Brisbane or Perth for young family

[Harty]

Hello

We are a young family of 3 and are looking to make the move over from the uk once things have settled down a bit.

We have narrowed our search down to Perth or Brisbane. I dont mean living in the city but in the outskirts of the city

Has anyone lived in both or moved from one to another and can share their experiences with us

Which place in your opinion is best for families 

We like beaches etc but being by a beach isnt a necessity 

Thanks & Stay Safe 

[Marisawright]

If you've never lived in Australia before, then I'd say Brisbane. for one reason:  flexibility.   Perth is a long way from anywhere else in Australia.  If you get settled, then find it's not quite right for you, or your career prospects are better elsewhere, it'll cost you an arm and a leg to move.   Shipping your stuff from Perth to Sydney can cost you as much as shipping it from the UK to Australia.  From Brisbane, itis fairly easy to move up or down the east coast.

I think this is especially important because Perth is a city you'll either fall in love with, or hate.  I can't work out why people feel so strongly about it, but that's the way it is. You won't know which camp you're in until you've tried it, and that's why it's risky.  We've seen families move there and love it - but equally, we've seen families move there, hate it, but not have enough money to risk a costly move east to try somewhere else so they go home to the UK instead.  Whereas there's always a chance you won't like Brisbane, but it'll be a lot more affordable to give somewhere else a try.

What kind of job do you do?    Migrants tend to look at Australia and think all the jobs are in the capital cities, but that's like saying, "I'm moving to England and I'll have to live in London, Manchester or Birmingham because there are no jobs anywhere else".    Housing is very expensive in all the capital cities now, so if your jobs allow you to look at a regional area, I'd consider it. You'll get a more laidback lifestyle and stand more chance of buying a home close to the beach if you avoid the capitals.  Take a look at Newcastle or the Sunshine Coast.

Edited November 24, 2020 by Marisawright

[Harty]

Hi

 

Thanks for your reply, yeah I think Brisbane is swaying it, however the sunshine coast looks incredible also

 

I'm an electrician so hoping finding work wont be too much of an issue

 

Many thanks  

[Marisawright]

6 minutes ago, Harty said:

Hi

 

Thanks for your reply, yeah I think Brisbane is swaying it, however the sunshine coast looks incredible also

 

I'm an electrician so hoping finding work wont be too much of an issue

 

In that case I'd definitely go for somewhere on the East coast, not Perth.  Nothing against Perth, but if you start out in Brisbane, it'll be easy to scout along the east coast and you have a wide choice of small to medium-sized cities to choose from in both directions.  

My vote would still go to Newcastle.  House prices much lower, good for families, less crowded, good lifestyle.  Great beaches too, on the doorstep of the wine region, and only two hours from Sydney if you fancy a weekend on the town.

[AliQ]

7 hours ago, Harty said:

Hello

We are a young family of 3 and are looking to make the move over from the uk once things have settled down a bit.

We have narrowed our search down to Perth or Brisbane. I dont mean living in the city but in the outskirts of the city

Has anyone lived in both or moved from one to another and can share their experiences with us

Which place in your opinion is best for families 

We like beaches etc but being by a beach isnt a necessity 

Thanks & Stay Safe 

Brisbane.

And I say that after working & living in Perth for a very very long time !

[Tulip1]

From the many things I’ve read maybe the east coast would be the best place to try. Assume you’ve got your visa all sorted? 

Edited November 24, 2020 by Tulip1

[Harty]

Yeah got our PR visas already

[Harty]

Thanks for your reply it's very helpful 

[Harty]

59 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

In that case I'd definitely go for somewhere on the East coast, not Perth.  Nothing against Perth, but if you start out in Brisbane, it'll be easy to scout along the east coast and you have a wide choice of small to medium-sized cities to choose from in both directions.  

My vote would still go to Newcastle.  House prices much lower, good for families, less crowded, good lifestyle.  Great beaches too, on the doorstep of the wine region, and only two hours from Sydney if you fancy a weekend on the town.

I will check out Newcastle also thanks, thinking Brisbane is looking favourable over Perth anyway

[Tulip1]

2 minutes ago, Harty said:

Yeah got our PR visas already

Sounds good, best of luck with it all. 

