For what reason/s did you come home?

[Guest Guest31881]

Hi, I can only say you have to try it. Don't be put off by posts on here from people who haven't settled. It's obviously not for everyone.

As in most forums, the people that bother to join and post are generally people with an axe to grind or a complaint to air. Most people that have emigrated and are having a great time or don't have a problem wouldn't bother this forum by posting.

I've been lucky enough to travel around quite a bit in Oz and seen how diverse the place is. I really like Perth, where we've settled, but could have just have easily settled in Queensland or Sydney. Would have needed more money when we came to consider Sydney or Melbourne but I know that's changed over the years with Perth no longer being the cheaper option. The climate in differrent states is totally differrent, some not too different from the UK others, like Perth, have a "mediterranian" climate, for want of a better description. It's worth doing research to see where you think you would fit in best.

I notice quoll (i think) lives in Canberra. Now that is the one place I've visited that I thought if I'd gone there I would have moved to somewhere on the coast. I found it strangely like Milton Keynes. You can get away snow skiing at the weekend from there which would be good. I've never been skiing and would love to go.

One of the things which lead to our move was worrying about our childrens furure. Our youngest was 2 when we came (now 21) and we have a 15 year old Son too. They're both doing well and I feel there has been a lot more opportunity for them to do things here than there would have been in the UK.

Again, don't be put off by the negative posts in forums. You might find in a couple of years that you will be saying "we should have made the move 10 years earlier" like we did.

All the best,

Paul.

 

Have to agree with you, the vast majority of members who use PIO find that once they have settled here there is no need for them to post on PIO anymore and they fade away into the background.

 

If anyone wants to know what it is really like here then read the balanced posts that tell you the good and bad. If you only look at the posters who insist on jumping on every thread and saying how awful it is here then you are not getting a true picture of what life can offer in Australia.

 

Some people are so obsessed with painting a bleak outlook; they could turn "Happy Birthday” into a “Funeral March” if they tried. If it was such a bad place there would be people leaving in greater numbers than arriving.

[Paul1Perth]

My own reasons for wanting to come home are mostly just missing friends and family way more than I expected to. It's really like mass bereavement. People will tell you it's fine now we have skype etc., but come on, it's hardly the same is it? My next biggest reason would be education, I think British schools are much better. I also miss the shops and supermarkets. I miss the history and beautiful old towns.

 

On saying all that, moving back may prove too hard for us for various reasons. My kids and husband love it here, so I am trying to be positive about it. There are lots of things that I like about Oz- the space, the cleanliness, public transport, public facilities e.g. libraries (where they often waiver fines and CDs and DVDs are free), the fresh local produce, the wine, the lack of (comparitively to UK) beaurocracy, reduced petty crime (people often don't bother locking their bikes and somehow they don't get nicked). Hang on....why did I want to come home??:eek:

 

Funny you mentioned not locking bikes. We did a triathlon at the weekend. You have to obviously leave your bikes in the transition area but we were not allowed any bags in the transisiton area either. There was a section roped off where people left there bags till after the race.. When we had finished we went to get our bags and bikes and my friend, who's originally from Liverpool commented how he wouldn't feel happy if we had to do the same thing in the UK. He actually said something like "imagine the Liverpool triathlon, you'd come back to the transition area and there would be a load of scally's hanging around and a couple of old rusty bike frames left. Everything decent would have been nicked."

 

A couple of years ago we were sat near the beach car park and a family came down on bikes and chained them all together with massive padlocks before they went on their way. Someone with us commented "they must have just got off the boat". Funny but it was exactly what i was thinking. I'm not saying there is no crime here and you have to be careful. Perth is slowly becoming a big city and will eventually have the big city problems. It's got a lot worse than it was over the last few years but it's still not as bad as the UK.

[Guest siamsusie]

Funny you mentioned not locking bikes. We did a triathlon at the weekend. You have to obviously leave your bikes in the transition area but we were not allowed any bags in the transisiton area either. There was a section roped off where people left there bags till after the race.. When we had finished we went to get our bags and bikes and my friend, who's originally from Liverpool commented how he wouldn't feel happy if we had to do the same thing in the UK. He actually said something like "imagine the Liverpool triathlon, you'd come back to the transition area and there would be a load of scally's hanging around and a couple of old rusty bike frames left. Everything decent would have been nicked."

