mrspotatohead

I hope your all settled in now. I does feel like ages ago doesn't it? All worth it in the end! lol. x

Shell15, I'll PM you.

Hi all, I haven't been on here for a while (since posting after we first arrived and I was miserable). I can happily say that we will definitely not be returning to the UK. We are happy, healthy and financially stable and we really can't complain about anything. Ok, so the Chinese food here leaves a little to be desired, but I'll survive! When we first arrived, OH really struggled to find work, looking back it only took just over 3 months but it felt like an eternity as we had brought hard earned pounds with us, but were spending the dollar so everything seemed extortionate. We were also staying with family and had no car for the first 6 weeks which was a mistake as it made job interviews a struggle. The hardest part is getting used to how different things are here. I grew up in Australia yet found it sooo unbelievably difficult to settle in after living in the UK for 5 years. OH settle in fairly quickly, but was quite happy to save up and return after 3 months too. Thank god we didnt! Once you get used to the shops, the people, the more relaxed pace of life and accept that it is not the UK, it gets much easier. We live on QLD's Sunshine Coast. The sun is pretty much always shining, we walk on the beach everyday and we are within driving distance of some great national parks. We are both working full-time (making double what we did in the UK), the little one is happy at daycare and has really come on leaps and bounds. We certainly spend a lot more time outdoors than we used to. We are now also saving to buy our first home here which will be much more affordable than we first thought and we are both so relieved we didn't jump on the plane when I had the 3 month jitters. We've also had a family holiday this year and were able to stay in a 5 star hotel and splash out for a week, something that would have been very definitely a 'once in a while' in the UK for us. I miss tesco, chinese, chippies, decent cable tv and the bitter cold dark nights (oddly enough).... but I love the fresh seafood, great thai food, the beach, the lifestyle and the sunshine here. As for the cold, we can jump on the plane every other year and visit the relatives for Christmas, so its no big deal! If I could change anything about the journey we had to get here...it would definitely be to come better prepared. If I had to do it again, I'd have brought both our cars even though they were both 9 years old, all of our furniture and belongings and a stack more cash than we came with. I think having enough to realistically live on for 4 months is the minimum, not including the cost of setting up house etc. I'd also have checked the australian immunisation schedule and implemented the catchup on arrival as our son had to start a catchup schedule and we had to pay full daycare fees for a while. I'd also have setup our bank accounts online from overseas before arriving as getting the necessary 'address' paperwork was a total nightmare. I'm so glad we came back, and also glad we didn't go back to Sydney. The lifestyle up here is amazing, and we are so happy and settled now. We had reasons for leaving the UK, and they still stand. One thing I will say is if you are currently considering a move to Australia but are financially comfortable, have a network of family around you and lead a happy life in the UK but you crave the sunshine...get on a plane and spend the week in Spain....don't turn your whole world upside down! I'm sure there are people reading this for the sake of gathering information about the cost of living, so here goes... Rent $400 a week for an apartment with 2 beds, 2 baths, pool. Groceries $200 a week (including cleaning stuff...but I check specials, meal plan and cook from scratch) Electricity $77 a fortnight automatic direct debit Daycare $150 a week after rebates etc Petrol $80 a fortnight (driving 15 minutes to work and back each day) Car Insurance $80 a month Shampoo, Cut n Colour at the local hairdresser $150 Boys cut $8 Fish n Chips at the beach $12 Large pizza from dominoes or Eagle Boys $8 Scrambled eggs and mushrooms on toast at beachside cafe $15 Cup of coffee at hinterland coffee shop $4 Medium fruit salad at local shopping centre $6 Movie ticket $15 Theme park passes $99 each for annual passes to 3 parks See...its not too bad when you compare it to hourly salaries....it just looks scary when your converting it into pounds!! Anyway, I've written a novel, so I'll leave it there. Thanks for reading!

Hi Krissy, I think you may have trouble proving your relationship status. Do you have joint bank accounts or anything dated 12 months (or more) ago? We were in a relationship for 5 years and had a child when we applied for our partner visa and we still had to gather a huge amount of information to prove our relationship. I think if the level of commitment is there, I would personally apply for the Prospective Marriage Visa. Of course, its your choice what you do, but it's a lot of money to spend if there is a big risk it won't be approved. However, in saying that, if you can gather enough evidence, you may have a good case. Emails to each other, joint invitations to parties, joint bills, joint bank accounts, photographs of you with him, itineraries from any trips together and stat decs from family and friends all help to build a case. Good luck!

