Nicky n Joe

Thanks for all your replies, especially John. We've looked at quite a few houses there over the past week or so and a lot of the areas do seem nice. We looked at one in Tarni Street tonight and it was all very quiet and well-cared for gardens etc. I'm not sure if that is classed as the Enbrook Heights estate or not, but I think it's pretty nearby. I guess we'll keep looking, we haven't found the right house yet, but Bracken Ridge does seem to be an option for us. Cheers! Nicky

Hi, We moved over to Brisbane in Jan this year and after renting in Bridgeman Downs, we're looking to buy in the next few months. I've heard many things about Bracken Ridge often related to crime and noise, but mostly from people who don't actually live there.I'd love to hear from anyone who lives in the estates there and what your experiences have been like. Budget-wise, it fits the bill for us; 4 beds often plus pool for $500k, but the bad press is making us a little unsure about it, as we'd like this move to be the house we stay in for the next 15-20 years. Any advice much appreciated :biggrin: Cheers, Nicky

Hi Smashing, Nice to hear from you. I'll PM you about meeting up.

I know it's the late notice, but I'm coming along in the afternoon with SaraC if that's OK? I moved to Brissie in Jan and am always on the look at to meet new friends!

Hi SBREW, I moved from the UK to Brisbane in January. I'm not very near to Middle Park, I'm at Bridgeman Downs, which is about 35 mins away on the Northside, but we could meet somewhere in the middle if you drive? There's the Botanical gardens at Mount Cout-tha which are really nice and is probably about halfway. Just PM me if you fancy it. I'm Nicky and we've got a 19 month old daughter Gabby.

Hi Sara, Welcome to Brissie! We moved into our house in Bridgeman Downs at the end of Jan and feel like we've been here quite a while now. It's amazing how it feels like home once you've moved all your stuff in and start doing things like the weekly supermarket shop! PM me if you fancy meeting up with the kids for a play and a coffee somewhere. Nicky x

Hi, We moved to Brisbane 3 weeks ago (loving it so far!). We're staying with friends in Camp Mountain at the moment, but are moving to a house in Bridgeman Downs in the next 1 to 2 weeks. SaraC and Shefg, would be happy to meet up once you're over here. Loopylu, I'll PM you my e-mail address, would be grateful if you could let me know details of the UK ex-pats groups too pls. We've got a little girl who's 13 months. Nicky x

Hi, I've just moved to Brisbane a couple of weeks ago with my husband and our 1 year old baby Gabby. We're moving to Bridgeman Downs in the next couple of weeks and I'd love to hear from any Mums and bubs nearby who fancy meeting up for coffee/playdates during the week. We're 39 and 42, so would be good to meet some older(ish!) Mums as well. We're from the UK and are loving the Aussie lifestyle so far! Let me know if you fancy a catch up. Nicky x

Hi, We're emigrating to Brisbane in a couple of weeks time and still haven't found a home for our 2 cats. We've tried all the family and freind normal routes and thought that we would have the animal charities as a final last resort if it came to it, but have recently found that they are in a dire situation with overcrowding and they have 2 year waiting lists. We've now out posters up, tried facebook atc, but to no avail. We can't take them with us due to a) the cost and b) the rental situation we'll be in when we get to Brisbane. They are both 11 years old and very affectionate. Both house trained. If you can help, please let me know and pass on my post to anyone else you think may be interested. Thanks! Nicky

On a slightly different subject, can anybody send me a link to a website that shows the Brisbane train timetables and station locations please? Re choosing a suburb, we're keen to minimise the commute to cbd as much as possible, but I've had trouble finding a definitive website with all the routes etc on. Cheers

Hi Angela, Thanks for your nice post. Would be great to hook up once you're out there. When are you planning to make the actual move over there? Nicky

Hi Nicola, Thanks for the tip re Super Amart, I had a look on their website and things don't look too bad price-wise. I think I'll take your advise re chilrens clother, if that's the case. We're not flying till Jan 2nd, so I should be able to hit the Next boxing day sale before we go (I'm not queuing at 4am in the morning tho!). You're v lucky that you've got your in-laws out their doing some organising for you. Does Mango Hill have a "centre"? I'm keen to move somewhere that's got a bit of a shopping centre and a few places to eat out. Some of the suburbs we've looked at look like great houses, but then seem to have a couple of stores, a petrol station and 1 bar and nothing else. How long does it take for you to get into CBD from there? I'll have to get my daughter Gabriella a few curries in the coming months to ensure she's ready for the aeroplane food (don't fancy the nappies after that!). I should be able to take enough food for her, she's not too fussy at the moment, so hopefully she won't change. Speak soon Nicky

That's a useful link, thanks. Particularly the recommendation re the insurer, instead of going with the one from the shipping agent. We're in the process of booking the agent and I'll definitely get another insurance quote to compare.

Thanks bigbadcon - Relocation agent wasn't something we'd thought of. When you get some prices for the service, I'd be interested to know how much it comes out at. We're flying with Cathay Pacific; had a bit of a nightmare trying to sort a migration fare and the extra baggage allowance, but it all worked out OK in the end. We're not stretching to an extra seat for our daughter, so it'll be pass the parcel for the duration! I asked re a bassinet, but was told they're only suitable for babies 6 months and under and our daughter will be a year old.

Thanks Nicola, Yep, definitely set up a play date when we're all there. You're brave travelling with a 3/4 month old! Do you live back in the UK currently? How old was your oldest child when you first flew to Oz? The new builds do look really big in the pics, I like the idea of the open plan living and kitchen areas, my husband's already talking about getting a 50" telly to go in it!