Brisbane question
#16
Re: Brisbane question
I think also try to understand the medical and dental system. Many things even for children are not free.
Just allow a few thousand a year extra for health if you need medications, dental even basic care, orthodontics, specialists. Even if its on medicare it may only cover a % of the cost.
Also long term, age pensions etc asset and income tested. Many wont even get a health care card to help with medical bills in old age. Save hard while here for those years, especially if your self employed etc. i think most migrants have no idea about that one.
Just allow a few thousand a year extra for health if you need medications, dental even basic care, orthodontics, specialists. Even if its on medicare it may only cover a % of the cost.
Also long term, age pensions etc asset and income tested. Many wont even get a health care card to help with medical bills in old age. Save hard while here for those years, especially if your self employed etc. i think most migrants have no idea about that one.
#17
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: Brisbane question
Having arrived in Brisbane16 months ago from a 4 year stint in the US but previously in the UK here are some thoughts in partial response to your posed questions:-
1. Surprise #1 - Australia did not seem to be as expensive as everyone made out when compared to UK prices but was a huge sticker shock compared to US prices. Even now with the more favourable exchange rate coming here - if I see an Australia price (say for a meal out or an item of clothing) and think wow that's expensive, when I halve the cost to get an approximate UK conversion it no longer seems to be that much different (compared to US prices still more expensive however).
1a. Surprise #2 Aussies you meet everywhere else in the world always seem to be so laid back and super-friendly (including my Aussie neighbour in the USA for the last 3 years I was there) - however on being here over a year in the near northern 'burbs in a very family orientated area, we found it nigh on impossible to meet people! We tried pubs and restaurants and as the pub culture is very different and most places do not have bar stools at the bar or communal tables, people arrive in groups and stay in their groups at a table and so there is no real opportunity to mingle and potentially make friends. The Aussies at work are very friendly but for the most part that is a work thing and work and home don't crossover. Ex-pats colleagues at work all say the same thing - much harder to make friends without having kids in school or some such reason to meet. You will find that easier having school age children I would imagine.
We have just now moved a couple of weeks ago to the Bayside area that others have mentioned and there is a "British-style" Indian restaurant around the corner (very good Balti style) a British cafe serving typically British cafe type meals (not tried) but also having some British grocery items (some things are easily found in the standard grocery stores but some are not, however their prices are outlandish!) and a Chumley Warners fish and chip shop which does all the Brit stuff including chip shop curry sauce and mushy peas if that's your cup of tea! So I think this supports the fact that there must be some demand for all things British in this area for those businesses to thrive.
2. For the piece of advice - people will say they will come to see you in Australia and you will promise to make visits etc too - in reality it is a very long way to go almost anywhere and costly so the appetite to spend 24hrs travelling and adding that time on to both the start and finish of any holiday when most people only have 20 days paid holiday will mean you don't see people as often as you would like.
3. What would we have done differently in hindsight? We would have made our first home somewhere less suburban/family orientated when we did not fit that family scenario as not having an easy route to make friends outside of work was not ideal. While we don't really specifically seek out other Brits when we move internationally, it has to be said that even if you have nothing else in common, you can always make small talk about the old country .... :-)
1. Surprise #1 - Australia did not seem to be as expensive as everyone made out when compared to UK prices but was a huge sticker shock compared to US prices. Even now with the more favourable exchange rate coming here - if I see an Australia price (say for a meal out or an item of clothing) and think wow that's expensive, when I halve the cost to get an approximate UK conversion it no longer seems to be that much different (compared to US prices still more expensive however).
1a. Surprise #2 Aussies you meet everywhere else in the world always seem to be so laid back and super-friendly (including my Aussie neighbour in the USA for the last 3 years I was there) - however on being here over a year in the near northern 'burbs in a very family orientated area, we found it nigh on impossible to meet people! We tried pubs and restaurants and as the pub culture is very different and most places do not have bar stools at the bar or communal tables, people arrive in groups and stay in their groups at a table and so there is no real opportunity to mingle and potentially make friends. The Aussies at work are very friendly but for the most part that is a work thing and work and home don't crossover. Ex-pats colleagues at work all say the same thing - much harder to make friends without having kids in school or some such reason to meet. You will find that easier having school age children I would imagine.
