PaulC259

We are in the throws of getting ready for our move to QLD in the new year and I just wondered from those of you already down-under...

What 5 things do you wish you'd bought in the UK before you moved to Auz?

kezzabird

everything
everything
everything
everything
everything

RedT

On a previous thread lots of people said to bring bedding as apparently it's expensive to get anything remotely decent in Oz. Also for some reason, whirlagigs!!

Have a search of the board, there's huge thread on what people wish they'd brought and would recommend others to bring.

good luck!

Therese

Buzzy--Bee

Yes I would have bought a whirlagig if I knew what one was ???

Buzzy

kezzabird

If you have one bring it! (wot the hell is a whirligig?)

RedT

one of those washing lines that spin around!

honeybee

Hi there,
A useful question which (as someone has pointed out, has a thread somewhere on the site). For my own use I spent a bit of time compiling info from the threads (and gave up as too much info) but here is what I have so far.

1. good quality underwear
2. socks
3. towels
4. electric heaters
5. computers
6. mobile handset
7. chocolate
8. 2 in 1 shampoo
9. suits
10. comfortable shoes
11. good vacuum cleaner/hoover
12. good duvets
13. men’s plain cotton shirts
14. men’s suits
15. Heinz tomato soup
16. Ibuprofen/paracetamol
17. coat hangers ?
18. clothes tumble dryer
19. books
20. kettle
21. iron
22. hot water bottles
23. scarves and gloves
24. Ultra sanitary towels
25. Kids t shirts – good quality
26. beside tables
27. lamps
28. food processor
29. china and kitchen equipment
30.
Would anyone like to continue this?

Having done this I think I should point out that people are very different and having moved alot over different continents it depends on how attached you are to your whirlmajigs etc and whether you are ready to adapt to what is available in your host country. Me thinks "when in Rome do as the Romans do" and make do with whatever the country has to offer. Australia is a developed country so I doubt if it will be too hard to get most things a Brit would want.

Ciao

moneypenny20

Everything I have removed from that list is easily purchased here, very good quality. The stuff I've left I have no idea about but would imagine any Australians viewing might have a word or two to say about those.

Yay, common sense at last.

This is in no way meant to be insulting to anyone. I am just totally gobsmacked that people say these things are unobtainable or crap here. They are either a) thick or b) lazy and can't be arsed to find the stuff.

The only problem I have found is having to search the shops that have the stuff but that's only because the shops are different obviously and you have to get used to the new ones.

Australia is a well developed country. Contrary to what some people say, Australians are, in the main, intelligent and would be highly offended to hear some of the nonsense spoken on here about the unavailability of good quality coathangers or duvets etc. Kettles they sell a plenty believe it or not

Bring stuff you think will help you settle in. Whether that is all your furniture or your favourite brand of washing powder, bring what you want but bear in mind at some point in the future, anything you bring will need replacing and then, horrors, you'll go and buy Australian and you never know, you may like the stuff and in some instances find it better than the UK equivalent.

It's all cool people

NickyC

9. suits
11. good vacuum cleaner/hoover
13. men’s plain cotton shirts
14. men’s suits
15. Heinz tomato soup
19. books
24. Ultra sanitary towels
25. Kids t shirts – good quality

You could even remove most of the remainder of the list!

Suits and shirts (even plain ones ) are sold in all the usual places. What do people think that guys here wear to the office? They look much the same as their UK counterparts in suits, shirts and ties - and they certainly don't all go overseas to buy them.

Heinz sell soup here too - they even have tomato, believe it or not.

I managed to fit my kids out in t-shirts with no trouble and no shrinkage.

The only things that I would say are worth bringing are books (not that we don't have books here) but they're apparantly cheaper in the UK.

No idea what's special about Ultra sanitary pads. If you can't live without them, then bring them...

Wendy

Tomato soup - tastes crap here. But all you need to do is add cream and it tastes just like UK cream of tomato soup (funny that eh? )

Ultra Sanitary towels equivalent is Libra.

Books - there's always some cheap ones about if you look for them in places other than the big book shops. Or there's always e-bay.

moneypenny20

I didn't like to remove everything. Thought that would be rude Not bought mens shirts or suits but I've seen plenty of blokes looking smart in them and they can't all have been over to Singapore to have them made.

Sanitary products? Must admit it took me a while to find stuff that I was comfortable with but it's all good. Let's face it, Aussie women do have periods

Books I get when Kmart and Big W have their regular sales and believe me I have a lot of books.

Heinz anything makes me heave to be honest. Baked beans and tomato soup are rank in whatever country.

Kids tee shirts - I have no idea. Two girls of 12 and 15 are definitely not interested in any shirts other than Supre or Valley Girl etc.

I still can't get over the coathangers and duvets. And what's the crack with kettles

Wendy

Coathangers - you don't get them given when you buy something. Of course they do sell them, so it's not like you will have to pile your clothes up on the floor or anything. Or if you ask for the hangers, they will more than not give you them.

Duvets - apparantly they aren't thick enough here for the freezing cold winters. I tackled that problem by buying a massive fleecy throw - works a treat and is as warm as toast.

Kettles - Didn't someone once say they went all white inside or something I think that's when the ' you need to bring your kettle cos they are crap here ' comment started.

moneypenny20

But the coathangers you are given in the UK are fairly rubbish anyway, or they wouldn't give them away

I had to get the girls new duvets because they got bigger beds. There was stacks of thickness choice, most I had to ignore because they'd have been way to hot up here.

Kettles, what from limescale? We don't have limescale here, but it was terrible in the UK. Some people worry about the strangest things

kezzabird

There is one thing I really wish I'd shipped and that was my convection, grill microwave it was brilliant and the equivalent over here is very expensive.

Scuba Steve

I'm going to miss my leather reclining armchair.