Hoo2Victoria

So looking forward to meeting everyone on Saturday. Hope you can all come, we will there at around mid-day (that's if we don't get lost on the way)! We will have all the Union Jack Bunting, so you will not be able to miss us :biggrin:

Hi I live in the western suburbs of Melbourne and wondered if anyone knew of any art/craft clubs in the Wyndham area, specifically scrap booking? TIA Claire

Why is the School so bad? Unless you move your child into a private school, you may find it difficult to move them to another state school as they are zoned over here. We were lucky that when we put our girls into Baden Powell when we did! You may also want to joint this forum: http://www.lifeinvictoria.com/index.php It's for anyone moving or living in Victoria, plenty of us Melbournians on their that can help. Regards Claire

I presume you live there and are not happy?

We live in the Western Suburbs and it doesn't take long to drive over the bridge into the City. We avoid the toll roads and drive through the City quite easily enough.

Hello everyone, We have a "meet-up" that has been arranged at Coot PicNic Area, Albert Park for Saturday 23rd February 2013. We will be there with our Union Jack Bunting. Also there is another forum for all Poms living in Victoria. Lots of helpful people on this forum. http://www.lifeinvictoria.com/index.php

For anyone moving to Melbourne you can contact the Department of Education and they are always happy to assist. http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

I arrived in Melbourne on 26th October 2012 and applied for Family Assistance as soon as we moved into our Rental 21/11/2013. I have just received my payment back dated too thank you very much You can claim online as follows: http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/information/family-assistance-website?utm_id=10 Hope this helps. Claire

We arrived in October 2012 and live in a suburb in the west called Tarneit. We love it here and have no regrets whatsoever. Hope you have arrived safely and are settling in well. There is a meet up arranged for Saturday 26th February 2013 at Coot Pic Nic Area, Albert Park for all Poms. Everyone is welcome. http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/albert-park/accessibility/coot-picnic-area

Also there is a Forum specifically for Poms moving to the state of Victoria which you can join as follows:- http://www.lifeinvictoria.com/index.php

Although I don't live in Sunbury (we live in a suburb called Tarneit on the west side of Melbourne) I have driven past it and was initially looking into moving to Sunbury before we moved over. However, OH was offered a job in Altona hence why we moved to Tarneit. Sunbury does look very nice and is quite accessbile off the Calder Freeway. The following website MAY help. http://www.streetadvisor.com.au/sunbury-hume-melbourne-greater-victoria If you want to get an idea on housing costs, go to http://www.realestate.com.au It's really difficult to find somewhere to live when you're on the other side of the world. It does help when you are here and you can have a little drive around a few places, just so you can get a feel of the place. Good luck with the move down under. Claire

Ah bless you. My Sister in Law is from North Wales, but she lives in Adelaide. Whilst I've been here, I have met many Northerners and an Irishman

Hi there are two Facebook Forums. One is https://www.facebook.com/groups/MumsInPointCookVIC/ and the other is https://www.facebook.com/groups/477802702265141/ There is also life in victoria forum - http://www.lifeinvictoria.com/index.php Hope this helps x

Hello My name is Claire and I am 37 and currently a stay at home Mum. We moved to Melbourne on 26th October 2012 and would love to meet up with anyone living in and around Tarneit, Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Truganina, Williams Landing, Altona, Wyndham Vale etc. just for a chat and a cuppa. I have two Daughters aged 13 and 10. TIA

Hello My Hubby is a Panel Beater/Fitter Stripper/Painter and Estimator. We emigrated on a Sate Sponsorship 176 Visa. Panel Beater is still on the Skilled Occupation List. We used an agent called Thames Migration - http://www.thamesmigration.com/home/ Speak to Hannibal Khoury he was very helpful. Bodyshops are sooooo different over here than the UK!! Most are shut at the moment until the 21st January! Oh, we moved to Melbourne as when Hubby was searching for jobs in this industry, Melbourne was top of the list. Hope this helps. Regards Claire

