flissbob

I really feel for you, sending you a hug! Move to brisbane where i am! I like running too and we could have camping weekend trips etc ? I think you have come through the worst of it now. I would stick it out until after your wedding (assuming you have the arrangements for your wedding in place?) Then i would reevaluate the situation after that. You will always know you have given australia a proper shot then. But that is me personally, it is a big decision. Weigh up the pros and cons and try to remember why you left the uk in the first place. You are probably viewing the place with rose tinted glasses and only remembering the positives, as is human nature. For me the uk just isn't what it used to be. It really does sound like you have come out of a bad situation and things will start to get easier. You just need to meet a nice group of friends. Don't be worried about starting over in the uk, things always have a way of working out for the best and you could always apply for jobs first, so you would hopefully have a job secured to go home to. Keep in touch and let us all know what you decide!! Feel free to message me if you want a rant. Fliss xxx

PatW will have a word with the hubby but hopefully we can make your next BBQ (providing both our shifts allow!) Sammybb, what kind of nurse are you? Feel free to message me if you need/want any pointers or even just a rant, it's a stressful process! But as they say, anything worth having us never easy! X

Hello! I think it was around the 1k gbp mark (I can't remember exactly, even though it wasn't that long ago ?) but I remember thinking to myself we were going to spend that on the 3weeks short term accommodation we had provisionally booked anyway. Shelley provided a reference for our application and knew how much to bid to win the property as she has worked in real estate for years. The thought of landing jet lagged and hunting for a house with a 3 week time limit scared me! With hindsight I would definitely recommend using an agent, Shelley was worth her weight in gold as she helped us settle that much quicker. It's a point of contact for any silly questions and a friendly face! Once you have an address you can start applying for things like a tax file no, Medicare and driving licences (application forms were in the induction pack she gave us) and most importantly jobs! I am a nurse but as Shelley had secured the rental house for us a couple of weeks before we left, I applied for numerous vacancies before we flew. The week we got here I checked my emails and had an interview, within 9 days of being here I was offered a job! I completely know what you mean about saving money, we are in our 20's and after having an expensive couple of years getting married, applying for the visa and going on some lovely holidays we needed the cheapest option we could find!! Good luck and let me know how you get on ?

Oops think I need to update my profile! I'm living in Brisbane now ???

Haha not a chance. I love Australia too much to never come back!

Hello! Just moved into North lakes 6 weeks ago, would love to meet some new friends. Please feel free to pm me fliss x

Hello fellow poms, I have recently moved to the north lakes area with my husband. I am a nurse and my other half is working as a retail manager for a large supermarket chain here in brissy. I used opal relocations (Shelley) who found us a lovely house before we even left the uk, which took out the stress of dealing with real estate agents and booking expensive short term accommodation. Shelley also arranged to pick us up from the airport and bought us a bed complete with bedding, along with some other bits and bobs. This meant when we landed exhausted from our 24 hour flight we had somewhere to sleep and some essential foods, including a much needed cup of tea! Shelley also gave us a welcome pack on the local area, introduced us to previous clients (yey friends!) and has answered all those silly little questions, which has made settling in all that much easier. I would highly recommend using a relocation agent and in particular opal relocations as they are a boutique business who only take on one client at a time and I also feel I have made a friend. We feel in the long term we have saved money as we have not had to pay for expensive short term accommodation and meant we could focus on essentials such as looking for work that much sooner. If anyone would like to message me please feel free, I am always on the look out for new friends

Hello fellow poms, I have recently moved to the north lakes area with my husband. I am a nurse and my other half is working as a retail manager for a large supermarket chain here in brissy. I used opal relocations (Shelley) who found us a lovely house before we even left the uk, which took out the stress of dealing with real estate agents and booking expensive short term accommodation. Shelley also arranged to pick us up from the airport and bought us a bed complete with bedding, along with some other bits and bobs. This meant when we landed exhausted from our 24 hour flight we had somewhere to sleep and some essential foods, including a much needed cup of tea! Shelley also gave us a welcome pack on the local area, introduced us to previous clients (yey friends!) and has answered all those silly little questions, which has made settling in all that much easier. I would highly recommend using a relocation agent and in particular opal relocations as they are a boutique business who only take on one client at a time and I also feel I have made a friend. We feel in the long term we have saved money as we have not had to pay for expensive short term accommodation and meant we could focus on essentials such as looking for work that much sooner. If anyone would like to message me please feel free, I am always on the look out for new friends

Hi everyone! Pleased to get so many replies!! I am waiting for my AHPRA registration and am hoping to move in August! Can't wait! There is a really good website I found to check out Brisbane suburbs, its called homely.com.au and ranks all the suburbs and says what they are good/bad for! I'm thinking of moving to Murrumba downs, which is a 30min drive from the cbd and 10 miles from redcliffe beach. Would anyone be up for meeting up later on this year? Could do with some friendly faces in a new city! Roxybird79, how exciting!! Please keep me updated on your move. What suburb are you moving to? Fliss Fliss

Hello everyone!! I visited Brisbane last year and loved it! So will definitely be moving around the Brisbane/sunshine coast area! I am now currently applying for nursing registration over there, which I believe will take around 6 weeks once all the paperwork is sent off. After this I can start job hunting and once a job is secure will make the big move!! Exciting stuff!!! Hope you are all well. Has anyone made any exciting progress? Fliss xx

Yes it will be our first time in June so will be doing some research into different areas when we get there... But at the moment we are thinking either north lakes or Sunshine Coast (due to the new hospital being built there, I'm a nurse). Judging by your signature are you in IT then? It's great that you have family out there, my husband and I will just have each other, hoping our families will visit and think about following us out there! Really can't wait to go, especially with this weather we are having at the moment! Horrible!! Do you know what the summers are like over there? Is it comfortable enough to enjoy it or is it too hot? We are going in June as that's when we had to validate our visa, which is obviously their winter time! I am worried about the other half struggling with the summer heat!

Hello thanks you for all of your replies!! Sorry for the slow response I have been busy with work and uni work (doing my masters at the moment... Eurgh!). Hayleyphysio, I am thinking north lakes, as I believe it is going to be an up and coming area, with lovely houses that are very reasonable in price for a first time buyer! We are going for a trip in June to validate the visa and look around some potential areas, will you please let me know how your trip goes in April?? Would be interesting to hear others views! Where abouts in Yorkshire were you originally from?? Dannii28, you must like the place to be going back! Will have a look at burleigh heads as seems popular! You sound pretty much in our situation as we are literally waiting to save the cash at the moment! FFP215, have you been before?? If so what areas are you thinking of?? If anyone is interested in making friends please feel free to pm me would be great to have some one to natter to!

Do you finish your training next year then? Yes the ielts is fine, I just bought several books and practiced lots. The listening and speaking parts are really really easy, the reading is the hardest and what I had to practice the most as some of the answers are a bit misleading I found! Writing is fine as u will b used to writing essays, just had to practice writing the required word count within the allocated time if that makes sense! The worst part I found was waiting for the results! Seemed like forever! I still have to apply for the aphra, that's the last little hurdle now! And apparently one of the most trickiest what type of visa are you thinking of? I went down the 175 route as only needed one years work experience. Most of the sponsored jobs I found were in the remote areas and I didn't want to be tied to a job to find I didn't like it. I went to a seminar which was really useful and I would recommend. Argh it's all so exciting, wish we cud go tomorrow!!

Hello! Thanks for your reply! Are you on the life in queensland website too? I have literally just registered, think I saw you on there! Where abouts are you doing your training? Enjoying it? I know how you feel, it seems like ages away but will soon come around! There is actually a new hospital being built on the sunshine coast, I'm no sure if it has MH facilities though!

Hello fellow poms! We are a married couple in our late 20's, no kids yet and are hoping to make the big move to brisbane next year (around April time)! Would like to meet likeminded people before we move! I am a general nurse who works in acute surgery and the hubby works in retail management (hoping to apply for the police down under). We currently live in Yorkshire. Would love to hear from fellow poms who will be settling in and looking for new friends around that time!! Hope to get some responses! Fliss and Greg X :cute: