Goofy2018

In my opinion Aussies (for the sake of this conversation, I'm referring to people who were born and raised here) are generally friendly but it's very hard to make genuine friends here. 

Most Aussies I've ever known here still have the same few friends from their home town, school, uni or sports club etc. They don't really seem to let any new people into their existing friendship circle.

Most of them have a partner and/or kids in addition to a busy job and family commitments so that doesn't leave a lot of time to hang out with other people. 

I'm not sure this is just an Australian thing though. I think there is a difference between friendships formed during childhood/teenage years/uni and friendships formed as an adult, so if you move to another country as an adult you'll always be a bit of an outsider.

5 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

I'm sure you're aware that things like burglaries and home invasions can happen in any city, and in fact wealthy suburbs can be a bigger target sometimes (because there's more to nick).   On a normal news day, they go unreported because of that - but with all this talk of the African gangs, the newspapers are reporting every single incident, so it looks worse than it is.

Yes I agree that no city is ever 100% safe. I use common sense no matter where I live or travel, but I spend a lot of time alone and would be walking around and using public transport after dark on my own.

I never know what to believe in the media, everything seems to be published just to scare people. I've also read the CBD is very unsafe, but I would find it hard to believe it's worse than any other big city. 

Here in Brisbane I feel quite safe and comfortable walking around the city or the area where I live at night. However, I always remain in well-lit areas and if I an unsure I'll use an uber or taxi.

On 28/02/2018 at 08:44, Marisawright said:

Why do you recommend avoiding Collingwood/Abbotsford? I know Collingwood used to be a rough area but it's a totally different vibe now, very hipster, lots of cafes, just as cool as Fitzroy or Brunswick East (not West). Abbotsford has some gorgeous apartments near the river so you get the best of both worlds, tranquility but also good social life.

After reading posts and speaking with a couple of people there seem to be a lot of conflicting thoughts on whether these suburbs are safe or not. A couple of people told me that there is a lot of crime in Melbourne in general, that there are lots of issues with several gangs and drugs and that it is not very safe for a woman to wander around the streets or catch public transport alone at night.

I'm not sure whether they were exaggerating but how bad is it really?

Weigh up the pros and cons but definitely do what feels right to you regardless of what anyone else says. 

Scandinavian countries are years ahead of most other countries in how they treat their people. Yes people there pay some of the highest taxes in the world, but they get a lot in return. Their governments actually spend money on their people so life there is a lot less stressful:

- free or really cheap education (including university courses)

- great social security benefits so if are long-term sick, disabled, retired etc. you receive enough money to have a reasonable standard of life (as opposed to a pensioner scraping by on a pension that barely covers utilities and some food or an unemployment benefit that doesn't even cover your rent)

- very generous paid maternity leave

- access to great healthcare without huge out of pocket expenses

- lower working hours (fulltime 35 per week, although I'm not sure this applies to all Scandinavian countries). This makes people more efficient (less time to get the job done so how can we get it all done in time) and contributes to a much better work-life balance. 

As a result, Scandinavians generally are a lot less stressed and enjoy life more. 

Having said that, I think they often appear to be cranky and unhappy to foreigners because they are generally not very open with their emotions. People from cold countries tend to be like this (as opposed to people from warmer places like Italy, Spain etc. who can be a lot more openly emotional). 

The weather can also be a contributing factor in my opinion as it's pretty hard to smile when you're freezing your butt off. But just because they may not appear to be happy doesn't mean they aren't. 

Seasonal affective disorder is a thing...a cold and dark winter that goes on for months is likely to affect people's moods. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a contributing factor to the high suicide rates.

I haven't looked up why Scandinavia has high suicide rates, but I think that things like loneliness, mental illness, emotional stress (redundancy, divorce, death of a partner or child etc.), being bullied or discriminated against can all be potential reasons for suicide.

Just because you get free education, decent social security benefits and only have to work 35 hours per week doesn't guarantee that you'll have a partner and/or friends to share your life with, that you'll never end up with mental illness or that you'll never end up divorced and alone. 

22 minutes ago, Johndoe said:

@Goofy2018

Have you actually lived or are living in Brisbane? My towels dry out within the hour. My hair has never been damp for months on end. Aircon is mostly set at 24d. The only problem I have is my glasses steaming up when I step out of the air con car. I find that the humidity is quite tolerable for  around 42 weeks of the year and the other 10 are nowhere near as bad as you are making out.

 

Yes I've been living here for years and still struggle with the humidity which is why I'm getting out of here.

