Corrina

Noted, and appreciated. Thank you.

Hi Susan, thank you so much for your reply. I've done so much research into states, cities and suburbs, I feel like I could be a tour guide!! But yes, Perth just feels like the right and best place for us. Best out of everywhere we have considered (QLD, Adelaide, NSW, Canada, NZ and France)!... But thank you I will make contact with you tomorrow.

Hi Paul. Thanks so much for your reply and info. I will certainly be in touch asap. Perth was our first choice, although I'm sure that social worker was on the WA list, we'd also consider Adelaide or QLD.

Hi Sue, Thanks for replying. We are aiming for Perth.

Thank you that's great.

Hi Alan, Thanks for replying. Sure, I'll email you now.

Thanks Charley. I have briefly looked at Gomatilda on somebody's recommendation on here. I'll definitely relook now. Thanks

That's great, thanks so much. Hopefully they might see this then, and won't mind suggesting. Thank you.

Hi, I have been looking for a migration agent (UK family of 4) and have had an unexpected flood of emails from various agents, all quoting very different costs! It's thrown me. I'm wondering if anyone can advise, did you use an agent? Can this be completed without using one? If you used one, what did they do for you? How much did you pay and were there any hidden costs? My husband and I are both social workers. Are there any specific agents for certain roles/job skills or does this not matter? Lastly, and apologies for a list of questions, but could you please recommend an agent you used? Positives/negatives?... I'd much prefer to go with word of mouth. Thanks so much.

Thanks. Yeah we're not really considering NSW and prices like that are way over our budget

Thanks for the info Bobj. We wouldn't like that at all.

Fabulous advice, thank you. I'm much the same regarding humidity. Or rather my hair doesn't cope well with it! Warm, sunny, dry, breezy weather is perfect for us. Cooler evenings too and it'd be perfect....but thanks, I will do some research on those you have mentioned.

Love it. Love that. Thank you

Thanks. She will be remaining in education until she decides to head to uni.

Thank you. We have all thought very long and hard about it all and weighed up lots of options.

Spot on Amber, thank you. We're absolutely under no illusion. We've talked as a family how difficult the first year would be and why. Thanks again for your honesty.

Thanks Amber. Yeah I guess it could add up to a figure like that over time, but it wouldn't be all within a lump sum. So it's still doable. There are lots of places willing to do interviews via Skype or at their base in the UK. So we aim for at least one of us to have a job to go to before we get there. But absolutely, as you say, we'd take a less than perfect job to get by, if we had to

Hi Cal. Thank you so much. Such a lovely and positive response. I needed to hear that Thanks for the heads up re money saving tips. My husband doesn't go a day without a deal searching and finding. He loves it. So he'll be chuffed to read this x

Hi Vicky, thanks so much for your reply. Very honest and real. Just what I needed. I have rough figures in my head for things and I'd say yours is fair comparison given the time difference. Thank you. We live in Monmouthshire, South Wales and considering Perth, Adelaide or The east coast. Have friends in Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, NSW and Darwin.

Hi Quoll...wow, you've painted the most depressing picture of life in Oz I do like your style of writing, but cheer it up a bit please mate...Is there Anything positive out there at all? Thank god I love flies, mosquitos, crap dried grass and avoiding the scorching sun!.... You have made me smile this Sunday morning (UK) though. And I get that everywhere in the world has its good and bad points, and of course, we all experience things differently. Moving isn't just for an adventure for us. We have many reasons. And we need to hear the good, bad and the ugly. Thank you. If I could buy you a beer to cheer you up, I would

OK yes, different ... And bigger!

Hi Ramot. Thanks for your reply. I couldn't agree more. It totally depends on the area you live and which you migrate to. What we have been looking at would offer us a much bigger house, more space, a pool and within half an hour to a beach. And for much much less than what we have here. (which is still lovely here, but Australia is better).

I agree with you. I think it would be naive to assume that work life would be so different. In our line of work particularly. I have friends who have moved to Australia over the years. Most of them social workers, and I've asked them lots of questions believe me. We don't want to live in a city. Perhaps an hour or so away. We prefer more quiet, community orientated suburbs.

I have checked, as much as I can and some states are different to others. It can be similar pay or much higher. But its always higher. And more still if management roles are your path. I have experience in both public and private sectors and I know what I want and what we need as a family. We wouldn't be considering it otherwise. I have looked into state statistics, property prices, utilities, crime rates, fuel, leisure, Internet access, flights out.... Oooh so many more things. But I do know we'd be better off financially there, but absolutely that's not the main reason for the move. We'd be happy to stay on parr with current earnings if needed....But I think this is going a tad off topic.

Yeah, I get you. But for the same jobs and same pressures, Australia generally offers higher salaries (often doubled), and a much better climate. It appears to have a far more laid back approach to life which, in the UK can sadly be missing... A lot! A more outdoorsy lifestyle is also very appealing...we'd up sticks and move there for this even if the salaries were lower. And the thought of being at the other side of the world and closer to even more amazing countries to see and hopefully explore in time, is well worth the upheaval. We love the idea of a family adventure. Seeing new things we've only seen in books, learning another countries history and culture, meeting new people... Stepping right out of our comfort zone....and ultimately showing our children the world it couldn't be better.