Main reasons for leaving the UK

[starlight7]

For us it was , most of all, the weather. Sounds daft but I really couldn't stand year after year of short Summers, rain and dreary grey skies and the annual bronchitis.

Second to that was the adventure and the fact that Australia is so big and diverse.

Third was for the young family we had started- we thought they would have a better childhood experience.

For us it all exceeded our wildest dreams but I know this is not always the case.

[calNgary]

The weather played a big part in us wanting to move too along with just wanting a change and a bit of an adventure..

 

Cal x

[simmo]

I left because i wanted the adventure and to give my family life experience. Done it now and back living in the best city in the best country in the world.

[Guest Ptp113]

Because I had to (child). Wish the parents were still alive so I could thank them for getting me out of that hole called Blighty and enjoying the best place to live there is.

[dmjg]

Better weather.

 

Better lifestyle for us.

 

Better life for the kids.

 

A decent backyard.

 

 

 

:wink:

[Guest]

Same as most - better weather, better work/life balance and better/safer environment to bring up our then 5 year old.

 

Perth failed in all respects to be better - the weather had as many drawbacks as positives, the work/life balance was worse (longer working day and less annual leave) and it is no better or worse than the lovely part of Scotland we came from in terms of a safety for children.

 

So we came back - not because it was worse but because it was no better and we gave up a lot to be a migrants.

[caramac]

Both times it was for job opportunities. Really enjoyed it and will probably go back again in the future. I think my children have had/are having a good childhood with very similar experiences in both countries.

[stevie ellis]

Same as most - better weather, better work/life balance and better/safer environment to bring up our then 5 year old.

 

Perth failed in all respects to be better - the weather had as many drawbacks as positives, the work/life balance was worse (longer working day and less annual leave) and it is no better or worse than the lovely part of Scotland we came from in terms of a safety for children.

 

So we came back - not because it was worse but because it was no better and we gave up a lot to be a migrants.

far boot jockland ya fae?

[Victoriagal]

Left the Army with no real plans as we had an unexpected pregnancy very late in life so went travelling for a year and ended up in New Zealand, had a great time. Earthquakes pushed us on to Melbourne and we've decided it's not the right place for us at the moment so moving back to the UK for a while until we figure out our next move... Rolling stone and all that - but junior is coming up for high school so may need to stay grounded for a wee bit?

[nic1171]

Sunshine pure and simple and so far not disappointed. Yes it's muggy at mo but to be able to jump in the pool after a shift is fab. The blue blue skies are amazing, the North East just seemed to have varying shades of white/grey even in summer!

[ali]

An opportunity to live/work in another country before we were too old too. For my hubby, he'd started to become disenchanted with living in the UK and that was probably what started the thoughts of trying something new. We'll have been here 7 years in January, we didn't come with any great expectations of things being better - just different, we haven't tired of the Perth and have carved out a pretty good lifestyle for ourselves as a family.

[Guest]

far boot jockland ya fae?

 

Stay in the Braes near Falkirk, OH out cycling in Muiravonside and I'm just off to Linlithgow with the bairn.

 

Speak a little Scots but you challenged me with that one

[Guest km75]

For me it's the weather mainly. I am sick of dragging the kids to rugby and bike riding when it's freezing (we live in the north of england / south of scotland) and I am sick of not having a summer (though admittedly this summer was one of the best I can remember). Also, my husband's family are there so we have family there too which makes a big difference - not sure I'd go if we didn't have family there too. If I could bring better weather to our UK home I wouldn't make the move, and would just holiday in Oz, so I guess that's the biggest factor.

[Aorange]

Lifestyle - space, weather and opportunities to try more outdoor activities over a sustained period.

Horizons - chance to broaden them in terms of travel across Oz and Asia - see new places.

Culture & Work - Learn a new form of English, try different beers, learn new BBQ techniques and impart my experience & share knowledge with Ozzie workmates.

Future - Give my kids more choices.