We got our electricity bill through last night. We have a 2 bed apartment...$208 for the month. Yikes...better turn the air con off! :wacko:

Just remember cockroaches are attracted to oranges. So keep your oranges in the fridge! We've yet to see one in our house... but I dont keep any food out and I vacuum the entire house every day as we have a crumb machine (toddler).

We're also in the area. The Sunshine Coast sure gets a lot of rain! lol Roger2shirts and byidlehands...how long have you been in Buderim? That view when you drive down the hill is stunning, we are thinking about there long term if I ever get over the 3 month jitters!

Thanks everyone. Petal, what is it that changed that made you happy here? Or did it just happen gradually? I'm impatient at the best of times! Connie & Quoll, your both very brave to go back...a lot of what stops me from going is the thought of 'returning' with my tail between my legs after going on about how wonderful Australia was. I seem to have good days and bad days. Today was a good day. We got home from work by 5...the sun was splitting the skies and managed to get half an hour in the pool with the little one before dinner. We've started planning a family holiday for the end of the year. Looking at somewhere like Fiji. I figure having something to look forward to will give me a chance to get my mind off scotland for a while and start enjoying life here!

Thanks RockDr. You are absolutely right about the mortgage thing. Thats a lot of what pulls us back. We know we could get a home for one third of my wage in the UK...but it would be my entire wage here. Work... I've asked...I think they think I'm nuts asking for more work...they even gave me more and I'm still not busy enough. The Sunshine Coast is so layed back though, I have a feeling its like this in all workplaces up here. As for sitting it out for a while, I think thats good advice. Can't help but start planning a move back to the UK in my head though. I really need to give life a chance here, but its so difficult when I feel like such a fish out of water. Making friends here is also difficult given I was originally from Sydney. We've had a girl from my work over with her husband and kids and she spent the day immitating my OH's accent...so that went down well! :rolleyes:

Well we've been here on the Sunshine Coast for 3 months exactly now. I'm working fulltime, as is OH (finally), both getting decent wages. Little one is happy at daycare and also plays soccer now, we're renting a lovely home with a pool etc. We've bought a car, started gathering belongings again and the sun is shining. However, I don't know what is bothering me...I just feel a little hollow and we find ourselves saving up to return to the UK. We want to buy a house, but buying a house here is so much more expensive than scotland and we just don't want to be dedicating 1 of our entire salaries to a mortgage payment given we already have to watch the pennies. I never thought it would be me that was 'homesick', given I was raised in Australia and whilst living in the UK for the past 5 years, did nothing but go on about how wonderful it was. However, I miss quite a lot...fresh air being one of them. I really miss the affordability of the UK...we lived comfortably and still had money to play with. Here we get paid more, but our budget is a lot tighter. I also miss my OH's huge family and the support network they gave us. My family is here, so I can't imagine how they'd feel if we said we were going back. My mum knows how I feel but finds it hard to talk about it cause she's never felt 'at home' here (came out in 1989). My parents have been great since we arrived, but I find a lot has changed and my sister and her family seem almost uninterested in us. I also quite sadly miss package holidays with entertainment, tesco, m&s meals for a tenner on a friday night with a bottle of wine!!, chinese food, curries, online shopping, brisk walks in the cold, the snow (never thought I'd say that), the proximity to europe, the beauty of the countryside in scotland, cold christmas with an atmosphere, my old job...cause when they said busy, they meant busy. My job here is apparently a very busy role...yet here I am with yet another 2 hours to spare in the middle of the day. It took OH a long time to find work and that made it a real struggle for the first 2 months. We got by though- just. Is it just 3 month jitters...am I ungrateful? Are the things I miss just ridiculous? Have other people felt like this, returned to the UK and lived 'happily ever after'...help...

Lolaferrari and Stu Mac, I've PM'd you.

Sounds like your bringing quite a bit with you then Judy! lol. Would love to meet up with you when you arrive, so do get in touch, especially seeing you have a 2 year old too! Millie, don't lose hope, you'll get there. Good things come to those who wait! Thanks Simon & deb, I will do that!

We are about 10 minutes from Maroochydore. It is very quiet, but in a good way. The traffic is pretty much non existent compared to sydney! Good luck with the big move. Are you bringing your things with you or travelling light (ha...5 bags and a toddler so sort of light) like us?

