Sulac

Thanks for all these comments this is really helpful even the minute details of the Queens Hotel. Keep them coming I have to write 800 words so there's a fair bit of info which I need to digest. Any good scenic walking spots? Cheers, S

Okay thanks, @Collie can you help? @s713 where would you eat and drink in Mount Lawley? Any help appreciated....

Okay folks I have been tasked with writing some comprehensive guides to specific areas in Perth and being a fairly new migrant to the city myself thought I would get some advice from you lot. If anyone is living in Mount Lawley in Perth can they give me any answers to the below? Any thing however little or small snippets of info would be appreciated. What's the demographic and vibe like (ie young person, up and coming etc) how best to describe it? Any good /notable/history and how has that changed over the years? Where is it close too - what are the transport links like? What are the key features? Natural, cultural, food, drink, cheap eats or markets? What are the three things on the to do list if you go there? What are the benefits of living here and potentially being a student in the area?

Hi thanks for all your comments - much appreciated, yes I did offer but he says "it is his business and he has put a babysitter in place (our daughter)" He is not the easiest person to liaise with. AS their mother, I will be going around there both evenings. Cheers Sulac

So I am going through a messy separation. I have 50/50 joint custody with my husband. I found out tonight that the long weekend in WA when he is supposed to be having them, he is going away with his new flame leaving the 16 year old daughter in charge of her 15, 11 and 9 year old siblings (all boys).. As you can imagine, I am not impressed. The conversation went like this: I said I wasn't happy about the arrangement and he said "the 16 year old is babysitting, it is my life" I said "It is inappropriate to leave our 16 year old daughter in charge of three children when one is only 9 years old, for two days and two nights and I have an interest as I am their Mother." He is leaving them as he is going away with a lady friend. I think they have only been seeing each other a matter of weeks. I said that he should have arranged this two night stay away from home when he didn't have the children or put procedures in place (ie asked me) to look after them. Is this legally acceptable or morally sound in WA Australia? Any help appreciated, Sulac

Gosh, I didn't expect so many responses and so many trains of thought and advice. It has been therapeutic to read through them. I think we just need to get to the family court to open up dialogue, as you can't get anywhere without any communication and he has been stonewalling for a year (yes a year). Now I have lodged papers hopefully we can move forward. It's been quite emotionally and mentally exhausting, so maybe the passport issue will wait. I wanted to take them on holiday to Bali, and yes rest assured the husband is aware of the request to take them on hols and hasn't responded.. It's the least of my worries....... Thanks once again.

Thanks for all your help, I will certainly pass on your comments. Sulac

Thanks once again. And yes 50/50 is a shock. There is no doubting that, and I am aware even Britain is going this way now with 50/50 joint custody. It's just trying times (and today to add to my woes have discovered he is now in arrears with his CSA Payments). I think he is just trying to fight his battles and take control. Once again thanks for all your support. Sulac

I hear you Collie and take in your side of the story. To be honest no-one wins in a separation and I can understand you wanting 50/50. My husband is a Project Manager and he works long hours and is way from home from 0730 til 630pm, where as I work from home. He has no childcare in place so the oldest ones look after the little one after school. The 50/50 arrangement was never agreed through a formal way, the husband just said he had a right to this and I accepted it as the Anglicare Mediator agreed this was the best way forward. He is behind with CSA payments, and blocks me from having the children's passports and for a year he has refused to communicate. I have now lodged documents to the family court as a way of moving forward, as without any discussion nothing can be finalised. I am all for him having regular contact with the children as he is their father just wish he could be more accommodating in his communication. As I say...no one wins..

Thanks for all your support and comments We have already done mediation, but unfortunately he is not in a good place at the moment. I have no intention to returning to England but I think my husband might. He has had the passports for a year. Custody is split 50/50 and we live close to each other but unfortunately any sort of civil relationship has broken down. Just a warning 50/50 is heavily promoted here, which is not really what I wanted or had ever envisaged especially as my husband works long hours and one of our children is just 9. There are some good pointers in this email and I need to look at the links. Thanks once again, Sulac Thnaks everyone for all your help

Thanks for this. I wasn't aware that my husband had to be involved and be a signatory which makes it even harder, perhaps I am best to adopt what the Pom Queen suggests and wait until we get our Ozzie passports. Thanks for your help

Hi there, Last year my husband and I separated and he is being extremely difficult at present and it is acrimonious. He has the children's passports and won't hand then over. We have another 9 months before we can apply for citizenship and the British passports have now expired. I want to get the British passports renewed but don't have any of the passport numbers, is this a problem if I want to renew them? Would i need the passport numbers to fill in the online paperwork? Because my husband is being very difficult my solicitor has told me not to worry about the passports at the moment and deal with more pressing issues of lodging paperwork to the family courts. Has anyone been in this situation? Also the passports will be expensive as I have four children. I know my husband won't contribute - could I ask the CSA to step in and help recoup the costs. My friend advised that I could recoup the cost of school fees and books through the CSA, just wondering if this was possible with passports. Any help appreciated. Sulac

Yes I know it is not fantastic, I think Italy has had some of its own economic woes. She really needs to release some cash. When they moved over from Italy, her husband became ill within six months and as they hadn't been here that long, they had to pay for quite a bit of medical treatment. He never was able to work because he wasn't well enough and so she became the sole income earner. She is an Oz and she married an Italian, and so is more familiar with Oz than Italy and I think in trying to sort everything out she just wants to release capital as she needs too. She's had a real tough time...