We have just now moved a couple of weeks ago to the Bayside area that others have mentioned and there is a "British-style" Indian restaurant around the corner (very good Balti style) a British cafe serving typically British cafe type meals (not tried) but also having some British grocery items (some things are easily found in the standard grocery stores but some are not, however their prices are outlandish!) and a Chumley Warners fish and chip shop which does all the Brit stuff including chip shop curry sauce and mushy peas if that's your cup of tea! So I think this supports the fact that there must be some demand for all things British in this area for those businesses to thrive.
2. For the piece of advice - people will say they will come to see you in Australia and you will promise to make visits etc too - in reality it is a very long way to go almost anywhere and costly so the appetite to spend 24hrs travelling and adding that time on to both the start and finish of any holiday when most people only have 20 days paid holiday will mean you don't see people as often as you would like.
3. What would we have done differently in hindsight? We would have made our first home somewhere less suburban/family orientated when we did not fit that family scenario as not having an easy route to make friends outside of work was not ideal. While we don't really specifically seek out other Brits when we move internationally, it has to be said that even if you have nothing else in common, you can always make small talk about the old country .... :-)
#18
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 6
Re: Brisbane question
Thank you all for the time and advice, I really appreciate it.
The plan is to rent out our home in London and it is a 457 visa that I'd be coming on? I was looking at areas in south west Brisbane but after your responses I'll switch focus to the Bay suburbs.
Keep the advice coming!
The plan is to rent out our home in London and it is a 457 visa that I'd be coming on? I was looking at areas in south west Brisbane but after your responses I'll switch focus to the Bay suburbs.
Keep the advice coming!
#19
Re: Brisbane question
Thank you all for the time and advice, I really appreciate it.
The plan is to rent out our home in London and it is a 457 visa that I'd be coming on? I was looking at areas in south west Brisbane but after your responses I'll switch focus to the Bay suburbs.
Keep the advice coming!
The plan is to rent out our home in London and it is a 457 visa that I'd be coming on? I was looking at areas in south west Brisbane but after your responses I'll switch focus to the Bay suburbs.
Keep the advice coming!
You mentioned state schools. While good schools can be found in many spots, socio-economics correlate highly with school results. The inner west and inner east, for example, would have far more of the leading state schools than places like the bayside.
Concentrate on high schools when picking an area as it seems harder to find a good high school than a little local primary school. Have heard good things about Indooroopilly State High, Kenmore state High, The Gap State High, Kelvin Grove College, Brisbane State High and Kedron State High. On the southside, Cavendish Rd, Holland Park West, Mansfield and Mt Gravatt seem to be doing well.
#20
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 6
Re: Brisbane question
Thank you Fish, I've looked at Chapel Hills/Kenmore/Indooroopilly and there do appear to be a few outstanding schools there. Being within walking/jogging distance of a shoreline(I'm aware that it's not a beach) is quite appealing because it's so different from South London.
#22
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: Brisbane question
I am sure UK residents could work out pretty quickly if their pension will be assets and income tested and reduced accordingly. Ditto other countries. Ditto kids dental, scripts, specialists etc etc.
Let them decide.
#24
Re: Brisbane question
If you want to be closer, have a look at Bulimba / Balmoral / Hawthorne...the epicentre here is Oxford St, Bulimba.
#25
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: Brisbane question
I've yet to take my toddler to the dentist, but I hope he would be covered under the same medical plan I am covered for. My medical plan covers the whole family. Last time I went to the dentist, it was all gap free.
Of course orthodontics and major work is elective to a degree and you pay.
I have no idea how this works in the UK but I'm sure if a parent elected to have braces put on their child, the tax payer would not be too happy if they had to pay for it, and as someone who had braces as a kid for a mild overbite, I wouldn't wish braces upon anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. Both for cost reasons and pain reasons.
#26
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#27
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 5
Re: Brisbane question
Thank you Fish, I've looked at Chapel Hills/Kenmore/Indooroopilly and there do appear to be a few outstanding schools there. Being within walking/jogging distance of a shoreline(I'm aware that it's not a beach) is quite appealing because it's so different from South London.
Indooroopilly is a great place, the Bayside (Redlands ) is too far from the City for me and theyre too dead at night