[Bulya]

Go where you can get a job.  Later on when you learned about Australia you can move to somewhere that better suits...

[Loopylu]

Just wondering if you realise that you will need to get an OTSR (Overseas Technical Skills Record) before you can get a provisional licence to work as an electrician in Australia. 

Under the provisional licence you then have to undertake on the job training to cover any skills gaps before you get a full licence.

Without the licence you will only be able to work under the supervision of another licensed electrician.  From what I have read in the past on PIO, this has come as a shock to some UK trained electricians who have relocated here and they have ended up in low paid electrician's mate jobs until they jump through the licensing hoops.

Good luck with the move.  I'm based in Brisbane and have never visited Perth but can confirm that Brisbane is very live-able (but I would much prefer being in the UK!).

[Marisawright]

5 hours ago, Harty said:

I will check out Newcastle also thanks, thinking Brisbane is looking favourable over Perth anyway

It's easy to get bad info about Newcastle because it used to be an industrial town with not much going for it, and you'll find a lot of Australians think it's still  like that.  It's changed enormously in the last 20 years.  I had two colleagues at work who got transferred to Sydney after the Newcastle office closed down.  They refused to move their families from Newcastle because they felt it was the best place for their kids.   They commuted all the way from Newcastle to Sydney every day for a long time as it wasn't easy to find jobs in Newcastle in their field (insurance), but they were determined to stick it out.

https://www.domain.com.au/news/seven-things-i-love-about-living-in-newcastle-20160111-gm322g/

https://gwg.com.au/blog/work-in-newcastle-nsw/

As Loopylu says, are you aware that your skills assessment was just for your visa, and doesn't mean anything once you get to Australia?  You'll have to do some extra training in Australia to get your full licence, and in the meantime, you can't work as an electrician in your own right.  So make sure you budget for the fact that you'll be working for apprentice wages for several months (possibly up to a year). Another reason to look at places where house prices are lower, to give you more in hand.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Marisawright

[Harty]

6 hours ago, Loopylu said:

Just wondering if you realise that you will need to get an OTSR (Overseas Technical Skills Record) before you can get a provisional licence to work as an electrician in Australia. 

Under the provisional licence you then have to undertake on the job training to cover any skills gaps before you get a full licence.

Without the licence you will only be able to work under the supervision of another licensed electrician.  From what I have read in the past on PIO, this has come as a shock to some UK trained electricians who have relocated here and they have ended up in low paid electrician's mate jobs until they jump through the licensing hoops.

Good luck with the move.  I'm based in Brisbane and have never visited Perth but can confirm that Brisbane is very live-able (but I would much prefer being in the UK!).

Hi

Yeah I have my OTSR, you have to do the skills assessment in order to lodge your PR Visa 

Oh really, how long have you been in Brisbane? Why would you prefer to be in the uk

[calNgary]

I dont know how Perth is doing after Covid but Brisbane is ticking along fine and development is blooming in some area so maybe a good time for job hunting. Brisbane is also fantastic for families and you will never be short of finding somewhere different to visit or a different thing do each weekend. 

 Cal x

[Marisawright]

2 hours ago, Harty said:

Oh really, how long have you been in Brisbane? Why would you prefer to be in the uk

There are lots of reasons why people prefer the UK.   Australia is just as foreign a country as France or Spain, even though we speak English.  We have a different way of life, a different culture, a different sense of humour, and they may not suit you.  For some people, who come to Australia expecting a "laidback lifestyle", they're disillusioned when they face the same BS at work with the same long hours, and still can't afford a house at the beach ("same sh!t, shinier shovel" gets mentioned a lot).  Browse around the forums and you'll find plenty of people explaining why they want to go home or decided to go home.   

Of course, there are many people who migrate to Australia and love it, too (like me).  So much depends on what your expectations are, I think.  I prefer living in Australia but I would never, ever say Australia is "better" than the UK.  It's just different.  Australia suits me better, but the UK suits other people better.  Every country has its good and bad points and if you put them on the scales, Australia and the UK work out about even.