Hi there, I am posting this on behalf of my friend who has recently been widowed and is only 47 years old. She moved out here four years ago and her husband became ill with cancer and subsequently died. She owns a property in Italy (which is in her name) and is keen to sell it to release some capital but is trying to do it from a distance. I know in England that you can sell your own property privately through a number of companies who charge a minimal amount but will advertise the property on RightMove etc. I think the one I remember from Britain is Houseladder and Thelittlehousecompany Does anyone know if this sort of thing exists in Italy? Her brother in law lives local to the property and could show people around. Any advice appreciated - or if you know of Italian organisations which may help please let me know? Thank you, Sulac

Allow two hours but ours was more like two hours and twenty minutes (we got talking!). My father manage this at aged 87. The only bit that someone who was in a wheelchair would struggle with, is the stairs down from the Round House. But that can easily be sorted as it is right at the start of the tour so the guide Al could start from the bottom of the Round House rather than the top. Thinking about it though I think there is wheelchair access via a ramp to the Round House anyway....

HI there..... yesterday my Father and I went on a guided walking tour of Freo. It is a must for anyone recently arrived or visiting who wants to find out more about the history of the city. If you are going to Fremantle do take in this walking tour as the guide is so enthused and informative. It is dirt cheap too - just $25 per adult for two and a quarter hours and our guide Allen G is such a likable engaging guide. Allen used to be a Freo councillor and was born in Freo and knows absolutely everything and anything about the city. It is a fledgling business, and it is so great to meet someone so passionate about their subject....I promise you, you won't be disappointed. http://www.freemantlehistorywalkingtour.com.au or https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=fremantle%20history%20walking%20tour The Tourist Information also has details...

If you are going to Fremantle do take in this walking tour as the guide is so enthused and informative. It is dirt cheap too - just $25 per adult for two and a quarter hours and our guide Allen G is such a likable engaging guide. Allen used to be a councillor and was born in Freo and knows absolutely everything and anything about the city. We went yesterday while my Dad was over from England and it was one of the highlights of his stay here. http://www.freemantlehistorywalkingtour.com.au or https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=fremantle%20history%20walking%20tour The Tourist Information also has details...

Okay I'll need to look at that Hague Convention legislation, but it's good to find out I won't have my PR withdrawn and can still get my citizenship. This will mean I can sleep easy tonight, so thank you.....

Hi there, So after a pretty horrible time in Australia with lots of stresses and strains, the husband and I have separated after 17 years of marriage. This weekend he lost his drivers licence and he says he's going back to UK. In September 2017 - next year we will have done four years in Oz so eligible for citizenship. I don't want to be bullied in going back. We have four children and the oldest is 16 so not good time to go back from education viewpoint. He says that as we came here with his name on PR visa (his occupation was on skilled shortage list) Me and the children wouldn't be able to get citizenship, if he were to return to Uk early next year. Is that the case? He also says that I would have to apply for PR in my own right as he was the one that got us here in the first place and when he goes my entitlement to remain here on PR goes. Can anyone help? Sulac

Thanks Andrew, that's a great link. Just keeping my head above water, small steps at the moment!

Hi all, Well after a pretty crap two and a half years of being in Australia my husband and I have separated. We have four children. We have sold the family home at a massive loss and I have circa $125k sitting in my bank account. As I am not sure what I am doing long term, not keen to buy a house at the moment, I was wondering what the consequences are of having that amount of money in my account. I get CSA payments from my husband and some family tax credits but they are minimal. I have a low income card as my annual earning is circa $31k. Will this lump of money from the sale of our property which is in my account affect family tax benefits? I receive around $300 a fortnight in family tax benefits? Any advice appreciated, as I can't see the wood from the trees at the moment! I am a permanent resident here. Sulac:arghh::arghh::arghh::arghh::arghh::arghh: .

Hi My father is 87 - extremely spritely and in very good health. He is coming over for four weeks to visit me in Perth in October but the cheapest travel/health insurance he can find for that four weeks is six hundred and fifty pounds which seems pretty steep. He had a very minor heart attack in 2007 and this is what has weighted against him, he made a full recovery and it was a very mild attack brought on by the death of my mother (his wife). He doesn't have any health issues now - he obviously has good genes! Can anyone recommend any good insurance for my father for his visit which may be more affordable? Any names and links/numbers appreciated Cheers Sulac

Hi all, can anyone advise on this? My husband and I have had a renewal notice for our private health insurance and I am not sure if it is in our vested interest to have insurance because of my husband's income. My husband is on quite a high salary (although it doesn't seem to go far in Perth). I think I heard something about an individual being penalised from a tax point of view if they don't take out private health insurance. Would anyone know anything about this? On a separate but similar note. We have only had private health insurance for a year. Haven't needed to use it much at all, certainly don't feel we got our moneys worth from it. The renewal health insurance for four children and two adults is a massive whopping hefty $2901.95 !!! As we are in the throes of separation and watching our pennies, this is a big expense, but not sure if we would incur extra penalties should we want to get back into private health insurance further down the line. Any help appreciated.

Hi We are trying to sell our house in Perth and are staggered at the costs involved. We have to pay for Marketing upfront and we have had quotes for between 2 and 2.5% as commission to the estate agent. We have come across the above website http://www.forsaleforlease.com.au - has anyone used this site to sell their house and were there any repercussions? Are there any legal pitfalls of selling our house this way? Any advice appreciated. Sulac

Okay here's my dilemma. We moved here two and a half years ago. Downturn took hold here and hubby recently lost his job, then his Dad was terminally ill and he went back to the UK in October. He is now talking about staying in the UK to pick up work as the economy is better there than in WA. We came on a PR visa as his profession was on the skills shortage list. I am aware that before we can get Citizenship we have to reach the four year mark and that he is not allowed to be out of the country for more than a year in that four year period. If he does stay in UK longer than a year can me and the kids still get Citizenship after our four year stay here? I have a job here and the children are very settled in state schools. Any advice appreciated