 

A couple of years ago we were sat near the beach car park and a family came down on bikes and chained them all together with massive padlocks before they went on their way. Someone with us commented "they must have just got off the boat". Funny but it was exactly what i was thinking. I'm not saying there is no crime here and you have to be careful. Perth is slowly becoming a big city and will eventually have the big city problems. It's got a lot worse than it was over the last few years but it's still not as bad as the UK.

What constantly amazes me are the "honesty boxes"..... found this a lot down Shannon River/ Margaret River way whilst camping.... I remember pulling up a National Park in Shannon River (WA) last year, yes an honesty box for the nights camping, loads of wood pre cut for you to use for your camp fire and your Bremar water heater... and an axe!!:wideeyed: My husband was so surprised to see the "axe" was down beside our bed that night, I was a wee bit scared ! Replaced axe the following day of course.

Most of the farm shops here in Tasmania have boxes you just take your goods and leave your money..... I just love this place.:jiggy:

[Guest SO,DIZZY]

Have to agree with you, the vast majority of members who use PIO find that once they have settled here there is no need for them to post on PIO anymore and they fade away into the background.

 

If anyone wants to know what it is really like here then read the balanced posts that tell you the good and bad. If you only look at the posters who insist on jumping on every thread and saying how awful it is here then you are not getting a true picture of what life can offer in Australia.

 

Some people are so obsessed with painting a bleak outlook; they could turn "Happy Birthday” into a “Funeral March” if they tried. If it was such a bad place there would be people leaving in greater numbers than arriving.

 

 

Actually according to recent figures there is 175,000 more people leave Australia than arrive each year...

[Guest SO,DIZZY]

Funny you mentioned not locking bikes. We did a triathlon at the weekend. You have to obviously leave your bikes in the transition area but we were not allowed any bags in the transisiton area either. There was a section roped off where people left there bags till after the race.. When we had finished we went to get our bags and bikes and my friend, who's originally from Liverpool commented how he wouldn't feel happy if we had to do the same thing in the UK. He actually said something like "imagine the Liverpool triathlon, you'd come back to the transition area and there would be a load of scally's hanging around and a couple of old rusty bike frames left. Everything decent would have been nicked."

 

A couple of years ago we were sat near the beach car park and a family came down on bikes and chained them all together with massive padlocks before they went on their way. Someone with us commented "they must have just got off the boat". Funny but it was exactly what i was thinking. I'm not saying there is no crime here and you have to be careful. Perth is slowly becoming a big city and will eventually have the big city problems. It's got a lot worse than it was over the last few years but it's still not as bad as the UK.

 

 

We were here in Melbourne 5 weeks and my son had his bike nicked from the local shops it wasnt a new bike and was only in ok shape , it gave us a rude awakening about how easy it is to fall in to a false sense of security her in Australia as you DO tend to think there is less crime here.. Also we were in lorne camping about four weeks past and during the night some pissed up local ned (who was not staying on the site) trashed the site kitchen causing quite a bit of damage.. this was a little town on the surf coast.. its all swings and round abouts if you ask me..

[missymon212]

Funny you mentioned not locking bikes. We did a triathlon at the weekend. You have to obviously leave your bikes in the transition area but we were not allowed any bags in the transisiton area either. There was a section roped off where people left there bags till after the race.. When we had finished we went to get our bags and bikes and my friend, who's originally from Liverpool commented how he wouldn't feel happy if we had to do the same thing in the UK. He actually said something like "imagine the Liverpool triathlon, you'd come back to the transition area and there would be a load of scally's hanging around and a couple of old rusty bike frames left. Everything decent would have been nicked."

 

A couple of years ago we were sat near the beach car park and a family came down on bikes and chained them all together with massive padlocks before they went on their way. Someone with us commented "they must have just got off the boat". Funny but it was exactly what i was thinking. I'm not saying there is no crime here and you have to be careful. Perth is slowly becoming a big city and will eventually have the big city problems. It's got a lot worse than it was over the last few years but it's still not as bad as the UK.

