How Long before you realised that Australia was or was not the place that you wanted to spend the rest of your days ?

[Toots]

2 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

I loved surfing, drinking, and the hot weather (and still do, to a lesser extent), but after spending a year in Sydney when I first moved to Australia, I came to the same conclusion about Sydneysiders. I found them incredibly self-centred, superficial, and obsessed with material wealth. I left because I didn't like the people and had no desire to be part of their rat race, but I still think it's a beautiful city and a great place to visit for a few days. I'm sure Sydney's in no way unique in that respect, and you'll find the same mentality in any of the world's major commercial centres where people's main objective is to get rich and flaunt it.

We lived in Sydney for well over 20 years.  We made some very good friends over that time.  Not everybody is money obsessed and living in the eastern suburbs/north shore.  There are tens of thousands of down to earth people in Sydney.  Last week we were up there visiting friends and drove down our old street.  When we lived there, many of the houses were weatherboard with bullnose verandahs and we knew all our neighbours.  In fact we had the same neighbours for most of the years we lived there.  Sadly most of the weatherboards have gone to be replaced by huge monstrosities or the blocks have been subdivided and where one house once stood there are now two or even three.  So happy to be away from it all.

[InnerVoice]

9 minutes ago, Toots said:

We lived in Sydney for well over 20 years.  We made some very good friends over that time.  Not everybody is money obsessed and living in the eastern suburbs/north shore.  There are tens of thousands of down to earth people in Sydney.  Last week we were up there visiting friends and drove down our old street.  When we lived there, many of the houses were weatherboard with bullnose verandahs and we knew all our neighbours.  In fact we had the same neighbours for most of the years we lived there.  Sadly most of the weatherboards have gone to be replaced by huge monstrosities or the blocks have been subdivided and where one house once stood there are now two or even three.  So happy to be away from it all.

I'm guessing you were living in Sydney long before I arrived. I have very similarly fond memories of my early years in Brisbane, but I think it's going the same way as Sydney and Melbourne. The appearance of those monstrous cube homes that fill the entire block are usually a clear sign of the changing demographic!

[Toots]

1 hour ago, InnerVoice said:

I'm guessing you were living in Sydney long before I arrived. I have very similarly fond memories of my early years in Brisbane, but I think it's going the same way as Sydney and Melbourne. The appearance of those monstrous cube homes that fill the entire block are usually a clear sign of the changing demographic!

I don't know when you arrived but we first landed in Sydney in 1981.  We were there for about 18 months then went to Perth.  Our sons were born in Perth.  We left Perth at the start of 1987 to return to Sydney until we retired 10 years ago when we then came to Tasmania.  

[Skani]

On 07/02/2024 at 11:57, Bristolgirl said:

 To sum up - Sydney is fun when you are young/travelling/holidaying but not for those who want real, deep and meaningful connections.

There are many Australians who live in other parts of the country who feel the same about Sydney as you.  And fortunately, those of us who dislike heat can find cool temperate climate spots in the country.

[Rallyman]

On 08/02/2024 at 15:57, Toots said:

I don't know when you arrived but we first landed in Sydney in 1981.  We were there for about 18 months then went to Perth.  Our sons were born in Perth.  We left Perth at the start of 1987 to return to Sydney until we retired 10 years ago when we then came to Tasmania.  

Did you build your own place in Tasmania Toots ? 
 

[Toots]

1 hour ago, Rallyman said:

Did you build your own place in Tasmania Toots ? 
 

No we didn't @Rallyman.  Our house is as old as us.    We built our house in Perth and renovated our house in Sydney so we just wanted an older house in an old area of town.  It's a quiet area very close to the beach and the river.  My husband had had enough of building.

[AnthonyC]

Pretty much since I came out with my parents when I was 12. I never identified with Australia, Australians or the Australian way of life - always felt alien to all that.  Twelve was a very formative age for me and I was just starting to come into my own when they decided to immigrate. Immigrating stuffed me over no end for a long time but I never lost that sense of 'home' and have been trying to get back and resettle ever since - trouble is circumstances and the old comparison game kicked in and I ended up returning to Oz.

I'm now 60 and my Mum is 83 (she lives in the UK) and the clock's ticking so I'm feeling the pinch more than ever to relocate and establish myself back home. I'm in the planning phase now (getting everything in order etc) to relocate back next year.

[Marisawright]

1 hour ago, AnthonyC said:

I'm now 60 and my Mum is 83 (she lives in the UK) and the clock's ticking so I'm feeling the pinch more than ever to relocate and establish myself back home. I'm in the planning phase now (getting everything in order etc) to relocate back next year.

Are you aware that if you leave Australia before you reach pension age, you won't be able to claim your Australian govt pension?   Do you have enough super that you won't need it?  Are you eligible for the UK pension instead?

Also, be sure you look into the best way to collect your super.  If you wait until you've moved overseas and then claim your lump sum, you'll lose a huge chunk of it to the British taxman.   So if you want a lump sum, it's vital to withdraw it well before you leave Australia.  Once it's landed in your Australian account, it's just 'savings' and you'll be able to transfer it without tax implications.