Lucharmily

Hi, have a safe trip over. Beautiful dry season day here in Darwin!

Hi I really empathise with your situation but personally, I couldn't claim to be a friend of someone I don't know or have never met. I do wish you luck with your application - perhaps a migration agent might be able to guide you in this process!

Agree with the work/life balance here; that aspect was much better in UK for us anyway.

I do agree. I think part of the problem now is that the roads are busier and households often have more than 1 car, people use their garages for storage which pushes their vehicles onto the road etc. I grew up playing outside but there were definately less vehicles around and it was a different era. When we were in the UK, my girls loved to play out "the front" so they could have a decent ride on their bikes which wasn't possible in the back garden. Can't say I was completely happy about them out there even though it was a quiet cul de sac and I did spend the entire time peeping out the window at them! I wasn't alone. Our elderly neighbours loved seeing them play outside too. Definately none of that here

I don't want to fly anywhere right now with anyone. I can't even watch the news anymore, just seeing the childrens teddies scattered around was too sad. RIP MH17 passengers and crew and much love to their families x

British sense of humour/banter Gracious losers (sport)! (maybe we've had more experience)!!!

You sound like you have a lot going for you as a family in Australia so maybe try another area for 6 months? You may have a completely different experience. On the other hand,for some people despite everything falling into place here, there's just something missing and it's not something you can easily define. I'd probably try somewhere else but if that didn't work out and I still felt the same, I'd go back. Life's too short. There's no shame in it. We make decisions at the time with the information we have; as we go forward in life, the information can change and what was right a year ago may not be the case now. The good thing is all your family seem to think the same. Good luck to you.

Just looking on the Malaysian airlines website, they call this the MH17 incident? I'd call it an horrific tragedy.

I don't have an answer. It's just such a sad day on the news. Most of us on this forum will have flown this route at some point. Just feel so sorry for the victims and their families.

Agreed. 5 plus weeks is definately pushing what I would define as a reasonable holiday absence. Wish we could afford 2 overseas holidays a year!

Not a problem in our (private) primary.

Hi, we're looking at doing exactly the same trip! Sept/Oct is a great time of year to visit as not too hot. Lots to do for families on holiday although Port Douglas is quieter than Cairns which may suit you better. I last visited Cairns in 2001 so probably a bit different. They didn't have the waterfront lagoon then and I didn't have 3 little girls either!! I'm sure you'll have a great holiday there

I think I'd buy a (luxury) motorhome, travel round at my leisure and see everything this great and versatile country has to offer. Then I'd come back to this forum and post my answer!

Excellent thought-provoking reply and I agree with every point you've raised. We returned to Oz earlier this year after 6 years back in the UK (was in Oz 10 years prior to this). Things have definately changed during that time. Much more expensive and certainly cannot do the things we did before. We are struggling to pay for day to day basic expenses (not treats or luxuries) despite long hours and a good wage. My impression is that Australia has shifted from a good and affordable lifestyle to a good but expensive lifestyle. We have taken a years leave from UK jobs and if things don't improve, that's where we'll be heading later this year.

Hi Emma No vaccinations are compulsory. Schools might like them but as far as I know they cannot enforce them. If there is an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease, they may ask that non-vaccinated children are excluded during the outbreak (this is the case at my daughter's kindy). My eldest daughter received the chickenpox vaccine as we were in Oz. We returned to the UK where I saw loads of her classmates suffer with chickenpox while she was fine. I always thought it a shame that the UK doesn't offer the vaccine as it's such a miserable illness which can be avoided. I'm now back in OZ and plan to have my other 2 daughters vaccinated. It's a single injection with a bosster recommended in their teens. But your children are fully vaccinated as per Uk protocol so I don't think you'll have anything to worry about. You may wish to go for the chickenpox vaccine but at the end of the day, this is your choice. (Mum of 3 and a Registered Nurse) PS Hep B vaccine is also on the immunization schedule in Australia so that may be another one you might wish to consider also.

should say easy drive not drive easy!

Hi, my hubby works at the Inpex plant at Blayden Point. We live in the northern suburbs (Leanyer) and it's about a 40 min drive easy out there.

Hi, Essington is very good but does have waiting lists particularly for the younger primary years. You can apply to go on the list for a $50 fee. If you need any other info, happy to help if I can.

Hello again and congratulations on your job here in Darwin. I have a long association with the place. First visited as a tourist in 1992 (hated it)!, then here on a working hol visa in 1994 before emigrating in 1997. Spent 11 years here, and returned at the beginning of this year after nearly 6 years away. What can I say about the place? It's certainly different! Very unlike the other Australian cities. This may work to your advantage having never been to Aus before, you won't be comparing as much. Firstly the good stuff: It's very a easy going sort of place, very friendly and laid back. Great scenery, sunsets, national parks, waterfalls, fishing, beautiful harbour, lots of free stuff for families. The challenges of living here? Number 1 would be the climate. We have 2 seasons, wet and dry. Wet season is very humid and sticky, doesn't rain every day, if it does rain it will be a late afternoon downpour which is incredibly refreshing. The only time we get a few days rain is usually on the back end of a tropical low or cyclone. We're currently in the dry season which is beautiful. Similar temperatures but low humidity, lots of lovely breezes. Worse time is October/November known as the build up before the wet kicks in. Very oppressive. Someone mentioned mouldy wardrobes. I remember that, used to put buckets with crystals which absorbed the moisture but most houses now have split aircon which means that's not much of a problem now. I always say if you can stomach the climate here, it's a great place to live. We have a few nasties- the crocs mean that any waterway is out of bounds (there are designated safe swimming holes around though) but any rivers or billabongs would be a definite no. Also, the box jellyfish mean you can't swim in the sea during the wet and only with caution in the dry. I don't go in although I did learn to scuba dive in Darwin harbour some years ago! Housing - very expensive compared to rest of Oz. We're currently renting in the northern suburbs and paying $800 a week for a 4 bed, fully aircon with pool. Sometimes there is a shortage of decent properties to rent although I believe this has eased from the situation a few years ago. Darwin has experienced phenomenol growth over the last 10 years. I hardly recognised the CBD skyline when I returned this year! There is a huge gas plant being developed at Blayden point so lots of construction workers here. Also have all 3 armed forces with bases in Darwin. This all makes it a fairly transient population at times. Regarding housing, the city has lots of apartments, then there's the northern suburbs which are for the most part very nice. Then there's Palmerston which is growing by the day. Lots of new properties down there but tend to be smallish blocks. Shopping - there is 1 main shopping centre at Casuarina, then a smaller one at Palmerston and more local shops in the suburbs. It's not the place for shopping enthusiasts! We don't have Myers or David Jones department stores here but I find it has everything I need. Healthwise, plenty of GP's etc. 1 main hospital and a small private hospital adjacent in Tiwi. Plans are underway to build another hospital in Palmerston in the next few years. Schools - don't know if you have a family but can provide info if relevant? And you already know we had the Wiggles visit us!

Hi, I'm in Darwin, just a quick hello as we're off to see the Wiggles at the entertainment centre but will post more later.