Spellbound

Hi All

We have just returned from a six day 'Reckie and visa validation' trip to Brisbane (from NZ). We stayed in the city (Charlotte Street) and loved the evening nightlife and eating out places along Queen Street, it was really buzzing.

We arrived last Saturday evening and on the Sunday we went for a walk around by the museum and art gallery and a stroll along by the Uni and man made beach. The weather was lovely and warm.

We both liked and disliked parts and have now found ourselves back in NZ wondering what to do next!

When we came to Auckland, NZ we hadn't visited before and just arrived, having found a good school and rental property on the web back in the UK. We still live in the same location (four years) and are generally happy with the area.

Brisbane is a completely different kettle of fish however and after our reckie visit, feel nowhere near to making a permanent move over.

We liked -
The eating out lifestyle
Being near to some sort of activities such as the theme parks at the Gold Coast.
The good roads, much easier to drive and get around on, than in Auckland/NZ.
The weather - its feels freezing now we are back in NZ!
Just feeling better/brighter due to the warm weather, blue sky's and sun
The public transport!

You have to live in Auckland to understand some of these likes/dislikes!

We disliked -
The feeling of being so far away from the city when in the suburbs such as kallangur where we were planning to live!
The Aussie people who are very blunt and straight to the point, which takes a bit of getting used to.

We both went for a number of interviews, I was asking for 65,000 + super and no one said a thing during the interview and then when I was offered a position it was for 55,000 less super and for a temporary period. This is quite a bit of difference to a pay packet and could have been discussed. So although they were all up front and blunt during the interview, they followed this up with what I felt was a wishy washy job offer!

Husband's job interviews weren't much better with no definite job offer and his trade is on the MODL! There appears to be a shortage of quality painters and decorators but not enough trust to employing someone!

So here we are back in Auckland with jobs to go back to on Monday morning. We don't really want to be here any more and were really looking forward to making a move to Brisbane but now feel a bit let down and deflated with it all and not too sure what we are going to do now. I was all hyped up to handing my notice in at work on Monday and hoping for a job to go to over in Brisbane in October but it hasn't worked out that way.

We have done all this before when we came from the UK to NZ. Australia really wasnt the culture shock for us, that I am sure the majority of you leaving the UK to go to, would be, its more about getting the location right for us and I'm not too sure we have found it. Im here researching the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast as not feeling very inspired by Brisbane.

Sorry for the ramble! Just airing my thoughts! Wonder if anyone else can relate?

Debbie and Simon

Geelong Gent

What you want is Devonport/Tauranga blend

Devonport for the cafe/restuarants but Tauranga for its proximity to the Mount.

therefore get yourselves a long weekend to Melbourne
Devonport has the ferry to the CBD, Melbourne has trams and easy driving (compared to Auckland and the dreaded Southern Motorway or northshore crossing

Petals

Hard one for you. I have been told recently that at interviews its not done to tell them what you want to earn at interviews any more. Got this info from daughter of my friend, lawyer.

Also if you are reasonably happy and have good jobs why make the move.

I have lived in NZ and not a fan of Auckland I must admit and not a fan of QLD either. Horses for courses.

Spellbound

Hi Guys

No, we are not reasonably happy here in NZ which is why we applied for Australian residency, the truth is we want to live somewhere warmer. We have found new hobbies here in NZ such as fishing and camping and just want to be able to enjoy them all year around. The positives of Australia are definitely the weather for us and generally a bit more to do. If the weather was much better here in NZ then I probably would stay.

I am so 'over' my job here in Auckland and have been waiting the whole year or more to hand in my notice. We applied for the Aussie visa last December 07 and thought it would come quicker than it has, so have been hanging on at work and not enjoying it at all.

We are ready for a new start it just seems harder this time than the first time we did it when we arrived in NZ from the UK four years ago. I think it is because we are older (42) and have less money (no house to sell) and know what is to come because we have done it before.

I wasn't really impressed with Brisbane at all, and much preferred the Gold Coast area, so just feel a bit 'lost' if that makes sense as we have been putting all our planning into Brisbane. I think it would have been easier just to have packed up and moved and not done the reccie before hand. We have a big decision to make and my first one being do I hand in my notice on Monday as planned without a job offer in place? Only one day to make up my mind about that one!

alipally

I Liked Brisbane, but quickly decided that we couldn't live there.
We have now settled on Adelaide.

Australia is a big place, if I were you, I'd take another trip maybe to Melbourne as suggested earlier and see if that suits you better.

No point in moving somewhere that you're less than enamoured with really.

WelshSarah

Why dont you try the goldie then?

MartinLuther

One of the great things about Aus is that there is much to choose from. If you don't like one bit there might be another bit you like.

Although we came without a reccie we did a lot of research on the internet. We thought we were going to live in the dandenongs. However after 2 days we decided the dandenongs weren't right for us and started looking at the Mornington Peninsula, which immediately felt like home.

The Bloke

To be blunt, but what did you really expect when there is really low unemployment and high competition for jobs. If no-one said anything about salary during the interview, why didn't you raise it them when you had the opportunity to ask any questions regarding the position? Also why did you not raise the issue about the length of the job, especially as they have to usually say whether it is fulltime, part-time or temporary in the advertisement? Interviews are not one-way conversations.
By your comment "I was all hyped up to handing my notice in at work on Monday", I get the feeling that your expectations were a little unrealistic. In addition, the lack of Australian experience may have been another factor you should consider.
As for Australians beiong blunt, we tell it like it is. If you want to live here, you'll really have to get used to it.
BTW, Kallangur isn't really that far from the city if you use the trains, as alot of people commute from areas like that daily.

Notts_bloke

Blunt and unhelpful.

busterboy

I don't agree.

Geelong Gent

The Aussies I work for are more shocked at my bluntness. In my experience they are rather shy and do shrink from some home truths.

Maybe its Victorian/NSW mentality? Some of the Nth Qlders are more similar to my brash sense of humour.

Notts_bloke

Good for you.

busterboy

Me too. One of the deciding factors on obtaining my new job for a UK company based in Melbourne, was the fact they had been looking for 'a spade's a spade' type.

busterboy

Yes, good for me. It takes all sorts on this forum.

I enjoy The Bloke's attitude. I find it refreshing.

The Bloke

Why, they seemed relevant to the topic that was started by the OP? The OP seemed to have an unreasonable expectation that she would be able to quit her current job, and didn't say in her statement that she asked any pertinent questions at the interview herself, just that they misrepresented the position which leads me to conclude that there was very little research done. She asked for opinons, and was given them, or do you think that we should let people believe that things are rosy. As she said they only spent less than a week here, and spent most of that in interviews.
I see that you have not critised 4Margaret for asking why move at all. That to me sounded rather blunt itself.
If you do not like the real story, you might consider posting on another forum, which does not allow any negative responses, rather only the "rose-tinted glasses" responses to threads like this.
BTW, yes I am an Australian, and yes, I can be blunt too.
Have a nice day!!!!!