The Smith Clan Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 It would be interesting to hear what made you decide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amibovered Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Married an Aussie, no other reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 My first husband and I had just been in Africa on a work contract, and when we came back to the UK it was the middle of the Thatcher era, with widespread strikes, rising unemployment, and a generally gloomy outlook. And of course, we'd just spent three years in a warmer climate and Britain suddenly seemed very cold and bleak. I don't think the weather alone would've been enough for us to move but the whole atmosphere was so depressing and negative, it was an easy decision to try somewhere new. It was also easy for us as we were two professionals with no kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 When I was 5 years old, I met my Dear Old Dad for the first time ,due to WWII and the Japanese prison camps...When he came home, he used to regale me wit the escapades of some of the Australians who were incarcerated in these prison camps. He was very mindful of their ability to keep going in such vile conditions. It was something that D.O.D. wanted to do after WWII but Mum wanted to go to the UK to her family ...D.O.D.s family had died out. So, when I had saved the huge amount of £134, I set off and have never regretted one second of my life in this wonderful country. Cheers, Bobj. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srh82 Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Work took us. For me, I was running out of options with my UK employer so the opportunity for secondment to Brisbane came up and we took it! We are into our 5th year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodipodi Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 When I was 5 years old, I met my Dear Old Dad for the first time ,due to WWII and the Japanese prison camps...When he came home, he used to regale me wit the escapades of some of the Australians who were incarcerated in these prison camps. He was very mindful of their ability to keep going in such vile conditions. It was something that D.O.D. wanted to do after WWII but Mum wanted to go to the UK to her family ...D.O.D.s family had died out. So, when I had saved the huge amount of £134, I set off and have never regretted one second of my life in this wonderful country. Cheers, Bobj. Ahhhwww Bob.....you really do have Australia in your heart don't you, your posts I notice are so positive.... Realistic too...but I always sense that belonging.xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Ahhhwww Bob.....you really do have Australia in your heart don't you, your posts I notice are so positive.... Realistic too...but I always sense that belonging.xx Thank you for that, missy. It is a wonderful country despite the rantings of a few, er, misguided moro...people. One thing I have never understood, and that is why people travel halfway around the world to start a new life in another country...and want to meet and be with the same kind of people they left behind...Fear of the unknown? Maybe. No ability to be self reliant? Most likely. :wink: Wait until you read about me "waxing lyrical" about the deserts and Kimberlies...:laugh: Cheers, Bobj. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodipodi Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Thank you for that, missy. It is a wonderful country despite the rantings of a few, er, misguided moro...people. One thing I have never understood, and that is why people travel halfway around the world to start a new life in another country...and want to meet and be with the same kind of people they left behind...Fear of the unknown? Maybe. No ability to be self reliant? Most likely. :wink: Wait until you read about me "waxing lyrical" about the deserts and Kimberlies...:laugh: Cheers, Bobj. No need to thank me, I have said it before because it's what I believe, I really do get that true ozzy vibe from you Bob because you appreciate everything, the little things... And I note that you speak honestly about the not so good aswell...but the endearment you hold for your home, because that's what it is....shines through . I hope to hold even half of that endearment myself. I've read some of your posts on the Kimberlies and also your thoughts on Alice and NT.....thanks Bob. I hope to see some of these wonders myself one day, here's sitting with fingers, toes and bong eyes all crossed xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 [h=1]Why did you decide to make the move to Oz?[/h] The barramundi fishing is poor in the UK:tongue: Cheers, Bobj. