Serendipity

HI, no the connections on the cannisters are different so if you buy a UK one it won't work over here.. I bought mine over from the UK and found this. I contacted Soda Stream when I got to Australia and they gave me a good deal on one.

and is the $425 application fee for all family members, even children?

Thanks for your response. Can you just clarify, for children aged 12 and 14 who will be travelling with me, that I need to complete a separate application for each of them via my immi account. And there will be a cost for each of them (for some reason I thought it was free under 15 but not sure where i read that and I can only see that each application costs $425). Thanks

I've just applied for an RRV as we are going to the UK to see family in August and have been here 6 years. I'm taking both kids with me, aged 12 and 14, from what i read they will travel back on my RRV, is this correct? We all have PR status.

Active Life OT is a community-based occupational therapy service, working with clients in their homes across the Central Coast of New South Wales. We are a registered provider of Therapeutic supports under the NDIS. We currently have a fantastic opportunity for a dynamic and creative Occupational Therapist to join our team. The role will Initially be on a part-time, casual basis but with scope to increase hours over time. The role is flexible and working from home. The majority of referrals are for adult NDIS participants with a Physical and/ or Intellectual disability. The role is best suited to an OT who loves doing hands on, practical skill development and life skills training and ADL assessments. There will be opportunity to do functional capacity assessments, assistive technology (AT) assessments including wheelchairs and seating, home modifications (minor and complex) as well as getting involved in SIL and SDA assessments and report writing. Training and supervision will be provided. Active Life OT sees clients throughout the Central Coast, so you must be mobile, and be happy to travel to North and South ends of the Central Coast, although visits are grouped where possible. Working days and times are flexible. To be Considered you will be expected to have: Occupational Therapy Degree and Full AHPRA Registration 2020 Flu Vac certificate. Certificate of currency for Professional Indemnity Insurance. A current driver’s licence and access to a reliable, registered and insured vehicle Current Police Check. Your own ABN For qualified overseas OT’s, there is an option to be supervised and guided through the Supervised practice audit, in order to gain full registration with AHPRA. Please contact Becky to discuss this further. We offer: Excellent hourly rate – dependent on skills and experience Immediate start Part time flexible hours Interesting and varied workload with a range of clients Regular supervision New Graduates are welcome to apply! Please contact Becky on 0413 252 038 to discuss the role, or email your resume to info@activelifeot.com.au

Hi, can someone point me in the right direction please: We (me, husband and 2 children) had PR (189) visa's granted in March 2016. We emigrated in October 2016 so have lived here in Australia for nearly 3 years now. We travel to the UK to see family every 18 months approx and this is likely to continue. What are the implications for us when the travel component of the Visa expires, and when will that happen? When can we start to apply for Citizenship? Is it 4 years after the grant date of visa?? Friends who are a year or so ahead of us are talking about a high cost involved when re-entering Australia on their PR visa's due to the travel bit having already expired. Thank you

Hi I know of a local private therapy company who are looking for an experienced paediatric Occupational Therapist OT (initially part time) to join them and would consider an overseas trained OT. It's in the private sector and based on the Central Coast NSW, pm me if interested. Would need AHPRA reg, but this could be applied for, I have been through the AHPRA supervised practice audit myself when I came over from the UK, so can provide info on that if needed. Just putting the feelers out!

Ok thanks, sorry I couldn't read my screen properly! Mmmm, let me have a think and I'll send you any contacts I can think of! Do you have community experience and/ or private practice experience? pm me if you prefer. Becky

Michelle where are you based? What's your background and where are you hoping to work and in what clinical area? You say you moved from sq - where do you mean??