I sweat pretty much constantly from October to April/May. My aircon & fan are on for 8 months every year.

I live in a small apartment and my towels don't dry in the bathroom. I don't have an outdoor area to dry washing in the sun.

My hair is always a mess and usually tied back because of the humidity (long hair). I experience all of the above every day.

The aircon in most shopping centres, offices I've worked in and cinemas I go to is way too cold for me to the point where I take a jumper with me. It's definitely a lot colder than 24 degrees in the places I go to.

In my opinion the weather in Brisbane is intolerable from October to May (8 months) and ideal the other 4 months. 

Everyone is different though, some people tolerate humidity a lot better but the weather is probably the thing I hate the most here. I've had overseas friends who 'love the heat' visit and they hated the weather here as well. 

17 hours ago, Waz05 said:

We were in Dubai few years back for a holiday, it hit 45 degrees and last year we were in Rome when it was 35. We are aware it going to be very hot. 

Completely different climate though...dry heat vs humid heat here. I liked the heat in the UAE too but struggle to get through summer here in Brisbane.

A lot of people like the heat but struggle with the humidity.

A holiday is also different from living somewhere and having to dress up and go to work and function all day. No naps.

Imagine you've just gotten out of the shower and you're trying to dry yourself off but you just can't get completely dry. And trying to get dressed for a corporate job and get to work without your clothes being soaked with sweat. 

Some modern office buildings in the CBD have shower facilities, but most don't. Not sure about workplaces on the coast. Even if you work somewhere that has these facilities, imagine having to carry a suit/trousers/shirt/toiletries/towel to and from work every day. And carry your wet clothes home.

When you finally make it to work the aircon is so cold it's about 19 degrees and you sit at your desk shivering and end up with a headache from the cold. Then back into the humidity at lunchtime or after work. 

If you travel to/from Brisbane Central train station you'll be waiting for the train on a mostly closed in platform which traps the heat together with hundreds of other commuters.

Imagine your wet bathroom towels hanging on a rail in your bathroom for 3 days and still not being dry. 

Imagine your hair almost permanently damp for months on end. 

Some people are fine living in a humid climate but it's a definitely a daily struggle for a lot of others. 

Be prepared ?.

6 hours ago, Waz05 said:

Goofy2018 – We looked into those suburbs you mentioned. Springfield Lakes looks amazing but I worry about the commute.  Our original thoughts were Gold coast we looked at Southport, Pacific Pine but again based on our research the commute back into Brisbane CBD kind of put us off.  

Part of our holiday for me is to get an idea of daily commute and if it’s do able.  It's a difficult one, where we are trying to find the right balance between commuting and cost of living, childcare and etc. If my wife can find a job up at Gold coast, I will probably live with one hour commute to Brisbane. 

Springfield Lakes might still be ok e.g. if you end up working in the CBD you could go to work by train. There is also a big hospital in Ipswich so your wife could look at job opportunities there. Ipswich is in the opposite direction, away from the CBD, so traffic wouldn't be as bad. It would only be a 15-20 min. drive for her. I know Springfield Lakes is popular with families because it's new and modern and has all the facilities you need right there.

I've worked with several people who live on the Gold Coast over the years and the commute is a lot longer than 1 hour. A lot of people commute so traffic is horrendous. Driving to Brisbane CBD is more likely to take at least 1.5 hours or even longer. 

There are also a few train stations on the GC so you could drive to one of those and catch a train to the CBD. I believe the train from Nerang takes about 1.5 hours (not sure whether this is still the case).

Yes renting sucks in a lot of ways and it'll only get worse. I know plenty of people (usually single) who pay 40-50% of their income on rent. 

Having said that, as a single person it can work out better to pay higher rent and live closer to work and nightlife. Living in an outer suburb might save a littke bit in rent but your transport costs would be a lot higher. You'd also spend more time getting to and from work. 

On 17/05/2017 at 20:39, Buyer71 said:

I love Melbourne and have been here nearly a year. As a city it is the most liveable city I have lived in and that covers London, Bristol, Denver, Toronto, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

It has culture, a seasonal change, never too extreme weather, reasonable transport and great energy.

Only downsides are house prices (particularly with the pound presently) are high, but think of London commuter belt and it is not too much different. Weather is extremely changeable and this can be a problem for people that plan life around the weather forecast. Otherwise I love difference in each suburb and the variety of things to do in a day.

Education is good, eating out is fantastic and it often feels smaller than it is a city.

That's what I think as well. Ultimately there is always something to complain about and after a while people tend to take things for granted.

