Positive Emigrating To Australia True Life Stories

[Bobj]

I travelled from Perth toAdelaide to Sydney inn my first couple of months 36 yrs ago and then I lost my traveling mojo!

 

Still a newchum, then???:tongue:

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[Bobj]

I don't post much on here but with our citizenship test coming up next week I thought I'd post on this lovely positive thread.

 

We started our journey in Darwin, I was sponsored with my job and hubby got a job when we arrived. Had an absolute blast in Darwin, such a lovely little city. My job involved flying in a small plane out to Kakadu which was unreal. A promotion came up in Alice Springs just under a year later and we went for it. Hubby again got a job straight away. Alice was beyond amazing and we definitely hope to go back. So many road trips out in the bush, wild camels and unforgettable days. The job conditions weren't great though which prompted a move a year later to Carnarvon in WA where I had another job lined up. This time hubby didn't get work, but he had the opportunity for an extended trip home to visit family whilst I worked. All up we had a nice 3 months exploring the gorgeous coast around Carnarvon.

 

I applied for a job in Broome with the same firm in the hope of hubby finding a job and thankfully he landed a great job here. We ended up spending the last 3 years in Broome (and believe me we would never have predicted that :twitcy:). Heading for a transfer to Kununurra after Christmas which will also be an amazing adventure. Just in time for monsoon season and the waterfalls pumping.

We've been incredibly fortunate and had the most magical experiences here. We absolutely love Australia and are very grateful for the opportunities that we would never have found elsewhere. Not to mention the colours that are so bright and vibrant, and make me feel happy every day. Good luck to everyone else, you only live once! x

 

G'day mate, Black Rock and Middle Springs, both on the Parry Creek road, are worthy of a pic, or two. You need to go via Valentine Pool road. Middle Springs is a series of small pools and cataracts stretching about 2 km. Access is above the main pool.

 

Another one, not very big, but very pretty and quite remote is Thompson Springs. I took a beaut family to see it a couple of years ago. It is on the old Duncan Hwy. (right hand down a bit at the Golden Gate Ck, near the NT border).

 

Lived in Kununurra for a number of years and still visit each year.

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[Scrutineer]

I don't post much on here but with our citizenship test coming up next week I thought I'd post on this lovely positive thread.

 

We started our journey in Darwin, I was sponsored with my job and hubby got a job when we arrived. Had an absolute blast in Darwin, such a lovely little city. My job involved flying in a small plane out to Kakadu which was unreal. A promotion came up in Alice Springs just under a year later and we went for it. Hubby again got a job straight away. Alice was beyond amazing and we definitely hope to go back. So many road trips out in the bush, wild camels and unforgettable days. The job conditions weren't great though which prompted a move a year later to Carnarvon in WA where I had another job lined up. This time hubby didn't get work, but he had the opportunity for an extended trip home to visit family whilst I worked. All up we had a nice 3 months exploring the gorgeous coast around Carnarvon.

 

I applied for a job in Broome with the same firm in the hope of hubby finding a job and thankfully he landed a great job here. We ended up spending the last 3 years in Broome (and believe me we would never have predicted that :twitcy:). Heading for a transfer to Kununurra after Christmas which will also be an amazing adventure. Just in time for monsoon season and the waterfalls pumping.

 

We've been incredibly fortunate and had the most magical experiences here. We absolutely love Australia and are very grateful for the opportunities that we would never have found elsewhere. Not to mention the colours that are so bright and vibrant, and make me feel happy every day. Good luck to everyone else, you only live once! x

 

We feel like this overall, but we've been here a few years now so a little shop worn but in general I am very grateful to Australia for the opportunities it gave me and especially my family. I'm proud my kids were born in Australia - it's an amazing country and has so much potential.

[eljay]

G'day mate, Black Rock and Middle Springs, both on the Parry Creek road, are worthy of a pic, or two. You need to go via Valentine Pool road. Middle Springs is a series of small pools and cataracts stretching about 2 km. Access is above the main pool.

