Toots

Yes, it is beautiful in the whole of that area. You will also not have had the rain we've had on the north coast. Some of the small towns on rivers are still recovering from flooding though not nearly as bad as the 2016 floods.

I think that says it all really. You are far happier and far more at home in the UK. I've been in Australia 5 years longer than you and can't say I feel as you do. I've always kept in touch with friends from "back home" and most of them have managed to visit us here in Australia especially one of them as she has a son who now lives in Sydney and comes over every two years to see him. Over the years though, I have made some very close friends here and lucky for me, they (4 couples) have also retired to Tasmania so we see each other pretty regularly. Three of them are quite nearby and the other couple are down in the south west of Tassie. My sister (from Scotland) is here with us until March and one of these days I will get over to stay with her in Edinburgh for a while. The thought of airports and flying puts me right off though. Hate the whole palavar of airports and flying. Absolutely loathe it.

Spring in on the north west coast of Tasmania.

I think I know who you used to be as your post sounds familiar. I can't make any decisions for you BUT if as you say, you and your husband are happy to return to the UK once your elderly parents are no longer here just go for it!. Your daughter is 25 and an independent enough young woman well able to stand on her own two feet. As for her not treating you with the respect you certainly deserve .... well, she may find that absence makes the heart grow fonder at the thought of you and her Dad leaving and decide to go with you. If not, she will have to make plans to house share with friends and learn to look after herself. All the best with it all.

Yes a 79 year old man died a couple of years ago after being bitten by a tiger snake. He was herding his sheep and it's thought he stumbled and fell on the snake. Horrible. I know a man who was also bitten by a tiger snake when he was moving stuff around in his garden. He was OK after being helicoptered to hospital in Hobart. I spoke to him a couple of weeks after he was bitten and he still felt "not the best" but he's fine now.

It's been raining and blowing a gale here for 24 hours. Horrible, dull grey sky just hanging over the north coast.

I immediately thought of Paul1Perth. He's perfectly happy in Perth ...................... loves any sport to do with the sea which he lives very close to. He's not been on the forum for a while. Hope he's OK.

Well if you left Perth feeling disappointed stroke it off your list of places to live. As you say, you can work anywhere in Australia so give Perth a miss. We lived there for a few years a long time ago and really liked it. We lived in Mullaloo. After that we moved to Sydney for almost 30 years. I'm not a city person so we retired to Tasmania which suits me far more than any of the mainland cities. Good luck wherever you end up!

We had a nice time at the little seaside town of Wynyard. Lovely weather but still a bit on the cool side.

This has nothing to do with Mandurah but here in Tassie a few years ago, a small town called Smithton had a big problem with meth. Locals were totally fed up of it and "dobbed" in many of the people involved. As you mentioned the younger generation are steering clear of it. The police are right on top of any dodgy goings on and most people have no fear of reporting any suspicions to the police. We also have Pom neighbours who are cops and know exactly (here in Devonport) where any "funny business" might be happening. Can't understand why the WA cops can't do more about the meth problem there.

This is in Tasmania so I don't know if you are interested being so far from mainland Australia. Farmers here are always advertising for help. An example: https://www.backpackerjobboard.com.au/job/90001/dairy-farm-hand-at-vegasoul-aus/ There are other jobs on the same page. Click on the appropriate line.

I think the OP's partner has passed away as she did say "my children's late father". I wonder how the OP is getting on and if she made it to the UK with her children.

It sounds horrible and so expensive. Hope your elderly boy is almost back to himself again.

That's really not good enough. Your poor dogs. Surely people who actually care about animals should be employed to look after the dogs/cats. Is it true the quarantine charge is $2000 for the ten days quarantine per animal?

I'm inclined to agree with Marisa. I've said umpteen times on this forum that if you have a decent life in the UK, think very carefully indeed before migrating. We came here just over 40 years ago and both of us had employment after the first of week of arriving. The cost of living was cheaper at that time than the UK (not so now) and rentals were aplenty and not expensive. Some people do slip into life here and settle easily but others find it a very costly and disappointing "adventure" and can't wait to return to their home country. Not trying to be negative but realistic.

We're heading off today for a few days with my Canadian rellies to the Cradle Mountain area. The weather is lovely so hope it lasts. We will be spending a couple of nights at the old Pumphouse. Pics below by a local photographer. The Pumphouse hotel began its life as a Hydro Electric pumping station built in the 1940s to pump water from Lake St Clair to a remote power station. It was only used a few times before eventually being abandoned and then finally heritage listed in the 1980s. It sits 240 metres out over the lake. Apparently it's a very comfortable place to stay.

Yes car hire here is expensive since Covid. Maybe have a look at this. https://www.kayak.com.au/Cheap-Hobart-Car-Hire.12823.cars.ksp

Do your kids who live in Australia worry about the cost of living here? Would they move back to the UK to live?

No it's definitely not the same as the UK. I go for long walks/hikes in the National Parks BUT no dogs are allowed there. You have dogs? There are loads of walks but not over farmland - at least not in the area where we live. Here are a couple of examples of walks I do regularly with our dog. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/australia/tasmania/devonport-cycle-and-walking-track and https://www.alltrails.com/trail/australia/tasmania/stubbs-road-and-northern-exposure-loop. There are others as well. They are not challenging but the dog and I are not spring chickens. You are correct about not cutting through the middle of fields. Stick near the fence. I was brought up on a farm and that was one thing we were taught from an early age.

Have a look at this Russ. https://parks.tas.gov.au/things-to-do/walks/map-of-walks It's not like the UK as far as bridle paths etc. Farmers wouldn't be too happy if you walked through their fields. I read that there have been instances of people attacked by cows in the UK. Are people stupid or what. Why would you walk through a field of cows especially if they have calves.

It's not springtime yet but daffodils are out all over the place in Tassie.

We need all the health care workers we can get here so you will be very welcome!

I think the fact that the entire town of Biloela seemed to support the family plus heaps of media coverage may have helped them get their visas. I wonder how many similar families/people will get the same outcome in similar circumstances.

If you're going to Sydney there will be plenty of days during winter when you'll be glad of a pub with a fire as Sydney gets, cold, wet, windy days at that time of the year.

I was driving out of Devonport this morning and got caught in the most awful really heavy rain. It was so bad I had to pull over until the worst of it was over. The noise of it and the wind scared my dog. He tried to hide in the footwell under a towel. Such a wuss. The rain has passed over but the wind is blowing an absolute gale. I haven't seen the Bass Strait so wild and rough for quite a while.