Rob Frain Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 So we finally arrive on 23rd August - just in time as we got the visa on 8th September. We'll be living with friends in Secret Harbour WA for a few weeks and then hopefully renting. We still havent got jobs as teachers but have had some interest. Still applying for our Teacher Registrations....this seems to be taking ages now so Im glad i did it fro the UK! Movecube leaving here in May, but may delay this to July when we finish in our Uk schools. Starting to get exciting.... 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenP Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 Amazing Rob! we are just a little bit behind you as we plan to activate our visa in November when we come over for 3 weeks on a fact finding mission. We are staying in Edgewater. Looking to permanently relocate to Tapping or Ellenbrook depending on what are we prefer and houses prices etc... It would be amazing to hear your journey. My wife is a mental health nurse and I work in Aviation as a safety manager so will be trying to meet potential employers in November. Our expected move date in June/July 2025 or less the right job comes up sooner. I share your excitement and good luck . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Frain Posted April 8 Author Share Posted April 8 We have temporarily delayed the Movecube. We have so much stuff. Some people say bring everything you can some people say bring hardly anything and sell it. Selling is a struggle and Facebook marketplace/ Vinted/ eBay is a nightmare! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyMonday Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 8 hours ago, Rob Frain said: We have temporarily delayed the Movecube. We have so much stuff. Some people say bring everything you can some people say bring hardly anything and sell it. Selling is a struggle and Facebook marketplace/ Vinted/ eBay is a nightmare! I'm going to try and just bring two big suitcases with me, I get 2 x 32kg on the flights I'm looking at. I'm going to try and put everything else in the garage of my house while I rent it out. I've been trying to get rid of stuff and giving things away to charity but it's really hard. I did try ebay and vinted as well but it's such a hassle I'd rather just give things away for free. If you don't need the extra cash and have some to spare to buy furniture there then it might be better just to give it to the BHF etc, they'll come and pick larger stuff up for you. I'm torn because I've just been offered a job in a rural place in northern Queensland and rentals are few and far between and what little there is are unfurnished and I had been hoping to get a furnished place. I'll get free local accommodation for the first 3 months then I'm on my own. It's not like my sofas etc now are high value/special though so I'm pretty sure if I just buy them in Aus it will be less than the cost of shipping my stuff. I'm assuming you've booked your flights so your date is definite. I was right behind you so I've got until the 20th September. I've rechecked a few times just to make sure the visa is still active with the same "must arrive before" date. I don't actually have a passport atm since I've had to send mine off to get a new one. I'm really hoping nothing goes wrong and I can just attach the visa to the new one, it looks like it should just take a couple days and be automated. It seems like I'm running out of time now but I still feel like I have loads to do. Now that I've agreed to a job it feels more real and I'm getting a bit jittery 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 1 hour ago, RubyMonday said: I'm going to try and just bring two big suitcases with me, I get 2 x 32kg on the flights I'm looking at. I'm going to try and put everything else in the garage of my house while I rent it out. I've been trying to get rid of stuff and giving things away to charity but it's really hard. I did try ebay and vinted as well but it's such a hassle I'd rather just give things away for free. If you don't need the extra cash and have some to spare to buy furniture there then it might be better just to give it to the BHF etc, they'll come and pick larger stuff up for you. I'm torn because I've just been offered a job in a rural place in northern Queensland and rentals are few and far between and what little there is are unfurnished and I had been hoping to get a furnished place. I'll get free local accommodation for the first 3 months then I'm on my own. It's not like my sofas etc now are high value/special though so I'm pretty sure if I just buy them in Aus it will be less than the cost of shipping my stuff. I'm assuming you've booked your flights so your date is definite. I was right behind you so I've got until the 20th September. I've rechecked a few times just to make sure the visa is still active with the same "must arrive before" date. I don't actually have a passport atm since I've had to send mine off to get a new one. I'm really hoping nothing goes wrong and I can just attach the visa to the new one, it looks like it should just take a couple days and be automated. It seems like I'm running out of time now but I still feel like I have loads to do. Now that I've agreed to a job it feels more real and I'm getting a bit jittery There are plenty of op shops and you'll often find Buy Nothing groups who will give you a hand until you can get stuff you like. Furnished places aren't that common for rent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyMonday Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 9 minutes ago, Quoll said: There are plenty of op shops and you'll often find Buy Nothing groups who will give you a hand until you can get stuff you like. Furnished places aren't that common for rent. It's been about 6 years since I've rented so I'll probably just be lucky to get any rental at all. It's a small town but has a couple furniture shops and looks like it has a few op shops as well. At least I'll have the three months to decide if I like it enough to stay at least a year then I'll know it's worth getting better quality stuff to last longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 7 hours