 

It's like when we were in Sydney visiting my stepson. He has a nice car, an Imprezza I think it's called. When we left the car parked beside the road at The Rocks he left his sat nav on the windscreen and camera on passenger seat. When I asked him in horror why he didn't hide them out of sight he said "Why would I need to do that? They will be fine". We walked around the busy market for a couple of hours and all the time me thinking "The sat nav is bound to be gone when we get back and the camera" but guess what? Nope they were still there. In UK someone once broke into my son's car to steal a pair of wool gloves.

 

Monica x

[Guest siamsusie]

 

Some people are so obsessed with painting a bleak outlook; they could turn "Happy Birthday” into a “Funeral March” if they tried. I

 

 

:laugh:Very true Colin.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Have to agree with you, the vast majority of members who use PIO find that once they have settled here there is no need for them to post on PIO anymore and they fade away into the background.

 

 

 

This is so true, I think out of all the PIO members we have moved over, there are only around 5 who still use the forum on a regular basis the rest are out enjoying themselves. 99% of those we have moved enjoy their life here and the 1% who did go back returned for medical reasons not because they didn't like Australia. So yes the members who post on here are a small minority. If anyone wants to hear from the families who are enjoying life over here please feel free to pm me and I can put you in touch with them.:hug:

It is a lot harder now with the exchange rate and property either not selling in the UK or spiralling in Australia and no one is going to tell you it is easy, but at the end of the day as long as you don't wear those rose tinted glasses (which I am sure non of you do) then you will be fine.

Kate:wubclub:

[Guest Guest31881]

Actually according to recent figures there is 175,000 more people leave Australia than arrive each year...

 

 

Iteresting fact, funny the immigration web site states ...

 

 

 

Of the 81,018 people who departed permanently in 2008-09, 49.1 per cent were born overseas. When compared with the 2007-08 figures (49.1 per cent) the most recent figures suggest that permanent departures among the overseas-born remain fairly steady.

 

[missymon212]

Actually according to recent figures there is 175,000 more people leave Australia than arrive each year...

 

OK, on the news last week the government stated that there are 300,000 people coming to live in Australia each year so by your reckoning there are 470,000 leaving correct? So how come by the year 2050 they reckon there are going to be 50,000,000 here in Australia?? Lots of bubs on the way then??

 

Monica:wink:

[Cerberus1]

Actually according to recent figures there is 175,000 more people leave Australia than arrive each year...

 

Not sure what this figure is based on.

 

Official Australian Government Statistics for 2008 - 2009 are:

 

Outgoing: 81,018 people left Australia permanently. (source)

 

Incoming: 171,318 visas granted (source)

 

EDIT: Too fast for me Colin:laugh:

[Guest SO,DIZZY]

Hi, I can only say you have to try it. Don't be put off by posts on here from people who haven't settled. It's obviously not for everyone.

As in most forums, the people that bother to join and post are generally people with an axe to grind or a complaint to air. Most people that have emigrated and are having a great time or don't have a problem wouldn't bother this forum by posting.

I've been lucky enough to travel around quite a bit in Oz and seen how diverse the place is. I really like Perth, where we've settled, but could have just have easily settled in Queensland or Sydney. Would have needed more money when we came to consider Sydney or Melbourne but I know that's changed over the years with Perth no longer being the cheaper option. The climate in differrent states is totally differrent, some not too different from the UK others, like Perth, have a "mediterranian" climate, for want of a better description. It's worth doing research to see where you think you would fit in best.

I notice quoll (i think) lives in Canberra. Now that is the one place I've visited that I thought if I'd gone there I would have moved to somewhere on the coast. I found it strangely like Milton Keynes. You can get away snow skiing at the weekend from there which would be good. I've never been skiing and would love to go.

One of the things which lead to our move was worrying about our childrens furure. Our youngest was 2 when we came (now 21) and we have a 15 year old Son too. They're both doing well and I feel there has been a lot more opportunity for them to do things here than there would have been in the UK.

