Originally Posted by APB2007

Hi, I'm the Dad of the family. We are also moving out to Sydney on the 12th Jan 08 with my Wife and two daughters (ages 5 and 8). I'm working in North Sydney and looking at moving in this area. Currently looking for schools and it came as a shock recently to find out we have to pay for public education due to Visa (457). I'll pass your details on to my wife so she can get in touch. We don't know anyone in Sydney and haven't even been on holiday! we would welcome meeting up with any families in Sydney so please feel free to contact me. Anyone know of any good private schools in North Sydney as I understand this might be cheaper than going down the public school route (can be lesss than $4500 per child)? trying to get kids into a school befroe the start of term (end of Jan). Cheers

Originally Posted by Emmis

Well, I've just found a great website. I think it might only be for pre-school, nannies and childcare but it gives an indication of vacancies at the pre-schools. (Sorry if you're looking for over 5s) Great site with a map too to help. I'd love to get in touch with anyone who's moving out to Sydney
Love Ems x

Originally Posted by APB2007

Hi, I'm the Dad of the family. We are also moving out to Sydney on the 12th Jan 08 with my Wife and two daughters (ages 5 and 8). I'm working in North Sydney and looking at moving in this area. Currently looking for schools and it came as a shock recently to find out we have to pay for public education due to Visa (457). I'll pass your details on to my wife so she can get in touch. We don't know anyone in Sydney and haven't even been on holiday! we would welcome meeting up with any families in Sydney so please feel free to contact me. Anyone know of any good private schools in North Sydney as I understand this might be cheaper than going down the public school route (can be lesss than $4500 per child)? trying to get kids into a school befroe the start of term (end of Jan). Cheers

Originally Posted by Rosscarbery

I feel like I'm the bearer of bad news on this thread, and certainly don't want to be, but you should be aware that if you are on a 457 then even if you go private, technically you still have to pay the $4,500 or thereabouts per child to the government, as private schools get government funding too. Having paid your money though you are still not entitled to free school transport (which most kids are entitled to) which seems a bit unfair. I have heard that some people manage to get away without paying this, but I'm not sure if that is because they are paying "international fees" instead. Certainly in the (private) school my kids go to you would have to pay international fees on a 457 and we had to show evidence of our PR when we applied. We are in St. Ives - OH works in the CBD - and my kids are 14, 9 and 4. Feel free to PM me if you want any more info; I know how stressful it is trying to sort the whole school thing and as we ended up moving our eldest from the first school he went to after 7 weeks I am happy to try and help others avoid getting into that situation!!!

Originally Posted by Emmis

A great website by the way for those of you not yet in Sydney (like me!) who want an idea of what suburbs are like is www.cityhobo.com
Absolutely love it and has schools there too!
Love Ems
P.S. I have now found out that if you send your kids to private schools you DON'T have to pay the $4500 to the goverment as well... thank you Andrew for ringing NSW!!

Originally Posted by Emmis

Hi all, especially Ali and Deb! Ali, that sounds ideal. Mosman is gorgeous. All the area north of the harbour (Kirribilli, Neutral Bay, Cremorne...) is lovely. Sydney is great. We lived in Melbourne about 7 years ago which we loved. I'm really into history and art and was totally in awe of the cultural side of Australia. We Europeans make fun of Australia but I found it fascinating. My husband's a surfer and we both love the sea so it was ideal in that way too. Obviously, like everywhere there are annoying things... Sydney is beautiful, really, really beautiful, but sometimes the locals spend too much time reminding you about that and it leaves you less time to actually absorb it yourself! Also I was a bit shocked at first by the occasional Pom bashing (during the Olympics we were in a pub and they booed when the British and US National Anthems were sung on TV!!) and the way Italians and Greeks are called, and call themselves (!!) wogs. There was even a film released at the time we were there about a Greek teenager growing up in Oz... and it was called The Wog Boy. I was shocked as I'm half Italian... and half Pom!! But the more you're there the more you realise it's because they're very direct and aren't actually being racist.... and the Pom bashing is more than likely due to years of us Brits being so condescending towards them. I loved Sydney and can't wait to go back, live in a city (we're living in the coutryside in Tuscany at the moment which sounds ideal but I'm going stir crazy as my husband works such long hours for little money and you can't go for walks with the kids nearby as the countryside doesn't do pavements!!!) and just chill out in a great, funky, beautiful, chilled, mad city... it's everything you really want as there are so many different suburbs. I really hope we can meet up Ali as Gaia, my little girl, is 4 and would love a friend to play with. I'm looking for schools for her as she already goes to nursery school every morning... any ideas? Also where are the serviced apartments and what are they called? Just curious as we'll need to rent a holiday apartment/house before we find a more long term solution.
Anyway, I'll PM my email to you both, Ali and Deb. Let's meet up and stay in touch!!
Ems xx

Originally Posted by ebyron

Hello!!!

Can I join in??!!

We are planning to move to Sydney early next year too. I've got a girl (4) and a boy (1), so similar ages. I'm very excited about the move, but feel very daunted about all the decisions i have to make - mainly where to live!!! So i'm finding this site, and this thread, really useful. If i can just narrow down our search to a couple of areas that would be a start ... just fancy something different to England eg by a nice sandy beach!!!

It would be great to know of some mums before i get out there - i'm trying to hide in the back of my mind the fact that i'll be leaving all my friends behind!

Originally Posted by ebyron

Hello!!!

Can I join in??!!

We are planning to move to Sydney early next year too. I've got a girl (4) and a boy (1), so similar ages. I'm very excited about the move, but feel very daunted about all the decisions i have to make - mainly where to live!!! So i'm finding this site, and this thread, really useful. If i can just narrow down our search to a couple of areas that would be a start ... just fancy something different to England eg by a nice sandy beach!!!

It would be great to know of some mums before i get out there - i'm trying to hide in the back of my mind the fact that i'll be leaving all my friends behind!

Originally Posted by emigratingherberts

We got our visas a few weeks ago. We are going on a 457 initially for 2 years and leave in 2 weeks My daughter is also used to going to nursery for 3 days a week but I'm not going to panic. I'm sure something will come up when we get there and the new term doesn't start until 30 Jan. I think it will be easier to wait until then when we know exactly where we will be living long term. I think there are loads of toddler groups around too so will try these out to get to know a few more people. Try not to worry too much. I'm sure it will work out ok.
Ali