Hi Lizzie, you're welcome to pm me and I'll give you my email address. I came over from the UK with my family in 2016, so had stage 1 done as part of the 189 visa application. I've been fully Ahpra registered for just over a year now after doing the supervised practice bit. Simple process and I'm happy to share examples of my paperwork - supervision plan, supervision log and final reports etc. I think it's made out to be a bit more confusing than it actually is and I think the OT council have simplified it since it first came into play in 2013. When I started investigating working as an OT out here as a foreign trained OT in 2014, it looked grim and OT's were returning to the UK as there was no managers prepared to take on to do the supervised practice bit. If you are prepared to go where the work is there are loads and loads of OT jobs now. I live in NSW on the Central Coast and I have my own business now. Paediatric OT's are in huge demand but pretty much all OT's are. The NDIS which is being rolled out over here has created a massive demand for OT so maybe check it out online. There are probably more opportunities in private practice than the Health system, but there are plenty of opportunities and the more experience you have the easier you will find work. Have you contacted any locum agencies? Global Health Source may be worth contacting, and Healthcare Australia too.

Yeh the school year switch can be a challenge, depending on your childs abilities I guess. My two are both March babies. My son is March 2008 and he is now in year 5 and will start year 6 next year. He's one of the younger ones, but there are younger! I think he struggles, and has extra help with some subjects. I have friends who came over and children were similar ages, one moved her son to a new school to resit year 5 to give him a better chance. I've spoken to my son about that but he's not keen. The school they're in have mixed year 5 and year 6 classes, so there is my very immature 10 year old year 5, in the same class as some older year 6 girls who can be near enough 13!! My daughter turns 9 next March and will be in year 4 then, but she is extremely bright and a high achiever so I have no concerns about her. School around Avoca/ Terrigal are all pretty good. Kincumber and Terrigal high are the main public high schools, then there are the private school, a good selection of both public and private. There are also opportunity classes at Gosford High for year 5 and 6, and selective places for high school ages. There are definitely areas to of the central coast that have poor school - think carefully about the Penisula (Woy Woy, Umina Beach) to both lives and go to school, they have a bad reputation and there is an issue with ice (drugs) on parts of the the CC. Also the north Central Coast has some poor areas. I'll pm you my email, feel free to ask anything!

I registered my two into school and they went for the last 3 weeks of term. There are so many people on the Central Coast from the UK that you will be welcomed with open arms, trust me. People went out of their way to make us feel welcome when we first arrived!

Hi We live in Avoca Beach, it's wonderful! We came out exactly 2 years ago from the UK, we have 2 kids aged 8 and 10 now so schools are on my radar. Avoca and Terrigal can be expensive, but we rent a 3 bedroom house with study, living area/ kitchen, one bathroom, huge garden (relative to what gardens people seem to have over here) and are 5 mins walk to Avoca Beach! We pay £550 per week. Our last rental was a 5 bed house, 2 bathroom and on the lake, so stunning views, but we paid over £900 a week. If you can glimpse the water from where you are, they add $$$$ to the rental cost! When we looked at Sydney rentals when we first arrived, I couldn't stand how much they were asking, we visited the central coast and agreed to move to the CC and my husband bite the bullet with his commute. My husband works in Sydney, Macquarie Park, and it has been gruelling for him. Macquarie park is an arse of a place to get to, he mixes driving with the train from Woy Woy. He has done it for 2 years. I don't know about Alexandria... We did look at Berowra when we first arrived, and it may be worthwhile looking there. You know, some people do it for many years - if he gets the train it will be an early start but people sleep on the train, and it's a beautiful journey on a nice day.....and on a Friday he's heading to the central coast every weekend! Awesome!! If you want to pm me I am happy to give you more info on the area. I am community Occupational Therapist on the central coast so I visit most places. There are areas to avoid for sure, but many stunning places. Good luck Becky

Yes it's really lovely in Macmasters. We considered there too, but Avoca has more of a village feel, with places to eat and get coffee. Our friends in Mac's love it there though.

thank you!!

