millers

I am planning on getting a visiy from a family member from the UK to Queensland this year, if i book her flight on line can i use my freq flyer card to get points ? or can she book it in the UK and use my card number for the points ?

Hi there After a bit of advice....hoping to go visit Frazer Island next week for a day and wondered what is the best way to go? the ferry cost to take our 4WD is $155 and then i believe you have to buy a permit??? how much does this cost? also is it worth the $ to go on an organised trip across and also are there any websites that give you discount on a trip across? i am a member of the RACQ but no discount for Frazer...

Do you have good private dental care for your kids ? with all the sugary drinks they consume!! lol

I think because the girl is on benefits and the guy is in some kind of " paid" work i really dont think we have much hope of getting any money off them esp as the rental agreement is only the girls name and shes a lazy cow and doesnt work.

I am so naffed off as we have been here in OZ for 8 months and we have been settling in fine but then 2 weeks after we arrived here our tenants in the UK decided not to pay some of the rents and it has been a nightmare ever since. They have been in the house 2 yrs and we never had a problem with them ( young couple with a baby ) and the girl said to me she wanted her name on the agreement only so we did that and that was fine and then her boyfriend moved in and still rent was being paid and then 8 months ago they knew we were coming here and thats when it all started to go wrong. Our agent is not great and we are getting frustrated with them as im really not sure what we are paying them for. The girl moved out 6 weeks ago( they slpit up) and the guy moved out a week ago and the house needs thousands spending on it so he has been living there as a " squatter" and left loads of rubbish in the house and it is a mess, it needs decorating throughout, carpets, deep clean of the whole house,gardens overgrown and overall very badly trashed and 2 and a half months of rent arrears!!! and to top it all off i know them!!!! through one of my neighbours...omg!!! anyone else had a similar experience??? no forwarding addresses for the tenants and very very stressed. Apparently they are both living in separate council houses.....can i chase them for payment ? can:arghh: i contact the council???? i dont know if there is anything i can do as the agent dont seem bothered........

we had the same shock too, i think our quarantine bill was around $400 ish and John Masons never told us prior to leaving the uk. They should tell you when they are at your house giving you a price to move your stuff!!

We are thinking of going to surfers paradise for a few days in Jan and would like to stay in a self catering apartment not in the busy area for a family of 3 ? thanks:arghh:

Hi Matt Welcome to sunny Boyne island/ Tannum sands!!!! we have lived here for 9 months. I am married and we have a young son who's 7 and so far so good. If you would like to meet up and have a chat and we can give you some pointers message me and we can chat.

Hi there- we used John masons in the UK and then when we arrived in OZ Wridgeways brought our shipment here and they were very good. I was impressed with the 2 guys that delivered and un packed our things..

Thanks for the list LAFHA we have had stopped now as were on a 457 here in Queensland. So even if were still away from the UK we can't get it anymore now???? Is the family assistance means tested? Childcare rebates- how is that worked out ? is it different for everyone depending on circumstances? Home owner grant- how does that work ? :arghh:

Hi, just wanted to know the benefits of getting pr.My friend told me that you can claim child benefit and reduced costs in child care. Is there anything else which we can get what we can't on a 457? Thanks

go walkabout is good but are based in London

I also live in Tannum sands nd if you are thining about living here i would defo think about Tannum of Boyne......my hubby commutes and it is a nice journey to Gladstone. We love living near the sea and the nice fresh air here is great as Gladstone air can be a bit dirty with all the industry that is there. Do you have Kids HOG2007?.feel free to pm me if you need anymore info.

Hi All I've only been over in Australia for 8 months but would like to get permanent residency so that I know that I can stay after my visa expires; I don't want to be forced to retrun to the UK if I don't want. I'm on a 457 visa which expires in November 2015, sponsored by my company (a retailer) and employed on a 3 year contract (which I think they would be happy to extend if needed). I believe my company have brought me over on the basis of being unable to find skilled Australians able or illing to do the same job. I have spoke to a migration specialist but their answers are quite vague; however, they seem to suggest that I need to do 2 years work in my role and then get my company to sponsor me for PR. Is this correct, or is there another way to achieve PR quicker? I expect to have to pay some costs and know it won't be cheap.... Any help gratefully recieved... Thanks Dave

Hi there everyone and thanks for your comments and advice..... 2 Bed Sunset Pool View apartment at this luxury 4.5-star resort- address is 19-37 Crispins Avenue Port Douglas, Queensland - it recons 5 mins from the beach and we are planning to go mid january....is that a good idea????:arghh:

Just been emailed a great deal from a travel company and wanted any feedback on Port Douglas. How far away is Cairns from it and is it good to explore the Great Barrier Reef?:biglaugh:

weve been here for 7 months and got no desire to return for a holiday ever!!! settled in like ducks to water.....we love it and wish we'd have done it yrs ago...would rather spend thousands of $ on a nice holiday in Australia/south pacific!!!

Hi there We live in Queensland and am wondering what to take to avoid gettting bitten too much by sand flies and mossies? Bushmans spray, Vitamin B12, aeroguard??? anyone got any advice? help please......:arghh:

Hi there we are on a 457 temp long stay business visa and we can get medicare as you rightly said there is a recipricol agreement and we get approx 50% back what we have paid for scans ( ive had a few since being here) but our doctors visits are free ( Bulk billing) which if poss wherever your moving to look out for a sign in the dr's window that says this. All we pay for is the prescriptions and its the actual cost of the items on the script you pay for and not like in the UK where you pay for the actaul presccription of £7 something.....so it does work out costly. Im really not sure about your visa though but in time im sure someone on here will be able to help you more. Also we dont have private insurance ( we dont feel it necessary) Good luck with the application. Millers:arghh:

Hmmm......Emerald is an interesting place, not sure i'd wanna live there though!!! we drove through it on our way home from Rubyvale and tbh i wasnt too impressed with what i saw!!! stay in Sydney or consider other places to live. good luck

Thanks for the great info and advice....i have worked on cruise ships for 3 yrs and have been a passenger on one last year too but not on Pacific Dawn so already know about the bloody formal nights!!! yawn!!!! so thanks for info...

Hi there I am thinking of going on a cruise in Jan next yr to Isle of Pines, Mystery island, Vila and Lifou on the pacific Dawn ship out of Brisbane......anyone been on this trip ? just wondered what you thuought of the ship and the islands...... thanks:biglaugh:

We used Jo:biglaugh:hn Masons and they were great. would recommend them

We brought over uk extension leads and also travel adaptors and we use them still now after 6 months ( especially the uk mobile phone charger). Just go to Bunnings and buy 20 plugs and change them at your leisure...thats what my husband did !!!

in Queensland we are doing a week by week periodic lease as agreed by our landlord and agent as our 6 month lease is up in less than 2 weeks time ..