 

Another one, not very big, but very pretty and quite remote is Thompson Springs. I took a beaut family to see it a couple of years ago. It is on the old Duncan Hwy. (right hand down a bit at the Golden Gate Ck, near the NT border).

 

Lived in Kununurra for a number of years and still visit each year.

 

Cheers, Bobj.

 

Thanks for that Bobj, we'll definately look for those spots and report back!

[Thevans15]

Hi, How did you get a mortgage?? Is it the same way as the UK application process? We need to sell our house, well we need to apply for a visa first but I'm trying to get as much info as poss. Did you come out for a holiday first or just take the plunge ??

Cheers

[saff]

I moved to WA in 2011, which feels a lifetime ago now already. I got offered a job a day after the tie-in period of my contract in the UK passed, and thought I had no chance of getting it. A skype interview, and an email 2 days later and I had a job offer wanting me in australia as soon as humanly possible. Thought long and hard about it.. for a day or two, but felt in my heart that it's what I needed to do. Having never been to Australia, and having a girlfriend of about a year at the time who couldn't come, I decided I still had to go for myself, and see how things panned out.

 

Notice went in, had 4 weeks to sell everything I owned (bar some clothes, I bought one bloody suitcase, thinking that Aus in July could only be warm it was full mostly of T-shirts), lease the flat and get on a plane. First day was daunting, it felt utterly surreal getting into the apartment at 11pm, getting up at 6 the next day for my first day, before I'd even sorted bank/phone/anything else. I'd never had a car, an apartment, a job, or the beginning of a life anywhere but in the UK. The next three years was spent working all over the country but living in wa, new freinds, experiences, relationships, missing family and mostly, working. Starting from scratch meant lots of car finance, being tied into my job due to the 457 visa, rental properties with people I barely knew. A year into to move it after getting engaged, me and my now ex split up. I needed to make a go of it and either have a life in Aus and cut some ties, or write it off and go home. After a while I felt a little trapped with the decision. Couldn't go home, not sure I wanted to, but not entirely happy and settled but generally having great times meeting new people, earning more and enjoying the sun. It wasn't easy, both parents are cancer sufferers which has been exceptionally hard to deal with from distance, if not just for the fact that despite meeting plenty of people, I've struggled to find that 'drop in with a 6 pack and talk rubbish to at any time' type of friends that I still have back home.

 

4 Years later now and finally getting my PR sorted (had to wait to fulfil various requirements), meaning I'm no longer feeling trapped work wise or accommodation wise (PR means I can buy easily finally) which is a huge load off. I've finally paid off a car loan on a car (and a bike) that I always wanted which has been weighing me down, and it seems that the hard transition phase is almost done with and life is finally getting to the point where I can simply sit back and enjoy the ride built on the last few years. I still wonder if settling in Perth is a good thing or not, I think the only thing I miss compared to being anywhere else, is a sense of being somewhere happening. I love being able to go for a walk at any time and stumbling across people to talk to, things to do, which doesn't happen all too often here! But I'm Currently starting my own business, have a gorgeous fiancee and even though it's still hard with the family situation, and I miss chicken shops being everywhere open until 3am and Chicago town takeaway oven pizzas, on the whole I can't pretend for a second that I've once regretted moving and genuinely feel like I'm at home for the most part.

[Southchick]

How refreshing! What a lovely, real, positive and happy thread!! Loving it you have brightened up my night shift thank you every one, fab to hear everyone's sunny stories xxx

[jac2011]

I still love this thread and always love when it appears in my feed! Keep these stories appearing please...

[Que Sera Sera]

5 years ago today we climbed onto that shiny white bird to start our amazing new life here. Never regretted it for one single moment, and genuinely miss nothing. My OH misses his Soccer team and the local pub but other than that he too is very happy. We came out with £10,000 and very little else. 5 years on we are doing alright for ourselves, giving ourself a great but deliberately fairly modest life. Yes would love a boat etc etc but I like not working full time much much more. We've met some lovely people and have some really good friends. OH is FIFO at the moment and we are saving like little squirrels to pay the mortgage off. So far so good.........:cool:

[ali]