I would just say that if either of you is very close to your family, think very carefully before migrating.  Missing family is probably the biggest reasons why migrants go home. 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Marisawright

[ali]

1 hour ago, calNgary said:

I dont know how Perth is doing after Covid but Brisbane is ticking along fine and development is blooming in some area so maybe a good time for job hunting. Brisbane is also fantastic for families and you will never be short of finding somewhere different to visit or a different thing do each weekend. 

 Cal x

Due to our hard borders, we did very well during the pandemic.

[Harty]

6 hours ago, calNgary said:

I dont know how Perth is doing after Covid but Brisbane is ticking along fine and development is blooming in some area so maybe a good time for job hunting. Brisbane is also fantastic for families and you will never be short of finding somewhere different to visit or a different thing do each weekend. 

 Cal x

That's great to hear, Australia have handled things very well imo

 

How long have you been in Brisbane?

I love the location of Brisbane there just seems so much more to do there than Perth,  I do however love the look of the west coast, albeit there will be alot more travelling involved 

 

 

[Harty]

4 hours ago, Marisawright said:

There are lots of reasons why people prefer the UK.   Australia is just as foreign a country as France or Spain, even though we speak English.  We have a different way of life, a different culture, a different sense of humour, and they may not suit you.  For some people, who come to Australia expecting a "laidback lifestyle", they're disillusioned when they face the same BS at work with the same long hours, and still can't afford a house at the beach ("same sh!t, shinier shovel" gets mentioned a lot).  Browse around the forums and you'll find plenty of people explaining why they want to go home or decided to go home.   

Of course, there are many people who migrate to Australia and love it, too (like me).  So much depends on what your expectations are, I think.  I prefer living in Australia but I would never, ever say Australia is "better" than the UK.  It's just different.  Australia suits me better, but the UK suits other people better.  Every country has its good and bad points and if you put them on the scales, Australia and the UK work out about even.

I would just say that if either of you is very close to your family, think very carefully before migrating.  Missing family is probably the biggest reasons why migrants go home. 

I would put alot of that down to lack of research and having the wrong expectations maybe?

I'm not expecting it to be easy and I will go with an open mind and embrace the change

There are some things I like about the uk but they are few and far between

[Marisawright]

3 hours ago, Harty said:

I would put alot of that down to lack of research and having the wrong expectations maybe?

I'm not expecting it to be easy and I will go with an open mind and embrace the change

There are some things I like about the uk but they are few and far between

You may be like me, I always felt like a square peg in a round hole in the UK even though I was born there, and once i got to Australia it just felt right.

The problem with research is that it only tells you the facts. It doesn't tell you the "feel" of the place. The migrants who are most deeply unhappy are the ones that say they just "don't feel at home".   I had a similar experience a few years ago when we tried retiring back to England (I've been in Australia for over 30 years).  I didn't mind the weather because I don't handle heat well,  and there were lots of good things about the place, but I didn't "feel at home".  It was a relief to get back to Australia and feel like I "belonged" again. 

Then there was the loneliness. Most people establish their friendship circles at school, college or their early adult years, so by the time they're in their 30's or older, they've got a routine sorted and there's not much room to let outsiders into the circle.  So people are friendly on the surface but it can take a long time - years - to find real friendship.  That applies in Australia as much as the UK.  If you're prepared for it you can work through those lonely years and it will turn out fine, but a lot of migrants come to Australia with the perception that Aussies are friendly and they'll be flooded with invitations to barbies, and then get a shock when they discover a lot of Aussies don't even know their neighbours (just like in any big city suburb).

I know I'm sounding negative here but I don't mean to put you off.  It's just that the more prepared you are for the negatives as well as the positives, the better you'll adapt. 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Marisawright

[Red Rose]

Going off topic, but Newcastle is a great city! I'd take it over Perth, near the Hunter, less than 3 hours to Sydney, great city for families, nice wide open streets and sense of space. Can't comment on job market there though. 

