John2012

Sounds like typical behaviour from a monster in law. It could worse, she could have taken a picture of you.

If you have a big enough container, bring everything. It's nice to have familiar creature comforts. We brought most of our stuff, glad we did as I think some off the goods here are of as basic standard at high end prices.

A lot UK migrants tend to have that urge to return home. I always think that Oz is where I live but Scotland will always be home.

The only British TV I miss is the football. Is Dot Cotton still in Eastenders?

Good on you, the move to Oz from the UK is not for everyone.

Migrating to Australia from Glasgow is the hardest thing we had ever done. We moved to South Australia 2 years ago then moved to Port Macquarie in NSW in December 2013. We will be moving to the Gold Coast in around 4 weeks. We have lived in 3 states in 2 years and 3 kids under 5. Moving is tough, see it as a new chapter, get out and meet like minded people. We have not regretted moving here at all, the lifestyle is great.

Wait till Turkey joins the EU, the UK might see 1 or additional residents

They are all crooks

Try and stay in hostels wherever you are. You will meet loads of like minded travellers who will tell you the best places to go and you will no doubt tag along with some until you part ways and then meet other travellers. I have done it previously and had an amazing time. Good luck

Go to Centrelink, you may be able to access financial assistance if you have kids at school

Cairns, great choice

Your an experienced IT Tutor working with people with drug and alcohol issues and mental health problems? Through my personal experience working for multiple job network provider, you would be a valuable asset working in a TAFE where they teach IT to people with D&A issues and mental health issues. You need to contact TAFE's, community organisations and local community colleges, even if its for volunteering initially. Your age is an asset in regards to experience and outlook. Ensure your resume is bang on and reflects all your skills and experiences. Don't be shy and get facetime with these organisations. RTO's are booming, you may need to get yourself a Cert IV in TAE. I deal with these organisations on a daily basis and know your experience would be sought after

I recently completed a Cert IV in Training and Assessing a local TAFE in SA. On conversation with the lecturer who asked about my background in the UK, I told her I had an Honours Degree in Business. The lecturer was impressed with my level of work and the fact I had an honours degree in business from the UK, I was subsequently offered a lecturer role at TAFE on an initial casual basis. The fact that I had an honours degree would allow me to teach at a higher level as opposed to someone with a degree and it was valued as an asset by the TAFE. Just my experience, but the higher the qualification, the more opportunities are available if you know where to look

Don't blame you for wanting to comeback. I cant believe its Autumn and I am still surfing as the days are shorter but still amazingly warm. I will only return to the UK for a holiday or to remind myself how crap it is. This is my home and loving it

Maybe you should move to another state and give it another try. NSW is a great state, great people and great opportunities.

I am not a great fan of Perth, although it is a nice city but a bit to isolated. I moved from SA to Port Macquarie in NSW, not to far from Coffs Harbour. Its the best move I have made since we came to Australia. Its perfect for my family, the beaches are great, its tropical, lush and very green. In regards to price, I can only compare to SA and find rentals and property prices not to bad. Some parts of the Mid North Coast are very affluent but also have the highest unemployment rates (Port Macquarie 3rd highest unemployment rate in Australia). Good Luck

Adelaide every time. Its a nice clean city that's not overly busy compared to other cities. I stayed near Adelaide before moving to NSW and enjoyed it, although I much prefer Port Macquarie on the east coast where I now live. You will get some fantastic advice here to help you make your choice, where ever you end up, live the dream, many of us do

I have been in OZ for 2 years now and it has gone so quick. The move is stressful, anxious and there is a fear of the unknown. Its the best move we have ever made, once you get here, it all falls into place, make it happen. Good luck, its amazing here

Thanks folks, really appreciate the feedback. My husband is going up in a couple of weeks to look around so it's all looking good so far.

Thanks Toodalou, it's these wee bits that help the decision. Hope you find your blue sea. We went to Glenelg a couple of weeks ago and had a lovely time.

Thanks guys. Yes I agree the population size is more on par with a town but I think we could adapt to that if it has most amenities and plenty to do. It is also a retirement hub which I was told on my phone interview but Internet research all seems good so far, really just hoping for some first hand knowledge if there was any out there. Laverty pathogy have had some negative press and I have always worked for a government organization so was hoping for info in that area?

Hi folks, I have had a job offer from Laverty pathology at Port Macquarie base hospital. John and I have 3 children aged 18mths, 3 & 4 so we are looking for any info on the area and company before making the move. Currently living in rural SA and have been for 18 months so really ready to move to a more populated area on the coast with all the perks of country/city living. I know... I want my cake and I want to eat it but we have come this far and trying our best to make a long term move in the eighht direction. Any tips will be most gratefully appreciated. Loraine

Hi Dont use banks to send money, they have high charges and not good to deal with. I would suggest using a company like Moneycorp. I often transfer funds from my Lloyds TSB UK account to my Australian Commonwealth Bank account at no charge. The transfer usually takes 2 working days if you opt for the express transfer. The good thing with Moneycorp is that you can "buy a deal", that is, buying Oz dollars with UK money but you can keep your money with Moneycorp until you are ready to transfer. I think Moneycorp make their money from transfer exchange rates and not from charging customer fees. Have a look, it might be of use.

Because you struggle for work does not mean thats a reflection on australia. Im in the employment sector and we cant get enough quality candidates.

Too many pension funds have black holes, that is, they have huge percentile deficits and have been supported by the UK government for too long. Some pension funds have shortfalls of £100's of millions of pounds to the detriment of the stakeholders. Having capital for th retirement days is important but there are other ways. Many chose property investment and a lower risk v higher returns compared to many pension funds. With property, there will always be peaks and lows but statisticly, the returns are good, access immediate capital through selling is a major advantage as pensions dripfeed and you may never get your return if you pass away earlier than planned, so to speak. Just my opinion, but for me, property is more viable and can hav massiv returns compared to a pension fund.