Again, don't be put off by the negative posts in forums. You might find in a couple of years that you will be saying "we should have made the move 10 years earlier" like we did.

All the best,

Paul.

 

 

While i agree when you say dont be put of Australia is a great place..

can i also point out there is as many or even more people on PIO logged on twenty four seven who are totaly pro Australia and dont have a bad word to say about it who also post on every thread , so not sure how you work out everyone who thinks Australia is wonderfull is out enjoying themselves so much they have no time for sites like this one>>

[Guest Guest31881]

It is a lot harder now with the exchange rate and property either not selling in the UK or spiralling in Australia and no one is going to tell you it is easy, but at the end of the day as long as you don't wear those rose tinted glasses (which I am sure non of you do) then you will be fine.

Kate:wubclub:

 

I think the poor exchange rate has and will cause a lot of suffering for migrants for some time to come, but providing people come here with their eyes open and keep their expectations real, then they have a good chance of settling in to Australia. Some will not settle here and find it was not for them. That would apply to any country that you consider migrating to.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

We were here in Melbourne 5 weeks and my son had his bike nicked from the local shops it wasnt a new bike and was only in ok shape , it gave us a rude awakening about how easy it is to fall in to a false sense of security her in Australia as you DO tend to think there is less crime here.. Also we were in lorne camping about four weeks past and during the night some pissed up local ned (who was not staying on the site) trashed the site kitchen causing quite a bit of damage.. this was a little town on the surf coast.. its all swings and round abouts if you ask me..

 

You must be in a bad area:wink: Hubby and I both made a huge mistake last week, with him leaving the keys in the ignition of my holden barina and going off to bed, he didn't half get a telling off, we always leave the doors unlocked but the keys, umm:wideeyed: Although I had to apologise when two days later I left the keys in the boot with the car parked at the side of the road in my Carnival and it was still there for three days before we realised.:chatterbox:

[Guest chris955]

It was a Barina, you could have left the engine running and it would have still been there. :wink:

[Guest SO,DIZZY]

Not sure what this figure is based on.

 

Official Australian Government Statistics for 2008 - 2009 are:

 

Outgoing: 81,018 people left Australia permanently. (source)

 

Incoming: 171,318 visas granted (source)

 

EDIT: Too fast for me Colin:laugh:

 

 

These figures wee on the news three weeks ago..

They took in to account the people who have visa,s then returned home some others included in this students people who have been here temporarily.. im not sure how they could get figures about who is leaving permenantly do they ask you if your not coming back at the airport??

[Guest The Pom Queen]

It was a Barina, you could have left the engine running and it would have still been there. :wink:

 

Well I did wonder:biglaugh:

[Guest SO,DIZZY]

You must be in a bad area:wink: Hubby and I both made a huge mistake last week, with him leaving the keys in the ignition of my holden barina and going off to bed, he didn't half get a telling off, we always leave the doors unlocked but the keys, umm:wideeyed: Although I had to apologise when two days later I left the keys in the boot with the car parked at the side of the road in my Carnival and it was still there for three days before we realised.:chatterbox:

 

 

Nope I live in a realy nice area , well according to others this is a nice area Aspendale in Melbourne..

[Guest siamsusie]

While i agree when you say dont be put of Australia is a great place..

can i also point out there is as many or even more people on PIO logged on twenty four seven who are totaly pro Australia and dont have a bad word to say about it who also post on every thread , so not sure how you work out everyone who thinks Australia is wonderfull is out enjoying themselves so much they have no time for sites like this one>>

I for one Dizzy love to spend some hours on PIO.... currently my husband is away and as I said yesterday I sit by my River Tamar watching the world go by.. what better:wink: you dont have to go far here believe me I am sitting in paradise and believe me I am enjoying every nano second of it.

I have made some lovely friends on PIO, its great for a natter, swopping ideas etc... do you find there is any harm in that eh? I most certainly dont... Yes I do think for me Australia is fantastic, I have never been happier in my life, doesnt mean to say I have to be buzzing about. Susie

 

 

[Cerberus1]

These figures wee on the news three weeks ago..

