goingbacksoon

That was what made it clear to me after 29 years in Australia. I just couldn't see me spending the rest of my life in Australia. Coming back to the UK for holidays made it difficult to settle back to life in Australia, so in 2014 we made a decision to move back to the UK. After a few delays, we moved back to the UK on 1 May and after six months can honestly say we are loving it! So good to be back here with 'old' friends and family. Good luck with your decision :daydreaming:

Hi there - my daughter left her school in Australia at the end of Year 10 (2014), then had a couple of weeks of school before Christmas in the UK as a year 11 student, and took her GCSEs earlier this year (May/June). She did a reduced number and had some study periods. It was a lot of work, but she did really well and got accepted into her first choice of A level courses at the sixth form college. We were lucky that the school was very supportive of her. It was a gamble, but luckily for her it has worked out really well and she loves life here in the UK.

OK, here's my list (in no particular order of importance) The amazing weather - we are all walking so much more and enjoying not being hot and sweaty Variety - my 16 year old is in shopping heaven and there's so much choice in where to go to buy food (and it is really good value) Manners - absolutely brilliant that people here, including the young people I work with, have this ingrained in them Driving - was a bit scary at first, but now I love whizzing around and there is so much to see and only a few miles away Family - love having my mum and siblings close by NHS - wow. Took my daughter to her specialist appointment yesterday. The health centre was of a private hospital standard in Australia. Cannot fault the quality of the doctor and nurses, just lovely and very professional. I don't miss that huge bill for private health insurance every month in Australia Career - earning more than I was in Australia, working lots of hours, but feeling very appreciated and valued so worth the effort. Lots of opportunities for advancement as well Housing - expensive, but good quality. Lucky to have bought a place with friendly neighbours. So glad we made the decision to come back, for my family it has been the right one although I appreciate it is not for everyone

I agree - don't use fabric conditioner, use white vinegar instead. This stops them from 'matting' and it keeps your machine nice and shiny inside

The other really good benefit of that account is that you can transfer up to $100,000 between the two countries without having to fill out any additional paperwork. This really helped me when I was buying my new house.

In May I moved back to the UK after nearly 30 years in Australia. I opened an HSBC premier account in Brisbane and one in the UK six months before leaving, but I didn't use them for months. When I arrived I went to change my address at the local branch and they organised a mortgage appointment for me. I was approved for a mortgage (I'm 51 years old) and have just moved into a 'new' house in Surrey. I had a reasonable deposit from the sale of my house in Australia. I found them to be very helpful and they have recently approved a credit card (7,000 pound limit) and overdraft for me even though I don't have a credit history in the UK. I am a sole parent with two dependants. Hope this helps

I agree with ShellyBB - every place has good and not so good areas. It all depends what you are looking for. Southampton has an amazing theatre with West End productions, The Common and it is close to the New Forest. There is a direct National Coach which takes just over 2 hours to get to London and costs much less than the train. My mum lives in Marchwood, not somewhere I would rush to live, however she is involved in the twin town committee, plays badminton, volunteers at the church cafe twice a week, does computer and French classes. She has a very busy full life and enjoys popping into town (Southampton) on the bus or getting the ferry across from Hythe. I recently have moved back to the UK and have not gone back to the same area I was brought up in, so all a learning experience for me, but overall people have been really friendly and I have been fortunate to get a really good job straight away (after a gruelling interview process!). My girls love it here and have settled into school and life really easily. Yes, we all have those 'what have I done moments' but right now I love the variety of the countryside - it is absolutely stunning. I am getting used to driving here. I have find some things cheaper and some things dearer, but love the variety of food in the shops and having those yummy things I missed in Oz. The berry fruits at the moment are just amazing - a large punnett of blueberries for 2 pounds Hang in there Marisa

I moved back to the UK at the beginning of May after 29 years in Australia. I had a mortgage interview with HSBC a week later and was pleasantly surprised when they approved me a mortgage straight away. I opened a UK premier account with them in September last year in Brisbane and they have been really helpful. I have found a house to buy and put in an offer in which has been accepted. Much cheaper than renting here in the South East. Since then I have been offered a full time position so fingers crossed it will all go through OK. I do have a good deposit from the sale of my house in Australia and other cash assets (approximately 60%), so it is definitely worth doing some research if you have a large deposit.

We have just moved back to the UK - my eldest daughter finished Year 10 in Australia, then started Year 11 in December. She has nearly finished her GCSEs and is doing really well. She has worked hard and the school has been really supportive. I guess each case is individual, but probably better to get him into Year 10 as soon as possible to give him the most options for courses. There were a couple of subjects my daughter was unable to do as she was too late in arriving to catch up. She is very happy here and looking forward to sixth form college in September.

In relation to child care, you get a subsidy based on 10 hours a day - it doesn't matter whether you have your child in there for one hour or 10 hours a day, they will still charge you for the whole day. Most child care centres charge for 11 or 12 hours a day, so the fifth day you are paying at the full rate. When my youngest was in child care and I was working full time I managed to successfully apply for an extra 10 hours a week rebate as I was also studying. This made a big difference to my weekly bill. It might be worth giving them a call to see if that it still the case.

