advice for a young family> Move or Stay?

[Guest bows]

:biggrin: Hi Everyone. Am at 1st stage of thinking about a move to Oz. SOOOO much negative stuff on line eg expensive, unwelcoming to Brits eg. What are your thoughts? :chatterbox:

We are a couple of 30 year olds with a 10 month baby, thinking about perhaps moving before he starts school (at what age do they go to school?) :goofy:

Is the life different? or the same as home just with more sun? :wacko:

are flights home expensive?:jimlad:

[Parley]

Why do you want to move ?

what is your motivation ?

[Guest siamsusie]

Hi there Bows,

 

A very big welcome to Poms In Oz.

 

Hopefully you will glean much information from here.

 

Susie x

[mrspotatohead]

:biggrin: Hi Everyone. Am at 1st stage of thinking about a move to Oz. SOOOO much negative stuff on line eg expensive, unwelcoming to Brits eg. What are your thoughts? :chatterbox:

We are a couple of 30 year olds with a 10 month baby, thinking about perhaps moving before he starts school (at what age do they go to school?) :goofy:

Is the life different? or the same as home just with more sun? :wacko:

are flights home expensive?:jimlad:

 

Do it...we have a toddler and are due to leave at the end of the year. Most children will start school when they turn 5. You can start when you are 4, if you are going to turn 5 before the July.

 

I'm an aussie (born in UK ..moved out as baby), currently living in the UK, returning to Aus with now with a family in tow. I can say I much prefer Australian lifestyle. IMO its no more expensive than here, it all depends on what sort of a lifestyle you lead. Houses are more expensive in Australia, but you can get more for you money. As long as you dont live smack bang in the middle of the city, prices can be reasonable and salaries are decent. Little ones are particularly well off, as the schools all have brilliant sports programmes and spend plenty of time outdoors, and the weekends can be filled with free outdoor activities.

 

I also believe the weather over there makes you feel a bit healthier.

 

It wont be utopia. It does get cold, it does rain, some people will accept you, some wont. I have to say the same goes for the UK. Flights will be upwards of £700 return depending on where you live.

 

Do it while you have the chance and good luck!! :wubclub:

[Chardy]

We are in the process and we have 3 kids aged 2, 6 and 7. I want them to have a more active outdoors based lifestyle instead of growing up stuck to video games and trying to become adults before they should.

Although I've always wanted to go too the kids futures are paramount to us.

Take a chance and see if it works for you or carry on here and always think "what if" !

[Guest bows]

Parleycross :biggrin: the main reason is for our son to lead a better childhood involving as much time outdoors as possbile, also my partner is very stressed in work and the weather limits us to tv viewing every night. We want to be somewhere sunny, where we can enjoy time together outdoors, as Chardy :wink: aslo mentioned below i dont want him growing up on computer games and tv. i feel the same, am basically looking for a life where we can sit out in the evenings, socialise and spend weekends together in the sun.

Mrs potaato Head that is really helpful thanks:wub: i think the people who tend to moan about it have had a negative experience which can be said for anywhere in the worls you can always meet nice people and nasty people!

 

So i think i may start to properly look into it. any ideas where is nice to live? i live 40 mins drive/ 20 mins train from cardiff and love being far enough out of the city but still close enough to work and have fun :smile:

Thanks Siamsusie it is being helpful so far!!! :goofy:

[Chardy]

Parleycross :biggrin: the main reason is for our son to lead a better childhood involving as much time outdoors as possbile, also my partner is very stressed in work and the weather limits us to tv viewing every night. We want to be somewhere sunny, where we can enjoy time together outdoors, as Chardy :wink: aslo mentioned below i dont want him growing up on computer games and tv. i feel the same, am basically looking for a life where we can sit out in the evenings, socialise and spend weekends together in the sun.

Mrs potaato Head that is really helpful thanks:wub: i think the people who tend to moan about it have had a negative experience which can be said for anywhere in the worls you can always meet nice people and nasty people!

 

So i think i may start to properly look into it. any ideas where is nice to live? i live 40 mins drive/ 20 mins train from cardiff and love being far enough out of the city but still close enough to work and have fun :smile:

Thanks Siamsusie it is being helpful so far!!! :goofy:

HTH !

