (Ormiston, Wellington Point, Cleveland areas of Brisbane). Has anyone recently enrolled at at The Redeemer? If so were places still available or again is there now waiting lists here as well?

Hi All, Our 175 visas were granted in June 2012, activated in March 2013 & expire June 2017. We plan to emigrate this summer, 2015. Would I be right in thinking that if we arrive in Australia before June 2015, stay in Australia for 2 years then come back to the UK that we would be able to apply for resident return visas? If we arrive after June 2015, can we still apply for a residents return visa after our 175 visa has expired in June 2017, even if we haven't been in Australia for 2 out of the 5 years?

Thanks for all the advice. I'll get all the info ready before we arrive.

We are heading for the Redlands / Bayside areas of Brisbane, around Wellington Point / Ormiston. We have applied for school places from here in the UK for our 3 daughters and will be due over permanently around May/June time

Wow, that's a lot of big questions! I can't answer them all but if you haven't already head to the immi au website for advice on different visa classes/possible entry points. When we applied for our 175 visa I think it was about £2k. For houses, if you've not looked already realestate.com.au this will give you the lowdown on suburbs by price etc and give you an idea of what you'll get for your bucks. Don't know to much about schools in adelaide, but if you want to start research on school performance, myschool.edu.au is a good place to start.

Hi All​, What are peoples experiences of securing their first longer term rental property when they first arrive in Australia? Specifically if you don't yet have a job/job offer, will having 6 or 12 months rent available to pay upfront be considered as acceptable by agents? We sold our house last year and have funds which we have started putting putting into the NAB account we opened from the UK - so we can show we have the $$cash. We've organised short term accommodation for the first few weeks when we arrive, during which time we'll looking for work - but this is expensive! We'd obviously need something longer term pretty asap. Cheers....

The Atkins Family, Me (John, 37) Kelly (39) Poppy(9), Daisy (6) & Phoebe (4). After many years of putting off making a decision, we'll be moving over to Queensland end July/early Aug, probably around the Bayside area, Wellington Point or Ormiston. We have already completed on the sale of our home (living in rented here in UK at the moment, whilst sorting out the loose ends with work as we run our own business here) so we have the funds to buy in Oz when we're ready - although we have bought a smaller family home here in case things don't work out which we've already got rented out. Just finished the application forms for Ormiston Primary school, hoping to get a place for all 3 for July/Aug. All systems go!!!

Hi, With our house finally sold in blighty, we're (me, wife & 3 girls 3,5 & 8)trying to pinpoint a potential area to base ourselves once we make the move in next couple of months. When we did our reccie/visa activation trip last year I must say I'd overlooked Frankston - having perhaps read a few negative comments about the area on forums before we were in Melbourne last year. However having looked at the cost of houses further North & closer to the city, I'm wondering whether Frankston (or particularly Frankston South/Olivers Hill area) is worth considering. Has anyone any experience of Frankston High School? Seems to be a positive vibe on it from what I've read elsewhere, but haven't really looked at the primary schools yet. Houses seem to be on bigger plots, with 4 bed houses available from $500-$800k+, which is about our budget. As I say when we were over last year we didn't really spend much time in Frankston (in fact I think a pit-stop in a McDonalds was about all we saw when stopped on drive further south!) Comments + & - welcomed! PS Whats the commute like to CBD?

Don't know so much on your visa issue, but with regard to explaining to the kids, we are in a similar position with three girls, 3, 5 & 8. Best advice I can give is to keep talking about the positives of the move with them, but be honest with them about the things they might miss. My eldest daughter has some pretty close friends and extended family living within a stones throw of our current home and i'm not sure she really appreciates what going to happen and all the implications for her when we move. But we look at the move as an adventure and keep telling the kids the same. They've all been to Australia more than once so they some have expectations of what to expect with weather etc, and we took them for a look around a school (which they seemed to love) i'm sure my three will have aussie accents after a week of school....! And i'm sure if your kids get settled into school get stuck in to some aussie fun with other kids their age, they'll fine in the end. Think it will be much harder to move once kids are in their teens.

The lower cost of living and smaller commute are really is attracting me to Adelaide over Melbourne. The slightly more changeable weather in Melbourne doesn't worry me that much, as many have said it can't be worse than the UK (when we were in Melbourne last year it was baking! But when you look around on realestate.com and the research we've done on the trips around Australia (and Melbourne particuarly) you don't get much more your $, especially around the bayside areas of Melbourne. After an initial bit of renting We'd probably be looking for a 4 bed house with a budget around $7-800k, that seems to buy a heap more in Adelaide than Melbourne

Thanks for the info & link, much appreciated.

Yep, posted their first, but no takers on the question!

