Guest Ptp113 Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Welcome to Canberra. I am moving back to Europe after 13 years in Canberra. It is a great city to live in but my advice is not to live too far out - if you can afford it the inner north or inner south are great areas. Can be pretty lonely here - culturally Aussies are NOT the same as Brits! And we can thank the Lord for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bazinga Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Re schools - I wouldn't put too much weight on thr myschools website at thr moment as results are from 2011. A lot can change. Plus new school yr often means all change for a school this yr 5 of our teachers will be new as will be the head. Also results might be better than another school but actually you wouldn't want to live in the area. Also they seem to be tightening their rules when it comes to out of area enrollments. Very hard to get into anything other than local school unless going private. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Walters Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Hi I keep reading that it isnt easy to move to Canberra and get a job as not a Australian citizen... but we have been issued with a State Sponsored Visa.... so why are these visa's issued when it will prove more than difficult to get a job there???! What are the alternatives? do you know what other people are doing? Thanks Caroline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sully7669 Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 HiI keep reading that it isnt easy to move to Canberra and get a job as not a Australian citizen... but we have been issued with a State Sponsored Visa.... so why are these visa's issued when it will prove more than difficult to get a job there???! What are the alternatives? do you know what other people are doing? Thanks Caroline Hi I have just got myself a job in Canberra as we received sponsorship but mine is private sector rather than public sector, not all jobs need you to be a citizen just the high profile jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 HiI keep reading that it isnt easy to move to Canberra and get a job as not a Australian citizen... but we have been issued with a State Sponsored Visa.... so why are these visa's issued when it will prove more than difficult to get a job there???! What are the alternatives? do you know what other people are doing? Thanks Caroline Heavens knows Caroline! The occupations in demand list lags the actual demand by some months, if not years. It's only the APS (federal public service - largest employer) which generally requires citizenship the ACTPS requires only PR. There are private sector jobs but it depends on your skill set (and usually a willingness to take a lower pay for the same level of work). You might pick up short term contract work more easily to start off with and once you are in, it is always easier to get the next job (so many are based on who you know not what you know!). Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n30nra1n Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Make a pack up before you come out that you can hand to the realtor when you visit the rental as you will not be able to complete more than a third of the application form. We did this and included a page or so about us and the family, we had references from the UK estate agent as to the state of our house to prove we looked after it, neighbors instead of landlords, a UK credit check from the internet, a copy of our savings account statement to prove that even though we didn't have jobs we were good for the rent which all the landlord really cares about, lets be honest ? Sent from my RM-821_apac_australia_new_zealand_304 using Board Express Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blooroo Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Hi there, We've been here nearly 3 years and we love Canberra...SO good for bringing up a family, clean, child friendly, safe....just great. We have 2 teenage daughters who have been attending Trinity Christian School in Tuggeranong (Tuggers) and this is an excellent school, but it is private. We did look at state schools but we wern't impressed, in our experience when you get to High school level, you would probably need to go private to match UK state schools, there are some good state junior schools though. Our 13 yr old boy is at St Edmunds College, and loves it there...he's very into his sport and 'Eddies' is perfect for that. Again it's a private school, but the fees are not too bad....certainly nothing like UK private school fees. If I were you, I'd be thinking in terms of which secondary schools you want your kids to go to, and then look at the junior schools that link to them for where you want to live. We travel all over Canberra to get our kids to school and back each day, and we're used to that...we live in Duffy, Weston Creek, we traverse across the North South divide, and don't find the travel too big a problem, there are always school buses if we wanted them. It all depends how local you want to be to your kids schools...it's nice for them to have local friends if they can...we just have mum and dad's taxi service! Traffic is easy in Canberra thank goodness! Just a thought, Duffy is a great place to live 'cos we're right on the edge of Canberra, we just cross the road and we're into the bush with the border collie.....perfect if you have 2 dogs. I also highly recommend Yarralumla Dog Park...fantastic enclosed area for your dog to play with other dogs while you get to know lots of lovely friendly people! Really hope you'll love Canberra as much as we do...it's a bit bleak in Winter, but gorgeous at every other time! Let me know if you have any questions, Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Walters Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Hi Sully, so it will just take patience? I would be looking for HR jobs... so fingers crossed, I have been really worrying about this. Have you heard of other people finding it difficult? How are you acclimatising? C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Walters Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Thanks Quoll... that helps but still has me concerned... all very odd isnt it!! Didnt realise this was going to be an obstacle until I saw someone post a message about it. I will need to make a lot of contacts/ friends quick to get on the 'who you know' list!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Thanks Quoll... that helps but still has me concerned... all very odd isnt it!! Didnt realise this was going to be an obstacle until I saw someone post a message about it. I will need to make a lot of contacts/ friends quick to get on the 'who you know' list!!! Just take whatever is offered in the first instance - short term contract, whatever (even serving salads at Subway if nothing else!). Once you have your foot in the door it's easier to move on. I do wonder which dingbat formulated the list though, I wouldn't have thought there was a dearth of HR bods, not in a PS town like Canberra anyway. This year might be a bit volatile as well with an election coming on 14 September and the APS is probably quaking in its boots about the outcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sully7669 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Hi Sully, so it will just take patience? I would be looking for HR jobs... so fingers crossed, I have been really worrying about this. Have you heard of other people finding it difficult? How are you acclimatising? C Not quite there yet only 7 weeks away not that I'm counting LOL!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bazinga Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 It also depends on if you want part time or full time too. The more flexible you can be the better. Start looking at seek.com.au now. And be warned, sometimes the process is snail-like in slowness! From application to job start I think my husband waited 3 months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Jayne Molloy Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Hello We arrive in Oz on 08 June, we cant wait, bring our two 4 year old girls with us, so also looking at schools. It hards doing the research fron here in the UK, we are planning to rent short term furnished, then unfurrnished for forseeable. Re areas and schools, at the moment i'm liking the look of kaleen and Aranda, but will need to take a better look when i arrive. We arrive in height of winter, people think we're crazy, i say it will just make us appreciate the summer a bit more :0). Love to swap more knowledge if helps us and others :0) Hayley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bazinga Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Do you need full time childcare Hayley because at that age its just preschool which isn't full time. I really like Kaleen & I think the couple of schools there are quite good but don't know much abt Aranda. We are in Dunlop which we quite like and despite being at the end of Ginninderra Drive ( if you live northside you're going to get very familiar with Ginninderra Drive!) we can be in Belconnen in 10mins and the other side of Canberra in abt 35mins. Re schools, a lot are only taking from catchment area. Latham was so over subscribed for preschool it had to turn people away. The Myschool website is good but not the be all and end all. I looked for months at different areas, Dunlop wasn't even on my radar until a house happened to come up within budget just before we arrived (husband was already in Canberra). So sometimes just finding a house in budget/near work etc can dictate a lot of decisions. Which hospital is your husband going to be based at or does it not work like that?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 For me, Aranda in preference to Kaleen although Kaleen PS isnt bad (there are two PS servicing Kaleen so you want to check which catchment area you will be in). Cook is nice too although it no longer has a PS but the kids go to Macquarie or Aranda IIRC depending on proximity. Take your Damart thermals!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Jayne Molloy Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Hi to you both, Yeah, i'll be looking at pre-school i think for january 14, girls are 5 April 07th 2014, i do get confused to be fair! I'm liking the look of kaleen, Aranda and Garran primary schools, we shall rent fully furnished when arrive for probably a few months whilst await shipping and in the meantime look at schools, areas, unfurnished houses etc. I get the impression most schools in Canberra are pretty good. Mark will be working from an ambulance station in a specic region within Canberra, the area we dont know yet. All you advice is so helpful, esp when your there and have experiences to use, very hard to be realistic from looking over the internet ;0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Hi to you both, Yeah, i'll be looking at pre-school i think for january 14, girls are 5 April 07th 2014, i do get confused to be fair! I'm liking the look of kaleen, Aranda and Garran primary schools, we shall rent fully furnished when arrive for probably a few months whilst await shipping and in the meantime look at schools, areas, unfurnished houses etc. I get the impression most schools in Canberra are pretty good. Mark will be working from an ambulance station in a specic region within Canberra, the area we dont know yet. All you advice is so helpful, esp when your there and have experiences to use, very hard to be realistic from looking over the internet ;0) Primaries not too bad but bear in mind that close to 50% of parents choose to send their kids to private schools for HS in ACT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest74886 Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 I cannot see a recent thread for families moving to Canberra (apologies if there is one). I just wanted to say hi with the hope that some of the families whose posts I have read are now settled and can share some of their experiences. We are moving from Scotland via Suffolk in April - the house is sold and we move out end of January. We have a permanent residency visa that has been state sponsored and my husband will give his 3 months notice in a couple of weeks. We have a girl of 9 and a boy of 7 and I have been doing quite a bit of research as to the best places to live. We don't know as yet where my husband will work but know that commuting time is not too bad so we are happy to move to the suburbs. Can I ask anyone what their experience was obtaining a house to rent as we want to be in a good area, with good schools (what everyone wants I know) - was there a lot of competition? Did you have to pay more than the advertised weekly rate etc? We received our visa's 2 weeks ago and the enormity of what is in front of us is quite daunting. I lived abroad for 20 years of my life in HK, Japan and S Korea so I am used to change and different countries but not with a husband and 2 kids in tow and I just want to get as much info as possible before the big move from personal experience of fellow posters and not just from reading the internet. I hope you will be able to help and give me some much needed advice. Just don't throw the winter woolies away, Canberra has proper winters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ptp113 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Just don't throw the winter woolies away, Canberra has proper winters. True, but not as cold as other parts of Oz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 True, but not as cold as other parts of Oz Yup, Ballarat wins, hands down! Still, Damart thermals are de rigeur in Canberra winters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jelena Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I'm moving to Canberra on 1 st April too :-) with 4 kids (age between 2-9). Very exciting time for us, but also very scary for kids as they are well settled in their schools. Kids won't be going to school until we find rental accommodation, any tips what to do with them for 5-6 weeks and how to help them settle in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bazinga Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Get them in swimming lessons/other classes etc. Be tourists and visit all the kid friendly places. Try to get a vague routine going but treat it like a long holiday too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ptp113 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Yup, Ballarat wins, hands down! Still, Damart thermals are de rigeur in Canberra winters! Jeans and a short sleeved shirt. Needless to say, I don't smoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ptp113 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Questacon, Cockington Green, War Memorial (seriously good fun), National Zoo and Aquarium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sully7669 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I'm moving to Canberra on 1 st April too :-) with 4 kids (age between 2-9). Very exciting time for us, but also very scary for kids as they are well settled in their schools. Kids won't be going to school until we find rental accommodation, any tips what to do with them for 5-6 weeks and how to help them settle in? Which airport you leaving from on the 1st april then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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