I've always loved the vibe in Melbourne, much more than any other Australian city I've come to realise.

I like that there are 4 seasons, sometimes in one day but that's just how it is. You follow the weather forecasts a bit more, wear layers and carry an umbrella (having said that I would really need a rental with reverse cycle aircon otherwise summer is too hot and winter is too cold).

There are lots of things to see and do (sports, concerts, theatre, art galleries, museums, parks, the zoo, shopping, markets, bars, restaurants, nice areas for walking, bike riding, big events like the Melbourne Cup, Grand Prix, International Comedy Festival etc). 

I like how different suburbs have a totally different character. 

You are within easy driving distance from beaches, the snowfields, historic towns, national parks.

Like anywhere, there are some dodgy areas, traffic can be horrendous, property is expensive to buy and depending on where you live public transport is not that great, but overall I still think Melbourne is a pretty awesome city.

I've been in Brisbane for several years now but I'm so over it and I'm planning on moving to Melbourne. It has a lot more to offer in terms of jobs as well as things to see and do. 

13 hours ago, Johnnyboy said:

I'm the one having doubts because of financial reasons. With 2 small children (4 & 7), I'm sure they will like it in Aus but I'm not convinced we can afford the same lifestyle as in UK. As stated before, I've got here £45-50k/year while in Oz I'll start off with $85. I'm sure I can get towards $100k, maybe $110k in short term (up to 1-2 years) but even with that salary, the house cost makes me thinking very carefully about the move.

$85K is not a lot to support a family in my opinion. You'd have to be on a tight budget to make things work. Can be ok initially but in the long run it will wear you down and affect your ability to enjoy life here.

A vague comment saying they'll review your salary once you've proven yourself doesn't mean they'll actually do this.

Employers say things all the time just to get you to sign a contract. There are plenty of people here who haven't had a pay rise in years. And even if you get a pay increase it may only be a small one, not necessarily an extra $10 or $20K.

If there is a clause in your contract saying your salary will increase by X% after X months or if you meet specific targets by a certain date I would consider it. 

Bulimba is a great place for families but also quite expensive. 

Check out Wynnum, Wellington Point & Cleveland - all are popular with families too.

Springfield Lakes is a very modern and young area (southside) with great facilities.

4 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Are you sure?  I just did a search on AirBnB for "Melbourne" and it said the average price was $81.    If you search for a two-week stay, then the price per night should be cheaper.   We got a great flat in Balaclava when we arrived and we found a permanent rental within two weeks.

I've just had another look...yes you're right it looks like there are cheaper options on Airbnb. Saw some single rooms in CBD apartments that would be ok for a few weeks. I must've looked at whole apartments the other day. 

You did well finding a permanent rental in 2 weeks. That sounds allright. 

2 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I'm not a singleton but I'd say Melbourne is good for singles because of the public transport.  Unlike some cities, you're not going to have to walk miles to get to a bus stop or tram stop, and the buses and trams are generally clean and safe.  There are all-night services, too.   

The main thing is to check whether you can afford to live in the right area.  As a single, you'll want to live in Brunswick East, Fitzroy, Westgarth, Northcote.  Those are suburbs where you'll be among other singles and (more importantly) they are suburbs which still have an active main street with shops and restaurants.   Find an apartment close to the main street and you'll feel safe getting home at night, instead of getting off the tram in a leafy dormitory suburb and having to walk down deserted streets.

As for how to meet people - I assume you're familiar with Meetup.com.   

You could also look at https://www.melbournesocial.com.au/ 

 

 

Yeah those are some of the suburbs I've been thinking of. I would like to be within walking distance from shops, cafes, restaurants etc. and in an area where there are always people around. I'd like to have a few regular hangouts where I can go to alone and not feel awkward, just somewhere to go when I want to get out of the apartment. 

Most of the fun things I'm interested in are in the CBD and/or inner city.

Rent would have to be under $400 per week and it would have to be somewhere insulated and with reverse cycle aircon. 

I've always loved Melbourne public transport. So easy to get around, especially on the trams.

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

AirBnB is going to be your cheapest option, I'm afraid - unless you're willing to go to a backpackers' hostel.   Some of them have private rooms as well as dormitories.

That really sucks...the minimum seems to be between $100 & $150 per night...that's a lot for someone on a single income. And I'm not sure how long it would take to find a decent long term rental. If it was 1-2 weeks I could manage but any longer than that would be impossible. I'm a very private person so share housing is not an option. I may need to wait a few more months so I can save more money ☺️. Some hostels have private rooms but they're almost just as expensive as Airbnb.

