Aussie Hopeful

Hi Smurfs, I see it has been some time since you made this post. I wondered how your move went to the Sunshine Coast and if you made it in the end? We currently live on the Mornington Peninsula. Been here for 4 years and considering a move to the Sunshine Coast. Similar reasons to yourselves. Love it on the Peninsula but House prices here are crazy and looking for a warmer climate etc. be great to hear how your plans went. Cheers Aussie Hopeful

Hi all, We are in the process of planning a trip to the UK but our PR has exceeded its 5 year travel allowance. We have applied for citizenship but do not anticipate it coming through in time based on the current wait times. I hoped someone could help with the following questions: - once you have a RRV, is there a requirement to use it within a certain timeframe and does it have an expiry? - as a family do we only need one (as per our PR visa) or do we need one each? - depending on the answer to above, what is the cost? Thanks in advance Aussie Hopeful

White / off white Mamas and Papas nursery furniture for sale. Includes: Wardrobe Cot bed with mattress Drawers with change top Some wear and tear but generally very good condition. $200 Melbourne peninsula area PM me for more details Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Have you had to study for a year full-time or part time equivalent? Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Hi, My brother is in the process of applying for a 190 visa but faces a stumbling block. He completed a 3 year bachelor QTS in primary teaching 9 years ago and despite being a qualified teacher with years of experience, AITSL will not pass him on a skills assessment as they require 4 years tertiary education. He is looking at further study options and I just wondered if anyone else faced this issue (I have seen a couple of posts around this) and what you did to overcome it. I suppose I am wanting to know if anyone has found a way around this issue and/or what further study routes anyone has taken to overcome it. Any advice would be really appreciated. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Our situation is slightly different. We have been here for 5 years, but had a 15 month stint in the middle of that back in the uk. The guidelines suggest that because our daughter was a citizen during that period, we can ask for that 15 months to be considered as being resident in Australia instead of our 4 years being reset to when we came back. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Thanks for this, it is really useful. Just checking with Border people but looks as though we can ask for special consideration in order to apply Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Hi all, Been scouring online and can't find an answer to this query, but heard it from a couple of sources and wondered if anyone can shed any light. To give some context. We moved to Oz on a perm residency visa in 2012. We moved back to the UK in Aug 2014 and then came back in Jan 2016. In terms of applying for citizenship, this means that we would have to wait until 2019 before being eligible to apply for citizenship due to our time out of Oz. However, before we left, we had our daughter and as a consequence, she is an Australian citizen. We had heard that because she is a citizen, we were eligible to apply for citizenship sooner. Does anyone know if there is any truth in this or if it is just a load of rubbish? Thanks Aussie Hopeful Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Thanks for the response. Are you then suggesting that any UK earnings (July 15 - Jan 16) do not need to be declared on the basis that I was living in the UK? I returned to Oz on 12 Jan 16

Hi, I wondered if anyone can help me with a tax question..... We previously spent 2 years in Oz as permanent residents before returning to the UK in 2014. We loved and worked there for 15 months before returning to Oz this January. I started working in April and have just completed my Aussie tax return with H&R Block (probably my first issue!). Anyway, as I had only worked 3 months this financial year, I had overpaid on my tax and should have been due 4/5k return from my Australian income. When I went for my tax return they said I needed to declare my overseas income even though I wasn't residing in Australia at the time. Even though I had paid UK tax on my UK income, once it was taken into account, it came out that I owed approx $400 in tax. Im absolutely baffled how I can go from being owed $4k to oweing money despite already paying UK tax on my earnings. I'm not convinced they have calculated it correctly. Should my UK income be taken into account even if I was not living in Australia at the time? I can understand if I was living in Australia and earning money overseas but I was out of the country for 15 months. Is is there anyone that can shed some light on this. Any advice would be much appreciated as I feel like I've been slightly shafted!!

