Hi all,

I'm looking to move from the UK to Australia early 2013.
I am an Australian citizen by descent and will be applying for my passport shortly - so will have no issues with Visas etc.

I currently work in Fashion so looking to get a job in buying over there - have seen plenty of jobs which is positive. Is it better to apply for jobs here or when I get there? Obviously would prefer to have something secured upon arrival - but not sure if all companies are happy to interview over Skype??

I'm also looking to go into a house share - theres no way I could afford to live on my own! I have been on a few house share websites and generally having a look at prices etc. Again, better to apply once i'm there or is it possible to reply to ads whilst still in the UK?

And then the all important factor... Melbourne or Sydney? Thoughts welcome. I've visited both and love them both. I guess it depends on where the job will be! But any thoughts on a good, safe area for a young professional in their 20's?

Thanks in advance

Hey , Ive been here for 10 wks and just moved to Newtown Sydney . I was torn on where to go as i love Melbourne also . But i really like it in new town there seems to be lots to do and a very mixed bunch of people as well as being very close to cbd .Im 30 and theer is lots of younge people about . I stayed with family to start off and then found a shared flat on Gum tree ! So worth have a nosy on there . I was lucky in that i view one and got it . Good luck If i can help in anyway let me know .

Thanks for your reply! Will give Newtown a look online - again it depends on where the job is! My brother and his family live in Coffs so Sydney would be nice to be sort of close to them!

I wouldn't rent a house share without seeing it in the flesh and more importantly having met the other people living there!

Yeah thats what swung me in the end being close to family . I agree with the other post you will want to view first. I met a girl last night for a drink from the forum she did b and b for a week and then took her shared flat . They come up all the time you shouldnt have any issues .

Gum tree is rammed with stuff, but whilst you're looking it might be a good idea to try house sitting... you have to look after the house and pets, but you get free accommodation.

Try Aussie Housesitters and have a look at the homeowner ads to get an idea of what you could start with... it will also give you a chance to sort out a more permanent base without feeling desperate as your money is flying out in hotel bills!

It's $65 to register, your UK police checks are a good thing too....

Thanks! I hadn't thought about this idea, but it's worth looking into. Thank you!

Definitely leave the house hunting until you get here. You may not get very far with job hunting from overseas either, but perhaps look into it a couple of weeks before you are due to fly out and see if you can line up some meetings. It is nice to have something in the calendar for when yuou arrive.

Melbourne or Sydney? Do some research, see if either one is substantially better than the other for job opportunities and if not take your pick, use your intuition. I am sure they are both perfectly fine places to live.

"If you are not living in Sydney, you are just camping out." — P. J. Keating but it is filling fast. Melbourne is allegedly growing faster than Sydney but Sydney folk no longer care...we have enough of the dreaded growth already.

I'm impressed:
You work in fashion
There is no reference to a hubby
You spelt aus, not oz...

You're statistically different already....
I've marked your card....

Very bad idea - you need to see it first. There are lots of horror stories about people paying deposits for house shares/apartments on gumtree only to find the person taking the money is a con-artist and doesn't own/rent the property.