Very beginning

[Paul1Perth]

On 22/03/2021 at 05:19, Moobear said:

Thanks for your reply. We have definitely considered trying to get our licenses before we move but due to covid no one is allowed to take lessons and even when things open up again the instructors and test facilities will be fully booked with people who were booked in before our lockdowns. I have read that there is a lack of public transport in more rural areas. Is it crazy to think that we could survive for a while without driving and take our lessons and tests out there? 

Depends where you go but you could easily do it in Perth. 

We live about 30km North, walking distance to a glorious beach in a nice suburb, good schools for all ages an easy bike ride away. Our kids always went on their bikes. Public transport is good, busses tend to run between train stations, through suburbs and back to another train station. The trains go down the centre of the freeway, North and South and are regular and cheap.

If your hubby is an electrician there's certainly plenty of work. Not having a driving licence would be a huge detriment though. Most electricians have to carry tools to the job. There are great tax breaks however. My eldest is a sparkie, had an XR6 turbo ute for about 3 years and claimed everything to do with the ute on tax. Cost him next to nothing to own and run. As long as you can carry your tools in the ute you're laughing.

Fly in Fly out work is another option, currently what my son is doing on oil and gas rigs up North. Briliant money but a job for single people I reckon. His swin is 3 weeks on 3 weeks off, which he likes but I know a lot of people who've tried it married and it's a strain on the relationship.

[Paul1Perth]

On 22/03/2021 at 06:08, rammygirl said:

Living within walking distance to a beach will mean a small town or millions of dollars. Small town means less facilities not like UK some are more like hamlets or small villages. Have a good look on google earth and realestate.com.au.

I live in the Adelaide hills, we can get 40 plus days in the summer (dry heat) and frost in the winter. There are lots of small vibrant towns up here and it is very touristy but no Uber allowed up here.  Being able to drive will make a huge difference.

Not necessarily. You can still get a 3x1 or townhouse in our suburb for 5 to 6 hundred thousand. Move further up the coast and you could get a 4x2 on a decent sized plot, in a new suburb for the same. You'd be further from the City but that's not a problem for a lot of people. Long time since we went into Perth for anything. Joondalup is only about 20 mins away on public transport, that has everything you could possibly want.

[MacGyver]

Just another point - you may find living over here that you dont care about the beach as much as you thought you would. Some people live on the beach and go almost every day (like Paul above), whereas others only go occasionally and it doesnt feature in their lives. I currently live a 10 minute walk/few minutes drive from the beach and through the whole of summer I went to the beach zero times. It's still nice to walk/jog past, but so are rivers and lakes, so its worth keeping an open mind and renting for a while when you arrive, to see what day to life is really like for you and whether you need a beachside price tage for your home. 

[Canada2Australia]

16 hours ago, newjez said:

My wife had to do the written test to get her Australian license from her UK license. But that was twenty years ago.

I don't think they are as stringent anymore, unless Canada and Australia have some sort of side agreement regarding driving licences that I'm not aware of. I swapped mine over 5 years ago, and I don't believe anything has changed much since then.

[Marisawright]

19 minutes ago, Canada2Australia said:

I don't think they are as stringent anymore, unless Canada and Australia have some sort of side agreement regarding driving licences that I'm not aware of. I swapped mine over 5 years ago, and I don't believe anything has changed much since then.

Every state has their own rules.

[Tulip1]

I have family who moved to Perth and Melbourne and it was just a straight license swop, nothing else needed. 

[Jon the Hat]

6 hours ago, MacGyver said:

Just another point - you may find living over here that you dont care about the beach as much as you thought you would. Some people live on the beach and go almost every day (like Paul above), whereas others only go occasionally and it doesnt feature in their lives. I currently live a 10 minute walk/few minutes drive from the beach and through the whole of summer I went to the beach zero times. It's still nice to walk/jog past, but so are rivers and lakes, so its worth keeping an open mind and renting for a while when you arrive, to see what day to life is really like for you and whether you need a beachside price tage for your home. 

I can see the appeal of a sea view or river view, but I am with you a bit that going to beach daily is probably not top of my list.

[palaceboy1]

We moved over in November and have been to the beach zero on our own however we do go to Little Nippers life savers

with the grandees at Mullaloo on Sunday mornings

[Lavers]

On 22/03/2021 at 08:38, rammygirl said:

Living within walking distance to a beach will mean a small town or millions of dollars. Small town means less facilities not like UK some are more like hamlets or small villages. Have a good look on google earth and realestate.com.au.

