Toots

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.

Confusing wording in the whole report. I thought he meant that he would wait in Scotland for his Australian visa to be approved. Not very clear at all is it?

No worries @Sunshine80. I posted in another area of the site. There is a bit of exaggeration about how much it will cost to take their dog back to Scotland. I think they said it would cost $35,000 ....................... more like $3,500. The wife has been working here for years too. Can't really understand the whole visa thing. Seems so unfair.

I started a thread about this family but it hasn't been approved by the mods yet. What a mess but if the employers kept going bust he should have tried to get another job with a different employer. When I see some of the 'dodgy' characters I've met over the years who seem to get PR and this family couldn't, it really makes me wonder about the whole immigration business.

I've moved around a lot since I left school and never had any problem making new friends. I only keep in touch with 2 old school friends. Didn't go to university. Kept in touch with close friends from my teen years - we shared a cottage for 3 years in the Lake District. Apart from a couple of good friends from my working overseas years, the other friendships sort of tailed off and I just hear from them at Christmas. Now that we are retired in Tasmania ......... no problem with friends and a social life now especially as very good friends we have known for many years have made the move to Tassie from NSW where we also lived for a number of years.

Whereabouts in Tasmania will you be going to @SalCh? I'm in Devonport on the north west coast.

A lot of people seem to miss a 'proper' curry. Have one of them before you leave.

This is an old thread but I was just talking to my sister and she had been for a long walk around the area where she lives in Edinburgh. Years and years ago when our brother was a student he rented a room in this street in the middle of the city. My sister had a walk down the street and it brought back memories of him. Circus Lane is indeed a hidden gem.

Lovely area of Tassie.

As can1983 said, Cygnet is a lovely little place. Could live there easily myself.

I can't remember the Chelsea Kitchen but there were so many very good, cheap places to go and have a good meal.

Just said to my husband "do you remember the Hotpot?" Of course he does and he also added he remembers paying 25 pence for a pint back then in London.

I think I would have been living in London maybe 10 years before you did?? I do remember lots of really good places to eat at a cheapish prices. One of them was called The Hotpot. I remember going there at least once a week with OH. There were a couple of them round about the Cromwell Road area. I don't recall Australian Outlook at all but I do remember going to the library inside Australia House with my husband as he used to read a few of the Aussie newspapers there.

It rained during the night but today was lovely. Cloudless sky and 14C.

I think that's true. Can't say I was ever homesick and gave up comparing countries long, long ago. Whenever I went back to Scotland it was to see Mum and since she died there is no pull at all to go back now. The thought of airports and long flights leaves me cold. Our younger son is still overseas and we may go to see him after all the flight hassles (queues, delays etc) have settled down. In no rush to travel anywhere just now. Perfectly happy in my wee bubble here in Tassie.

Oh, I see now. Good luck with the whole visa thing.

I'm confused. You state you are coming to Australia as a permanent resident so presumably you have gone through the whole migration palaver. Why are you coming on a tourist visa?

Do you have Aussie citizenship @Richie2022? You will probably never need to use it once you return to the UK but it's always useful to have ............................... just in case.

Oh, I agree with you ......................... Southeastpom just needs to realise it is not going to be easy. Yes, she will need savings to tide her over until she finds accommodation for herself, her children and I think she also has a dog. Her family/friends are the ones she's going to rely on until she's sorted out once she arrives in the UK.

AirBnb won't be a problem but may need more than a month as Can1983 suggested. Even here in Devonport there isn't much decent stuff for sale and the properties that are really worth looking at are over the top expensive.

If you've returned to the UK after living abroad, you could be habitually resident as soon as you arrive if either: you return to resettle after living here previously you're deported or removed from another country You can show an intention to resettle by looking for work, arranging school places and registering with a GP. The council will decide if you're habitually resident. The DWP will also look at this if you need to claim universal credit. Stay with friends or family on return to UK if you can. You may not qualify for emergency housing or longer term housing. You can usually apply for universal credit and get some homeless help within 3 months of arrival.

Keep in touch with us on PIO and let us know how you are once you have settled into your new adventure.

Yes the girls both have their RSA & RGA certs. Hopefully they will be successful when the new hotel opens. They both did the receptionist course at TAFE when they were 17.