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Living in Australia - What you need to know


Guest The Pom Queen

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The refuse bins are emptied even on a public holiday . Our first Christmas Day morning we were amazed to have our bins emptied at 7 am!

The bin "men" is one oerson sat in the truck who drives it on their own and who operates an automated arm that comes out grabs the bin tips it up puts it back then drives off!

 

The post "man" drives a motorbike and doesn't get off it to drop it in the mailbox.

Edited by Que Sera, Sera
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The post "man" drives a motorbike and doesn't get off it to drop it in the mailbox.

 

If he's a lazy bugger, (and I haven't yet met one who isn't) and is carrying a small parcel/packet for you that needs signing for, he'll leave a docket in your letterbox telling you to pick it up at the post office................as opposed to getting off his arse and knocking on your door.

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I got 'rolled' (mugged) for my 'sand shoes' (trainers). I confused the bugger with semantics!

 

"Give us yer shoes"

 

"no" as I'm walking away

 

"whaddya mean, no?"

 

"you phrased it like a question so you gave me the option of refusing." That was done in an Aussie accent followed by 'f**k off' in an English one! I always found that Aussies backed off if I gave 'em a mouthful of Anglo-Saxon. Apparently us Poms are all football hooligans!

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If he's a lazy bugger, (and I haven't yet met one who isn't) and is carrying a small parcel/packet for you that needs signing for, he'll leave a docket in your letterbox telling you to pick it up at the post office................as opposed to getting off his arse and knocking on your door.

 

Yep I would agree but because my OH works nights every bu**er on the planet finds an excuse to knock on our door! But yes we do seem to make a fair few trips to pick up parcels !

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If he's a lazy bugger, (and I haven't yet met one who isn't) and is carrying a small parcel/packet for you that needs signing for, he'll leave a docket in your letterbox telling you to pick it up at the post office................as opposed to getting off his arse and knocking on your door.

 

This drives me insane. I had a sick day in bed recently only to find a 'tried to deliver' note in my mailbox the next morning. My arse you did. The massive effort of raising his/her arm a few inches above the mailbox to press the intercom was obviously too much to ask. I reckon they don't even bother taking the parcels on the road with them. What gets me ropeable is that I then have to pick up the parcel on my way to work and carry the damn thing around with me on public transport to work and back. When I complain I just get the nodding dog treatment as they wait patiently for me to shut up and leave. I might get postal on them one day. :mad:

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Just been reading all these posts...have to say I love them....made me chuckle. I got asked yesterday in an interview for teaching whether I had anything to offer the wider school community. I was stumped for a moment until the interviewer said..." and of course you're bilingual.....(i look puzzled)...you speak English and Australian!!" At least she has a sense of humour about the differences!

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The refuse bins are emptied even on a public holiday . Our first Christmas Day morning we were amazed to have our bins emptied at 7 am!

The bin "men" is one oerson sat in the truck who drives it on their own and who operates an automated arm that comes out grabs the bin tips it up puts it back then drives off!

 

The post "man" drives a motorbike and doesn't get off it to drop it in the mailbox.

 

Haha yes...we didn't put our bins out Xmas day as we thought they would never work Xmas :eek: but bugger me..there they were :biglaugh:

 

And the postie took some getting used to on his little scooter... You can here him coming up the road....ohh the post is here! Lol Still have a little chuckle when I see postie now and again!

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Guest The Pom Queen

Just a quick thank you for not taking this off track - what a lovely thread this has been and I am sure very helpful to new members x

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Our parcel delivery person in our area leaves any parcels that aren't sign for on the front doorstep. :wideeyed:So if your out for the day, weekend..you have to hope it's still there when you get home! Most people round our way are honest as the day is long so I don't worry too much anymore but if I know parcel is arriving, I try to wait in for it...just in case.

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If he's a lazy bugger, (and I haven't yet met one who isn't) and is carrying a small parcel/packet for you that needs signing for, he'll leave a docket in your letterbox telling you to pick it up at the post office................as opposed to getting off his arse and knocking on your door.

 

In defence of some Aussie posties, I have to say that ours ride up a steep driveway from the letterbox, then walk up a full flight of stairs to deliver a "sign for".

The Aus Post van man toots as he's driving up to the bottom of the stairs...but that's fair enough...I need my stair exercise each day. :biggrin:

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A "blowie" is a fly.

A roll of processed meat - the sort used sliced in sandwiches - is known by different names in different states. "Devon", "fritz", "Belgian" are names used in different places I have lived - and I think there are others.

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Really? Never been charged in Cambridge!

 

Bonds are vests/singlets/t shirts and truckies (truckdrivers) wear their blue Bonds (vests) as a sort of uniform

Emus like sandwiches

The dawn cacophony (cockies, magpies etc) always starts at jumbo jet decibels a good hour or more before you want to wake up and there is a bird called the "Drive you mad" bird (Koel) which calls monotonously throughout the night and really does drive you mad if you happen to live near their nest

Cars dont have MOTs

There are no GCSEs or A levels in Aus

The shadows are upside down (that's what confuses the DH the most, his internal navigation is up the creek when on the other side of the world) so a North facing wall is warmest.