I live in the Adelaide hills, we can get 40 plus days in the summer (dry heat) and frost in the winter. There are lots of small vibrant towns up here and it is very touristy but no Uber allowed up here.  Being able to drive will make a huge difference.

How come uber aren't allowed up into the hills?

[Lavers]

On 22/03/2021 at 01:47, Moobear said:

Hi everyone,

My family and I are in the very beginning of our process (covid has of course put a pause on it) we know we want to come over using a 189 visa. However we don’t know exactly where in Australia we want to go and would love some advice from those in the know. We have two kids (8 and 2) and them attending good schools is a MUST for us. My partner is an electrician and neither of us drive so would need to be somewhere there are local or commutable work opportunities. We would also love to be walking distance to the beach as we live in a coastal town now and our favourite thing to do is walk to the beach. 
Thanks for reading  

You could also look at a 190 visa, you will need really high points to get a 189 visa.

We came to Adelaide last June (me,wife and 2 girls 9 & 4). We all love it and especially the kids which is the main thing. Loads to see and do if you enjoy the outdoors.

Gone are the 5 months winter haha

[rammygirl]

2 hours ago, Lavers said:

How come uber aren't allowed up into the hills?

Politics and vested interests. You can Uber up but not down. Pick ups not allowed. Mind you they used to operate up here but so few they were hard to get. Taxis aren’t that great either between the towns and wineries. Expensive and elusive!

[AliG]

On 22/03/2021 at 10:28, newjez said:

Aren't all electric cars automatic?

Not sure about hybrids.

Not really sure what you are getting? Why does it matter whether all electric cars are auto? 

The point I was making was that if the original poster does decide to pass their test in UK then they will have a choice to learn both manual/auto transmission (which is what most people do in the uk), or to just learn auto (which is probably all they will need in Australia). 

[calNgary]

6 hours ago, AliG said:

Not really sure what you are getting? Why does it matter whether all electric cars are auto? 

The point I was making was that if the original poster does decide to pass their test in UK then they will have a choice to learn both manual/auto transmission (which is what most people do in the uk), or to just learn auto (which is probably all they will need in Australia). 

I actually think an Electrician may really struggle getting work if he doesn't have a licence or only has an Auto one. Lots of electricians drive vans, the majority of which are manual. 

 Cal x

[Marisawright]

31 minutes ago, calNgary said:

I actually think an Electrician may really struggle getting work if he doesn't have a licence or only has an Auto one. Lots of electricians drive vans, the majority of which are manual. 

 Cal x

Are they really, even in Australia? Manual cars are do extremely rare 

[calNgary]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

Are they really, even in Australia? Manual cars are do extremely rare 

Yes, Auto cars are probably more popular although i wouldn't say Manual are rare.. You only need to look at job ad's to see how many require an Open Manual Licence. Its definately something the OP needs to bear in mind if its going to narrow to his work opportunities.

 Cal x

[calNgary]

Just now, calNgary said:

Yes, Auto cars are probably more popular although i wouldn't say Manual are rare.. You only need to look at job ad's to see how many require an Open Manual Licence. Its definately something the OP needs to bear in mind if its going to narrow to his work opportunities. 

 Cal x

 

[Marisawright]

55 minutes ago, calNgary said:

Yes, Auto cars are probably more popular although i wouldn't say Manual are rare.. You only need to look at job ad's to see how many require an Open Manual Licence. Its definately something the OP needs to bear in mind if its going to narrow to his work opportunities.

 Cal x

Funnily enough we’ve been out car shopping in the last few weeks and when we’ve said, “we want an automatic”, the reaction from the salesmen is, “of course , I can’t remember the last time anyone asked for a manual”. 

My friend is selling her manual car and although used cars are in hot demand in Melbourne, she’s getting no takers.

Not doubting that you’re right, just surprised it’s so different 

[calNgary]

17 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Funnily enough we’ve been out car shopping in the last few weeks and when we’ve said, “we want an automatic”, the reaction from the salesmen is, “of course , I can’t remember the last time anyone asked for a manual”. 

My friend is selling her manual car and although used cars are in hot demand in Melbourne, she’s getting no takers.

Not doubting that you’re right, just surprised it’s so different 

Its different here,, but could well be why my car was a lot cheaper in Adelaide when i bought it all those years ago, so was worth the road trip to pick it up. Manuals are more expensive here i have found  (ive been looking for a fair few months now for a new 2nd hand one). 

My daughter just passed her test along with quite a lot of the kids in her year, only 2 have done Auto licences and that was because their parents have auto cars so dont have access to a manual for their hours, everyone else has done manual. 