ago, RubyMonday said: It's been about 6 years since I've rented so I'll probably just be lucky to get any rental at all. It's a small town but has a couple furniture shops and looks like it has a few op shops as well. At least I'll have the three months to decide if I like it enough to stay at least a year then I'll know it's worth getting better quality stuff to last longer. And check out FB for a Buy Nothing group for the town too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavers Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 On 08/04/2024 at 19:05, Rob Frain said: We have temporarily delayed the Movecube. We have so much stuff. Some people say bring everything you can some people say bring hardly anything and sell it. Selling is a struggle and Facebook marketplace/ Vinted/ eBay is a nightmare! If your furniture is decent then it’s worth bringing, if it’s tired and ready to be replaced then don’t. Have a look on Harvey Norman so you can get an idea of how much things are. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 (edited) On 08/04/2024 at 19:35, Rob Frain said: We have temporarily delayed the Movecube. We have so much stuff. Some people say bring everything you can some people say bring hardly anything and sell it. That's because different solutions suit different situations. The easiest option is "bring hardly anything" but it will cost you by far the most, in the long run. As you're discovering, you'll get peanuts for your existing stuff, and you'll have to replace all of it in Australia. In the short term, you can keep the cost of replacement down by buying second-hand, but in the long run, you'll give the second-hand stuff away and buy 'proper' furniture, so overall, you'll end up shelling out more As Lavers says, sit down and do a pretend shop at Harveynorman.com.au. Don't just browse, actually choose what you would need to buy and "Add to Cart", then when you're done, go and look at the total. That will put the cost of shipping into proportion and help you decide if it's worth it. If you're going to be in a major city, and you're happy with IKEA, then you could do the same on their Australian website -- but do check that there's a branch in the city you're going to, as they're not everywhere by any means. Have you had a quote for a shared container and compared it to Movecube? Movecube used to be a great option but the prices have gone up a lot recently. Of course, the big downside of shipping everything is the waiting time. There's not much point in shipping, if you end up having to buy new furniture anyway because the container hasn't arrived. If you can borrow furniture from friends and family in the UK, then you're sorted -- get an estimate of how long the container will take, and ship early, so you won't have so long to wait at the other end. Having said that, it's worth noting that furniture stores here (except IKEA) don't keep stock. Buy a sofa from Harvey Norman and you'll have to wait 6 to 8 weeks for it to arrive. So leaving everything behind because you'll be able to furnish your new home quicker here, isn't necessarily true. Edited April 9 by Marisawright 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 (edited) On 09/04/2024 at 06:33, Quoll said: There are plenty of op shops Do op shops (charity shops) in Canberra do furniture? Most of the ones in Sydney didn't when I lived there and there's only a couple in Melbourne that I know of. They can't afford the rental so their shops are generally too small. Second-hand furniture shops are unknown in both cities, unless they're high-priced retro. Edited April 9 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 20 minutes ago, Marisawright said: Do op shops (charity shops) in Canberra do furniture? Most of the ones in Sydney didn't when I lived there and there's only a couple in Melbourne that I know of. They can't afford the rental so their shops are generally too small. Second-hand furniture shops are unknown in both cities, unless they're high-priced retro. There used to be a large op shop at Broadway (Sydney) which had furniture. My two sons acquired quite a few good bits and pieces from there when they moved out of home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 9 hours ago, Marisawright said: Do op shops (charity shops) in Canberra do furniture? Most of the ones in Sydney didn't when I lived there and there's only a couple in Melbourne that I know of. They can't afford the rental so their shops are generally too small. Second-hand furniture shops are unknown in both cities, unless they're high-priced retro. Some of them out at Fyshwick do. But there's a lot on the local buy nothing pages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Frain Posted April 13 Author Share Posted April 13 We have changed our Movecube date to 2nd August - and then leave the UK 19th August. Airbeds for two weeks(!) We have put a deposit down however I can see us changing providers just to something a bit bigger. Quotes inbound shortly. Im assuming we'llbe a shared container. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 13 Share Posted April 13 9 hours ago, Rob Frain said: Airbeds for two weeks(!) Actually, beds are the one thing I wouldn't be taking. They cost a lot to ship compared to what they're worth. Also, mattresses, sheets etc are not the same size in Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavers Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 On 13/04/2024 at 22:38, Rob Frain said: We have changed our Movecube date to 2nd August - and then leave the UK 19th August. Airbeds for two weeks(!) We have put a deposit down however I can see us changing providers just to something a bit bigger. Quotes inbound shortly. Im assuming we'llbe a shared container. What accommodation are you getting when you arrive in Aus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Frain Posted April 19 Author Share Posted April 19 14 hours ago, Lavers said: What accommodation are you getting when you arrive in Aus? We'll be staying with friends for a while until we get a rental. We're renting in the UK now so its been difficult to save up with two young kids! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 On 10/04/2024 at 08:06, Marisawright said: That's because different solutions suit different situations. The easiest option is "bring hardly anything" but it will cost you by far the most, in the long run. As you're discovering, you'll get peanuts for your existing stuff, and you'll have to replace all of it in Australia. In the short term, you can keep the cost of replacement down by buying second-hand, but in the long run, you'll give the second-hand stuff away and buy 'proper' furniture, so overall, you'll end up shelling out more As Lavers says, sit down and do a pretend shop at Harveynorman.com.au. Don't just browse, actually choose what you would need to buy and "Add to Cart", then when you're done, go and look at the total. That will put the cost of shipping into proportion and help you decide if it's worth it. If you're going to be in a major city, and you're happy with IKEA, then you could do the same on their Australian website -- but do check that there's a branch in the city you're going to, as they're not everywhere by any means. Have you had a quote for a shared container and compared it to Movecube? Movecube used to be a great option but the prices have gone up a lot recently. Of course, the big downside of shipping everything is the waiting time. There's not much point in shipping, if you end up having to buy new furniture anyway because the container hasn't arrived. If you can borrow furniture from friends and family in the UK, then you're sorted -- get an estimate of how long the container will take, and ship early, so you won't have so long to wait at the other end. Having said that, it's worth noting that furniture stores here (except IKEA) don't keep stock. Buy a sofa from Harvey Norman and you'll have to wait 6 to 8 weeks for it to arrive. So leaving everything behind because you'll be able to furnish your new home quicker here, isn't necessarily true. Harvey Norman is expensive for furniture though. Good but overpriced imho. Ok for electrical bits though. Depends what you have now. It can be worth collapsing flat pack stuff to save space. We did end up buying floorstock sofa as we couldn’t wait 8 weeks for delivery, you can get a bargain that way but takes a lot of traipsing round stores. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 On 10/04/2024 at 08:36, Marisawright said: That's because different solutions suit different situations. The easiest option is "bring hardly anything" but it will cost you by far the most, in the long run. As you're discovering, you'll get peanuts for your existing stuff, and you'll have to replace all of it in Australia. In the short term, you can keep the cost of replacement down by buying second-hand, but in the long run, you'll give the second-hand stuff away and buy 'proper' furniture, so overall, you'll end up shelling out more As Lavers says, sit down and do a pretend shop at Harveynorman.com.au. Don't just browse, actually choose what you would need to buy and "Add to Cart", then when you're done, go and look at the total. That will put the cost of shipping into proportion and help you decide if it's worth it. If you're going to be in a major city, and you're happy with IKEA, then you could do the same on their Australian website -- but do check that there's a branch in the city you're going to, as they're not everywhere by any means. Have you had a quote for a shared container and compared it to Movecube? Movecube used to be a great option but the prices have gone up a lot recently. Of course, the big downside of shipping everything is the waiting time. There's not much point in shipping, if you end up having to buy new furniture anyway because the container hasn't arrived. If you can borrow furniture from friends and family in the UK, then you're sorted -- get an estimate of how long the container will take, and ship early, so you won't have so long to wait at the other end. Having said that, it's worth noting that furniture stores here (except IKEA) don't keep stock. Buy a sofa from Harvey Norman and you'll have to wait 6 to 8 weeks for it to arrive. So leaving everything behind because you'll be able to furnish your new home quicker here, isn't necessarily true. Wait for furniture is more likely to be 3 month's, as quoted for our recent purchases from both Harvey Norman and Nik Scalli. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Kash Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 5 hours ago, ramot said: Wait for furniture is more likely to be 3 month's, as quoted for our recent purchases from both Harvey Norman and Nik Scalli. Harvey Norman Outlets can have some decent floor stock with no wait time - its all stuff that people have returned or might have a small mark on it etc. Another thing we did on arrival which works if youre prepared to rough it for a bit - buy camping chairs, tables, swags etc. and basically camp out in the house until your container arrives or you're furniture arrives. That sort stuff is going to be useful anyway, unless you're like my wife and just don't do camping - in which case just punt it on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 2 hours ago, Johnny Kash said: Harvey Norman Outlets can have some decent floor stock with no wait time - its all stuff that people have returned or might have a small mark on it etc. However do check whether there is an outlet in the city you're moving to... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavers Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 On 20/04/2024 at 00:20, Rob Frain said: We'll be staying with friends for a while until we get a rental. We're renting in the UK now so its been difficult to save up with two young kids! All good if staying with friends, just wondering how long you’d be without furniture in Aus 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BendigoBoy Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 On 20/04/2024 at 18:12, Marisawright said: However do check whether there is an outlet in the city you're moving to... And if it has been set alight in the last few days or not. Wondered what all the sirens were on Sunday in Bendigo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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