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She’s almost 22 and loves it here. if your boy ever hangs out at the ‘rope swing’ he more than likely knows my lad!

Its been an age since I logged on to this site. There was a time when I couldn't stay away but I guess life just got busy. A post that seems to keep coming up time and again is one of 'why is everyone moving back to the UK?' and I see The pom queen reply that some people are just busy getting on with their lives, and that's where we fit in. Sept 2014 we moved as a family of four, me 46, husband 39, daughter 18 and son 10. We located to Gold Coast. We landed with four suit cases, 1 xbox, a BMX bike, the dogs ashes, a holiday rental and some very high hopes! Fortunately my husband had already secured a job beforehand which alleviated a lot of the stress others have to cope with, and our home was in a container on its way. We moved here with the mindset that Australia is still a young country, and if you want something real bad and you try hard enough things will go well. At 46 I knew it was going to be harder to find the kind of friendships I'd made in the UK, I was never going to have the history with anyone here or have the opportunity to meet the School mums given that my kids were older. Having worked as a Special Ed teaching assistant in the UK within the month I'd started volunteering at the local special ed school ... BTW Australia loves a volunteer, it will get you a foot in the door. There is an organisation on the Gold Coast dedicated to volunteering. Sure enough after a couple of months I was offered a temporary contract (Australia is also big on Temp & Casual Employment). As you have probably read elsewhere there is a distinct lack of funding in the Special Ed sector and instead of employing 3 or 4 TA's per class as well as the Teacher, over here there is just 1 per class. This resulted in me being offered a 1 day contract after the first year and the rest of my hours casual. Casual means having to wait by the phone each morning and wait in case they call and ask you to cover for the day. This is the norm and Iv'e known people who have waited over 5 years for a full time and permanent contract!! However I made loads of new friends who I still see regularly at weekends and in the evening. Having given up on the Ed sector I decided to retrain. I enrolled at the monster which is Tafe and gained an Australian Qualification in Administration. It was perhaps the best thing I could have done. Within a week of leaving I was in full time employment in a Law firm. Another thing here in Oz, it's not what you know, it's who you know. My boss is best mates with my tutor at Tafe who I got on really well with, hence my job. Going back to the friendship thing, I had to network for a long time. Work, websites, expat meet ups, coffee mornings etc.... As it works out I have a great group of friends from the expat community, but Iv'e also made a lot of Australian friends through our dogs (the only Australians in the family). I take part in dog sports such as Fly ball and Nose work, I get involved with the rescues which has meant I already had a common interest with these people. I do get ribbed about my cockney accent but it's all in good jest. My besties are from the UK and they do take the place of family. We spent a lovely Christmas in the sun surrounded by the friends who have become the aunts and uncles the kids left behind, and their kids the cousins. My husband has found some of the work practices over here a bit archaic (he's a civil engineer) but he's learned to put up with it. Lets put it this way, it can be a bit politically incorrect on the Goldie and a lot of paper shovelling. He plays for a football team in his spare time and socialises with his team mates (Oz & UK). Daughter, remember 18 is a dodgy age to be emigrating with your parents, mehed and griped for the first 5 months. I wondered if she would ever forgive us. As soon as she started Uni though we hardly ever saw her. Being permanent residents we had to pay up front for the fees. We still qualified for a Commonwealth discount but the cost is still considerable. We also paid for her to stay on campus in Brisbane. Another huge expense but a sacrifice we made so that she could make a new life for herself and live with kids her own age. Best thing we could ever have done. She has recently told us that she loves it here and has never been happier. She has some great friends, a lovely boyfriend and as of last month, a Degree in Economics. As far as her prospects are concerned its all Rosie. She has secured a graduate position in a very prominent finance company, I'm not sure if she would have had the same success in London. Son, was never really going to be an issue. Fitted in at school, aussie accent within the month and loads of mates. Hes swapped his BMX & XBox for a boat and is now whats known locally as a 'Tinny Rat'. I hardly ever see him at weekends and holidays. He gets up at 5am and takes to the canals for the day, because according to his friend (another expat) the water is like glass at that time. Its been amazing watching him grow up over here and take the chances he does, I would never have imagined him as a 13 year old getting up at that time in London. He camps over on Straddie, fishes from the beach and cooks his catch on campfires. It hasn't been as plain sailing for some of our friends over here. A few who were far better off than us in the UK have found it a lot more expensive than they imagined. Our saving grace was the value of property in London when we sold up and moved. That gave us a good start and we were able to buy the house we've always dreamed of. For others they've found the Gold Coast to be a lot more costly than they thought, it really isn't cheap. Our groceries are a lot more expensive and we now run two cars whereas in London we only needed one. On the Goldie its virtually impossible to get around without a car. The light rail is a good addition but still have to drive to it (bus runs every two hours from our house) Well that's just our story and I hope it gives a more positive read to some who were worried that everyone was moving back. Yes its hard bloody work but I wouldn't give it up!