5 years ago today we climbed onto that shiny white bird to start our amazing new life here. Never regretted it for one single moment, and genuinely miss nothing. My OH misses his Soccer team and the local pub but other than that he too is very happy. We came out with £10,000 and very little else. 5 years on we are doing alright for ourselves, giving ourself a great but deliberately fairly modest life. Yes would love a boat etc etc but I like not working full time much much more. We've met some lovely people and have some really good friends. OH is FIFO at the moment and we are saving like little squirrels to pay the mortgage off. So far so good.........:cool:

 

 

Happy Aussiversary xx

[Que Sera Sera]

Happy Aussiversary xx

Thanks Ali, time sure does fly.

[MARYROSE02]

5 years ago today we climbed onto that shiny white bird to start our amazing new life here. Never regretted it for one single moment, and genuinely miss nothing. My OH misses his Soccer team and the local pub but other than that he too is very happy. We came out with £10,000 and very little else. 5 years on we are doing alright for ourselves, giving ourself a great but deliberately fairly modest life. Yes would love a boat etc etc but I like not working full time much much more. We've met some lovely people and have some really good friends. OH is FIFO at the moment and we are saving like little squirrels to pay the mortgage off. So far so good.........:cool:

 

There are 10,000 stories like yours every year in Australia, and about 50 negative ones. Unfortunately, those 50 negative ones find their way onto PIO!

[HelensvaleHoward]

Thanks Ali, time sure does fly.

In less than 2 months we'll be celebrating the same 5 years here

[emilyalaina9]

Wow as a young family about to take the jump this thread has been so refreshing. It seems most people are very like us in the sense we are prepared to try and expect it to be hard at first but to keep going to reap your reward.

Well done all of you and genuinely thank you

From a worried mummy and wife

[calNgary]

Wow as a young family about to take the jump this thread has been so refreshing. It seems most people are very like us in the sense we are prepared to try and expect it to be hard at first but to keep going to reap your reward.

Well done all of you and genuinely thank you

From a worried mummy and wife

 

Lots of luck with the move, we will celebrate 9 years in a few months and do not have any real regrets. As the saying goes '' Nobody said life would be easier, they just said it would most likely be worth it''.

 

Cal x

[Guest micman]

Just celebrated our first year as "Paussies" and loving life here on the Gold Coast. Taking longer than we would like to set up our media training business and filming company

but there has not been a day that's gone past without us pinching ourselves to make sure that we really are here!

 

It's a privilege to live in such a beautiful part of the world and we consider ourselves very fortunate that the determination and hard work paid off and we finally made it here.

As I mentioned on another post, without this forum, we may not have made it here at all!

The advice and support we received from fellow members was worth it's weight in gold and we can't praise Jenny Baker from Ian Harrop associates and Nigel Dobbie (Migration lawyer in Sydney) enough.

Both of these people were recommended by PIO members and were positive when most others had given up hope of us achieving our objective.

 

Make no mistake, it's hard going trying to build up contacts and trust within the business community but we're here on a one way ticket and consider the Gold Coast to be our home.

 

Good luck to all the new arrivals, it really will be worth it in the end!:wink:

[Generalis]

Our story is good too. Been here 5 and 1/2 years now. Came out me hubby and 2 kids. Husband got a job after a week and I stayed home for a while and did a bit of casual work. Found it hard to get a job as a secretary but then decided to retrain as a nurse. Did a diploma course now on the last few weeks of bachelor course. Kids are doing well at school. One more than the other. One may have autistic tendencies so just trying to get that properly assessed. One paediatrician said it may have been because of the emigration when he was 3 that he is acting up now. We have a good life here though. We bought a house couple of years ago have the nice cars and pool so it would look like living the dream. It does have its great, good and bad times tho and you just go with it. We miss our family and friends in the UK but some have shown they are not the people we thought they were which is sad. On the whole tho we are happy and that's what matters.

