What have you been able to accomplish or achieve in Australia, that you think would not have been possible to do in your home country?

This will be a good read for intending migrants as they weigh up what to do.

Post and discuss.

Why don't you start us off?

Sure.

I realise it's cliche but I did manage a (more or less) complete lifestyle change. Much more active and outdoorsy, and far less sedentary, here than I ever was overseas.

I don't know for certain that I couldn't (or wouldn't) have done it in the UK but I moved from the corporate to non-profit world (after 6 years in Asia without a real career role), went in not far above entry level as the oldest Database Assistant in town, ended up back up there as a Finance Director and Company Secretary, and went to bed at night feeling I was making a difference in the world.

I felt lack of relevant qualifications was no barrier to this, my age and experience were respected, and I experienced no xenophobia, working in a very diverse and multicultural sector.

Mr Dreamy is paid enough here so that I don't need to worry about working (which is nice) and means that I've been able to do a uni degree in the comfort of my own home. In the UK, I did Open University too, but I had to pay upfront for it there - here, as a citizen, I can just load up on the debt that may be repaid if I ever get a job

We were also able to afford a much bigger home (admittedly bought 10 years ago and 90 minutes from Sydney) than we could have afforded in the UK.

I'm not sure our lives are fundamentally different here, we had a good life in the UK and we still have a pleasant and enjoyable life here - oh, hang on, I wouldn't have met Penny, Dorothy and Kooky if I'd stayed in the UK - hmmm... not sure that's a positive

What was the driving force behind becoming more active/less sedentary?

I lived in Brissy for four years and, to be honest, apart from the weather it wasn't that much different to any city I've ever lived in. Love being in Australia but it was just a city and was too expensive and hustly and bustly.

A couple of years ago, Sallyanne and I bought a little farm in Sugarloaf, QLD. We got shot of the mortgage and love the peace and quiet of living right out in the sticks. Even the problems out here are generally nice ones - an hour ago I had to coax a cow out of the home paddock and into the top paddock without the alpaca's storming the gate and having a munch around the house.

Small town Australia has opportunities too. I fell into being a support worker and I'm now earning more money than I ever thought possible which has brought forward our retirement plans by a couple of years. Sallyanne has started a business which is flourishing and, all in all, we couldn't be much happier.

Leave the city, ditch the mortgage and enjoy small town Australia.

Love you too xx
Sounds idyllic. We would like to do something similar. Buy a few acres, have fruit trees, chooks and a small place away from the city.

It didn't happen by design. When it was time to leave the Middle East, we didn't want to go back to our home countries, and I saw a gap in my field in Australia that my work could fill. We also wanted to live regionally.

But there are so many interesting things etc in the regions, and the beaches are the best in the world, that soon we found ourselves putting 5,000 kms on the car every month. I rarely did anything outdoorsy when I lived in Miami or Seattle or Asia etc, and so to be doing it virtually every weekend was a big life change, and a very positive one.

Are you still thinking about Harvey?

I love that.
We have friends who live on acreage outside Yass (they both work in Canberra) who love to regale us with tales about their stroppy cows, wayward ducks and overflowing fruit trees. If it wasn't so bloody cold in the winter and searing hot in the summer (lol) I'd live there tomorrow.

Maybe. Somewhere like that. 5 acres or so.

Cheeky mare. I might be more than 90 minutes away now but I'm still reading your posts, you know.

I live on a farm. It is true the cows get out, the water tank runs dry etc. It is a lot of work and takes a lot of money, but if you can get the economics of it right (ie securing jobs in the regions etc) there is no place in the world better than regional Australia.

Could I suggest looking down the other highway instead - Wandering, Williams etc. It's about the same distance from Perth, good medical facilities available nearby in Narrogin, and the area just to the west around Boddington is very scenic.

As you are looking - make sure you get sorted on who is going to help you maintain the block. 5 acres is a lot of work.