They took in to account the people who have visa,s then returned home some others included in this students people who have been here temporarily.. im not sure how they could get figures about who is leaving permenantly do they ask you if your not coming back at the airport??

 

Seems like arrivals have been outstripping departures since 1975:

 

[Guest siamsusie]

I would imagine the figures are obtained from the departure cards that includes Australians as well

[byrned]

Seems like arrivals have been outstripping departures since 1975:

 

 

 

Do these figures include Australians emigrating or going to school over seas?

[ali]

Speaking for myself Dizzy I don't feel that I moderate unfavourably those who don't share my opinion about Oz. I'm having a great time here so far and I don't hate the UK either .. can see both good and bad in both places, but I think it's unjust of you to suggest that mods (of which) i'm one would pull someone up because they didn't like Aus. What I will do is pull someone up for not following the rules and as Moving to Melbourne said ... if people actually read and followed them PIO would be a happier place.

[Guest Freudian Slip]

Yet again another thread ruined....All I asked for was for people to tell me the reasons they had moved back to the UK. I didn't expect the "I hate Australia brigade" and the "Australia is perfect brigade" to use the thread as yet another opportunity to get one up on each other.

It's always the same little cliques playing the same pathetic games over and over again, absolutely pathetic.

And you know what? It's getting bloody boring now too.:yes:

 

 

 

Anyway, thank you to those who have taken the time out to tell me their side of the story,

Regardless of the outcome. I wish you all the best for the future in wherever you have decided to call home. :biggrin:

 

Kind regards, Gill. x

[Guest killingxspree]

Main reason we are leaving australia...

 

a. Sick of the high cost of housing relative to income.

Until some bigger regional cities are built closer to the rural areas where normal people can afford to buy there first home we have no where to work (unless you call a 2 1/2 + hour commute to work by car reasonable). Some regional cities are the poorest excuse for a city. There is literally no work for professionals in them.

 

Plus the insurance on any place we were considering is astronomical as they are all prone to bush-fires.

 

b. Sick of the 'idiot culture'. All about drinking and clubing. And BS materialistic crap.

I wouldn't care at all if I could find/meet people like-minded people but...umm, we havent met any and hubby is especially not too happy on that front I mean he is literally alone. No friends and no family over here.

 

c. Sick of the horrible weather. Its certainly not sensible to spend copious amounts of time outdoors on a day where the UV index is at least 12 from 9-5. I hate being indoors all day. Though people like to argue you cant go outside in rainy cold weather. I like to say Bull. Put on a raincoat and enjoy the scenary.

 

d. The landscape is ugly. There I said it. It looks like someone dowsed it with petrol and went over it with a flamethrower. With the exception Melbourne and the beaches the rest is like a sandy desert. Looks like gardeners are fighting a losing battle to drought trying to tame it to resemble England.

 

e. Maternity leave/childcare... I can just forget about working after having a baby... As inevitably one of our incomes would need to sacrificed to cover childcare and the other mortgage and existance (food bills etc, so no staying home for daddy though we could alternate if there were enough jobs). Since its not subsidized (except for the poor I think? I'm doubtful on even that one to be honest) and maternity leave is not standard here yet. My partners mother said something about it being different in UK last time I talked to her, so hopefully she wasn't lying just to get us over there permanently to have grandkids =P.

 

f. Boring. So boring. There is nothing to do. Melbourne is much better on this front then Perth. Perth is awfully boring and the restaurant food is pricey and bad. Lamb is awfully overpriced. In the area I live in in Perth I cant seem to find any affordable lamb... seriously 40 dollars a kilo for lamb fillet/backstrap and I have to order in at least 5 kilograms. wtf? and other places dont even offer it. Also at least in melbourne and the uk you have family picnic spots worth going to. Even if they are a tad crowded.

 

I dont know whether you've caught on but I'm not even from the UK so you can forget about calling me a 'disgruntled pom' who came over to Australia with rose tinted glasses and visions of the sea and beach. I'm Australian. My partner is english and we cant wait to get back over there. Yes this post seems a bit harsh. Its just the careless tone I'm taking. I'm fed up and no one seems to put any good reasons. So for anyone interested here are mine.