Hi Aaron. Brits on the goldcoast is the fb site most of us post on. Tbh we would have prefered to have settled in Benowa/Ashmore. Its central GC and has some really good schools. Oh just didn't want to add to the commute. The rain here was torrential yesterday and caused chaos. It took him 3hrs to get home from Brissie. Send a request to the above fb page and introduce yourself. Its really helpful for work, socializing etc..and always someone who can answer any questions. Looking forward to meeting u guys.

Thanks everyone for your kind words. I very rarely get the chance to get on this site very often.Gbye grey Sky, not long now eh! With re the motor insurance we had a letter stating our claims status from previous insurer. Without the pool I seriously think I would have died this summer. Hubby is now pool man . We have a salt water, sand filter one which is easy to maintain. We take a pool water sample to Bunnings once a month diy, & top up the chem ourselves. laugh at the furniture sittuation. Our house makes the UK stuff looks like it belongs in a dolls house. We also have many more rooms to fill. Any other things I can help with pkease feel free to ask ☺

Thought in keeping with what seems to be a PIO tradition I'd give everyone who's interested our story 6mths on. We arrived in Sept 2014. We had a rental car booked & two week holiday let. We are a family of four, me 47, DH 40, DD 19 & DS11. We sold up everything we had in the UK and gave up our secure jobs, uprooted our 18 year old (more to follow on that), and moved into the unknown, we didn't know a soul when we arrived. Fourtunatley my hubby had been able to secure a job before we left which gave us some peace of mind. Our holiday let was in Runaway Bay. We knew from our reccie a couple of years before & Internet research that we wanted to live in Helensvale. Good schools, public transport, good infrastucture etc.. DS had just finished year 5 in the UK. Whilst still there we applied for Coomera Anglican College & Lords Lutherean in Ormeau. Both have very good reputations as does Helensvale State Sch. Suffice to say Coomera didn't have any places available & Ormeau is friggin miles away! (How many of look at a map and underestimate the distance) & Helensvale has a strict catchment area. Looking for for a rental in Helensvale = good luck with that one! We signed up with several Agents on arrival. Not one had any available property in the area. We could have looked at Coomera (doesnt deserve the poor reputation btw) but didn't want to be as far out, it still lacks some infrastucture in parts but the new town centre has been given the go ahead so watch this space! The property that was available fell far short of our expectations of a new life in Oz, so..... we bought a house. Some could deem it reckless but in hindsight it's worked out so well for us. We were in a very fortunate & rare position to be able to purchase without a mortgage (we lived on building sites for twenty years) The housing market was still lagging 6 months ago and it's the best decision we could have made. It's in the catchment area for Helensvale and on a beautiful canal development) although we're on a dry plot if we crane our necks we get a canal glimpse . We had cash left to buy two cars and we'd shipped our furniture over. Cost of living... Yes, it really is expensive over here. Yes, the petrol is cheaper but you have to drive further, forget about taking a stroll to the corner shop. We got skanked for the house & building insurance but won't be making that mistake again. Our car insurance is cheaper than the UK and we were able to keep our no claims bonus. Water is very expensive although back in the UK we didn't have a water meter (Thames water), or a swimming pool and we only had one bathroom. Internet is expensive due to lack of competition but all other Utiliies have been comparable. Food can be expensive and once again there's a lack of supermarket choiceso they can charge what they like. It actually costs me less than the UK now because I shop at the markets and only have three mouths to feed. Husband works for one of the biggest employers in Brissie. He's a civil eng and earns more & has better prospects than he did in the UK. He's hoping to start his chartership very soon which wil open a lot more doors for him. He enjoys his work but finds some of the practices a little, not backwards but... The commute can be very hit and miss at times. When the line fails and you're in Brissie or sat on the train u are stumped. The one saving grace are the other commuters who have always been amazing. The kindness and generosity of the people in Oz has been humbling at times. He was stuck on the train after a failure a couple of weeks ago (again) and got a lift home from the wife of another passenger who was able to drive and pick them up. There have been jobs advertised in the GC which he's confident he could get but needs to stick it out for a couple of years yet. Me I took some time out to set up home and settle the kids. I've recently started to volunteer at one of the schools through Gold Coast Volunteering (brilliant organisation to gain experience) I specialise in kids with ASD and love being around them. It looks like I'm going to be offered paid work which is amazing and With my previous experience I've already been able to make a difference. If any of you want any info on the education of ASD kids out here I'm only to happy to share any info that I've gained. Son Hes 11, he loves rugby, surfing, karate, bmx, he loves Australia. I've had zero probs with my boy settling in. The education system & curriculum is different. It won't suit everybody moving over but it suits him. He's not massively academic but neither does he struggle with anything. He works at average which is very common for boys his age. He made big improvements and their back to basics approach to teaching and the use of ICT in the classroom and the whole outdoor openness has worked in his favour. I was so worried about the size of the schools comming from a one form entry to six, but he loves it. Go Helensvale!! Daughter Oh Dear. Moving an 18 year old away, leaving her entire life behind her and her future in tatters . We made the decision to wait until after her A levels so knew it was never going to be an easy ride for her. She had the Boy friend back in the UK and we had lots of tears leaving. It didn't matter to her that there was some of the most amazing beaches and way of life. She spent the first month meh, meh at everything. The Uni system for someone moving over who qualifies as a comonwealth student but has english qualifications is very stressful and caused a lot of upset and anxiety. However she was offered a place at University of Queensland, so amazing and so pleased for her. She stays on campus which was a promise we made. It's not the cheapest option and anyone who needs any info drop me a line. Six months on and I have a completely different daughter. She's living the most amazing life, more than I could have dreamed for her. The everyday snap chats are full of pics of her and the friends she's made having the time of their lives. She works hard and plays hard and is a member of the rowing team and others. So proud . She did say that if there are any others who need info on applying for Uni from the UK that she would take time out to help as much as she could. Friends and family. Husbands family disowned us completely. Long story but one that is unfortunately quite common amongst the expats over here. I miss my mum. We skype every other day and she's just been given the all clear from her GP to fly so hopefully she'll be out soon. I speak to my bestie every week and miss her like mad. All the usual really birthdays, christmas etc... But we keep busy. The facebook forums have been a life saver. I threw myself into coffee mornings, meet ups, all the other stuff. My husband hated it, I think men do. But it's been through those that I met people, who introduced us to others and now have a really lovely group of friends. It's a bit more difficult given my age because I dont have a toddler to take along to mums groups etc.. And it's really wearing having to explain over and over who u are and all that stuff. I also have a new puppy and get out meeting people at the park and beaches now. We have a much better social life here than back in the UK. Gold Coast Absoultely love it. Best choice for us by far. Stunning, quiet, loud, peaceful, busy, great beaches, great food, near enough yet far enough. It's hot, When it rains..it really rains, there are massive spiders & snakes. the drivers are horrendous and the sausages are rank , but we knew that before we moved. There have definately been a few eye openers for us and it could be deemed a little behind the times but it was defo the right choice for us.