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 That's the $64,000 question (as they say) which is probably not far off the money it costs to bing the family over these days. Our circumstances are unusual, even potentially unique on this forum, as we are in our 50s but with a child of 12. We had both worked long hours based in London and, frankly, were burnt out. We were earning decent money but are not big spenders so we saved and had also paid off the mortgage. Commuters to London have this blank stare and generally avoid any eye contact or interaction; they are also generally much younger than us. London is an awesome place but I always felt that I was the only person working there that actually saw it. Long before we met my wife lived in Sydney and Brisbane as a skilled migrant. During that time she obtained citizenship and had no real intention of returning to the UK but circumstances conspired about 15 or so years ago. Luckily for me. We therefore had the great good fortune to be able to get a visa for me and not have to pick a part of Australia based on a job. Schools were a primary consideration though. if we can find some paid employment this year it would help us for sure but we have only just started looking at that. Being in London you feel like a lab rat returning to your cage every night with just enough energy left to feed youself and keep your cage clean and tidy. We loathed the UK climate between November and March too and did not want to grow old there. The Brisbane area offered the overall climate that we wanted and a variety of topography and wildlife within a 90 minute drive that is hard to beat. It was also very affordable for us coming from Surrey. We have room to breathe and the locals are overwhelming friendly and welcoming. Queensland offers us the right mix of exoticism and freshness with a heavy dash of familiarity. I still pinch myself every day that I live in such a beautiful place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodipodi Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Well.....we aren't quite there yet.....but the decision, or want, to move....comes from the love of warmth, sunshine and the fact I'm a wanderer at heart.....I've never really felt settled here, just something not quite right. Nothing really bad about our life, but we have both had a want for sunnier shores....and Oz was that shore... I could not live somewhere where I could not speak the lingo, so Spain etc although beautiful climates, are not somewhere I feel I could live. The rest....I cannot really explain.... I just know I need to.... If even to get it out of my system, it's an itch that must be scratched. I also truly believe that the weather is so beneficial to my children, when the suns out here we enjoy it to the max... We are out all day, beach, Park....walks....so the weather for us is a huge part of it. Maybe pathetic reasons to some....but those are our reasons....and I don't have visions of this fantastical fantasy land....I really do see it as.... Same sh*te....much much sunnier bucket... And by sh*te I mean I know we are still going to have stresses and strains but we have naff all here, so I'd much rather have naff all in a beautiful, sunny country where I feel happy when I wake up on a morning xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Smith Clan Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 That's the $64,000 question (as they say) which is probably not far off the money it costs to bing the family over these days. Our circumstances are unusual, even potentially unique on this forum, as we are in our 50s but with a child of 12. We had both worked long hours based in London and, frankly, were burnt out. We were earning decent money but are not big spenders so we saved and had also paid off the mortgage. Commuters to London have this blank stare and generally avoid any eye contact or interaction; they are also generally much younger than us. London is an awesome place but I always felt that I was the only person working there that actually saw it. Long before we met my wife lived in Sydney and Brisbane as a skilled migrant. During that time she obtained citizenship and had no real intention of returning to the UK but circumstances conspired about 15 or so years ago. Luckily for me. We therefore had the great good fortune to be able to get a visa for me and not have to pick a part of Australia based on a job. Schools were a primary consideration though. if we can find some paid employment this year it would help us for sure but we have only just started looking at that. Being in London you feel like a lab rat returning to your cage every night with just enough energy left to feed youself and keep your cage clean and tidy. We loathed the UK climate between November and March too and did not want to grow old there. The Brisbane area offered the overall climate that we wanted and a variety of topography and wildlife within a 90 minute drive that is hard to beat. It was also very affordable for us coming from Surrey. We have room to breathe and the locals are overwhelming friendly and welcoming. Queensland offers us the right mix of exoticism and freshness with a heavy dash of familiarity. I still pinch myself every day that I live in such a beautiful place. The Brisbane area appeals to us too. WE looked to move in 2006 and then they changed the pathway for my dh skills. I was still at uni, we realised at his point we could not get our visas. I am now able to go on my skills but this may change next jan as I lose 10 points for my age and I feel a bit of pressure to get our visas now rather than later. I am fed up in the uk of the dark winter months and live for summer and spending long days out doors, just siting ourdoors until dark firepit on and making the most of the day. we love family days out too and camp in the summer. however there is the little part of me saying what if I don't settle. WE are looking at visiting now and have decided that we must all come as a family to see if we like it. Hoping to spend 3 weeks in Brisbane in aug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 The Brisbane area appeals to us too. WE looked to move