ToothPixie

Had a lovely breakfast though, our first on the barbie ........ Perhaps it was the weather that put everyone off !!!!!!!!!!!! :o/

Hi there. Well we have been here 3 days now and feel we belong already, we have pretty much relaxed though so far to ease ourselves in slowly. Coolum is a lovely peaceful place and our short term rental is absolutely fine and very convenient for all of our needs. Lots to do this week before hubby starts his job next week....... Cars, Medicare, Phones, Driving Licence, and looking for a long term rental. Not sure it has really hit us yet that we have finally emigrated, I guess simply because we have only just arrived. ​

Hi .... Believe me the night before they arrived at ours I thought I was not ready.... But the guys just told me to leave it to them they had it all in hand. Good luck I am sure you will be fine..... When are you flying and where you heading??? We are going to the Sunshine Coast.... Although I believe it's raining there at the moment : o ) x x

Thank you everyone for your best wishes and will keep you up to date with the progress . We are getting picked up at 4pm today (weds 22 May) and our flight leaves at 9pm with Emirates. Really funny as I don't feel worried, nor do I feel excited..... I think it's because it is doesn't feel real at the moment, it feels like I am just going on my holidays !!!!! Very surreal. Anyway Good Luck everyone with booking your shipping company and if you do decide to go with John Mason, I am sure you will have a good experience..... (Hopefully). And yes Love Shoes .... We enjoyed our fish and chips ). X x ​

Hi guys. I know that one of the major things to consider when moving to Oz is who to use to ship your precious household cargo across the pond? We had quotes from four company's and finally narrowed it down to John Mason and so glad we did. Monday morning arrived and we were up bright and early, we were told the guys from John Mason would arrive around 9am, they arrived at 8:15am..... There were two guys who were extremely pleasant, happy, smiley and full of the joys of spring !!! All I can say is from the moment they entered the house to the moment they left they didn't stop..... Making up boxes, packing, wrapping, they were very careful with all my delicate glass wear, labeled everything up on the boxes with what was in it, the date, who had packed it, who it belonged too and where it was going. They also made up there own itinerary, we had 104 boxes, and gave us a copy. Lunchtime came and we asked them what they did for lunch to which they replied that they just work through it!!! Hubby and I decided to treat ourselves to our last English fish and chips and as the lads had worked so hard we brought them some back which they were so grateful for.... However 10 mins later they were back working. Tuesday came and once again bright and early the lads arrived, did the last of the packing and told us the container would arrive around 12ish...... It arrived about 11.30. We live up a narrow lane and knew the 20 foot container wouldn't make it up there so the two lads loaded everything onto their large van that they had managed to park outside our house, then drove it down the lane and loaded everything again onto the container ..... Still happy and smiling, no winging or moaning they just got on with it. So far so good...... Obviously at the moment I cannot comment on its arrival but will do so once it does and fingers crossed everything runs just as smoothly as it has done so far.

thank you for this, much appreciated.

Hi Billie Will let you know how Coolum rental is and will keep you posted if I find another one further south, Caloundra area. We spent 10 days in Noosa and really liked it, we very nearly secured a short term rental there but so glad we didn't otherwise poor hubby would have had a longer commute. Take Care and hopefully someone on here can advise you on a rental near Caloundra. ​Karen x

Hi Beeps Hubby and I are jetting out to Oz to start our adventure on 22nd May ( eeeekkkkkkkkkk ). We have rented a short term rental in Coolum, called Coolum at the Beach and found this by recommendation on here and also having a good old look on trip advisor, google it if you wish. It looks like it caters really well for families and near the beach and plenty of shops, restaurants near by. Not sure where you want to be based but Coolum is pretty central to most area's on the Sunshine Coast. Obviously I can not tell you how our rental really is until we get there, but will keep you posted if you wish. We booked this before we knew where hubby was going to work, however he has recently been offered a job working in Palmwoods, Caloundra & Beerwah, so he will have a little commute!!!! for a few weeks. We then hope to have secured a long term rental or another short term rental further down the Sunshine Coast...... ​Good Luck x

Hey, I am so glad I started this thread as it looks like a few new friendships will be made :biggrin:....... Have fun guys, but leave a little space for me........ X x x

Hi John As far as we can tell so far this date and time sounds good, we will let you know if plans change as we haven't a clue what we will be up to or what our schedule will be until we arrive on the 24th. Hopefully see you then ​Karen & Nathan

The Blue Mountains look beautiful and is definitely a place hubby and I will visit. What a shame about your parents, obviously don't know what's going on but try not and let it spoil your adventure. It's your life so live it. X x Stay Well & Good Luck. X

We are heading to the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane, where are you heading? Make sure the tools and camping gear are spotless, I have heard this is the kind of stuff they like to check..... ​x x x

Oh my goodness don't feel stupid for the way you are feeling and I was just like you ....... The months have slowly been ticking by and I too have been in a little bubble thinking I have all the time in the world to prepare my emotions for the move. Quite frankly I thought I was being really brave and thinking to myself that I really am going to cope quite well..... But then two weeks to go and I am up and down like a yo yo !!! We had a week on the Gold Coast in Feb .... We liked Broadbeach. We also have friends who live in Paradise Point and have been there for 8 years..... they love it. My stomach is doing flip flops at the moment, my eyes are wanting to close and sleep but my mind is WIDE AWAKE. ​x x x