HI Just a quickie...what do I need to do to renew my sons british passport which is due to expire in a few months. We're residents but not citizens? Thanks

Hi I live in Avoca Beach. It's beautiful around here, great great outdoors family life. Most communities are very surf/ beach orientated. Terrigal is lovely but busier, more nightlife, shops etc Copacabana is also lovely, not much to do except the beach. All have surf clubs and lot happens around these. We moved out here in 2016, husband works in Sydney but none of us wanted to live in Sydney. So husband commutes daily and it sis wearing. Lots of people from Avoca commute to Sydney bit many are able to work around thew commute and maybe work a few days at home. If you're used to London, and want the opposite then it will be perfect for you. There is hardly any nightlife and very few 'pubs' although there is a lot developing up here so things are changing. As others have said there are area to avoid and these are mainly north central coast and lower south central coast- The Penninsula (Woy Woy, Umina). Over toward Long Jetty and The Entrance does have a bad reputation too although both have a lot of positives. I'm not saying every area in these places is bad, but a lot of areas have a bad reputation for ice addicts, theft, bogans so chose carefully. There's sort of a 'bubble' that includes Avoca/ Copa, Terrigal, Wamberal, Erina, East Gosford/ Point Frederick and few other areas where the schools are good, the rent and house prices are expensive, (there are loads of Brits here). Depending on the age of your kids you may want to research hard into the schools in other areas. Gosford has a lot to offer but needs some regeneration, but on the face of it looks a nice city when you're used to the grey of the UK. Have you looked Newcastle? If you can get work there maybe consider it too? I would happily live there but my husband can't get work up there. Happy to answer any other questions, or catch up with you when you come over. Becky (we have an 8 and 10 year old) both at Avoca school and love it.

Just realised from an earlier message (last year) that we may be from the same part of the world- North Wales!!

Hi I live in Avoca Beach, which is beautiful and very expensive but still more affordable than Sydney. As a place to live Avoca, Terrigal, Macmasters, Wamberal are all great and about 20 mins from Gosford. There are lots of really nice places around Gosford. East Gosford is better than West Gosford, also Point Frederick, Point Clare etc. North Gosford has some nice locations particularly if you want some acreage (some are pricey). There is not much in the town itself, which is a bit depressing and run down but I believe there's money being spent. There's a nice looking waterfront with restaurants etc. It's definitely a good option for commuting to Sydney. The whole of the central coast is very up and coming with loads of hip new places opening, there are good and bad areas everywhere. There are plenty of Brits up here. Some parts of the Gosford and the Central Coast have a reputation for drugs problems (ice particularly) so chose carefully and research well. Generally 'coasties'are great people and it's a relaxed lifestyle choice! If you have any further questions feel free to pm me. Becky

We need an a live in au pair for 2-3 weeks from around the 8th May when I will be overseas and my husband works long hours. Based in stunning Avoca Beach on the Central Coast, NSW. Kids are used to babysitters and have had an au pair before. Work is pretty routine, mainly being 'mum' to the kids (ages 8 and 10), getting them to school on time and meeting them out of school, supervising homework and getting them to after school activities. Day times are mainly free time (9.30 till 3pm) and weekends are free. Can pay $200 per week with full board and use of a car. I'm keen for a young person to apply as the kids are fun and energetic - they love kicking a ball around and playing games, hide and seek etc. Need basic household skills ie can shop and cook a family meal, and use a vacuum etc I will screen closely anyone that's interested and must have excellent references and be fluent English speaking. pm me if interested.

Would the South Bank be an area to look for accommodation? Nothing fancy, like an airbnb or chalet? Which areas of Brisbane have campsites with chalets?

Thanks guys, that's great- loads of good suggestions!

Hi It's just for a short trip - 5 days. I think we'd prefer to explore Brisbane City itself, maybe the mountains would be good. We live on the Central Coast in NSW so are 5 mins away from stunning beaches anytime, so not desperate to be near the beach. But any suggestions for things to do in the city and/ or outer suburbs.

Hi We (husband and two children ages 8 and 10) are flying up to Brisbane from NSW in 2 weeks for a 5 day trip, to have a look round and a bit of an explore. Can anyone recommend things to do, not to miss out (or definately miss out!). What areas would you be looking for accommodation in that won't make getting around too difficult. What's the best way of getting around in Brisbane? Is it worth hiring a car when we're there? What's the best thing for kids to do in Brisbane? Thank you