Ultimately it may all depend on where the OP settles but if doing a test in the UK prior to moving ( as suggested above) and still unsure on where to go once here ,i wouldnt be gambling with an Auto licence.

  Cal x

[Paul1Perth]

17 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

I can see the appeal of a sea view or river view, but I am with you a bit that going to beach daily is probably not top of my list.

I go every day, sometimes multiple times. Been this morning already, surf ski paddle for about 6km, 6 of us this morning, lots more retirees swimming. Coffee and chat for a while. Going back down at 11:30 for a run/swim with another friend.

It was either that or a run round Craigie bushland and a pool swim at craigie leisure centre. The beach is free.

[Paul1Perth]

16 hours ago, palaceboy1 said:

We moved over in November and have been to the beach zero on our own however we do go to Little Nippers life savers

with the grandees at Mullaloo on Sunday mornings

I suppose both me and the wife knew we would use the beach a lot if we lived near one. It was a priority for us to be in walking distance too, for when rellies came, means they aren't hanging around waiting for lifts.

We had lots of holidays when we were younger, before kids and knew we both loved warm to hot weather and the beach lifestyle. We had our honeymoon in Corfu and we'd been there and Crete a few times before. We had a timeshare for years in the Algarve, 5 mins walk to the beach there, wasn't unusual for us to be on the beach all day, take a book or two, go for several swims and walks or runs. 

My wife insisted on going to see some ruins once in Crete. 40 degrees, not a breath of wind, walking around looking at centuries old pots with other tourists just didn't do anything for me. Couldn't wait to get back to the beach for a nice cooling swim.

I suppose me coming from Chesterfield and my wife near Stockport the beach and ocean were something you'd get on holiday, once a year, as kids. It was probably only Skegness or Blackpool then but I only remember always enjoying it.

If you're brought up near the ocean, don't like the beach, aren't comfortable swimming in the ocean then fair enough not to bother going. Don't know what I'd do to fill in time though, daytime TV is pretty crap and I don't like shopping. I play golf quite a bit now, that's OK for a change and quite cheap.

[Paul1Perth]

3 hours ago, calNgary said:

I actually think an Electrician may really struggle getting work if he doesn't have a licence or only has an Auto one. Lots of electricians drive vans, the majority of which are manual. 

 Cal x

I think most drive automatic utes and vans. My sons been a sparkie for years, a few of his friends are tradies and they just about all had XR6 turbo or V8 utes, all automatic.

Great tax breaks.

[Lavers]

10 hours ago, AliG said:

Not really sure what you are getting? Why does it matter whether all electric cars are auto? 

The point I was making was that if the original poster does decide to pass their test in UK then they will have a choice to learn both manual/auto transmission (which is what most people do in the uk), or to just learn auto (which is probably all they will need in Australia). 

I thought that if you pass your test in a manual car then you are allowed to drive an automatic aswell. Although if you pass your test in an automatic then you aren't allowed to drive a manual.

[newjez]

10 hours ago, AliG said:

Not really sure what you are getting? Why does it matter whether all electric cars are auto? 

The point I was making was that if the original poster does decide to pass their test in UK then they will have a choice to learn both manual/auto transmission (which is what most people do in the uk), or to just learn auto (which is probably all they will need in Australia). 

Because over the next ten years most cars will be electric or hybrid, which means if they are auto, then a manual license will become increasingly redundant.

[Marisawright]

40 minutes ago, Paul1Perth said:

If you're brought up near the ocean, don't like the beach, aren't comfortable swimming in the ocean then fair enough not to bother going. Don't know what I'd do to fill in time though, daytime TV is pretty crap and I don't like shopping. I play golf quite a bit now, that's OK for a change and quite cheap.

I go for a walk every morning, which can extend to two or three hours if I stop for a coffee or lunch, especially if I'm with friends.  Pre-Covid, I'd go to a social dance one or two afternoons a week. Then there's dance classes, playing my piano, painting, and my U3a activities. No decent beaches in Melbourne but I doubt I'd have time to go even if there were.

[Marisawright]

13 minutes ago, Lavers said:

I thought that if you pass your test in a manual car then you are allowed to drive an automatic aswell. Although if you pass your test in an automatic then you aren't allowed to drive a manual.

Yes, you're right. The point is that in most of Australia, the great majority of people drive automatics so most used cars are automatic.  Therefore there's no real need to learn how to drive a manual, which is slightly more difficult.   I've been here over thirty years, have never owned a manual and can think of only two friends who had one.

However Calngary has said that a lot of vans are manual, so if someone's job is likely to require driving a van, then learning on a manual would be wise.