As for where to go, it depends on your plans re your visa as if you need state sponsorship then it depends which state has your (or your OH) occupation on their list.

If you give us a few more detailswe might be able to narrow it down for you ! :wink:

[Guest bows]

aarrggg how exciting. First thing i need to do is chat to partner to see if he wants to stay in the same job. Its a woldwide company and is owned by oz Anglo American so hopefully will be easy for him tofind work, i guess after we narrow that donw we can go from there. So how do Visa's, work and sponsors work??:wink:

[Chardy]

aarrggg how exciting. First thing i need to do is chat to partner to see if he wants to stay in the same job. Its a woldwide company and is owned by oz Anglo American so hopefully will be easy for him tofind work, i guess after we narrow that donw we can go from there. So how do Visa's, work and sponsors work??:wink:

 

If your OH can get a transfer you'd be looking at an Employer sponsored visa (457) I guess.

Take a look on www.immi.gov.au for the visa wizard to help you along.

[mrspotatohead]

aarrggg how exciting. First thing i need to do is chat to partner to see if he wants to stay in the same job. Its a woldwide company and is owned by oz Anglo American so hopefully will be easy for him tofind work, i guess after we narrow that donw we can go from there. So how do Visa's, work and sponsors work??:wink:

 

If you go to www.immi.gov.au it has a visa wizard which will help you find a range of visas suitable for you.

 

In terms of where to live. If your anything like us, (young family on a budget), Sydney is probably out as living close to/in the city is incredibly expensive. I'm a sydneysider myself but my family have just moved to the Sunshine Coast in QLD, so we are going there too. Its gorgeous up there. Have a look at domain.com.au or realestate.com.au and it will give you an idea of what it costs to rent/buy. Google maps will make it easier to see whats in commuting distance of the city. Depends what state you want to be in really. Lots of expats are in Perth too. :v_SPIN:

[mrspotatohead]

woops. posted at the same time as chardy.

[Rupert]

Parleycross :biggrin: the main reason is for our son to lead a better childhood involving as much time outdoors as possbile, also my partner is very stressed in work and the weather limits us to tv viewing every night. We want to be somewhere sunny, where we can enjoy time together outdoors, as Chardy :wink: aslo mentioned below i dont want him growing up on computer games and tv. i feel the same, am basically looking for a life where we can sit out in the evenings, socialise and spend weekends together in the sun.

Mrs potaato Head that is really helpful thanks:wub: i think the people who tend to moan about it have had a negative experience which can be said for anywhere in the worls you can always meet nice people and nasty people!

 

So i think i may start to properly look into it. any ideas where is nice to live? i live 40 mins drive/ 20 mins train from cardiff and love being far enough out of the city but still close enough to work and have fun :smile:

 

 

To your first post, I have seen no evidence of Australian unfriendliness to Brits and yes some things are a bit expensive but it is swings and roundabouts and salaries reflect cost of living for many people.

 

A couple of words of caution though, just for balance on the thread. Australia might not be a cure for work related stress, it can happen here too, maybe your OH is in a stressful job or is just prone to work stress. Australian's do work very hard as far as I can tell, I have noticed that Sydney is busy in the morning much earlier than London and no, people don't knock off at 4pm and go to beach.

 

Also don't assume Australia will make an outdoorsy type of you. Maybe you are just not outdoorsy and nothing wrong with that; people do blame the UK weather but the weather in Australia can be far more punishing than anything in UK. It rains a lot and the heat and humidity can keep people indoors at some points during the year. There are no long light evenings here either, even in summer it doesn't stay light much after 7.30pm, which depending on hours worked, might mean not much of the light left. I like that we don't have a really cold winter with snow though.

 

I am definitely not trying to put you off, I like it here and am glad I moved, but I also think it important to keep the rose tints at bay.

 

Do you have a visa by the way?

[Rob64]

We lived in Oz for 3 1/2 years enjoyed the experience but no place like home! We lived in Sydney and it is a very expensive place to live, excellent wages but no more money in your pocket at the end of the month. It may be a good place to live for a few year's, recharge the batteries and then reflect and enjoy what you have when you get back to the UK. The weather in Sydney was not particuarly good when we were there, lot's of rain and cold during the winter !