 

And one I've never fathomed - in Victoria a school bag is called a Port

 

It's actually in Sydney I think, have not heard in 49 years in Melbourne- it is an old fashioned NSW name for a suitcase. it is a shortening of Portmanteau - so now you know....

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It's actually in Sydney I think, have not heard in 49 years in Melbourne- it is an old fashioned NSW name for a suitcase. it is a shortening of Portmanteau - so now you know....
I have never heard that either, most of the kids have backpacks and that's what they call them or just simply bags
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It's actually in Sydney I think, have not heard in 49 years in Melbourne- it is an old fashioned NSW name for a suitcase. it is a shortening of Portmanteau - so now you know....

Mea culpa - it's Queensland according to the dictionary, I misremembered it as a "Mexican" thing (South of the border: Mexican=Victorian)

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Its cactus for when something is broken and cant be repaired.

 

That was a question on Hot Seat last night, I'd never heard it!

 

The checkout people in supermarkets usually only put 3 items in a carrier bag!

 

Is it true that you must indicate even if you're in a right hand/ left hand turn only lane? My OH asked me why I didn't

 

indicate, when I said because I HAVE to turn right/left, he says I still need to indicate!!

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One that gets me is when they say Gday, how you doing, its not a question and they won't take offence if you don't answer but if you do it has to be a postitive, and they usually won't answer when you say good, and how are you back

 

I have semi re-educated my all Aussie work colleagues as to why I struggle with this one and they usually now respond back when I ask

 

I

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Guest hill billy
There is no 24 hour shopping, online shopping isn't as common, most shops close at 5pm on Saturday and don't open till 11am on Sunday - so if you need milk..... and public holidays actually mean shops stay closed too so everyone gets to enjoy the holiday.

 

Checkout assistants are generally happy to serve you, they will pack your bags for you and supermarkets charge for plastic bags.

 

And veggies only have one g

The Kmart near me is open 24 hours, our woolworths is open 7am till 10am 7 days a week and don't charge for plastic bags.

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If you ask, "what's wrong?" Aussies take it quite literally rather than it meaning "what's the matter?" Similarly, I've had strange looks from school kids when I've asked, "Did you do something wrong?" as in "have you been naughty?" They seem to think I'm asking if something is incorrect or if they have done something incorrectly.

 

By law you must wear a helmet when cycling.

 

Don't roll over/give way at stop signs...You actually have to stop even if you can see for bloody miles that it is clear to go. You'll get a hefty fine if caught and possibly a couple of points on your licence.

 

Public holidays mean 'double demerits' over the whole weekend (in WA anyway). If you're caught speeding between midnight on the friday until midnight on the tuesday, you'll be given double the usual points for such an offence.

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Guest guest87294

Australian Telecom call card... $10 for I think it is 400 mins of talk time to the UK. Tel Pacific is another... pick them up in newsagents, china town, dollar shops... ask for a call card to what ever country you want to ring... quite simply the cheapest way to call home...

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Guest hill billy
There is no 24 hour shopping, online shopping isn't as common, most shops close at 5pm on Saturday and don't open till 11am on Sunday - so if you need milk..... and public holidays actually mean shops stay closed too so everyone gets to enjoy the holiday.

 

Checkout assistants are generally happy to serve you, they will pack your bags for you and supermarkets charge for plastic bags.

 

And veggies only have one g[/Q

Edited by hill billy
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There is no 24 hour shopping, online shopping isn't as common, most shops close at 5pm on Saturday and don't open till 11am on Sunday - so if you need milk..... and public holidays actually mean shops stay closed too so everyone gets to enjoy the holiday.

 

Checkout assistants are generally happy to serve you, they will pack your bags for you and supermarkets charge for plastic bags.

 

And veggies only have one g[/Q

 

Depends where you live our supermarkets are open from 7 am to 12 midnight in Melbourne and only shut on Good Friday, Christmas Day and Anzac Day morning. Late night shopping is on Thursdays and Fridays and most shops are open all day Saturday and Sunday.

 

Plastic bags are free.

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If you want to renew your British Passport download the forms and make an appointment at the post office same for Australian passports.

 

Can pay a lot of bills at the post office if people prefer

 

Can buy stamps and other postal items on line.

 

Can get myki which is for Melbourne transport on line and top up on line.

 

24 hour chemists are available in a few suburbs of Melbourne and open every day of the year. Used to be more of them but since people decided to knock them off its not that popular.

 

Most hospital in Melbourne run an after hours clinic for use for non urgent medical problems. Usually open at 9 and close at 10 or 11 at weekends and after hours in the evenings during the week.

 

Ventolin can be purchased over the counter for asthma sufferers.

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That was a question on Hot Seat last night, I'd never heard it!

 

The checkout people in supermarkets usually only put 3 items in a carrier bag!

 

Is it true that you must indicate even if you're in a right hand/ left hand turn only lane? My OH asked me why I didn't

 

indicate, when I said because I HAVE to turn right/left, he says I still need to indicate!!

 

It's definitely the case in the UK. I always remember this because I nearly failed a driving test because if it! :)

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