No one? What about in other cities? 

11 hours ago, Nabila islam said:

actually I want avoid any hassel

On 15/01/2018 at 18:23, The Pom Queen said:

 

On 19/11/2017 at 09:30, dxboz said:

Perth is way more expensive than Melbourne!

Yes it is and Queensland seems more expensive also.

 

Not sure whether this refers to buying property or general living costs but I am doing ok renting on a less than average salary in Brisbane. I have to stick to a tight budget though and won't be able to buy property.

It's technically a separate city but because Brisbane has grown so much it's part of the greater metropolitan area now (the end of a train line). It's a low socio-economic area which has had lots of issues over the years with drugs, high crime rates etc.

Summers are hotter and winters are colder than Brisbane.

I don't feel like it's a very safe place to live (Ipswich CBD and near there). I don't even feel safe on the train there sometimes. It is also prone to flooding so you'd have to check which suburbs would be less likeky to flood. I don't think of Ipswich as rural at all but some suburbs are definitely super quiet and have bigger blocks of land.

However, it has grown a lot in recent years and it has everything you would need to get through life. You're near the highway so it's easy to go for weekend drives to country towns and national parks. I think there are lots of families with kids in the area. 

I know several people who live in Ipswich and really like it, but they work locally and I'm assuming they live in ok suburbs. They don't really drive to Brisbane though because they feel it's too far to go for a night out.

Depending on where in Ipswich you live and where exactly you're heading to, a drive to the Gold Coast can easily take 1.5 hours one way. A drive to the Sunshine Coast would probably take at least about 2.5 hours one way.

I don't think it's easy to get a job there so I wouldn't move until at least one of you has a job lined up. A lot of people commute from the Gold Coast to Brisbane for work because opportunities on the coast are very limited. 

Have a look at online job sites to get a bit of an idea. 

On 15/12/2017 at 00:12, Jay2016 said:

there's is an update!  work dont want me to go!  "Its not until someone leaves that you realise how much you value them, so my boss said"  but they needed a decision as i told them i want to to finish work end of Feb18 [sort of handed in my Notice].  Anyway last week I told them I'm staying UK.  they were very pleased & MD/CEO/FD said i made the right choice!  Oddily ending with a chat with the CEO to reinforce I'd made the right decision with him trying to sell me a car LOL  long story

BUT after making the decision, am i relieved?? NO  i feel like it was the wrong choice.....hence still the wrangle inside of me.  

Of course work doesn't want you to go; it's an inconvenience for them to replace you. They couldn't care less whether you're happy or not; they just worry about the business.

You don't feel relieved because you have been thinking about an 'adventure' for a while and that will not be happening anytime soon now you've decided to stay. So the need for an adventure is still there and is unlikely to go away. 

Coming here would be an adventure but it won't be quick and easy to reach the same level of quality here. It's possible though but it will take time.

Sorting out visas can take a while, it's expensive to live here and it's not easy to get a decent job. So you need to do a lot of research and plan.

I've heard there's an oversupply of accountants here, so even qualified accountants here can struggle to get a decent job. I'm not sure about engineering; that would depend on experience and the type of engineering. Salaries on the Sunshine Coast tend to be a bit lower than in Brisbane. 

Check out:

immi.gov.au (immigration department)

seek.com.au (jobs)

careerone.com.au (jobs)

realestate.com.au 

domain.com.au (also real estate)

If you only intend to work part-time initially you'll need plenty of savings to get you through. Working part-time may barely cover rent and utilities depending on where you live. 

I'm not sure how salaries here compare to current UK salaries but generally speaking they are a lot lower in comparison. Check out some other posts on this forum.

If you really want to come here you'll find a way to do it, just don't rush into it.  And remember that an adventure is a journey, not an end destination.

I often think of the following quote:

"Real life is lived outside your comfort zone".

On 09/11/2017 at 00:10, Kurt said:

All in all, it takes time. You have to work really hard at first before you can start enjoying life in Australia. It won't come to you soon after you land or in the first several months. At first there will be the excitement of the new environment but you must work hard to build a life you can enjoy long after the "honeymoon" phase has withered out.

Very true...immigrating to another country is a bit of a shock to the system. It takes time to feel at home and build new social networks. 

In my experience Aussies are generally friendly but they don't usually invite people over. They're usually too wrapped up in their own busy world (work, commuting, partner, kids, house etc.). 

Try meetup.com and internations.org, join a hiking club or sports club. Find a bar/cafe/restaurant in your area that you like and go there regularly. You'll start noticing other regulars & could strike up a conversation (this has worked for me in Brisbane).

Make a list of things you'd like to see and do and try to do at least one thing every week. 

Dating can be fun but I wouldn't focus on it for now as it can severely limit your chances of making friends. Couples tend to spend a lot of time together which can limit your chances of building a netwok of your own first. 

9 minutes ago, MARYROSE02 said:

If I do May and September I'll be able to put it together with Dec/Jan. Perhaps I will tire of it. I could not get over how relatively easy it is to drive there. Driving in Sydney is just traffic light to traffic light (always on red) and jam to jam unless it's late at night but in Perth I could go out on the freeway at 730 in the morning and it was a breeze, unlike Sydney and the M27 in Southampton.

I'm not quite game to "burn my bridges" and leave Sydney permanently. If I did not have a job I like, maybe, but this job just suits me, 4pm to 9pm Mon to Friday. I don't want to retire. I have mornings and early arvo free and I can go to the pub at 10pm (but not in Perth!!!)

I've done England to Australia, Australia to England, and England to Australia again, 18 years, 

I can imagine that traffic in Perth is much better compared to Sydney. Like you say, don't burn any bridges yet but get a feel for the place. Good luck ☺️.

On 18/01/2018 at 21:37, Cerberus1 said:

 

"Further, affordability remains a material issue."

Pretty much...I'll never be able to afford a property on my own. It takes forever to save money on a single income and whenever I've had a bit of money saved I've had to use it for emergencies e.g. medical costs (even with private health insurance there are out of pocket costs), unpaid sick leave and redundancy. Buying a property is going to become harder and harder for lots of people. 

7 minutes ago, MARYROSE02 said:

I guess it's a subjective thing - whether you like or dislike a place. I live in Sydney and love living in Sydney but Sydney has disadvantages which I was not conscious of until I went to Perth, especially the horrible traffic and crowds in Sydney.

It's actually a five hour (and five minutes) flight from Sydney to Perth and less coming the other way because of the tail wind - under four hours in my case. I am planning to fly over to Perth every three months which will cost me $800 return on Qantas, a bit cheaper actually depending on the flights and there's no way I'm going on Jet Star. I don't need to go to other states and Perth is not remote the way an outback town is remote. You don't need to go to Sydney to get an operation or a university.

In many ways I simply re-created my Sydney life in Perth. I live in Surry Hills which is an inner city suburb with plenty going on, especially being in the heart of Mardi Gras territory. I have three of four pubs and a couple of cafes here which are my "locals" and I did the same thing in South Perth although there's just the one pub there (apart from another bar in Angelo Road too far for me to walk at night) - the Windsor hotel.

I can't say that I noticed that I was living in the heart of red-neck ville surrrounded by homophobic, mysoginist racists. The bar staff were exactly the same as the ones who work in my Surry Hills pubs. I don't have a problem with conservative people or "lefties" although I usually end up arguing with "lefties." 

Yes, the pubs do close earlier than in Sydney. The Windsor was mostly done by 1030-11pm during the week and I'm used to sometimes going out at midnight in Sydney but then again, the pubs in my village in England were all closed by 11pm. I just went out earlier in the day. But there was no problem for me in finding a pub open on a Sunday arvo - the Windsor for one and I found a good place in Victoria Park and I'm sure there is plenty happening around Northbridge.

I'll see what Perth is like the second time around. Maybe I won't like it and I'll realize that I want to stay in Sydney. Perth has two AFL teams just like Sydney although I watch most of my sport on TV. If I wanted to watch an EPL game live then I went to the casino if it was late at night when the pubs are closed. I'm sure if I was heavily into an arty/theatre/classical music scene, whilst not as varied as Sydney, I could find something. Perth does have theatres and concert halls, right? 

 

I agree it's very subjective. One person might really dislike something whereas someone else might really love the same thing. Everyone on here can really only comment on their own experience, others will just have to make up their mind and figure out what works best for them. 

Perth has all the facilities of a big city incl. hospitals and cultural events. Fremantle is lovely, Rottnest Island is great for a day trip, there are lovely beaches nearby, it has dry heat instead of humidity etc. And yes there are some cool bars and restaurants, especially around Northbridge. 

For me personally it's the feel of a city that makes or breaks it for me. I love a happening vibe and I want to be out and about a lot doing stuff and meeting people, but for me Perth is a bit limiting in that regard. I could only ever live there for a couple of years or so before I'd get super bored. 

I also really like cooler weather actually and having 4 proper seasons. 

Anyway, give it a try and see whether it's for you or not ☺️.