The bottom line is that life is no easier here, but what you put in you get out and I know its not for everyone and we see the plus and minus points but the positives for us outweigh the negatives (but always be proud of my heritage).

[Rupert]

I honestly never think of it as "leaving the UK" as there was no push factor and we had no reason to leave the UK. We moved to something, we moved to Australia for an adventure, because if a love of travel and because Australia is a beautiful country and we wanted to explore it thoroughly as well as explore the region.

[Guest Guest26012]

An opportunity came and we took it! No reason really. It worked and was the best thing we ever did.

[chubbs75]

I couldn't imagine myself growing old in the UK, and to give better environment for my little one to grow up.

[Guest Ptp113]

Same as most - better weather, better work/life balance and better/safer environment to bring up our then 5 year old.

 

Perth failed in all respects to be better - the weather had as many drawbacks as positives, the work/life balance was worse (longer working day and less annual leave) and it is no better or worse than the lovely part of Scotland we came from in terms of a safety for children.

 

So we came back - not because it was worse but because it was no better and we gave up a lot to be a migrants.

Did it not occur to you that Perth isn't Australia but one small part? If somebody moved to Glasgow you wouldn't move to another country just because it wasn't much cop!

[gpo1971]

The Mrs always wanted to move to Australia and I didn’t, until we went on holiday to Mexico in 2006 that is. Had a great time, holiday atmos was superb. Until … the plane home broke through the clouds over Manchester airport, a greyness filled the cabin and you could instantly hear everyone deflate back into their mundane, complaining, brow-beaten, black-and-white personas. And I just thought, “why not?”.

There and then, I planned our escape.

 

Some people’s reality of the UK is green, rolling hills, leather on willow with a spot of Pimms, stiff upper lips and Earl Grey tea, and that’s all great.

My reality was concrete, clouds and rain, miserable faces, doom and gloom and chavs.

I probably could have moved somewhere else in the UK but, realistically, if you’re going to move away from your family you may as well go for it. I’ve worked all over the UK and found it to be much of a muchness so it was a bit of a no-brainer in the end.

 

My Mrs has more family over here now than she does in the UK so that works well for us.

[boganbear]

We left simply because we could and the outlook for staying in the UK looked bleak as our temp contracts were both ending with little hope for getting permanent work. MY OH had not seen his family for many years and life in the Uk was getting very expensive with no hope of being able to buy our own home. Life has been hard at times since being in Oz but we both consider ourselves very lucky and the future looks very rosy. Despite my whingeing about Australia at times, it has been a good move and neither of us want to go back to England

[LKC]

We didn't really leave the UK because we wanted to leave, we just moved because we had the opportunity and the kids were small and portable, and because we felt like the challenge. Worked out well in the end.

[Paul1Perth]

The weather would have been right up there in our decision. The opportunity to live near the beach and a place where people come to on holiday, not save up for their next one to get away from. Coming from the North of England, near Stockport and being brought up in Derbyshire I had always loved hot weather and being near the coast. Luckily my wife was the same and when we had the opportunity we went for it.

 

We had a 2 year old too and that came into the decision when we saw what his school choice was going to be.

[VERYSTORMY]

Work. Simple as that. Between us we had previously lived in a number of places around the world. We assumed it would be another stay for a year or two, then on to the next place. But, 5.5 years later and about to become citizens.

[blobby1000]

Because I had to (child). Wish the parents were still alive so I could thank them for getting me out of that hole called Blighty and enjoying the best place to live there is.

 

And comments like that are a big reason we came back home to the UK. Many of the British we met said things like that on a daily basis, almost, it seemed to us, to justify their decision to move to Australia (although, the fact you had no choice makes it a little odd you feel you need to say it!)

 

How can you really call the UK a "hole" if you haven't lived in the UK since you were a child?

[starlight7]

I don't think you could call Britain a hole by any stretch of the imagination. There are plenty of real holes around the globe and to call a first world country that is just ignorance.