I agree with Petals. Your priority is your children and what is best for them in the long run. Moving them around so much will leave them unsettled. I don't mean that to sound judgemental but at a young age children need stability. I have a good friend who is in his late 20's who struggles with buikding relationships because his parents moved nearly every year. He learnt a behaviour that prevented him from getting close to any other children because he knew he would move soon and never see them again. We we recently ping ponged after 2 years in Oz, 15 months in the UK and then back to Oz this January. This process was positive for us as it settled into our mind exactly what we wanted as a family and for our children in the long term and Oz is the place that can offer that. I've said it before but the reality of emigration is not that the grass is greener but a different kind of grass. In both places the grass needs to be watered. The reality is that both the UK and Oz offer pros and cons. The decision is and should be based on what pros are most important to you and are you prepared to live with the cons as accept them for what they are. For me, attitude is such a big part of moving. As petals suggested? You need to sit down and make a decision and stick to it. Life is hard and full of challenges wherever we live and no amount of sunshine, heritage, family, money or lifestyle are going to steer you away from those challenges. Personally the last 3.5 years have been the most challenging for us but it's about how you manage those challenges as to how you come out the other end. I I really feel for where you guys are, it is so hard. Take out the emotion and look at the reality. Just because you have done it twice, don't let it deter you, but if you do come back, think about the attitude you come with. Good luck!!

Ive just moved to Oz with an iPhone 5 that was on an O2 network. If you contact O2, they will unlock it for free before you go. Then when I got here I got a great deal with Optus: unltd text, unltd mins, 10gb data and 300 international minutes. $40 per month on sim only!!

hi all, moving to Melbourne on the 12th Jan and looking for two weeks in short term furnished accomodation. We have been looking desperately but can't find anything decent. So far checked out AirB&B, Stayz and other smaller independent sites. We are a family of 4 and looking to spend a max of $850 a week. If if anyone can help it would be much appreciated

Anyone looking to sell a family car in Melbourne? Land in Jsnuary and need to sort a car.

Hi all, would love some advice/opinions on what Parkdale offers as a suburb. We are ping ponging back from the UK in January and looking at possible suburbs to settle. When we previously lived in Melbourne we lived in Highett and really enjoyed the area. Particularly because of its proximity to the beach, shops and other great suburbs. We are a young family of 4 (kids 4&1) and put son will be attending school in Keysborough so we're looking at possible suburbs. I was just wondering if anyone can give their views and opinions on Parkdale as a suburb or even other surrounding suburbs. We have looked at liveability takings but it varies greatly depending on which ranking list you look at. Advice would und be much appreciated.

We are moving to Oz in Jan 16 and I am selling my car. Ideal for a family moving back to the UK. Hyundai IX35 1.7 SE NAV 14 months old, excellent condition Diesel Metallic Steel Grey 20,000 miles full Hyundai service history 4 years warranty 4 years breakdown cover £13,999 Available in January PM me for more details

Well after posting this 2 months ago and suggested we would return in the next 2 years, we have plumped for a return and booked our tickets to return in January. Very excited and feel like all the ties and things that were drawing us back to the UK have finally been put to bed. It feels like we are going home.

Hi all, wondered if if anyone can offer any advice. After returning to the UK over a year ago we have decided to ping pong back to Oz for good. :chatterbox: Myself, my wife and my eldest child are all permanent residents, but my daughter has an Australian birth certificate, a British passport, but is not featured on our visa. because of the hassle to get into London to get her an Australian passport, we have decided to wait until we get to Oz to get it. However, I was wondering where we stand when entering the country in terms of whether they will allow her entry on a British passport if she is not on the visa, but has evidence of birthright. Has anyone else had this dilemma and would it be easier to arrange to have her on the visa? If so, what is the cost? Any my help would be appreciated, as we are leaving in January. Thanks AH

I totally agree with H283. We moved with Grace and used Letton Percival when moving back from Melbourne. Exceptional service from both and great value.