in 2006 and then they changed the pathway for my dh skills. I was still at uni, we realised at his point we could not get our visas. I am now able to go on my skills but this may change next jan as I lose 10 points for my age and I feel a bit of pressure to get our visas now rather than later. I am fed up in the uk of the dark winter months and live for summer and spending long days out doors, just siting ourdoors until dark firepit on and making the most of the day. we love family days out too and camp in the summer. however there is the little part of me saying what if I don't settle. WE are looking at visiting now and have decided that we must all come as a family to see if we like it. Hoping to spend 3 weeks in Brisbane in aug We did our recce in August too. We had 10 days here. My tip would be not to make it too much of a holiday if you can. We did a day trip to Australia Zoo (our last day) and that was it. We went to several schools, toured suburbs, scoped out places for sports, hobbies and interests, viewed houses. To that I would add research the jobs market on the ground, look ar cars perhaps and try a mock commute if you can. If you are really intending to live here trying to see all the sights in one trip is a bit of an own goal anyway. Bear in mind that is midwinter here in August. Days are generally sunny and warm (around 20C) but temperatures really drop as the sun starts to set around 5pm and early mornings are fresh so you will need to bring plenty of warm clothing too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 My first husband and I had just been in Africa on a work contract, and when we came back to the UK it was the middle of the Thatcher era, with widespread strikes, rising unemployment, and a generally gloomy outlook. And of course, we'd just spent three years in a warmer climate and Britain suddenly seemed very cold and bleak. I don't think the weather alone would've been enough for us to move but the whole atmosphere was so depressing and negative, it was an easy decision to try somewhere new. It was also easy for us as we were two professionals with no kids. The reason you state were the reasons why my Australian husband had enough of the UK. He lived there from the age of 17 to 30 and worked and played hard and did a lot of travelling but by 1981 he just wanted to go home. He stated if I liked it we should give it go. Here we are nearly 35 years later. Australia has been very good to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Lots of reasons for us. At the time we left the UK was in an utter mess with strikes, threatened bomb attacks and a generally negative attitude about just about everything. The lady at the shop nearby used to 'save' a loaf of bread for me ( there were bread strikes at the time) because I had a little baby and she felt sorry for me. I felt as though I was living in Soviet Russia. And the weather- talk about vile. Hard to keep warm when we were only allowed electricity 3 days a week. Australia was shangri la to us then- we felt and were healthier and never looked back. I have been back to the UK several times but not recently. Each time I felt more of a tourist, I just didn't fit in any more and didn't especially want to either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 My hubby was getting a little disillusioned with the UK and that whilst life was good it felt as it would just plod on until we could retire. We'd reached 40's and decided that if we wanted to do something different the time was right. We arrived in January 2007 and haven't looked back, we're very content here, it's not perfect but the things that are wrong don't detract from our sense of contentment. We haven't yet ventured back to the UK - i'm sure it'll happen at some point .... but just not yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GooseRenders Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 When I was 14/15 (17 years ago), the internet was an 'upcoming' thing, full of the unknown and excitement. I spent my allocated hour on AOL dial up (there were 4 kids in my house) chatting with a nice Aussie boy 3 years my senior. Time evolved, webcams were invented, and we'd spend hours talking and getting frustrated with the crappy connection. To cut a long story short, I am marrying this man on November 26th this year . I will be 31, he will be 34, and despite all the in between of other relationships, marriage and kids, we always knew it was each we wanted and despite the long tough wait and we are FINALLY doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celt Down Under Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 We left for very much the same reasons as Marisawright and JockinTas, and at about the same time, 1981. Maggie Thatcher running amok. Main news each night was how many people had lost their jobs that day. A sense of hopelessness around where we lived, hence several families from the town emigrating around the same time. None have returned there to live, and all have done well since coming out here. It was an easy decision to make, even though we had a 4 year old and 20 month old children. I would do the same again without hesitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Because we could! My OH had previously been offered an amazing position in the USA and we'd gone almost all the way through with it when the GFC hit and they pulled the plug . We were left deflated and with very itchy feet. I already