Deciding where to live

We had decided on the Brisbane area and needed to be commuting distance to the CBD. We decided that Bayside (Birkdale – Mount Cotton) suited us most – wanted a boat so needed to be near the sea. We didn’t mind which suburb as they are all pretty similar so it was a case of finding the right house.

Finding a rental

It took us 8 days to get a rental – less than that really as the first week we were trying to decide where to live. There are lots of scare stories but in our case we knew we would only be renting for a short time so were not looking for perfect, just clean and in a good location. We rented in Wellington Point , had a great rental agent and no problems in re-letting it after only 4 months.

Buying a House

We came with quite a bit of equity– the only real problem was deciding what kind of place to buy – torn between very close to sea or acreage – in the end after noticing how noisy the locals could be and not liking how overlooked the new houses were we decided on what they call mini-acreage. Then the problem was finding available places for sale – the house we bought we found by chance when exploring all the local roads – its perfect for us, we feel like we’re in the middle of nowhere but only 5 mins from both Cleveland and Victoria Point. Probably as a family the best thing about the house is the neighbours – there are kids the same age as mine and they play together all the time we are home.

Work

Searching through the jobs ads I realised that despite having much higher level post-16 teaching qualifications to get work here getting a Certificate IV in Training and Assessing would be a great help. I booked on a 10 week one day a week course at the local TAFE. I met a really good bunch of people, learned some useful info and terminology and got the first job I applied for at the Southbank Institute of Technology.

Ian is an Oracle developer and we were worried that he wouldn’t be able to find work here. However it didn’t take long at all and he has been working since November. It’s not the best role he has ever had but I think its important to take anything to get some Australian experience on your CV and this will help when you start looking for your next job.

Schools

We got here and really couldn’t decide what to do about the schools – in the end we were staying with people who both had degrees and were successful so we decided to take their advice! Our children go to a private Catholic school and I think we made the right choice despite not being Catholics. Its central location meant we weren’t restricted to where we bought a house and it’s a very warm and caring school.

On the whole I think the schools here are great, much more sport, public speaking and fun than in the UK, however my very academic child has found the maths here way behind what she was doing in the UK. This has meant we are moving her to a different school next year where she will hopefully find the work a bit more challenging. My son has mild learning difficulties and he has had a lot of support at the school so far.

Weather

Rain rain and more rain! It started raining the day after we arrived and with the exception of two longish dry periods in July and May it seems to have rained quite a fair bit. Not at all what we were expecting after all the talk of drought, but good as it meant less to worry about and probably made our first summer a lot more bearable. We are really glad we chose to be this close to the coast – there is always a breeze in the afternoons and it gets noticeably more humid when you are in the CBD.

Shopping

Well you can get what you need here but I never feel enthusiastic here about a day out clothes shopping. Yes I was a Next fan but also liked Primark, Gap, M&S, BHS, Asda and Monsoon. I have bought things from Meyer, Crossroads, Target and Kmart and Rockmans but struggled a bit and will be taking an empty suitcase back to the UK when I go back for a holiday. Despite what you might read on the BritishExpats forum about fashion sense in Qld, in Bayside people are on the most part very smart and well dressed.

TV

Appalling – we haven’t got Foxtel, we’re not into TV sport so didn’t seem much point. Makes you realise how good UK TV is. It means I watch less which is good I guess and I go to bed much earlier anyway.

Making Friends

I always knew this would be difficult and it has been. We started off like many others hoping to avoid turning into expats – we wanted to blend in with the locals etc, however this didn’t last long and we were at our first BritishExpats meet at the end of our first month. I think Australians come across really friendly initially but then it takes a long time to get further than hello!

What I love

• Listening to Kookaburras – I love the sound they make always makes me want to laugh too
• Seeing wild Koalas up really close – didn’t think we would but we have a couple of times and it’s amazing
• Watching dolphins and whales – something I could never get bored of
• Going out on the boat – amazing – I know not everyone can afford a boat but a small tinnie would be as good to see the views and wildlife. A kayak is next on my list.
• Seeing a glimpse of the sea and Straddie as I drive home – it’s a beautiful sight and again will cheer me up on my down days.
• Taking our puppy for walks along Point Halloran – its so beautiful.

What's Next

We’re here to stay for the next few years and are really happy, however I think there is still a way to go – I still think I am at the stage where if I could go back in time to the start of the process I am not 100 percent sure I would do it all over again!