[Loopylu]

11 hours ago, Harty said:

Hi

Yeah I have my OTSR, you have to do the skills assessment in order to lodge your PR Visa 

Oh really, how long have you been in Brisbane? Why would you prefer to be in the uk

I have lived in Brisbane for 12 years.  As I am married to a Brisbane native I visited Brisbane 4 times over a period of 10 years so I knew what I was letting myself in for in terms of lifestyle.  My husband was quite homesick and did 15 years in the UK and so we relocated with the children (then aged 2 x 7 and 1 x 3) when I saw that there were a number of top tier law firms in Brisbane looking to recruit an energy lawyer.  I was sponsored over and our relocation costs were paid.  It was 2007 when we started the process and as we left the UK the 2008 recession was starting and the prospects in Australia seemed better.

I would prefer to be in the UK because it's where I belong. I won't go into the detail  but, like the indigenous peoples of Australia, I have an attachment to country.  When I see pictures of the UK I actually feel a tightening in my chest and physical pain. When I visit the UK I feel like a weight has been lifted off me and I can breathe freely again. I also miss my family a lot. This has been greatly exacerbated by Covid-19.  My parents usually visit every 12 -18 months for 4 - 6 weeks at a time but were not allowed to come here this year due to the border closures.  I have not seen them since 3 January 2019.  I am also not allowed to go there unless they are dying and it takes several weeks for an application to get a pass out to be approved.  It's looking like 2022 now before we can be reunited.  As they are in their late 70s there may not be much more time for me to spend with them....

The travel restrictions are a fundamental breach of key human rights laws around freedom to cross borders but Australian politicians have little regard for human rights and there is no bill of rights or federal human rights laws in this country (ask the asylum seekers who have been locked up in Pacific Island concentration camps for 7 years).  Qld recently introduced a human rights act but it is a toothless tiger and only really deals with how State institutions might affect your human rights.

A lot of British people fit in just fine here.  I hope for your sake you and your family fall into this category.

All the best.

[calNgary]

5 hours ago, Harty said:

That's great to hear, Australia have handled things very well imo

 

How long have you been in Brisbane?

I love the location of Brisbane there just seems so much more to do there than Perth,  I do however love the look of the west coast, albeit there will be alot more travelling involved 

 

 

We have been here 14 years. Before we left the UK we said if things didnt work out we would give Perth a shot but we settled well in Brisbane and due too having so many places to see we haven't yet got around to visiting WA.

 Cal x

[Dusty Plains]

6 hours ago, Harty said:

That's great to hear, Australia have handled things very well imo

 

How long have you been in Brisbane?

I love the location of Brisbane there just seems so much more to do there than Perth,  I do however love the look of the west coast, albeit there will be alot more travelling involved 

 

 

Perth is not the only viable place to live in WA. Brisbane and Newcastle are great places as the other posters have suggested, but I note you "love the look of the west coast"  I do as well and when you go there its far better than you imagined.  I am in Sydney and I have been a constant visitor to the South West for a number of years, visiting family there. I would move there in a heartbeat, if I had the opportunity, as I also have family here as well. There are also posters here on PIO who live in that area, or visit the area as well.

Have a look at The South West" its an amazing lifestyle especially for young families. Check out the coastal towns such as Busselton, Dunsborough, Augusta and as far inland as Margaret River.  Its 3 hours drive south from Perth and the towns are what I would refer to as boom towns. There is the possibility in the near future that domestic flights will commence between Melbourne and Busselton.   

I highly recommend the WA's  South West coast. 

In the meantime here is an image of Meelup Beach near Dunsborough, WA:  

   

Edited November 25, 2020 by Dusty Plains

[Marisawright]

6 hours ago, Dusty Plains said:

Have a look at The South West" its an amazing lifestyle especially for young families. Check out the coastal towns such as Busselton, Dunsborough, Augusta and as far inland as Margaret River.  Its 3 hours drive south from Perth and the towns are what I would refer to as boom towns. There is the possibility in the near future that domestic flights will commence between Melbourne and Busselton.   

I agree, lovely areas, but the same caveat applies as for Perth.  If for some reason they don't like the area, it's a heck of an expense to move East.   Whereas if they're open to living in a smaller city like the ones mentioned, they would have a huge range of choices on the Eastern seaboard.