bwatt99 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 for you guys who made the big move to australia and ended up going back for what reason did you go back to uk and had you any regrets in doing so.I have just been here since start of june and already thinking about it im easy going pretty much could settle anywhere but after trying the job market here im wondering was my move the right one.would rather be skint back in uk with family than be skint here no family,hopefully i dont need to return and money does nit dry up but i dont want it to end up that way.always done ok for myself in the uk and never been out of work much.just thought i ask you how long did you last here in oz,to be honest did not think i be writing this or so soon,but having kknd of forced my wife to come and having our 1 yr old i dont worry if i made a wrong move Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I did a year in 2003. We regret going back to the UK, but I could only get temporary work, and we couldn't settle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Suspect job market is particularly bad in run up to election. Came to UK from Brisbane this June after 7 years - last two in and out of work. Lots of work for me here - having to give this up to return to Oz to be with my family. But if I can't get any work in Brisbane then we'll all have to come back. Can't survive on hubby's wage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torface Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I have been here since November 2009 and I will be heading back in about 6 weeks. So that's almost 4 years. Cant tell you if i regret it or not yet, but i am looking forward to it. After being made redundant, im moving back for the same reason as you want to: "would rather be skint back in uk with family than be skint here no family"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thistle13 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Going back in March 2014 ..... Will have been in Oz almost 26yrs. It's changed dramatically in that time, and in my opinion, not for the better and isn't the land of plenty as it used to be known. Tho it isn't as bad as the UK yet, it's no longer a place I want to live. Can't wait to go back. i have to say, that I'm looking at this thru the eyes of a 60yrs old, and so if younger people want to try Oz, I said go for it, you'll never ever know, unless you try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 3 years which at first I thought were wasted years .....then I realised after being back in the UK that theyweren't wasted years that the grass just ain't greener and I appreciated as many do who return what a fantastic pace the UK is...you only start to appreciate things you took fir granted when they are no longer there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 32 years 5 months and 3 days but I'd have been happy to go after 10, very keen to go after 20 and desperate to go after 30. back now to care for my aged parents and loving every minute. I miss very little about Australia - powerful showers and wide parking spaces mainly, but the improvement in my physical health has been astonishing as I do more outside, walk a lot, eat better and generally have a much richer life full of the things that interest me. My Aussie husband is coping but is missing Bunnings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Seven years in Brisbane and been back a week here in UK. Came back for family and have wanted to do this from day one. Brisbane wasn't a bad life just harder. Walked less, drove lots more, prices over inflated etc. It's going to take a while to adjust as it's certainly a bit of a culture shock being back but kids are so much happier and life hopefully will be a bit easier x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 13 years and have wanted to go back for a long time, but here I stay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina2 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Been here almost 40 years. Cant go back due to complicated family issues here in Aus BUT would go back tomorrow if that were not the case. As Thistle said it has changed dramatically and not for the better. Miss being able to drive just a couple of miles to a different village, everything is so far apart here 2000km to visit family. Things are so expencive and not half the quality of product bought in the UK. History seems to be of little or no value, with wonderful old building being demolished and re placed with ugly glass boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichway1 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 almost exactly 5 years, been back for 17 months, and coming back was the right decision for me and my family x x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meegs Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 we came over in April 2013 and already thinking of going back. Actually hubby talking about going back in Jan. It's just not what we thought it would be, we have realised what our priorities are and that actually we did have a really good life in the UK. Still nervous about the decision as I am the aussie and really going to miss my family... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxboz Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 wow Meegs you haven't been here five minutes! Why such a short time? Must be hard for you to leave your family again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Interesting,I have been here 33 years and I'm now 60 I too am thinking seriously about moving back to uk as Oz has changed a lot in many ways.advanced capitalism with little social conscience. Mind you it does seem as though UK is trying to do the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsindecision Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 3 years on Sunshine Coast, back in UK 3 years, some but few regrets. Kids all thriving here with education and opportunities. Have had plenty of work since returning and this year started my own limited company and loving it, OH back in NHS, some grumbles but being funded for a Masters and actually his job is much better here than in Oz. We loved the adventure of going to Oz and keep strong ties with all our friends there (my oz girlfriends just came for three week UK tour including the Chelsea Flower Show - they loved it). We are just renovating an old bungalow in quite an Aussie style including all the things we loved about our aussie house - laundry, walk ins, open plan kitchen, living, diner. We don't want to lose what we gained from our travels and still think of Oz as a second home. Going back in Jan for a holiday to celebrate my 50th with our friends. We have travelled loads since coming back to UK - USA, NZ, Thailand, Italy, France, Spain could never have afforded that in Oz. You can get a weekend in Europe for £150 - you can't beat that. We are trying to work out a way of having the best of both worlds - 3 months there (oz) and 9 months here (uk) and could see that shifting the other way as we get to retire but loved that we did it and loved that we came back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legoman Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Met up with brother in law and sis in law today, gobsmacked to hear they been looking at uk places as considering moving back after 15 years he