We are 27 & 24 (OH Scottish, I was raised in Aus but born in Scotland). We have a 2 year old son, who is very energetic! After living in Scotland for 5 years, we have finally moved back (100 Partner Visa). Given that I'm originally from Sydney, the only people we know up here are family, so we desperately need a new circle of friends! Happy to organise a group bbq or simply a meet up for coffee.

Did you manage to organise a meet up? We are on the Sunshine Coast. 27,24 and a 2 year old son! My partner is Scottish, I was born over there but raised here (have spent the last 5 years in Central Scotland). I know you guys are on the Gold Coast, but it would still be nice to get involved in any meetups with people our age with (or without) kids. I know my other half is missing the 'banter' ...particularly football banter (yawn).

My main reasons for not going back to sydney: family wont be there anymore, traffic and prefer the sunshine and lifestyle of qld. My sister and her family originally made the move as her partner had a job offer up there and was fed up sitting in traffic for 2.5 hours a day trying to get into the city. My mum/ dad want to be near their grandchildren and also prefer the 300 odd days of sunshine qld gets, and the affordability of houses closer to the water. :yes:

By the way Mark, just thought I'd say, I'm going home in November but we're going to the Sunshine Coast. My entire family has sold up in Sydney to move up there. We prefer the lifestyle up there. If you havent yet made any firm plans, please consider queensland, it is simply beautiful.

Sorry Mark, not been on for a while. Ok, in terms of schools, it depends on where you want to live exactly and whether you want them to go to public or private school. Macarthur anglican (Cobbity) and Broughton Anglican (Campbelltown) are both very good schools and are primary & high so your kids can stay put for the duration of their schooling. Broughton is cheaper than Macarthur Anglican. For public....If your living in the Narellan area, Narellan Vale Primary is also a very good public school. I've not heard too much about the primary schools in Camden, but when the time comes for high school, Camden high is a good school and was rebuilt about 7 years ago. Camden is a lovely area, but it can be quiet. It has a small town feel but you are still close to Narellan shops or a little further up the road to Macarthur Square (Campbelltown). One thing I will say is that if you plan to live in Camden and work in Campbelltown, Narellan Road traffic is horrendous at peak times. If your looking for a new home, the surrounding area has lots of new estates, or recently established estates. There is Narellan Vale, Mount Annan, Harrington Park, Elderslie, Kirkham (pricey) and Bridgewater (also pricey). For older established homes, you'll get the lowest priced homes in Currans Hill (beware that depending on where your house is, you may be able to smell the local chicken farm in summer), then Narellan and Mount Annan, then Narellan Vale. Camden South is also very good value for money, but some streets arent very well looked after. If you plan to work in Campbelltown, there are also newer suburbs there like Macarthur Gardens and Glen Atholl. However, Glen Alpine is a little older, but gets a good name...but you pay for it. Avoid Eschol Park, Airds, Ruse, St Helens Park and Rosemeadow. I know some people love living there, but a little rough for my liking. Things to do~ Narellan Town Centre has an abundance of shops and a cinema etc. Camden has local outdoor pools for the kids, not expensive either. The Camden Hotel is great for a bite to eat as is the Marino Hotel in Camden. Macarthur Square is a brilliant shopping centre with loads of restaurants in the outdoor area, a bowling alley, cinema etc etc. Go to Mount annan botanic gardens for a great day with the kids, they have free bbqs etc so you just need to take your meat, salads and a ball and you'll have a great time. Campbelltown centre is well....a little rough round the edges, Queen Street (the main street) is often quite entertaining to walk down. :laugh: 45 minutes down the road you have wollongong beach or an hour (peak hour is closer to 2.5 hours) in the car to the city, however probably easier and faster to get the train to the city. I hope you've found this helpful, let me know if you need any further info.

Did you get it sorted out?

Mark, I am very familiar with Camden as I used to live in the area. Do you have family there or just fancy the area?

Oh fab...lucky you!! Hope you have a great flight, at least you have bubbly and a lie flat bed to look forward to for the second leg! :yes:

Congratulations! Phew..that was quick!! Fantastic! Congratulations to you too!

Congrats!!! You fly out the same day as us. Who you flying with?

I don't think your mad. If you feel drawn to a place, you should absolutely go there. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering 'what if?'.

Its so refreshing to see someone being so generous. Just wanted to say good on you! :hug: