Gallah

It depends on the type of phone, an iphone can only be sent via certain couriers. I lost mine in NZ and a lovely lady sent it back to Oz but we had to use pack and send (it was about $60.) They have offices all over. I think a samsung etc (where you can take the battery out) would be ok to send registered mail but maybe give Aus Post or someone a call to find out for sure.

Hi! When we flew with our 6 month old she surprised us all and was very good! She pretty much refused to sleep in the bassinet (but would play in it and give me a break from holding her!) so slept on me and - SHOCK - I breastfed on the way up and down to help her ears...hopefully I didn't disgust anyone too much (although I have no idea why they would be looking anyway) - if your bub is bottle fed an extra feed or two is handy just for take off and landing...and take a spare top for yourself as you'll probably end up covered in all sorts! Disposable bibs were great too. I personally wouldn't do the stopover again as our kids never settle on the first night anywhere so it just drags out the sleeplessness and long journey. The staff were great and when she did cry (too tired) they let us in the back bit so we could get out of everyone's way....oh, we did have one irritating host who would look in on her just as she was about to sleep and start talking to her...hence the non-sleeping in the bassinet! My advice too would be for you to sit in the window seat so if you are feeding/bubs is sleeping you have a bit more room to rest your arm and aren't getting knocked by people. Plus remember that your baby is always the loudest to you and most people have headphones/earplugs in anyway!

Thank you! I've done a bit of research so it might help someone else....the money can be in an account of any currency but must equal 62,500 GBP on the day of application (using Oanda.) So, to add to the joy of this ridiculous visa, you probably need to transfer the money to the UK to be sure you have the right amount....and lose on interest for the next 6 months. Grrrrr.............

Hello, Fingers crossed we are moving back to the UK next year...I am from the UK, husband is aussie and we have two little ones (born in oz.) We are lucky in that we will be able to meet the cash savings criteria....does anyone know if the money needs to be in a uk or aussie account? As it needs to be in there for 6 months before we apply I will need to have it sorted asap. If anyone has used a good (and reasonable...I've always just done our visa stuff myself!) agent to help with the new spouse visa I'd be very grateful if they could give me details. Thank you! x

I have been here for 6.5 years and feel exactly the same! The tipping point for me has been that my physical health has started to suffer (my mental health has been suffering for years!) and I think my husband has slooooooooowly started to realise how much this is actually affecting me. I'm guessing that after 7 years you probably have citizenship so 'could' technically come back (albeit expensive!)? Could you agree to move back for a certain length of time just to see how it goes....like the 2 years you agreed to in the 1st place? Really feeling for you...if you want to talk to anyone send me a PM. Good luck! x

I think the point is that at the moment the wife DOES feel trapped. If the family move then yes, the husband MIGHT feel trapped but who knows until they give it a try? Being at home with little ones makes you feel very, very trapped and isolated if you have no one near and making new friends is really hard when you are feeling homesick, down, trying to work with naps etc... as well as possibly having PND.

Hi, I could have written this post myself (from your wife's point of view!) I think back in the early days of our relationship I probably said I would stay in Oz forever and it would be the best place to bring up kids. After suffering from PND twice and never really feeling settled here, missing everyone and everything from the UK and feeling completely trapped I have completely changed my mind! My husband is like you, by the sound of your post, a reasonable man and we have somehow managed to scrape the money to go back as often as possible but that is not really enough. My youngest is now 2 and I really think it's taken me until now to have the confidence to say that if I am this unhappy (ie days of crying and not wanting to do anything....not good with 2 little ones) it is time to go home. Maybe forever, maybe not. I have been down the counselling route but it didn't change anything. If your wife feels like a chat, send me a PM...I am not all doom and gloom and definitely don't hate Australia. It is just not home to me and raising kids without my loved ones just seems so much harder than it should be!

They drive me insane too! I tried lots of the tips online and nothing seemed to work...raid do an ant bait which is a tiny white disc that you put in their path and they take the poison back to the nest. Easy to keep out of reach of kids and has seemed to do the trick at our place!

Really feeling for you! I feel the same but we are hopefully making the move back after Christmas (husband is aussie so we will need to sort out the financial visa thing first!) I have been here 4.5 years and feel the same today as I did when I got here. It is beautiful, there are some lovely people but I do not belong. Where are you? Hopefully someone here is close to you and can catch up for a coffee/wine and a chat. I have also found that now that the move back is definite in my head I can relax more and start enjoying the little things without thinking that this is forever. Best of luck with everything xxxx

Thank you for the info Louise - fingers crossed we will not be claiming anything but I will keep it in our equations, especially as you say you never know what will happen! Thanks Rachel, I am feeling much better but only because it feels like there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel and we are looking at jobs etc. My husband is a tradie so not sure it will be easy to tee something up before we go but I have had a look at temping rates for me and they seem ok. We have been back for a few holidays of 5+ weeks - one time it rained every single day, another was terrible flooding and everyone we knew had a terrible bug. It was still home though!!!!

Thank you all! I do have some friends here...but no one I would call on in hard times (like now!) I know people at home would have moved on but when we go back to visit it is like I've never left. They have kids now too and we are still in touch a lot. My husbands family are a few hours away and are not all that bothered about us or the kids. I am active with the kids, we get out and do lots of things and we do know a few families but I'm tired of everything feeling so forced and just want to go back to where I belong.

Thank you all so much...we have had 'the' conversation and fingers crossed this time he means it when he says we can move back (at times I think he says it just to calm me down!) The kids are still so little that they just need a sane mum rather than beaches/this alleged better life (we are an hour from the beach!) Means a lot that you took time to reply xxxx

Hi all, I was just after some friendly advice please! I live in Oz with my husband and 2 kids. I have dual citizenship and have been here 6 years. I am so unhappy here, I have found it hard to make friends and have had post natal depression with each baby. The youngest is now 2.5 and I am still struggling. Back home I have 2 sets of close knit friends and an awesome family. Sooooooooooooo, do we go home? My husband isn't keen on the idea but I think I've tried for long enough! We are both worried about jobs etc but I would work anywhere just to be back home and I feel the kids are suffering here because I am no fun to be around! We have some inheritance money so the family visa thing should be ok (can I just say how RIDICULOUS the UK family visa is!!??) Thanks for reading x

Sons of anarchy is amazing! Just started on game of thrones which looks promising too. Advert free is the only way, they drive me crazy

Hi, I found a list here http://www.etuvic.com.au/your-industry-contracting/finding-work Really hope your husband finds something soon! X

Hi Scott, We live just up the road in Reservoir. We went to this bar about a year ago and it was really cool http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1621043/restaurant/Melbourne/The-Raccoon-Club-Preston - not what you'd expect in Preston, it definitely reminded me of London. We would also love to meet up but with two small children we are out of the drinking game for a while! Hope you settle in soon!

We travelled royal Brunei who were fine...apart from the no alcohol! The flights were $1400 each when everyone else wanted at least $2000.

Hi Aliwood. We live in the next suburb to Preston and it is getting better all the time...there are some cool new bars, a massive shopping centre and you are still only 11kms from the city with some great transport links. It is very multicultural and there some good little cafes nearby. The market is fantastic too. Good luck with your move!

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I came over here when I was pregnant against my better judgement/maternal instinct and have regretted it ever since. The weeks and months after having a baby are not the time to be making new friends and forming a support network, you need familiarity and those who love you. I have suffered from post natal depression twice now and blame the isolation of being here for 95% of it. If your partner is in an occupation where it is easy to get sponsorship now, he might get that chance again in a few years if/when you decide you want to come back to Oz. There are good resources out there if you do stay but I found it hard to be myself and open up to people when I was so tired and lonely. Good luck with whatever you decide, take care of yourself xxx

Hi, This happened to me too on my defacto visa application. My case officer could see that I had applied in the right name and took it as a typo from the Uk police. I didnt have to have the cert reissued. If you have your receipt/original form or anything that can prove that you applied correctly, I can't see how it can be used against you. Obviously every case is different but this is genuinely not your fault!! Good luck!

Hi, We are going back in September and for a family of 3 it is $4500 with Royal Brunei. Not sure what the flight will be like with them but it was at least $6500 with anyone else. We just went into Flight Centre to book as they will match anything on the internet....lastminute.com seemed to be the best to check prices though. Will let you know what the flight was like when we get back!

Hi everyone, Just thought I'd let you know that you can save so much money exploring if you get yourselves an entertainment book.. http://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/ It's got vouchers for 2-4-1 and discounts for the zoo, aquarium, loads of kids activities and restaurants, bars, cafes, cinemas, arts, sports and holidays. Fantastic if you've just arrived and want to check out the city on the cheap. We have young kids so don't get out much but with just using it 2 or 3 times it pays for itself (it's $75 delivered.) The melbourne one is massive, it lasts until June 2013 and you could never use all the vouchers We got ours from the cancer council (online)...so, even better, it's for charity. I don't work for them or anything but it saves you so much money it's crazy! You can get one for every city/area in Oz. We are off to the aquarium tomorrow for half price. Love a bargain x

Hi Tina, My husband works in construction and it has slowed down a bit but there are still lots of building sites. Have you tried ringing some of the big builders just to see if there are any general labour jobs going? Not ideal I know but if there's overtime on the job the pay isn't bad plus he would get to meet the electricians working onsite. In my opinion, union jobs on building sites are the way forward. Good holidays, overtime pay and no chasing debtors. I will PM you some names and ask my husband if he can think of anyone else x

Starlight 7, I was not calling you cold or cruel, nor am I taking the moral highground.I have heard many times since being in Oz people (not on this forum) say that they have no sympathy for those involved...unfortunately this view seems to be shared by certain political parties too.

It never ceases to amaze me how cold and cruel some people can be when it comes to boat tragedies such as this one. No matter how well off you believe these people to be it takes utter desperation to put your family in a rickety old fishing boat and hope and pray that you will reach some sort of safety at the other end. If you look at statistics for people arriving illegally by boat vs plane, the 'boat people' are a tiny minority but seem to be some sort of political trump card. RIP to all those who lost their lives, I hope you have found peace xxx