is an aussie and she is english, 3 kids.I thought they had it all but cost of living and thoughts that their children are not growing up with family and Perth rather bland being given as reasons they are considering it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meegs Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I know it hasn't been long but financially we would be better off in the UK, I'm having to work full time here and not liking that as we have 2 little girls. I don't have to work in UK as cost of living is a lot less. I hope we don't regret it but I have been in the UK the last 6 years and it actually feels more like home to me than Aus. Plus hubby is not really enjoying it here. He only moved here because of me so can't really hold that against him, I did meet him in his home town that he has lived in all his life. Who knows where we will be in 12 months time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legoman Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I know it hasn't been long but financially we would be better off in the UK, I'm having to work full time here and not liking that as we have 2 little girls. I don't have to work in UK as cost of living is a lot less. I hope we don't regret it but I have been in the UK the last 6 years and it actually feels more like home to me than Aus. Plus hubby is not really enjoying it here. He only moved here because of me so can't really hold that against him, I did meet him in his home town that he has lived in all his life. Who knows where we will be in 12 months time... Three month mark of being here seems to be like a brick wall to most, the novelty of being here wears thin and the hard work near over and normal living kicks in. Another 3 months down the line and you could be more settled and steadied. Always worth hanging in there a lttle longer after the hard work of getting here but I understand where you are coming from with your concerns at the moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephyr Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 We lived in Perth for 2 years and 3 months. After our son was born there it wasn't long before we started to re-evaluate what our priorities were in life and what we hoped to gain by staying out in Australia. We've been back 3 months now and things have fallen into place like magic :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernbird Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Some people can deal with living away from their comfort zone, some can't. Anyone who has to ask about haircuts and damaged bins is doomed to failure IMO. Book your flight mate and go home, it will never work for you here. You sweat the small stuff. Word of warning, anyone who sweats the small stuff will NEVER settle here IMO. Nighty night, stayed up to watch a crappy 2-2 draw in the Premier League. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Some people can deal with living away from their comfort zone, some can't. Anyone who has to ask about haircuts and damaged bins is doomed to failure IMO. Book your flight mate and go home, it will never work for you here. You sweat the small stuff. Word of warning, anyone who sweats the small stuff will NEVER settle here IMO. Nighty night, stayed up to watch a crappy 2-2 draw in the Premier League. NB your my kinda girl:wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scrumpy Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 What exactly is " sweat the small stuff" ?? Cheers in advance, anyone Some people can deal with living away from their comfort zone, some can't. Anyone who has to ask about haircuts and damaged bins is doomed to failure IMO. Book your flight mate and go home, it will never work for you here. You sweat the small stuff. Word of warning, anyone who sweats the small stuff will NEVER settle here IMO. Nighty night, stayed up to watch a crappy 2-2 draw in the Premier League. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 To be fair I hope it works out for the OP, but thruthfully I left wondering why someone in that position would move. youve got a good job and loving family and yet you move your loyal wife and baby daughter to the other side of the world without looking at the bigger picture. So you wanted to leave your wife with a small child, no family support while you went to work away on the Gorgon project? Not really the Oz dream of a better family life. How much job research was done? My BIL applied for this back last Xmas time, he left Oz in Feb after not hearing a dickie bird. Thankfully for him not long after returning he got a 18month Scandinaivan contract and is doing great. Sometimes I have to just shake my head but best of luck anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEDGEROW Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 We will have done 6 years, planning to leave next May. This is my first post after following the site for over five years, but have felt that our journey may help others to make very life changing decisions, i am now in my 50th year and am heading home to start another business The first year in SA did,nt work out (plan A ) due to lack of decent consistent work. Then Sunshine Coast for last 4 years. Again a difficult place to find work. After four failed employers i started my own business ( construction Industry ) Wife has her own business based in UK so very lucky on that front. I have got past the angry, frustrated, depressed, dissalusioned point. Decision made last January after monster storms came through here and messed up the house. Many other things that made the decision though. Its not home. That was just the final staw. We did fortunately keep our UK home, leaving it with an agent to let.It did cost us a bit to top up each month but felt it was worth it, we had a few disasters ( total flood out due to burst pipe in bad winter, it ran for four days !!. Tenant left no heating on when they went on Holiday and UK had -8c.The house was ruined, it had to be gutted top to bottom.That was major, we decided not to go back as the cost of this would have been prohibitive. There was also a dodgy tenant or two. So in answer to another thread we are damned glad we kept it despite all this. I am not any of the above emotions any more, just very grateful to have been able to do this and incredibly excited about our new chapter. We did buy a property at the right time here and do a major renovation which was one of our goals here. So we plan to sell next March and head home. Building a massive list of things to do, see ( yes we do watch all the UK shows!!! ) Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Returning to the Uk or any other country people migrate to is not a new thing, its been happening since people started migrating. Many many many ten pound poms returned to UK so if you want to go, go, you are not doing anything different to many before you. A lot return to the country again ping pong because they are people who are not happy wherever they are. When we are happy in our own skin we make the most of whatever comes along. We do not think what if all the time, we live for the day and the time. Others opinions are of no consequence, its us that have to make our own minds up about stuff. if we don't we are not living our own life 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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