zk2102

Arrived back yesterday from our visa validation hol to QLD. Thought some of you might be interested in some of our experiences and opinions. Will not be mentioning food costs lol! When we move out in two years our kids will be 10 & 18 so our priorities were making sure there were plenty of jobs with a decent salary for OH, good high school and university, affordable house in a decent suburb, nightlife for DD and skate parks/bmx/surf clubs for DS. Stayed in Brisbane for the first week and used this as a base to check out the bayside areas and city suburbs. Our first thoughts when driving from the airport was how much it reminded us of Florida. Imediatley had a good vibe about the place and after the first week had fallen in love with it. Brisbane is an absolutley amazing city and how clean and new looking. Something for everyone. Took a walk along the riverside and was in awe of the beauty of it all. Loads of activities including abseiling, cyclists, rowing clubs, families out enjoying quality time together. South Side has the most amazing city beach with water activites for all ages, my son spent a good couple of hours playing 'Tiggy' (tag) with some of the local kids in the water activity pool and this is in a city! Plenty of shops and trendy cafes and bars. Some good markets to grab a bargain. Our daughter loved how she could walk around without having people pushing and shoving and said she could imagine herself living there so a good start for us. Visited Raby Bay, Cleveland and other Redlands suburbs. Raby Bay is very attractive but with a less attractive price tag! Bumped into a couple of expats in a cafe in Victoria Point who loved living over in Oz but did mention that Redlands is expat central, lol. Would take a fifty minute comute to Brisbane so not too bad (better than commuting from our house to central London). Went to the skate park in Capalapa and DS was soon chatting away to the local kids about decks and bearings so no different to the UK and a skater boy stacked showing off in front of DD boys eh! Only down point for us is that most of the coast in the area is mangrove and although there are a couple of decent safe beaches I dont think they would warrant relocating to the other side of the world for. Went up to the Sunshine coast for a day. Most amazing beaches some calm but some great surf there too. Dont know if it was because it was winter (22 in the shade) but it seems very popular with the elderly and very young families. Ate fish'n'chips at the beach in one of the many promanade seating areas along with several other families, bliss Second week was spent in the Gold Coast. What can I say? As well travelled as I am Ive never seen beaches like it. I think the GC gets a lot of bad press from some quarters but it has just recieved a lot of money to rejuventate the city. Checked out Robina, Helensvale, Paciffic pines and Benowa. Fell in love with Benowa and Robina. Beautiful water side properties within our budget and above average state schools (some out performing the private ones). Will say that the GC is quite transient and this is more than evident in Surfers Paradise (one to miss me thinks). Burleigh Heads is a fab resort/suburb. Great beaches and independant boutique shops and eateries. Some nice property in the area too. Even a tramp could enjoy a good standard of living there what with its bbqs, boiling and fresh water points, wooden beds and electricity sockets!! Would like to mention that Sufers Paradise is not some where I would choose to spend any length of time, very much a seaside club 18-30s type place, not for me Im affraid. So our conclusion. QSD is def the State for us. It has plenty of work for OH great schs & Uni. Have decided on Benowa, Gold Coast as the place we would like to be. We didnt go to Oz thinking it would be perfect and we were right, but I could venture out to Richmond Riverside on a Friday night and come across the less desirables!! Really glad we went out there just confirms that its the place we want to be )

Ok, thanks well have a look round there too. Do you know the area well?

After much deliberation we've decided to fly out to Brisbane next week to validate our visa! Having checked the long term forcast for the next couple of weeks it seems we are more likely to get a fine weather summer holiday in OZ during their winter than we are down in the SW. Havnt had time to get excited yet but know that this trip will be the absolute deciding factor of a permanent move down under. Will be staying close to Brisbane checking out the Bayside area for property and schools. Really looking forward to catching up with all our ozzie friends which Im sure will seem sureal. Will spend the second week on the Gold Coast. We've booked up to stay in cabins on camp sites because thats the kind of thing we do here and dont think my 8yr old would suit a posh hotel! Will post an update when we get there:biggrin:.

Good luck with your move back. I hope it all works out for you in the West Country. You should be able to get a property at rock bottom price because the market has completely bottomed out down there! If as your user name suggests you are heading for North Devon please make sure the 'job' you are going to is something with a future. My inlaws buisness has gone to the dogs and they have just had their house repo'd. No money in the area at all! Lots of petty crime in the area too. Nicer in the summer not great during the winter months. I seriously hope it all goes well for you, good luck.

So glad we're still in the UK to celebrate the Olympics. Have loved being part of the whole thing and really feel like we're involved with it all. Helps that we live in London. The Mens Road Race came through our town today and it all seemed so sureal to have such a major event taking place on our door step. Have attached some pics (sorry if it bores but thought some of you might enjoy them):SLEEP:.

Hope it all moves quickly and smoothly for you. Good luck. X

I used to post on Bowienet. I used to think I was Bowies biggest fan till I went on there. Complete anoraks is all I can say. Im now his biggest fan again since leaving the forum :laugh:.

Teach a class of 8 high functioning ASD puplils. All from 'urban' backgrounds. Try Auto/biogs of celebrities they admire/aspire to be. Not ideal, but its a good way of getting them to pick up a book!In my experience kids like that need to have a vested interest in a subject as a starting point. Good luck.

In our neighbouring bourough 'Kingston Upon Thames' over the past three years families have been left without a school place for their kids! Such is the increase in numbers of residents there just arent enough schools!

Well if this thread was still being updated Id ask to be turned purple! Visa granted today! Good luck to anyone still in the queue x

Well we're finally in the waiting room! All docs, meds, pccs have been marked as met. Sooo relieved especially as my OH has a flagged occupation. Be another restless night waiting, but hey ho nearly there! Good luck Bloomberg, hope they contact you very, very soon x

That's the other thing! The receptionist told us to print off the forms and bring them with us......they didn't even look at them. I wasted more money on extra photographs and time wasting filling in the forms! When we arrived they took a photo of each of us and checked our passports. But check first In case Maidenhead is different.

hi all just an update i woke this morning to find an email from a case officer requesting meds and police certs. I heard my I phone beep in the middle of the night and had a good feeling and strangely enough it turned out to be what i was waiting for!. So unexpected though as i am only waiting 5 weeks!!. Just a bit of advice from all you more experienced out there, as they only requested the meds and police checks i assume all other criteria are matched?. No form 80 required or 1221 etc.?. i hope so anyway. :wink: I have been quoted £270 p/p in knightsbridge for Meds and £200 in Maidenhead. Police certs are in the post already. Just wondering also how does "time of month affect the meds" or does it affect it at all?. I read something somewhere that it may do?. Applies to my other half not me, THANK GOD!. Just speaking from experience, Went to Knightsbridge Dr last Wed for our Meds. If u choose them try & see the Irish doc cos the English one loves to rattle on about himself and takes forever! He examined my daughter & me, my Oh & son saw the Irish doc. I had to call them this morn because he failed to sign our results to confirm alls ok with them yet my Oh & son had all their docs marked as received and met on the DIAC last Friday! good luck x

Seriously, if I had that many doubts I think I would stay put. Also if my OH gave me an ultimatum like that I'd have to think long and hard about how much I really meant to him :sad:. Sorry but that kind of attitude really gets to me. sounds like you have a fantastic family and a great career. We're making the move because it's what we've wanted as a family for many years, and I know if anyone of us had any reservations we wouldn't be going! Hope it all works out for you x

Wow, could you turn us pink please:woke up this morning to find our application being processed further. can't believe how quickly things are moving. Btw SHandGH thanks for running such a great forum.

Geesh thanks for that Ive been fretting all day!