Dreamy Fish

Ooh I've been managed, thanks loads Snifter. And there are even responses. Sorry I'm still like a kid in a sweet shop when it comes to talking people actually on the other side of the world :-) Thanks again, much appreciated x

Damn phone, last post didn't take. Would anybody please be able to let me know the cost of a general weekly grocery shop for a family of 5 (three kids 8, 3 and 1). Including the cleaning stuff but not worried about baby groceries as hoping the littlest will be well on her way to using the bathroom by the time we get out there! I am going to have a hunt around and look at mortgages, utilities and fuel costs but if anyone has links or websites that'd be great :-) x

Guys, please could anyone let me know generally the cost of a weekly shop for a family of 5 (three kids 8,3 and 1). I'm goon to try and work out utilities and fuel looking around the site later. Thanks lotsly x

That's completely shocking!!!! I didn't think private schooling would ever be affordable. Mind you, it might not yet be as I've stumbled across some threads where it's gone so wrong that people are doing paper rounds - that's so me! I'll be selling lemonade on the front lawn :-D

Ah still tapping and researching away. I am sure that I could start a new thread with this but as I am getting responses, I will stick it here! Sooo, of course I could be being all rose tinty naive, but, I am getting the feeling that the whole Australian education system is geared towards turning out kids who are actually able to put their education and skills into proper practical use. And that trades jobs are just as valued and desired as more "academic" jobs. And that there are paths and qualifications which lead directly towards all of it and the salaries are much higher than in the UK so I am hoping/expecting for my kids to get a good education and grow up to be independent and self-sufficient. Am I being dumb...!?

Thanks a lot for all the responses, it's really helping because like you said, it's not easy making a decision from the other side of the world! There is absolutely no way on earth that we would be able to afford private schooling here in the UK and to be honest, I am not expecting it to be remotely affordable in Australia either, unless they are a lot cheaper than here. We're not expecting an easy ride either, we work really, really hard here, but it's just to exist. We don't take holidays, not even within the UK because it's just too expensive. We don't spent a lot of time together as a family. So we are expecting to have to work really hard if we make it to Australia too, but we completely want to embrace the Australia thing. I want everything to be different! The kids love being outdoors and it's just not that easy here when it's so cold and dank. x

That's a brilliant link, thanks lotsly!

Can I please ask for any personal experiences of Derinya? I've tried emailing the school direct but have yet to receive a response. Is there generally a waiting list or if you're in catchment can you expect your kids to be allocated a space? What are the class sizes like, are there teaching assistants also in class? Is uniform pricey or does the same apply as in some UK schools where supermarkets offer reasonably priced uniforms? Also out of interest, and because I've just read an article about a UK family facing jail for taking a pre-booked holiday during term time, what is the general policy on school absences, ie for a family holiday? It's not something we've actually ever done but I was just wondering. Any personal experiences and recommendations for this school, or others in the area, would be fab. Hope you're coping ok with the heat. I'm about to go to bed and the wind is howling and the rain lashing down- deep joy!! Chrissie x

Thank you so much for your replies, I really appreciate it and it's been interesting as it's the first time I have ever heard from anyone else either in Oz or on their way. By the sounds of it it is down to us to find like minded people and the sort of areas where my little imps can be criss crossing cul-de-sacs to call on their friends in bare feet!! My husband read all the responses and he was very encouraged by them so that's good :-) Chrissie x

Freckleface, as I was getting ready for work this morning I was thinking about the responses and I wondered the very thing you actually posted, if being an Aussie made a difference :-)

Thanks so much for your replies. It's been a real eye opener, I have had a very Enid Blyton-tinted view of things!!! Freckleface, as I was getting ready for work this morning I was thinking about the responses and I wondered the very thing you actually posted, if being an Aussie made a difference :-)

Hi there We are currently in the process of applying to Victoria on a 190. I say we, my husband is the main applicant and myself and our three kiddies are coming along for the most exciting ride ever! I've never been to Australia, we are hoping to visit but circumstances change all the time so I am relying quite a lot on reading posts on this forum to get a feel for things. My parents used to live in Sydney for 6 years so they are really behind us doing this as they think it is a fabulous opportunity and a great place to raise kids. I can't imagine the rest of my life never seeing the other side of the world.... Sooo, we have been looking at the burbs of Melbourne and I am very taken by Frankston South. Having a look at the school websites and they have such positive outlooks, it is just how I imagine it to be. What I was wondering though was what the lifestyle is like genuinely for children. I have three, a son of 8 and two girls who are 3 and 1. Where we are at the moment, a market town in Oxfordshire, we are really happy but my god it is expensive and full of gym yummy mummies motoring about in their petite Range Rovers!!!! People are quite judgmental and there is a lot of comparing of things like salaries, cars, holidays etc etc. I am quite laid back, I like my kids to have freedom and be independent within reason. I have no problem with my son scaling the tree at the bottom of the garden and dropping into the trampoline below, but for other people, it is a big no no. Likewise he is more than capable of walking into school from the school gate and getting himself to class, but again, I am hugely judged by others who absolutely will not leave their child's side and even after they've filed in, will make sure the coat is on the peg by peering through the window! How safe is Victoria for children? It feels like all the time in the news there are abductions here in the UK. Is it a generally safe area, are kids allowed to play and explore? I get the feeling Australia is big on the outdoors and sports. Here people rely massively of electronic ways of keeping their children entertained, gaming stations etc. What is that generally like in Aus? Maybe I am naive but I don't tend to imagine children there plugged into the latest GTO game. And lastly in my rambling post, consumerism, here the children must have the latest passing fad. Moshis have just passed by and now it is Match Attax and Skylanders. We don't tend to watch live TV which I am grateful for because of the constant bombardment of childrens ads. Which then piles on the pressure because you don't want your kid pick on because they don't have the latest "must have" item. What is Australia like for children from that point of view? Any responses would be very appreciated! It is going to be hard to get to visit so I am heavily reliant on opinions of others who are living it!! Chrissie x

Hi Davina We are at the beginning of this process, pretty much, and I have been looking around this forum for a little while getting info. We are hoping to move to the Melbourne area and I had also discovered Frankston South during research. Would be lovely to hear of your experiences as you make the move :-) How old are your kids? Chrissie