Edited August 25, 2015 by The Pom Queen
edited for you

[Generalis]

Oops we thought they were lol

[Johndoe]

Our story is good too. Been here 5 and 1/2 years now. Came out me hubby and 2 kids. Husband got a job after a week and I stayed home for a while and did a bit of casual work. Found it hard to get a job as a secretary but then decided to retrain as a nurse. Did a diploma course now on the last few weeks of bachelor course. Kids are doing well at school. One more than the other. One may have autistic tendencies so just trying to get that properly assessed. One paediatrician said it may have been because of the emigration when he was 3 that he is acting up now. We have a good life here though. We bought a house couple of years ago have the nice cars and pool so it would look like living the dream. It does have its great, good and bad times tho and you just go with it. We miss our family and friends in the UK but some have shown they are not the people we thought they were which is sad. On the whole tho we are happy and that's what matters.

 

And it clearly shows. You've both worked hard at it and I am honoured to count you amongst my friends. Thanks for all your support of late and it's lovely to see you back on the forum. We will expect you to put in more appearances once you've gained your bachelor (and with flying colours let me add) Well done.:hug::hug:

 

You can put that brazier away till next winter now. A scorcher today! :-)

[Johndoe]

Oops we thought they were lol

 

Yopu must find the edit button at the bottom dipstick! :tongue: :wink:

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Oops we thought they were lol

Edited for you.

Great post by the way, thank you for sharing.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has shared their positive stories on moving Down Under. Please keep them coming and let's show people how wonderful Australia really is.

[MiniCooper]

What a refreshing post. Massive thanks to all the people who have taken the time to post positive stories when there are quite a lot of negative and disheartening stories out there. I have just put in my assessment of skills and obviously still have a bit of a wait before I can even submit an EOI but I'm so excited and really keen to get our move to OZ in gear so once again, thank you to you all.

[srg73]

Our feedback following 13 months in Brisbane.

 

We left secure and well paid jobs in the UK after hitting my 40th birthday. Our families were well and we were lucky enough to be granted a 189 visa. We had obtained the visa to provide us options as our UK work life as becoming harder, lingers and less rewarding.

 

We broke the news to our families, planned our arrival in Adelaide and continued to search for work. Bingo I hit the jackpot, an Australan company newly establishing in UK wanted to speak to me, met in central London and a dream position offered in Brisbane! A quick replan including changing of flights etc and we were off to Brisbane.

 

Landed September 2014, fortunately have friends here who helped us establish quickly with work starting in 2 weeks. We had booked for 1 month temporary accommodation which was fine but small, found a long term rental although our moving got delayed meaning another Airbnb had to be found, this time Hamilton. Finally took possession of our Ascot property and now feel settled with our home contents delivered in November. This would have been a very difficult time if we had kids however we don't meaning we just had to cope.

 

In February we were very fortunate to purchase a property in one of our preferred locations in 4006 being quite central. Unfortunately we bought with newly signed tenants meaning we still wait to move in however this is moving closer and closer day by day.

 

Work hit the wall and I almost lost my job in February however despite an aggressive takeover and over 50% of staff being laid off, I held my position however the experience was horrible and confirmed time to move. Very fortunately I secured a position with another company in a highly technical position, less money, greater challenges but secure long term and a great place to work. Warning to all coming over, you are exposed when first coming over to possible poor employers, keep your eyes open.

 

Devastating news in July, my dad suddenly and completely unexpectantly passed away.....an emergency flight back to UK which did us some good, tied down a few loose ends, made sure my mum was OK as best possible and said our 2nd goodbyes. Nice to see UK but nothing had changed and we were glad to land back in Brisbane, our new home.

 

Now have a friend network, work is good and property secure however there have been some emotional and sleepless nights also. Things are settled now and we are loving the exploring of our surroundings. No home sickness and have a positive outcome.

 

S

[Mims]

What a refreshing post. Massive thanks to all the people who have taken the time to post positive stories when there are quite a lot of negative and disheartening stories out there. I have just put in my assessment of skills and obviously still have a bit of a wait before I can even submit an EOI but I'm so excited and really keen to get our move to OZ in gear so once again, thank you to you all.

 

 

In in total agreement mini cooper, I love coming here and checking what new posts there are, we are at a similar stage to you in proceedings and hope that one day we will be able to post a positive story here too!