Hi there, hubby and I are heading out to Oz two weeks today!!!!! Not sure about the wedding cake although you will probably get a reply from someone about that. The mahogany dining table will be fine as it is classed as treated wood, also the planter will be fine as long as it is scrubbed and free from any dirt etc. We had a piece of our wedding cake left but decided to throw it away :eek: but was only a small portion, however I understand your dilemma about yours especially when your dad made it!!! Fingers crossed you can take it. ​ I have had to give away my wicker wash basket !! Yes I know to many it's just a wash basket but to me it saw me through my student days and had it for 20 years ....... Good Luck with your move. Are you packing everything yourself or using a removal firm? X x x

Hi Tulip I totally understand how you feel my emotions at the moment are jumping from being totally excited and can not wait to get to Oz to being unsure and wondering why I am leaving what I have here in the UK behind. However ..... Hubby and I have always been envious whenever we heard people talking to us in the past about emigrating to Oz and always use to think that one day we would do it, and in two weeks we will. I have two brothers, three sisters, 12 nephews, a niece and two great niece plus my parents and we are all close. Its only natural to have feelings of doubt and periods thinking of what on earth you are doing ... but listen life's an adventure and if you didn't have one every now and then and didn't take the odd risk, life would become extremely boring. Australia is a chance to live somewhere new, see new places, try something different work wise and also make new friends, meet new people and what's the worse that happens ... If you don't settle or it is not what you hoped for then you can always come back to the UK.... This is what I keep telling myself. Believe me I am nervous and a little worried about how things will be out there BUT so many people would love to be in our position so lets go and have that adventure. Two weeks today at this time we will be on that plane !!!!! Where abouts are you going in Oz? We are heading to the Sunshine Coast. ​Good Luck ...... X x x

Hi guys, hey looks like we should all have a get together when we get out there. One of the things we were dreading is being on our lonesome and having no mates !!!!! :shocked: Would be fab to meet you all. Jon, Julie, John, Lisa, Karen & Hubby will give you a shout once we are sorted and Karen ........... This packing is never ending ...aarrgghhhhhhhhh. :rolleyes: X x x x x x

Thanks John ​sent you a PM.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, thanks Julie, appreciate it. I'm making a list and checking it twice :biggrin:. Yes very exciting times ahead although the weeks seem to be flying by and still so much to do. Don't think I will have any teeth left by the time I arrive in Oz with all the grinding I am doing at the mo. Again thanks. ​Karen x

Hi Karen thanks so much for the info and would really appreciate it if you could send me the link for the tax number and also any info once you have it on getting your driving licence, every bit of info helps. We are staying at a holiday rental called 'Coolum at the Beach' which came recommended and also lots of research and trawling trip advisor. We visited Oz in Jan/Feb and stayed in Noosa, Mooloolaba and a short stay on the Gold Coast. We actually visited quite a few places along the Sunshine Coast but never got to Coolum but as it is pretty central we thought it would be a good place to base ourselves. Oh my goodness I bet you cannot wait for your container to arrive, that is one thing I am not looking forward to.......we have been told it could be around three months before we see our worldly goods again !!!! Oh well I guess it's all part of the adventure. I will hopefully be looking for work once we are settled and know where we will be based, I don't really fancy a long drive to and from work everyday. The important one is getting hubby a job, although fingers crossed this will be sorted before we leave ....... We have to keep them busy, don't we :wink:. Anyway would love to meet up for a chinwag, coffee, walk. Keep in touch and so glad you are enjoying it out there. By the way I too am called Karen. Bye for now x

Thanks for that info, I will definitely pay a visit to the Sunshine Plaza to get our Medicare sorted. Good luck with your emigration and hope it all runs smoothly. I have friends who emigrated just north of Perth 18 months ago and they love it and have never looked back. Take care and all the best.

Wow, I can not believe we only have a few weeks left until we touch down on Ozzie soil. We jet out on 22 May and arrive on the 24th and are staying in Coolum in a short term rental for 4 weeks or maybe longer depending on how soon we can find a long term rental, possibly in Buderim, Coloundra or Pelican Waters. Have been so excited for sooooooo long but lately have been getting the collywobbles but I suppose that's to be expected. Just a couple of queries if you don't mind:cute:...... Where is the nearest place for us to get our Medicare sorted, driving licence issued and also what's the quickest way to get our Tax numbers. Also my hubby hopefully starts his new job on 1st June and therefore I will be Billy no mates for a while :unsure: so if there is anyone who fancies getting together at some point in the Coolum area ( I am not sure when I will be getting a car otherwise I would meet anywhere) ..... Please let me know...... otherwise Billy no mates it is :wideeyed:. By the way I am a very young 41 year old , laid back and really just go with the flow. Cheers all. X x x

Hi. Arrive with hubby on 24th May and we are staying in Coolum for the short-term until jobs etc have been found. No kids, no job so billy no-mates! Both of us are in our early 40's. I love animals and had a golden retriever for 14 years who died 4 years ago and still miss him. Started horse riding a couple of years ago but then fell off!!!!! broke my shoulder and not been back on since, although this is one thing I plan to do when we get out to Oz. Would love to meet up for a good chinwag and coffee. Hopefully speak soon.

Hey there, good luck with the reccie... my hubbie and I are heading to oz for a reccie Jan/Feb.... we were thinking of early Jan but then realised we would land slap bang right in the middle of the Oz school hols !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. We are heading for the sunshine coast and also on a 175 visa. We havn't yet got any accommodation sorted or car hire so any advise would be appreciated. Havn't a clue on how much we are taking with us so will keep an eye on this thread and see if you get any replies. Good Luck. Exciting times.................... and scary too................:err: