PatW

Hi all Next get-together will be Saturday 17th January, 2pm til you have to go, at Parkside Park/bbq area, Aurora Boulevard (behind Bounty Boulevard School) North Lakes 4509. BYO food, drinks, etc. There are free electric bbqs, off-leash dog area, kids' play equipment & a half pipe skateboard bowl. Usually about 8-10 families (with & without children) turn up. It's a good way to find new friends & make new networks. You'd be very welcome!

Hello Cubic No problems - come and join us! Ooh, working on a Sat morning! Not fun! We'll probably be there by midday, to try and grab a table & bbq spot, so come when you're ready. BYO food, drinks, etc. It'll be good to have a chat. Pat

Hello Terri & Ben As Jimmy P said, we had a pre-Christmas get-together at Sutton's Beach (Redcliffe) before Christmas and we'll be having a post-Christmas get-together on Saturday 17 January at the Parkside Park/bbq area, Aurora Boulevard, North Lakes (behind Bounty Boulevard School), from 2pm til you have to go. BYO food, drinks, etc. It's usually about 8-10 families (with & without children) who want to make new friends & networks and find out how things work/where to find things. Nothing official: just me and husband Bob (who have been through the process) getting people together. Do ask if you have questions. Pat

Hi there I'm also in Murrumba Downs! I'm not 29 but let me know if you want a cuppa some time. OH & I do 3 monthly get-togethers for migrants and we're doing Dec & Jan natter times: the next will be Saturday 20 Dec at Sutton's Beach, Redcliffe, from 2pm til you have to go. About 8-10 families (with & without children) go. BYO food, drinks & a plate of nibbles to share. Then we'll have a January get-together at the usual place: Parkside Park/bbq area, Aurora Boulevard (at the roundabout), North Lakes 4509 (over the Highway from MD). That'll be Saturday 17 Jan - same details: byo food drinks (no nibbles needed), from 2pm for a post-Christmas natter. PM me if want any more info.

You're welcome J&A! Hope to see you at Sutton's Beach on the 20/12.

I agree with Keith & Linda - get started on the process before deciding where you want/have to be living. What kind of work for you &/or OH? What ages are the children? What leisure activities do you enjoy as a family? (No point in being in Ipswich if you want to be close to water.) I know it's a huge step with lots of unknowns at this point, but take it a little at the time and then (hopefully!) things will become clearer.

Hello Jimmy P and family. Would love to see you on Saturday.

Hello BB. Don't be too pessimistic about not finding other migrants in the area. Leave it with me for a week because there's a family that comes to the North Lakes' get-together (that's on this Saturday) that has family in Hervey Bay and I'll check with them. In the meantime, check with the local Council to see if they know anything about a migrant get-together, check notice boards at local shopping centres, local libraries, schools, etc. and if all else fails, start one yourself! That's what we did 2 years ago and put the details on the Poms In Oz website calendar and perhaps prepare a few A5 size flyers to put in local libraries, kindies, etc. (we put ours in the local butcher's shop on yellow paper, so it was noticed). If I can help further, please pm me - and I could send you our flyer, if you decide to go that way.

Hi johnsons. You've probably already figured out that 2 Oct wasn't a Saturday. Oops; my typo. Sorry. Then we had to postpone for 2 weeks (from 4 Oct) and it'll be on this Saturday, 18 Oct (it's on the calendar here). Same details: from 2pm, byo, North Lakes Park/bbq area, Aurora Blvd, North Lakes 4509. Would be great if you can get there.

Hi GG. Where on the south side (it's a big area)? Are there travel considerations? You don't want to travel miles/hours for a job location, it gets too much after a while. What age of child/children? It's State School (junior) grades 1 to 6 (5-11 years) and then Grades 7-12 (11-17/18) for high school. We're on the north side, so I don't have intimate knowledge of specific schools, but most schools have web sites these days. Have you something temporarily arranged for your arrival, or are you hoping to go into something more permanent once we get to Brisbane? Do pm me if you want to ask specifics.

Hi CG. OH & I arrange 3 monthly migrant get-togethers in a park in North Lakes (30-40 minutes' drive north of the city/Kangaroo Point) and the next will be next Saturday 18th October, from 2pm until you have to go. You'd be very welcome - and some of the guys definitely talk football! We get about 8-10 families - some with children, some not. All from England. BYO food, drinks, etc. (there are free bbqs if you want to use them). We meet at the Parkside Park/bbq area (also known as Aurora Park), Aurora Boulevard, North Lakes 4509. PM me if you want more info.

Hi all The 4 October North Lakes get-together/bbq has had to be postponed for 2 weeks and will now be Saturday 18 October. Still from 2pm til you have to go. BYO all your need: food, drinks, possibly chairs - and hats as it's getting warmer! Will be at the Parkside Park/bbq area, Aurora Boulevard, North Lakes 4509 (behind Bounty Boulevard School). Would love to see you (see the note on the calendar for 18 Oct), but pm me if you have queries.

Javi, welcome to Brisbane! OH & I do 3 monthly get-togethers for migrants in North Lakes. The next will be Saturday 18 October, 2pm til you have to go, at North Lakes Park/bbq area (also known as Aurora Bld Park), Aurora Boulevard, North Lakes. BYO food, drinks, chairs. We usually have about 8-10 families turn up, so not too big to start chatting and get to know people. Any specific questions - just pm me.

Hello Javi Not around NW suburbs, but OH & I do 3 monthly get-togethers for new migrants at a park in North Lakes (4509). Next will be Saturday 4 Oct, 2pm+ (byo food, drinks, chairs) at North Lakes Park/bbq area (also called Aurora Park), Aurora Boulevard, North Lakes - at the roundabout. You'd be very welcome, just to have a chat with others that have done the same in recent times and so you can have a laugh and a giggle. PM me if you need more info.

Woohoo! Congratulations!

Congratulations, Mark, on the visa! What kind of office work? Any particular industry?

It'll go quickly enough and then it'll be a dash to the airport! My brother still lives in Caversham, btw. I did love the 2 High Streets of Reading & a lovely wet fish shop on the corner of a lane (but perhaps it's gone?). Anyway, did you see the details of the North Lakes' get-together earlier in this post? You'd be very welcome & PM me if you need help.

srg73 - you'd be very welcome. Great to read you do already have friends in Brisbane that are helping out. They can take you to the sight-seeing places, beaches, local mountains and you will be a-m-a-z-e-d - it is a beautiful place. Safe travelling. See you in Oct (spring, so warmer nights, warmer days, probably still dry, blue sky and a very big sky).

Hello Johnstons Welcome to Brisbane (in mid-September)! Yes, there are a lot of expats in the suburb of North Lakes and yes OH and I arrange 3 monthly get-togethers in a NL park. The next will be Saturday 2 October, from 2pm til you have to go at the Parkside Park/bbq area, Aurora Boulevard, North Lakes (also known as the Aurora Blvd Park). BYO your own food, drinks, chairs. There's a huge kids playground alongside, so the littlies can be occupied. Free bbqs, if you want to cook (most do). We get about 8-10 families, so enough people to have a chat with, without being too huge that you get to talk to no-one. OH and I started arranging these get-togethers 18 months ago because we've been through it, too (a few years ago, admittedly) and know how difficult it can be not knowing where things are, where to find them or how to get to them. If you want more info, feel free to PM me and look forward to seeing you (and any others that want to come along). No 'booking in' or anything formal - it's just a turn up and have a chat with others that will understand what you're going through.

Hello all. OH & I arrange 3 monthly get-togethers for migrants at North Lakes (on the north side of Brisbane). Next will be Saturday 12 July from 2pm til you have to go at the Parkside Park/bbq area, Aurora Boulevard, North Lakes. Do contact me if you want details of the Oct-ish get-together.

Hello Dani OH & I arrange 3 monthly get-togethers for migrants at North Lakes (30-40 mins drive north of the city) and the next will be Saturday 12 July, 2pm til you have to go, at the Parkside Park/bbq area, Aurora Boulevard, North Lakes, if you'd like to come. BYO food, drinks, chairs. Last get-together in April we had 8 families (& 3 lots of visiting parents), so not too big a group to start chatting and begin to make new friends. You'd be very welcome!

Hello Sharron Glad you liked the Custard Apple. They're only available for a couple of months, so despite the price make the most of them! Then over summer we get mangoes - delicious! Very pleased to read that you're finding it so much fun - that's really good news. There is so much to see and do: beaches, bush walks, sight-seeing - it's all different. If I can help any more, do let me know.

Hello Sharon There's nothing that eases parents' mind more than having the children happy. Glad your son has started school and is happy there. OH starting work is a relief, too. On the fruit/vegie front, look out for Custard Apples at this time of year - they're green, knobbly things that taste like apples & custard. Honest! You don't eat the seeds or the skin. There are a lot of city walks. Check the Brisbane city website. It'll also help to things to do, etc. And the Ekka will be on in August - country meets the city: http://www.ekka.com.au. Have fun.

Hello Sharon Welcome to Brisbane! Hope you're starting to find your feet (who am I kidding - 6 weeks is nowhere near enough - I remember those days!). Anyway, if you haven't had a chance to search, here's the Triathlon Qld's 'find a club' web page. Hope this helps. http://www.triathlonqld.com.au/Clubs/FindaClub/ClubListing/tabid/211/u986q/4272697362616E65/Default.aspx. And if you're on the north side, OH & I arrange 3 monthly migrant get-togethers/bbq and the next will be Saturday 12 July at the Parkside Park/bbq area, Aurora Boulevard (behind Bounty Boulevard School), North Lakes from 2pm until you have to go. BYO food, drinks, chairs and have a chat with others that have made the move in recent months (or a year or two) and hopefully start to make new friends (as a number have). You don't have to be living in North Lakes to come along; it's just a convenient location because a number are. The park has play equipment, bbqs (free, electric), toilets, off-leash dog area, half-pipe skateboard bowl and a huge area to kick a ball. You'd be very welcome!

Hello Ozcandy Welcome to Brisbane!! OH & I arrange 3 monthly get-togethers for recent or not so recent migrants at North Lakes and you'd be very welcome. The next will be Saturday 12 July at the Parkside Park/bbq area, Aurora Boulevard, from 2pm until you have to go. BYO food, drink, chairs. (No fee for the electric bbqs.) We usually have about 8-10 families, so not too big to have a chat and hopefully get to start new friendships. We'll answer any questions you have, or refer you to somewhere else to get the answer if we're not sure. If you can't find the park, you can PM me, but as emails don't go to my mobile, you'll have to send a message before the day.