Davo453

I am an Australian currently living in the UK but i'm on my way home soon (well this year anyway) I had a WA licence before coming to the UK (MC class) but it is now some 11 years out of date and I just have a UK car licence. I certainly don't expect to get an MC class when I return but wonder what I do. Do I have to apply for a QLD licence first? or can i drive on the UK one for a time? Can I somehow resurrect my old WA licence and transfer that? Do I do a theory test or will i have to take a full test? QLD Government sites on the net are confusing so any advice appreciated.....

My that does sound scary. I wonder how the antique furniture shippers get away with it much of what they import to Australia from the UK must be a potential problem.

Above $2 isn't unrealistic but it could take a year or so to get there (brexit allowing one way or the other) the average monthly price since 1960 is $2.11

G'day all I can't believe that no one has asked this but I have failed to find anything in the archives We originally emigrated to Perth in the mid 1980's then came back to the uk about 10 years ago (family reasons etc) and we are now going back home. When we first emigrated we took basically nothing with us just a few boxes of stuff. When we came back the the UK we brought several bits of furniture and boxes etc no fumigation mentioned at all. Now we are going back to Australia (Brisbane) and this time we will take a fair bit of stuff including some hardwood furniture which will probably equal most of a 20 foot container. However the fumigation thing has me totally baffled, I have approached Pickfords (who moved us on both previous occasions) they cannot or will not even guess at the potential cost of fumigation. Does anyone have any idea what it might cost or perhaps have a link to something that will allow me to work it out just roughly, I mean knowing Australian bureaucracy there must be some guidelines that they work to.

LOL yes not far from Albany bottom Left hand corner

Interesting links the madness of it is that when we built a house in WA in the early 2000's we had cause to invite several electricians at various times to work on the power board installing a Spa wiring in a shed installing lighting in the shed etc etc. On every occasion the very first thing they do is pour scorn on the work the previous electrician has done we had one guy spend several hours (not charged) rewiring the main board to his satisfaction only to have the next electrician change parts of it once again. We always had a chuckle as it kept happening and when we pointed it out to the sparkie he would invariably agree but carry on. The point is there appears to be not one firm standard so how they can say DIY installing a plug is dangerous escapes me really but thats Australia for you and I love it....

Interesting what company did you use for this?

Yes I'll have another dig through it

We are moving back to Oz later in the year, When we came to the UK we used Pickfords and had downsized a pretty large farm to a matter of a few tea chests and a bit of furniture no more than maybe 1/8 container full. We now have quite a lot more stuff mostly workshop equipment etc but some furniture and household stuff. I am considering buying my own 20 container suitable to ship back. I have scanned the forum but I can't find anyone that has done this (must be surely). The container would once there make useful storage space on the new property. Is it worth doing? Whats security like? Any companies that can maybe do the packing, delivery & customs stuff? Thanks Dave

All good advice as far as I can tell we lived for 10 years in Suburban Perth never saw one snake and very few redbacks (plenty of other spiders though) and then 12 years on a farm in the bush (Near Denmark) we saw quite a few snakes then but never had a problem really even though we lived near a wet area with lots of frogs (snakes like frogs). One scary moment had me go flying off the ride on mower when I ran over a large Tiger snake, I expected him to be wrapped in the mechanisum but he must have ducked as when I looked later there wasn't a sign of him. I did get bitten by a white tail spider and that meant a small dead area on my foot for several years (all gone now). If you are sensible you won't have a problem though I was particularly unlucky and in 22 years not at all bad really. We are heading back to QLD soon might see you there...

I wish you every luck in the UK and I am sure it will work out for you. We have been back in the UK for 10 years now (having come for just 5) and this year we are going home we lived in Australia for over 20 years and still find that we miss it a lot. We identify far more with Australians and this winter after the misery of several has signed the deal for us. We had considered working and then retiring in Spain but that is now going to be a whole lot harder now so home we go It's tough moving country when your younger and wherever you live you will probably end up missing it in the end but we honestly never missed the uk when we left it and only really came back for family. I am sure your reasons are far more solid so once again the very best of luck and wishing you a prosperous future.