Let me pre-empt this post by saying this is an open and honest reflection of MY opinion, experience and feelings throughout this journey and I have made this post to try and give a balanced view of Australia and all that migration offers. We started our journey back in Jan 2012. Whilst we had a great life and great friends in the UK and were really settled where we were, we had heard so many people tell us they had the chance to move to Oz and didn't and had regretted it ever since and we didn't want to be another 'could have gone'. So we applied form our PR and had it within 6 months. We sold everything and landed in Perth in August that year. The idea of leaving was much easier than the reality of taking your child away from their grandparents and the devastation it causes and not to mention the grief you feel when you walk through the airport departures leaving your family and close friends behind. Nonetheless, it was exciting and we landed in Perth with 5 suitcases, no jobs and a small amount of money to live off (oh and the most hurrendous jetlag). I was fortunate that I had an interview lined up 2 days after landing and for the job. Fast forward 6 months and Perth wasn't living up to what we had hoped. Unquestionably, the beaches were incredible. There was nothing better than taking a walk along the beach each evening and having a swim when the temperatures were sweltering. Kings park was just spectacular and we just loved spending afternoons there. What a view! The Perth spring was just amazing. Perfect temperatures! But that was where the positives stopped for us. We found it soul less, backwards and boring. The temperature in summer was unbearable and it was impossible to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle we craved. The flies...oh the flies!!!! My staple diet for 6 months of the year was flies and not through choice, but simply because so many seemed to find their way into my digestive system either through my mouth when I took a breath or through my nostrils. Then there were the bogans. Not just any bogans, but cashed up bogans in their bloody UTE's. Uneducated morons earning a fortune doing FIFO. The bogan situation would not have been so bad, but it was compounded by the influx of chavs who had made their way to the promised land. Whilst I loved my job and it was well paid, I was shocked at the work culture and work shy Australians. I couldn't believe how slap dash everything was and considering I worked with migrants, I couldn't believe how openly racist the Australians were. Was this really the forward thinking advanced country I had read about in the glossy magazine's and had witnessed Nicki Chapman lay on a plate in front of me whilst I drooled over the possibilities that Oz had to offer? It wouldn't have been so bad but I was paying a small fortune for the privilege. I didn't mind paying a million pounds for a pint of beer but what annoyed me most was the fact that the customer service was absolutely disgusting (example: I sat outside of Dome one sunny day enjoying a nice chilled drink when the couple next to us complained to the waiter that they had had their muffin but not yet had their coffee. At this point the manager came out with their receipt and pointed out that they had only been waiting less than 15 minutes (fair point!). However, the customer pointed out that she didn't mind that but would have liked to have enjoyed her muffin and coffee together while they were still hot. At this point he turned to her and said, "what do you think we are? Fine Dining?" What an arrogant n@b I thought. Considering he was ripping her off the least he could do is give her it at the same time. they got up and walked). For me this tipified the Perth mentality of, "well its Perth, what do you expect," or "well where else are you going to go?" That was just it, there wasn't an alternative! I found Perth to be constantly chasing the dollar with a huge focus on money and nothing else. It was bland and brown everywhere! My wife grew desperately unhappy and isolated in the local community. People were incredibly clique and unfriendly. We started dreaming of the green pastures of the lakes, the reasonably priced supermarkets and our friends and family. Christmas was desperately unhappy time and not to mention stinking hot. So 8 months in I started applying for jobs in the uk and nothing happened. It was frustrating. then a breakthrough, my boss sent me to Melbourne for a conference and suggested I take the family. Well, she regretted that as within 2 months I landed a job in Melbourne and we were off. Our 12 month nightmare and battle with flies was coming to an end! Melbourne was a different kettle of fish. Great culture, loads to do and just great people. We loved it. My job was great, we loved the suburb only a short walk from the bay and we were starting to feel settled. We established some good friends and all was well. Now don't get me wrong, it wasn't all perfect, beaches were disappointing after Perth and aspects of Aussie culture were a huge turn off but it was like a different country to Perth. Oh and the weather was mental and there were still some flies, but not at the Biblical proportions witnessed in Perth. Anyway, we were getting settled so decided to have another child. Within a couple of months my wife had conceived and we would soon be welcoming a little Aussie child. However, a few months later, my wife experienced a death of a close family member and could not make it home. It was devastating and the distance really hit home. Did we really want to be so far from friends and family and raise a child in such isolated circumstances. We agonised over the decision, but ultimately we decided to leave. 12 Months after arriving in melbourne, we would be gone. As we looked forward to seeing all those people who encouraged us to come back, we remembered the things in Oz that we just couldn't stand. We shipped out 6 weeks after our child was born. It was insane and not something I would recommend to anyone who is of sound mind! On our last day in Melbourne we walked around the botanical gardens and looked up into a clear blue sky as a hot air balloon flew over. I couldn't believe we were actually leaving this place. But, no, remember the crap here and all the wonderful things that await you in good old blighty. So we landed back on British soil in 2014 (just over 2 years after leaving for Oz) and we have now been back for 9 months. I landed a dream job while I was still in Oz and we relocated somewhere new. Right on the coast within a 5 minute walk to the sea. Its stunning, the people are unbelievably friendly, the scenery is amazing and life is very very comfortable. Whilst the family are a few hours away, we still see them regularly and friends are even closer. Our son has an amazing school..... But......... You just can't get rid of that nagging..... Once you have made the move it changes you. Once you have experienced something different, you can't just settle. Could we stay put and be happy, yes. Could we thrive in careers, yes. But as far as lifestyle goes, there is no comparison. Guaranteed good weather, great outdoor lifestyle and just the pure quality family time that life in Oz affords. Whilst we like where we are, the weather is a major factor in restricting your enjoyment of the outdoors. Its cold, wet and windy (and thats the summer). The family and friends is a big one, but the red carpet treatment lasts a day and once you are back you are back and ironically, I speak less to friends now than when I was in Oz and we've had less visitors. Its a huge disappointment and a huge eye opener. Have we had rose tinted glasses throughout our journey? Yes probably. The reality is that both places have pro's and con's and the way I see it, it comes down to a choice between lifestyle and family and friends, but on returning to the UK, our view on this has changed considerably with expectations just not met. The reality is that the grass is not greener anywhere, its just different grass. Different people look for different things in life and that should ultimately determine where you choose to live. Having been there and back and reflected on every aspect of life in the UK and Australia, we just can't get away from the fact that the Australian lifestyle (warts and all) is what we want for us as a family and more importantly for our children. For that reason we will be ping ponging back to Melbourne within the next 2 years. My advice to anyone making the move either way. Be open minded and don't make quick emotional decisions. Its a hard hard slog when you move to another country, but its an incredible and life changing adventure, wherever you end up settling. It demands character and strength you never knew you had, but at the end you will never be the same. But regardless of all the challenges and heart ache, its worth it!

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone can offer some advice on applying for a RRV. We moved out to Australia in 2012 on a 5 year PR Visa. After just over 2 years in Oz we had to move back to the UK due to family circumstances. We are planning on moving back to Australia some time in the near future but concerned that this may not be within our visa time which expires in 2017. My my questions are: Am I able to to apply for a 5 year RRV before the 5 year expiry and without an immediate intention to return to Oz (I.e. We don't have a return date) whilst residing in the UK. If not, can I return for a holiday to Oz just before the expiry and apply for an extension to my visa without living and working in Oz? What are people's experiences of being granted a RRV? My daughter has an Australian passport, we lived in Oz for the first 740 days of our visa. Do they expect you to have a job to go to etc etc? Any any advice anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone can help me. I have just returned to the UK (Sept 2014) and completed my 2013/14 tax return before leaving. I asked the tax accountant at the time how I can complete my 2014/15 tax return as I was leaving permanently. He told me that I needed to leave the country first and then I could lodge my return early online. However, I have just been online via MyGov and the MyTax service and it says I am not eligible as I have already lodged my return this year. Has anyone been through this and can anyone advise on how I can go about lodging my 2014/15 tax return from overseas? Thanks Chris

Hi all, Has anyone got a car in the UK they are looking to sell?

I am currently looking to recruit 1 x full time and 1 x part time Sports Therapists in lecturing roles. There is no teaching experience required as all training will be given. However, I am looking for significant experience working as a Sports Therapist or very similar role. Please PM me for more details.

I will be moving back to the UK at the end of August and have the following items for sale (located in the Bayside Area, Melbourne). All items are less than 2 years old: Kia Rio, White, 5DR, low mileage (9000km) (bought from brand new, less than one year old!). Samsung Fridge Freezer Microwave Crockery and kitchen utensils Kettle Sandwich Toaster 42" HD flat screen TV 2 x 3 seater sofas (would consider selling) DVD Player Toddlers car seat If you are interested and would like some photos or more information, please PM for more details. I am also looking for a family car to buy when I return to the UK. If anyone is selling one, please let me know. Thanks