Absolutely NOTHING

Hello Pauline. My name is Claire and I moved over here in October 2012. We live in a Suburb near Point Cook/Sanctuary Lakes called Tarneit. I too have 2 children aged 13 and 10. Both my girls go to Baden Powell P-9 College in Tarneit. This is a state School (however I do pay £800 a year school fees). My 13 year old has gone from Yr. 9 Secondary School in the UK to going into Year 8 at the same school as her little sister!! There is a Catholic School near to where I live called Thomas Carr College - http://www.thomascarr.vic.edu.au/ There is also two Christian Private Schools called Good New Lutheran and Heathdale College. When I was looking at Schools I used Google Maps and http://www.goodschools.com.au/?gclid=CMmMvrvQ37QCFQIVpQodCzMAzA The girls are currently on their Summer Holidays and return at the end of the month. Their next Holiday will be in April for 2 weeks. You will be arriving about mid-year which is not too bad. Just be prepared for the cost of Schools fees and their Uniform! Hope the websites help you with the research, but nothing is like actually seeing and visiting the Schools themselves. Oh, you will also need to know that the schools are zoned here, so it does depend on where you live to which School your kids go to unless you send them to Private Schools. Baden Powell were very approachable and very helpful in settling the girls. And they've made some great friends whom love their accent Hope this helps Claire

Where have you emigrated too and what is it exactly that you don't like?? We arrived 9 weeks ago and live in Melbourne. It has taken time for not only myself, but My OH at work and both our girls to adjust (especially at School) to the way of life here. I must say I am not homesick though but can understand when people do become homesick. Tell a lie I had a cry on Christmas Day. Do you work or are you stuck at home all day? What about writing on a sheet of paper all the reasons why you wanted to move to Australia and what are the reasons why you want to move back to the UK. That may help.

Totally agree - it's like going to Spain and only eating chips! Personally where ever we have travelled we have embraced the culture. Australia is not the UK with sunshine. It is different and it is a learning curve. We're all here for the same reason - a better way of life.

What I forgot to say was that both my Girls are the only Poms in their Years and the other kids LOVE their accent and attract a lot of attention (this will obviously rub off in time when they gain their Aussie accent). Both girls have settled in very well.

We have a SS 176 Visa for Victoria, and I knew of someone else whom did too, but they moved to Queensland! Don't think they have had any comebacks. Haven't heard from them since.

We live in Tarneit and was very lucky that our Landlord had the phone line installed. I know someone living in Williams Landing whom has no phone line and relies of wireless. The only downside is that we only have the option of going to Telstra as Optus doesn't cover this area (It's a bit like BT, you're screwed)! We have a Bar down the road from us called Hotel 520 which is a TAB place. Watton Street in Werribee has Park Hotel which is nice and lots of restaurants for an evening out. But it is nothing like your local high street back in the UK!

Hi Craig I live in a Suburb called Tarneit which is not far from Point Cook and Sanctuary Lakes. Like PC and SL Tarneit, Williams Landing and Truganina are all new build estates that have popped up over on the West side of Melbourne. Yes there are lots of different communities here. Both my girls have made some love friends with Indians, Chinese, Philippines Somalians, Ethiopians and Kenyans. And they are learning about their cultures and religions, which personally I think is great. Everyone is very polite and keeps themselves to themselves. I must admit I have made friends with other Poms, only as I have met them via here (but I am currently a stay at home Mum, so not mixing with anyone). My OH is working with Aussies and a couple of Brits too. It is really lovely over this side of Melbourne, so far I have no complaints. Claire

Hello We arrived in Melbourne on 26/10/2012. Hubby has secured a job and now working in Altona North, both my girls have started school and just about settling in (just before they break up for the Summer Holiday) and then there is me! Are there any other Pom in the Western Suburbs who fancies a cup of tea and cake? Regards Claire

Hello Claire Congratulations on both accounts and welcome to Poms in Oz. Don't be scared, a lot of us here have made the move and although it can be overwhelming it isn't really that bad. I've been here for 7 weeks now and starting to settle into the Aussie way of life. The girls are starting to pick up the accent! Any questions, fire away, we're more than happy to assist x Regards Claire