That made for hard reading. Your daughter sounds adorable. It really is his loss you know. I admire you all the way to the moon and back xxx

Wow! Babies are such little miracles. She's gorgeous congratulations.

We stayed at Brisbane Holiday Village on our reccy, it's not bad at all. Good location for getting around and accommodation is well equipped but a little small. Good first base as it has a pool, put put, nice field, So will give you a bit of a holiday feel as well.

Well I'm doing alright. We moved 7 weeks ago and I celebrated my 47th birthday last week. Also I have an 18 year old who has moved with us. There's never a 'good' time to move IMO. If you look to closely you will always find a reason why you shouldn't.

I can't get enough of the roo's. Still really sureal seeing them hopping about!

Hi Freebo. We're at Sanctuary Cove Holiday Inn this Saturday with some friends who are members. We're only in Oyster Cove so not far. Lovely part of the world

Haha, that was a bit tongue n cheek :wink:

Thought I'd post a quick update about our move to the Goldie. Been a hectic month and a bit. We stayed in a rental in Runaway Bay for two weeks on arrival. The apartment was an absolute tip. I didn't even want to sit on the sofa, absolutely minging. I think if we hadn't already have visited the GC a couple of years ago it could quite possibly have unsettled us from the start. After a quick chat with the management ie. we're out of here they miraculously found us another modern and contemporary unit on the ground floor! Spent a lot of time in those first weeks trying to sort out a rental and Medicare etc, etc... We wanted our son to go to Helensvale Primary and quickly realised that a rental in the catchment area was nigh on impossible. So.....and I know most people will probably think we're absolutely nuts, we bought a house!! We had previously done a lot of research on the suburbs and knew exactly where we wanted to be. We'd spent our entire married life in the UK buying tips and spending all our spare time and cash (we racked up a lot of debt) and can now reap the benefits. We knew as soon as we saw the house that if we got it for the right price it would be a sound investment. Fortunately for us the owner needed to be somewhere else and accepted a silly offer and we can also live here rent free till the legal stuff is done. Our son settled really well into school. He loves his teacher and the informal vibe about the surroundings. The other kids still keep asking him to say things just to hear his accent. He's made friends and has already been out and about with them. It wasn't until the second week of us moving into the house that he realised his best mate also lives next door to us! Our 18 year old daughter struggled for a while. We made sure that we always had something planned so that she had something to look forward to. She applied to University of Queensland and has been offered a place due to her op score. Converting A levels into the equivalent is a serious headache and not for the feint hearted. We also visited the Halls of residence which are a lot like the US system rather than ours.There're called colleges and each has their own sports teams etc. She's really keen to get there and start making friends but it doesn't start until February! Meanwhile she's applied for a job at dreamworld and has been called for a second interview so we're keeping everything crossed for her. my husband was extremely lucky to secure a job with a Brisbane Council before we arrived. He started a couple of weeks ago and so far is enjoying the change. The commute from a Helensvale to Brisbane could be a bit better if the bus stop wasn't a 15min walk away! The first bus isn't until 6.54am and the last be back leaves at 5.30pm. Been a bit of a juggling act dropping everyone off and picking up at various times of the day. Will be a lot easier when his bike arrives in the container on Thursday. There's only 1 cab company herein the GC! My husband waited over two hours for one to pick him up from Pacific Pines Tavern! We've spoken to people who live in Coomera who have told us that sometimes the cabs won't even bother to turn up if they get a more central fare. On the plus side though, the local Taverns all provide courtesy buses which are a brilliant idea if you live in the local area. We're all slowly building up a network of friends. This really is the hardest part. Don't under estimate just how much you take for granted the easy conversation you're used to having with your besties. The Facebook sites for expats have been a godsend. The people on them are so amazing. I've been to lots of events and have started to meet some really lovely folks. We have full diaries now for the coming weekends to do things with people we've met. Some f them have been here years and other, like us, just of the plane. There are also lots and lots of free events that happen in the Gold Coast. It's great taking advantage of these and if you take a picnic with u or something to BBQ it doesn't cost a penny. I'm also going to say that our Aussie neighbours are among the friendliest we've ever had! I know a lot a comments go on about how they can be a bit of a closed community but they have gone out of their way to be most welcoming. We've been round for drinks and they've loaned us stuff till our container arrives. They were really hoping that a family moved into our house and all the kids play outside together. That's the neighbours either side of us and down the road. So far it's all been good. I had a moment or two when I've felt a little bit low but the good stuff more than makes up for it. Was it a good move for us? So far yes but still early doors so who knows. btw...the TV is really, really bad!!!

Hi Jill. I just saw your post on GC poms on face book. We're over here in Helensvale, not far from Coomera. Our daughter is 18 and has left all her friends & boyfriend back in the Uk. We're going to the lake meet up tomorrow, or if you like we could meet up next week for a coffee. It's difficult for them isn't it.

That's two posts from 18yr olds this week asking the same thing. Wish you were both in Gold coast to hang out with my 18yr old daughter! She's just applied for a job at Dream World to see her through till Feb when she stars Uni. I'm sure your'll soon meet people, keep smiling xx

Hi Aaron. With helensvale u have a catchment area which you can download from their website. You have to have an address before you apply. I was with a lady who sends her boy there and he loves it. She said that a lot of people rent in Helensvale for the first six months to get their kids in the school and then move to a different town. There aren't many rentals available around the catchment area. There were none available when we arrived!

Yep, the commute doesn't look great. Where we lived in the UK we had to either drive or bus it to the station to get into London.That journey took about 1.5hr e/w. we've only got the one car right now so OH doesn't have a choice at the mo. We'll see how he gets on and hope that it's bareable.

Hi Aaron. The schools are Helensvale State Primary & Helensvale High School. My 10 year old starts on Monday. We had a tour around it today and got a really good vibe about it. I'll let you know how he gets on!

We're on the Gold Coast. Managed the slightest glimpse of it.

The skies above us are clear at the moment......all apart from one blooming cloud covering the moon!

Hi. We've been here for three weeks now. We're living in Hope Island. So far we absolutely love it. It's very clean and modern. We're classed as 'Helensvale' and are just in the catchment area for the local primary & secondary which both have very good reputations. My OH is going to commute to Brissie by train. I tried it today for the 1st time, I know it's a Sunday so will be different to week day travel, but it was ok.

We didn't make it up there. Was it good? We had the storm earlier whilst stood in a bed shop. Was very amusing seeing the sales reps running out to the car lot with duvets!

Bring duvet covers!!! Went shopping today and for a really decent king set which you could get for £100 in the Uk retails at $500. Just going to use duvet sandwiched between two sheets till our container arrives. However found the actual duvets & dunlop latex pillows (couldn't justify cost before) are half the price here.

That would be great. We've never rented before so on the 2nd day we trawled the agents on foot and didn't realise they were franchises. We've had more luck online.