had a Daughter living in Australia so we just went for it, Australia also wanted my OH's skills so we just went for it and haven't looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celt Down Under Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 The reason you state were the reasons why my Australian husband had enough of the UK. He lived there from the age of 17 to 30 and worked and played hard and did a lot of travelling but by 1981 he just wanted to go home. He stated if I liked it we should give it go. Here we are nearly 35 years later. Australia has been very good to us. When I was 14/15 (17 years ago), the internet was an 'upcoming' thing, full of the unknown and excitement. I spent my allocated hour on AOL dial up (there were 4 kids in my house) chatting with a nice Aussie boy 3 years my senior. Time evolved, webcams were invented, and we'd spend hours talking and getting frustrated with the crappy connection. To cut a long story short, I am marrying this man on November 26th this year . I will be 31, he will be 34, and despite all the in between of other relationships, marriage and kids, we always knew it was each we wanted and despite the long tough wait and we are FINALLY doing it. Congratulations. I hope that it all goes well for you. :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GooseRenders Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Thank you - me too!! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Because we could! My OH had previously been offered an amazing position in the USA and we'd gone almost all the way through with it when the GFC hit and they pulled the plug . We were left deflated and with very itchy feet. I already had a Daughter living in Australia so we just went for it, Australia also wanted my OH's skills so we just went for it and haven't looked back. Personally knowing this poster. I would have to say, she and her family are a perfect advocate on the best mindset to arrive and make the most of this glorious country. You don't have to arrive with a bulging bank balance, the right attitude and hard work, will see you right. Plus just do your own thing, if it feels right for you, then go for it. Enjoy what you came here for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishDigger Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Fifty two years ago as a young bloke in my late teens I saw no future in Ireland or the UK and so decided to head for Australia. It was so easy then in comparison to what some of you folks has had to go through. I had no skills to offer other than I was young and fit, I went into the Australian Immigration Office in the main street and filled out a few forms, passed the medical and eight week later was on the plane to Australia under the Assisted Passage Scheme for £10. So there you go, life is good in The Land Down Under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 When I was little, my dad used to tell me a story about his parents. Before the war, they had a baby girl who unfortunately died at six months of age. Then the war came, and with that (grandad was stationed overseas, grandma was stationed in the UK) and ten years of unsuccessfully trying for another baby they decided to pack up and travel to Australia as 'Ten Pound Poms'. Shortly before they were due to depart, grandma found that she was pregnant with my dad, so they decided to abandon their plans and stay in the UK. In my youthful ignorance, I thought that meant that I would have been born in Australia and so I developed a bit of a fascination with living overseas, and in particular in Australia. Fast forward quite a number of years, to when I was married with one baby and another on the way, OH was offered a position in Australia working for the same company that he worked for in the UK. We decided that we should take the opportunity since we had been lucky enough to have had it offered. Seven years later, we are still in Sydney. We have had ups and downs (mostly mine for various reasons), but are pretty happy here and don't have any plans to return to the UK in the foreseeable future. Maybe we will once the kids have gone off and made lives of their own, but who knows what opportunities might present themselves! We're pretty happy to just go with the flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Berry Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 When I was 5 years old, I met my Dear Old Dad for the first time ,due to WWII and the Japanese prison camps...When he came home, he used to regale me wit the escapades of some of the Australians who were incarcerated in these prison camps. He was very mindful of their ability to keep going in such vile conditions. It was something that D.O.D. wanted to do after WWII but Mum wanted to go to the UK to her family ...D.O.D.s family had died out. So, when I had saved the huge amount of £134, I set off and have never regretted one second of my life in this wonderful country. Cheers, Bobj. OH's Great Grandad was captured in Singapore and a POW in the Far East and was killed over there. We were made aware of this exhibition at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance and on a recent trip to Melbourne (from Adelaide) we visited it. The story of Fred reminded me of your dad. http://www.shrine.org.au/Exhibitions/Temporary-Exhibitions/The-Art-of-Survival Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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