MsJulz

Hi Tom, the job market can be tough but to have applied for 100 jobs and have no success at all is unusual. I'd be happy to have a look at your current CV for you, I'm a professional résumé/CV writer based in Australia. Please feel free to PM me. Thanks, Julie

Hi Jersey2Sydney & others moving to the NB. We have been living on the Northern Beaches for just over 2 years now and LOVE IT. It really is a great place, especially for the kids, lots to do, plenty beaches and parks, very kid friendly. Re schools: pretty much all the public primary schools on the NBs are good, I have heard mixed reports about DeeWhy PS and Brookvale PS however I havent personally been in either so that is just hearsay. Out of cathcment placements are being 'actively discouraged' from the end of this year so something to bear in mind. Re commute: Collaroy downwards is around an hour on the bus to the CBD which isnt too bad. I also run a FB group for Poms in the Northern Beaches (Northern Beaches Poms), we have regular meet ups and is a good place to ask specific questions etc about the area. Feel free to join.

Hi 5alive, I have a wee FB page for Poms in the Northern Beaches - Feel free to join, some of the mums and kids are having a meet up next Monday (8th) if you wanted to come along. Its the first time for many people coming so you wont be the only newbie! Julie

Hi Hilary, would be great to meet up. I've got a soon to be 3 year old girl too.Are you staying in Surf Rd? Loads of us stayed there when we first arrived!! Drop me a text or Pm me and we can arrange. Julie

Hi, yes it is a closed group but just click Join Group then I will add you. Julie

Collaroy

I've sent you a PM Trey.

Hi all, I have set up a FB page just for us Northern Beaches Poms, feel free to join. We have about 130 members now and have regular meet ups. http://www.facebook.com/groups/114416828726735/ Julie

Hi all, I have set up a FB page for Poms in the Northern Beaches. PM for details

Hi Sophie, would be great to meet up. I'll PM you my number. Julie

No probs Lorna ! xx

Hi Everyone, can you believe the rain, how annoying! Think I'll have to miss today and take the kids to soft play. Let me know if you arrange another day, happy to try again another time xx Julie

Thanks BertieB, will try that instead in the meantime.

Thursday, South Curly at 10.30 it is then! Great, see you all then x

Hi, I can do a Thursday morning if that suits everyone. Parking can be a bit of a mare in Manly, could we do South Curl Curl, cafe at the Surf Club and kids can play on the beach? Presuming you have cars? x

Hi Becky, Thats a great idea, count me in. Maybe one day next week? Monday avo or Friday good for me but can shuffle around other days.

