HMM

Hi everybody,
I have been reading this site avidly for days and have learnt so much from you all but have never contributed or joined until today. We got our grant letter on Mon and are now waiting for our passports to return to us stamped with permanent visa.

Until today I have been in a dreamworld and now it has hit me like a sledge hammer.

We hope to move to Brisbane during the summer holidays (as long as we get the all important phone call to say that our cash buyer will go ahead-if not all plans change). The problem is we have done nothing so far to plan our move!!!! Mad, I know!!! Can it be done in just a few weeks?

Can anyone recommend any nice suburbs of Brisbane. Good primary schools are a must and it would be nice to be semi-rural and not too built up. Then again do I want semi-rural as having never been to Oz I dint know what to expect!!!! Bearing in mind I live in a Devon village at the moment.

Yes!! You have a very confused woman here. But still sure that she wants to go.

Can anyone help or at least reassure?

worzel

I would say it is possible but it sounds tight to me. We are in a very small chain and expect at least 6 weeks to exchange. We are then going to book flights for 4 weeks afterwards. We have also done quite a lot of work up front on planning for Perth as well as the massive task of closing out our UK life. I would have thought you may be better planning to go a month or so later. Is there any reason why you are fixed on a summer holiday departure date?

HMM

It is easier to go at this time for the kids. I also feel in a kind of limbo state and just want to get on with the rest of my life. Just impatient, I suppose. Why did you book your flights 4 weeks in advance?

worzel

We haven't booked them yet. But we won't book them until we exchange contracts as there have been way too many stories on here of sales collapsing at the last moment.

The other thing is that month gives us time for final farewells, a number of last minute chores like getting refunds for PAYE, CTC, insurances, tv licences etc etc. We also think we will need a bit of a breather between the hassles of getting out of our house before we plunge headlong into establishing a beach-head in Perth.

HMM

Yes, I totally agree with not booking the flights until completion. However, the chances of it all falling through with a cash buyer is remote as it is usually someone within a chain that hasnt planned their finances or refuses to carry on due to a survey problem. Although I agree with you I would probably take a chance, we shall see when the time comes. We thought about having a UK holiday before we go but I can imagine myself just not wanting to be there and willing thre time for departure. We hope to leave an account open for any payments or rebates to come through after we go and sort them out from Oz. I wish you all the luck and happiness in the world, you sound a very organised level headed person.

worzel

People used to say that about me......until I told them I was moving my whole life to the other side of the world

HMM

Its a smaller place now and why are we all moving? Is it because we feel the UK has had its day and is not the secure, safe place it used to be. Was it ever like that?

kitty4

Hi
I notice from your profile that you are a nurse. What is your timeline if you don't mind me asking. I am a nurse also and waiting for a decision. I lived north of brisbane - sunshine coast for a few years. You will find many nice semi-rural areas up there, although if you have to be near brisbane for work then it is a bit far being an hours drive each way. I commuted daily for a while. Congrats on your visa and wish you well for your new adventure.

Joanne

There are lots of people on here that already live in Brisbane or are heading that way, so hopefully some will be able to share their knowledge with you. Sadly Im not one, we're hopefully heading for Melbourne, visa permitting.

Good luck.

Jo

PS Where in East Devon are you?

HMM

Hi,
As you must have realised by now, I am not a very organised person!!!!
Timeline?
We began the process of immigration last October via an agent who has been brilliant - Access Migration.
Nursing docs went through ok and visa application went through ok.
We had our medicals on 13 April and recieved our visa 4 July.
We have to activate our visa by next 13 April so hopefully we will sell our house and be out there for then.
I havent got a job lined up but I am told that Brisbane is crying out for RNs. Will have a few months off though before I start looking.
Dont know whether any of that is any help? Hope so. How far are you along the process?

I have heard that the Sunshine Coast is lovely but maybe too far from Brisbane to commute. Also heard that Bayside is nice but too expensive.

Are there any areas in or around Brisbane that you (OR ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE THAT HAS GOT ANY INFO) wouldnt live?

anna marie shlyshen

Hi H mm i like you am new to this website, but I have also found it to be very informative.Presently, myself ,husband and family are living in BRISBANE.My husband has a 457 visa and the kids and I are presently in process of being added to his visa.We are living in Kangaroo Point which is close to the city,we are living in rented accomodation at moment.The school kids go nto is great,however if we decided to stay Idont think we could afford to live in this suburb as houses are expensive.Basically,the nearer the city the suburb is the more expensive the houses are.A good website to look up is www.ourbrisbane.com that will give you an idea of suburbs and their house prices.I too am a nurse and just starting process of getting all documentation needed to register.Yes they are desperate for nurses in BRISBANE so you should be able to get work.Again, good websites for this are www.careerone.com.au and www.seek.comthere are also lots of nursing agencies.Hope you find this helpful.

HMM

Wow!!! Thank you so much!!! You have made me feel sooos optimistic! Lots and lots of questions!!!! Hope you have time to answer some of them and my husband may have some more when he comes in!!! Just say enough when you have had enough.

It is good to know that you have found a good school. Is it a primary school and is it fee paying or state? Are there many good schools in Brisbane? Is your school the norm?

I live in a quiet Devon village at the moment. So I think that living on the outer suburbs would be more my cup of tea. What are the disadvantages of that? Can you commute from these places? Are they nice places to live? What are the schools like in these areas? Can you recommend any of these areas? Are they cheaper?

I work for an agency in the UK cause Hannah, my youngest of 2, is only just 5 (AND I WAS HORRIFIED TO SEE INFO ABOUT THE HEP B JABS - THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE INFO - WILL BE READY WHEN WE GET TO OZ) and too young to be left full time. So agency work will suit me in Oz. I have already registered in Queensland, is there anything else that I will need to do when I get there?

Told you - a lot isnt it!!

Waiting with anticipation!!!

HMM

Me again!!

Forgot to ask: How expensive/cheap do you find it to live in Brisbane. I have heard lots of conflicting info. Things like shopping, clothes, furniture etc

Also how do the wages equate with the UK. I have also heard conflicting info about this too. Do you have any idea about clerical work and customer service work as this is what my hubby does. What are the wages like and is there much work?

anna marie shlyshen

Hi HMM I will try to answer some of your questions.Firstly schools, the school my kids are at is a co-ed catholic primary.It is not a state school so we have to pay fees roughly about $200 a month, that is for two kids.That is paid for ten months of year.The state schools as far as I know if you have PR are free.Sorry, I don't know about schools in outlying areas however size of schools can vary.My kids school is small with about 165 pupils, some primary schools can have about 600 pupils.Regarding transport,I don't know how far out you will be living,but the transport system is good.Again, you should find information on this at our brisbane website.As for nursing you will have had your police checks,etc so you could contact nursing agencies once you get here.Just a wee note about schools you have to buy all the books ,pencils,homework folders that your kids need (unlike UK) cost us roughly about $200 for two kids.Hope this helps.

anna marie shlyshen

To HMM generally find cost of living here cheaper.Have not bought many clothes because of nice climate have not neede to.Like the uk you have a choice of shops like expensive (DAVID JONES) and cheaper like woolworths, which sells clothes.Furniture,sorry don't know have not bought any as living in rented accomodation at moment.But again they have a range of furniture retailers from cheap to expensive.Maybe someone else on thread will be able to advise where they bought their furniture from.Bye for now.