Kitten24

Thanks once again for all the advice guys. I haven't read anything negative so far and it's really helped make this decision less scary for me.

Although, Campbell, I must point out that I am from Pretoria so not a farm girl, only lived there till I was five. Grew up in Witbank and I moved to Pretoria when I left home. At heart I am a Pretorian. (If there is such a word)

I still call them tekkies/trainers.

I won't be complaining about the heat - I love it, and I don't eat Bisto.

Tegwyn

I was in Australia two years ago when my hubs had a business trip. I toured around Sydney and Perth on my own and I absolutely loved it. Both my hubs and I have loads of friends scattered all over Oz and they all have settled very well. You'll have a hard time not hearing a South African accent everywhere you go in Oz. Watch out Aussies, they're taking over the country!

Kitten24

Hehe. At least my accent won't be confused anymore, you won't believe how many times I've been asked if I am from Australia.

melpieters

They can't place my accent after 7 years in the UK . Last guess was Canada!

The Aussies I met while living in the UK were all youngsters who were over for a few years to experience Europe and make some good money. They mostly all go back to Oz to settle down.

Negatives hmm - the only one I can think of is how far away you are from Europe/family/friends, and how expensive it is to travel out of the country once you're earning dollars. And the time difference to "home" makes you feel a bit lonely sometimes as you can't just pick up the phone when you're feeling down and call a friend because it's 3am their time.

It's a long way downunder!

I did a brief LSD (I like that, must use it) for a week before I took the plunge. That was more to give the bloke from Sydney I'd met scuba diving in the Red Sea a test drive though... 18 months on we're doing well. The Aussie men are lovely old fashioned chauvenists if you like that. They open car doors and let you through doorways first and never expect you to go dutch... well my fella anyway! I think I'll keep him...

melpieters

Oh yeah, and you can get bisto, mrs balls and biltong here if you look hard enough! No lite crisps though, I miss those.

Haven't seen a snake in 18 months and only one small huntsman spider (like a baboon spider). The cockroaches and ants and flies are very similar to SA, you keep a can of spray handy and cover everything, no big deal.

Went out to dinner with my man last night (it is safe to walk at night to the local Italian, what a pleasure) and am very hungover today. Is it hometime yet!? I think I need chocolate...

melpieters

I employ a cleaner here once a week, like I did in London, and like I did in Cape Town I'm a lazy cow!

This beats working, so another post from me!

Re the education standard, I don't have kids yet so don't really know, but the Aussies I work with (in IT) are certainly up to speed. And the schoolkids on my bus are polite and well spoken, they give up their seats and thank the driver. Lovely!

sa2oz

Different here. They dont even ask where are you from. They ask, what part of South Africa are you from.

We have to put your fella right. Hese making us all look bad.
Here the women cuss constantly, have tattoo's on arms bigger than a Sumo wrestler and display road rage worse than JHB

sa2oz

[QUOTE=melpieters;4858037]Oh yeah, and you can get bisto, mrs balls and biltong here if you look hard enough!

Haven't seen a snake in 18 months and only one small huntsman spider (like a baboon spider). The cockroaches and ants and flies are very similar to SA, you keep a can of spray handy and cover everything, no big deal.
QUOTE]

Have seen snakes in Mackay that cover the width of a car. Carpet snakes and cane snakes, no worries.
Goanna's that are bigger than a suitcase, more redbacks than hairs on your head.
The bad snakes we have seen are taipans and white belly black snakes. Little but deadly.
Geckos that bark! and cane toads by the thousands.

Kitten24

Mackay is very far from Perth, I hope!

sa2oz

Yep a long drive away, even a long flight
3500 km as the crow flies. QLD is the home of al the nasties.
There is a type of jellyfish that can kill you in minutes, so the sea is warm in summer, but you need to wear a suit like a superhero to swim.

We know some Australians from Perth who came here on holiday. They stayed for 2 years and have gone back. They prefer the weather here
Be good if they come back but they were missing family and friends.
It is like a different country there. Know a few from ZA there as well.
A ZA couple form here went there to look into moving and have come back to stay it appears.
Perth is expensive I believe but there are many jobs in the mining industry there as there are here

fair_land_here

Hi Kitten24

Just quick respond to your questions.
* Which is the best area in Australia to live in?
Best area to work in is Sydney and easy to find job there. Most of Australians think it's very expensive to live there. Yes rent fees are high but not much higher than other cities in Aus. But food in Sydney is much cheaper than anywhere else in Aus with a lot of varieties that you can choose from.

* What are your opinions on Perth?
Perth is nice place but slower than the rest of Australia. But suerly you can get Perth lifestlye anywhere in Australia. Also hard to find job in Perth and salaries in Perth pretty low unless you work for the government. You can start off Sydney or Melbourne.

East & South areas of Australia full of Asians and you truley might think that you are in Asia not Australia. But that shouldn't worry you, as they are humans like you.

* Is it possible to arrange rented accommodation in Aus, before leaving the UK? (I really don't want to be homeless when we arrive there)
It's so easy to arrange everything over the internet. But alot of real estate agents might lie to you as they will know that you are not in the country yet. Also, once you arrive you have to prove that you can pay the rent (money in the bank, work..etc) other wise you won't get the place.
If you are moving on very tight budget, consider staying in caravan parks, they don't ask much of you with paper work and stuff. And Caravan Park doesn't mean caravan car...! no it's big park with little house with 1 or 2 bedrooms, bath and kitchen. You can stay in it till you organise yourself with things around you.

* Do Aussies really have a similar lifestyle to South Africans?
Can't answer this question as I haven't been in South Africa

Kitten24

Thanks again for your replies.

It's given us alot to think about and some ideas we hadn't even though about.

lizard of oz

Thats a relief to hear l did'nt know they were humans like me l thought they were aliens.

sa2oz

I agree with all comments apart from salaries in Perth. I know of many people who go there just for a visit and get offered good money. Mostly tradesmen.

Aussies are similar to South Africans, but tehy dont do a good braai like a South African. A barbie is a quick burn a few snags ( a really ugly over processed sausage) and meat patties with onions. Unlike a braai which is a longer drawn out business. Aussies love a good braai when they have one