Hi, Pending the sale of our house going through Feb/March this year, we will finally be Adelaide bound in the next couple of months. I've been a mortgage broker/financial planner in the UK for the last 12 years and completed the initial Australian based equivalent exams last year. Any mortgage brokers / financial planners on the site? Any tips/guidance careers or jobs info on the market would be much appreciated. I've always worked on a self employed commission only basis, and would be happy to consider this or salaried roles.... Any experience or advice will be appreciated...

Thanks for your reply, Just to confirm, If we waited to migrate in 2017, just before visa is due to end, would we have to stay there for 3 yrs without leaving the country or 4 yrs with no more than 12 months in total out of the country? Is the 2 years out of the 5 only relevent if we were there by 2015 to apply for a 5 year resident return visa? Kind Regards

Hi, After a good few years in the planning & with 175 visas validated last March we had our thoughts firmly set on settling in Melbourne later this year. However after much (perhaps to much)thought we've started thinking that the only city we've never been to in Australia, Adelaide, could be for us! From what I've researched the big plusses for Adelaide vs Melbourne seem to be: More mediteranean climate Lower house prices Better for families & young children (I've three of these! Less traffic Smaller commute times The negatives I can see seem to be mostly economic, smaller economy = less opportunities? I'm a mortgage & financial advisor in the UK, & plan to do the same role in Oz. Do the +'s outweigh the negatives? As I say, Adelaide is the only major city in Australia I've never been. So comments, & thoughts welcome.....!

Hi All, We (me, my wife & 3 children) were granted our 175 visa in June 2012 & activated it within the required 12 months with a three week reccie trip to Melbourne & Brisbane in March 2013. We've now sold our house:biggrin: and are planning to make the move to Oz in the next couple of months. The question I have is that our visa states we have 5 years in total from when the visa was granted to emmigrate, it is valid until June 2017. What is the situation if we go and stay for 2 years then wanted to return to the UK for a period of time just around or before this 2017 date (for business or family reason etc)then wanted to go back to Australia. Do we have to stay in Australia for a certain amount of time before we can leave? Also does anyone know how long we need to be there to gain citizenship? And does this period of time have to be continuous? Many Thanks​

Don't now much about your visa category (I'm on a 175) we never bothered with a stamp on passport - all the info is held on the immigration system. I think some people like to just like to have the stamp as a momento. When we validated our visa on our reccie last year I did feel the need to tell the man at customs I had a 175 visa & to check that by entering I was validating it though!

Many Congratulations !! Do you feel a little bit aussie yet?

Yes, but worse......

Oh s**t, I think we have a problem....! I did advise my other half that if I posted this question she should be prepared for photographic responses! I've tried the persuasion route with her, I might have to try the hypnosis route instead - and I'm not joking! She'll take her chances with the sharks, snakes & creepy crawlies - no bother, but frogs make her run a mile. I guess it's like most things - if you look hard enough for it I guess you'll find it, you wouldn't have to rummage around our back garden to hard to find a little green friend. What are Melburnians experiences our little green friends? Prevelant, rare, an everyday sight? I appreciate that basically all humans are invading on the animals space, & moving to Australia is not about trying to live a totally urban existence with nature stripped away, it just that, well, she'll freak if she finds them sitting on the drive in the morning.....

Hello All, We're due for our reccie trip to Brisbane in the new year & are starting to think about areas to visit with a view to pinpointing schools, houses etc. We like the look of Springfield/Springfield Lakes - but one problem, the Mrs is petrified of frogs..... she can't even say the word, when she sees one she does a very convincing Ussain Bolt impression. I realise the clue could be in the name (lakes...near water...frogs like the wet stuff) but can any Brisbane residents (especially anyone living in or around Springfield/Springfield Lakes) let us know if they wake to to the frog chorus every morning.:animal-frog: The sight of the little green critters sitting on our front drive every morning might be enough to put her on the first plane back to blighty........mmmm that give's me an idea! But seriously, is the heat and rain of Brisbane make it a no no for a Batrachophobic (yep, they've there own phobia name...!)or should we stick to our original destination plan....Melbourne. Thanks in advance!!!

Great positivity! Great post!

So much to ponder, perhaps I'll give Warren Buffett a call........

Afternoon All, Anyone have any thoughts, predictions or care to chew the fat on the direction of the pound v. Oz Dollar? There seems to be a little bit of movement in the last few weeks back towards £1 to $1.60 (the recent low being around $1.45).......The days of £1 buying $2.30+ seem a distant memory. We should be Brisbane bound next year, but am still undecided on what would be a 'good' rate would be. I know we don't have to change up all the proceeds from our house immediately when we go over, but we're anxious not to go into rented for longer than we need to (1 year max I think) & better rate = nicer house in Oz! Will the £1 ever buy $2 again....? If it does I just hope Oz house prices don't go up another 10% to wipe out the gain!​