Here are my tips to help with a smooth transition, I hope it may be of use to some people in your Aussie adventure... Pre Move 1. Pack up your life and streamline – shut down all your hardly used bank accounts and credit cards, have a big house hold clear out - don’t bring stuff from one loft to another. Utilise Gumtree, ebay and car boot sales. Unlock your phone. Change all your addresses to a family members or friends or at least set up a years’ postal redirection. Sort your CV. Shut down or change address on sports memberships, libraries, car insurance, child benefit, doctors, dentists, gas, electricity, council tax, home and mobile phone, internet, home insurance, life insurance, pensions, banks – oh the list goes on and on but you get the idea. Much easier to do all this from the UK so try to be thorough, although I guarantee there will be some you will miss! Also, have a look at any up and coming birthdays and buy cards and presents before the move and leave with friends to post for you. One less thing to think about when you first arrive. 2. Pre plan / book ahead – there are many things you can do in advance of your move to make life easier for yourself upon arrival. Things such as book your hire car, set up your arrival accommodation, set up a money transfer agent, open a bank account and transfer some funds over, pre-order an online shopping (www.coles.com.au) to arrive on your first day. 3. Don’t over pack but do – as I said in number 1, definitely have a big clear out of clutter but it is worth bringing over all your main household items, everything costs a lot here especially when you are using £s from the UK to buy items before you start earning $s. If you are buying a full container, it’s worth filling it. Our child will be ready for a ‘big bed’ soon so we bought one at tesco and brought it with us. We also brought the kid’s birthday and Christmas presents. Get friends and family to give you birthday or Christmas presents that you can add in too. Everything costs more here so if you do have extra room, use it. We brought a large box worth of our favourite toiletries, kids nappies and wipes, makeup, kitchen sprays and razors, etc. It is great to have your familiar products as well as helping to lessen the cost over those first few months. Also, treat yourself to some new summer clothes, you’ll need them and the clothes shops here are pretty crap and expensive. 4. Don’t stress – easier said than done but really don’t stress too much before the move. Try to enjoy time with family and friends, visit your favourite restaurants and places, take advantage of friend’s hospitality for goodbye lunches and dinners. Relax – it will all work out once you are here. 4.5 The flight – It is never as bad as you imagine, especially if you have kids. The airlines are geared up to help you, they have games and books and colouring in as well as the movies and kid friendly food. At one point in our flight (Singapore Airlines) my OH and I were both sleeping as was our youngest, my older child was bored so wandered up to the back of the plane where the crew played cards with her for over an hour!! They really are great. Pre and Post Move 5. Gumtree (and Garage Sales) – mentioned in point 1 as a great way to get rid of old furniture, clothes, books, cds, dvd etc. But it is also great to use once here. Gumtree is extremely popular in Australia as are local garage sales, great for big items such as white goods that you probably had to leave in your house back in the UK. We have also bought car seats, garden equipment, lawnmower etc. Local and always cheap. We bought a washing machine and fridge freezer for $300, both in excellent working order and the guy delivered them in his van too! 6. Money & lots of it – you have probably realised by now that it is an expensive business emigrating. Even if you are lucky enough to have a sponsored company helping with the costs, the money seems to disappear and quickly. There are a number of large initial outlays – visa costs, police checks, health checks, sorting your house for selling or renting, flights, shipping, insurance and that’s before you have even arrived. Once here you’ll need a car, short term accommodation, Sat Nav, your Bond (usually 4 weeks rent) plus 4 weeks rent upfront for your longer term rental, food shopping including all the staples like herbs, oil, cling film etc that you just threw away!, mobile phones, the list goes on. Needless to say, make sure you have some savings that you can access easily from Australia. Post Move 7. Internet – sometimes I wonder how those £10 poms did it! Where would we be without the Internet! Make sure you bring a laptop and are renting somewhere that has internet access. It will be your life line in the first few weeks. From looking for work, long term accommodation, accessing PIO (!), finding a car, to locating your nearest chemist or supermarket. You will need the Internet. Also, join local Facebook groups to keep abreast of what’s happening in your local community. Make sure you and your family and friends have set up Skype and Viber accounts for free video and phone calls. 8. Sat Nav – buy one as soon as your arrive. Even if you are moving to a fairly small town, it just makes life so much easier. They are fairly inexpensive too, you can get a decent one for $100, less on Gumtree. 9. Ask Questions – the best source of information is the people around you, most have been here a lot longer than you and are familiar with the area, how things work, places of interest. Good areas to live, good schools and catchment areas, commuter distances, childcare, sports facilities and social groups, best places to buy things. People are usually more than willing to give advice and information, so ask questions. 10. Enjoy! Remember why you moved – quite often it was for a better way of life for you and your family so take advantage of the lovely weather, enjoy the parks and beaches, spend lots of time together. Make friends, socialise and explore. There will be days when you just want to be ‘home’ but look around and soak it up. If it lasts forever or you only stay for a little while, make the most of it, you’ve done it, you made it to Australia and if it turns out not to be for you, at least you tried. Remember you only live once! Julie

Hi, quick question, does anyone know where I can get e45 in Sydney? Thanks

Hi, that would be great Thehazelnuts, I'll PM you my mobile x

Thanks Mark, will be in touch. Julie

Hi, Have been here about 2 months now and have met a some lovely people but would be great to meet a few more. I have 2 little ones (5&2) and am based in the Northern Beaches. Any other mums out there fancy a meet up?

Hi, we used beachhousesydney.com, worked out about $850 per week owner 5 weeks. Julie

I really like Cronulla too, although settled in the Northern Beaches. We drove around the whole of the Shire and there are loads of great areas, most with affordable detached houses and good back gardens. It also has a direct train link to the CBD which I think only takes about 1hr from Cronulla and less from further in. Good shops and schools too. S'pose the difference between the Shire and Northern Beaches is that there is only really the one big beach where as the NBs have, as the names suggests (!) lots of beaches! I have heard that like Manly, Cronulla can be extremely busy with tourists in the summer months, so depending if that's your thing, you may want to look a couple of suburbs in - Gymea, Miranda, Carringbah etc. Good luck :0)

Great news. We got NSW state sponsorship, glad we did as sponsorship came through in literally 3 days then it meant that our visa (176 as it was then) was fast tracked and came through within 3 months. Know it has all changed recently but think the State Sponsorship visas still takes less time than the general skilled visa. Good luck with it all.