My best quote so far is $8,500 with Wridgways- 20' container, sole use. Just waiting for Kent to get back to me with a price.

Still waiting for another quote, then I'll let you know

Honestly, no I didn't like living in Mackay that much, however saying that it was a difficult time for me for a number of reasons. As with anywhere, it's not really about the place, but more about the people. I'm currently in Rockhampton, but in the process of selling up and moving back to the UK in the next month or so (fingers crossed!).

Hi there, I am in the process of getting quotes for 30 cubic metres in a 20' container going from Rockhampton (Qld) to Surrey in April 2015. Has anyone used Overseas Packers and Shippers? If so, would you recommend?

I lived in Mackay for about 4 years. Winter is non existent and it's very hot and humid most of the year so you will just need summer clothes. You can buy reasonably priced clothes in the shops and there are also lots of really good Op shops where you can grab a bargain!!

A Queen size bed in Australia is the same as a King in the UK. A King sized bed in Australia is the same as a Super King in the UK. You won't have any problem buying a QS bed or bedding, lots of choice. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bed_size

It takes about 6-7 weeks to get a British Passport, so you have time before February to get one if you start the process now. Or you could always pay the extra and get it fast tracked?

Fabulous news!! Wonderful to hear everything is falling into place for you

Is your 16 planning to go to Uni after College? If she is then perhaps she should stay in the UK education system. If you are going to take her to Oz for a month could you do that over the UK summer break so she doesn't miss out on her college studies if she decides to go back?

Hi pk12 - went to a bbq on Saturday evening at a house in an elevated part of Norman Gardens and the breeze was lovely. The hosts said they always have a breeze!! I think you just have to be careful where you go. At my house the front is hot as it faces north, and it is much cooler at the back. Yes, lots more rentals available at the moment. Check out the Sunbus and Youngs buses website for transport information. I drive my primary school child to school in the morning and she either gets the bus home in the afternoon or goes to after school care. The 15 year old usually walks to and from school and meets her sister at the bus stop - there are no roads to cross and she enjoys the exercise!

I've lived on the Capricorn Coast (Emu Park) for five years and Rocky for about 11 years. After a while the daily commute does get somewhat tedious, especially in the winter months. Quite a few people I work with do the daily commute and car pool. I also found that because you spend a lot of time travelling during the week you just want to stay on the coast at the weekends! During the sports season parents spend lots of time taking their children to and from various venues in the region. There are dance schools on the coast and in Rocky, but lots more to choose from in Rocky. If your children enjoy performing, the Rockhampton Musical Union is excellent. They are about to perform Aladdin at the Pilbeam Theatre next weekend. In terms of schooling, Rocky offers lots more variety. It has three state high schools (Rockhampton North, Rockhampton and Glenmore) and two large Catholic High Schools (Emmaus College and The Cathedral College), private schools (Grammar and Girls Grammar). There are also a number of smaller religious-based schools. I have friends whose children come into Rocky every day on the bus from the Coast as Yeppoon just has the one state high school and two Catholic schools (one for girls and one for boys). My choice was to send my children to Catholic Primary and High Schools and they have both had really good experiences. Schooling is such a personal thing and it depends on what your children enjoy and what you are prepared to spend. North Rockhampton SHS has an excellent music program and a new hospitality centre, Glenmore has the AMSCO program for Maths and Science. Have a good look around and see what suits your children's interests. A suburb that hasn't been mentioned is Frenchville - some parts are really lovely with houses on elevated positions with views and cool breezes. The Frenchville State School has an excellent reputation if you live in the catchment area. There are lots of new houses being built in the area around the University, so very easy access to the Coast. It really is a buyers market at the moment. I personally wouldn't consider Gracemere as an option, however I really don't think you can judge a place until you have lived there. Like most places there are desirable and not so desirable areas to live in. Good luck with making a decision!

I'm in a similar situation - I have to decide whether to take a lump sum in this tax year or have LSL payments for six months when I'll be back in the UK.

I am going through the exact same process with my 15 year old. She is going to start school in the UK in early December as soon as she finishes Year 10 here. The school in the UK have been extremely supportive and they are looking at her Year 10 work to see if it can be credited towards the course work component of her GCSEs. Her school here in Oz have been very cooperative as well. Either she will do her GCSEs next June, or she will repeat Year 10 in the UK. Her birthday is in May, so she is young for the year so we don't mind either way. She is 100% committed to going to the UK. I was going to wait until she finished Year 12 here in Oz and she was the one who suggested going earlier. The three year residency issue for Uni is a big one, so happy that she will meet the criteria. It is a big decision, however for our circumstances the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Good luck

Are the people from the cattery allowed to take the cats to the airport and sign the relevant forms on your behalf? This may determine whether or not you are able to leave without them!

My family are very excited too! Yes, very, very busy. You do wonder why you have kept so much 'stuff' for so many years. It has been quite therapeutic to declutter on such a grand scale and realise how little you actually need. Not 100% sure when to put the house on the market...always tricky that time of year as people like to stay put for Christmas and move in January ready for the new school year. Fingers crossed it sells quickly!