muzzcat

Hi,
we are actually in Darwin and have been here since May as per reply earlier on in this thread. We aren't Julie and Bruce of Gutersloh (cant spell that?) although Bruce seems to think he knows you. We did meet a Chris last weekend (Chris, wife Tre and daughter Imogen) who have just arrived here and know you. I think he was a face painter??? Bruce was PT Corp in UK and is now Medical corp (GSO in the health branch, I think??). Our time line is as follows which may help:
April 05 - E mail to Canberra
June 05 - Interview in London, accepted.
June 05 - Application package sent to Canberra.
Sept 05 - Army Med documents lost in Canberra but later found...phew?
Nov 05 - Labour Agreement recieved.
Nov 05 - Posting order for Darwin.
Dec 05 - Police checks.
Jan 06 - Application for visa's to Canberra.
Jan 06 - Case Officer assigned and credit card charged.
Feb 06 - Medicals.
March 06 - Visa's granted.
May 06 Arrived Darwin.

Very quick from visa application to visa grant. We seemed to hit the ground running after this with removals, housing etc. But it does all work out. From the grant of the visa be prepared to move quickly, they do give you some lee way and are quite accepting at wanting afew weeks for goodbyes etc.
If you need anything else give us a shout. See you soon in Darwin over a cold beer maybe!

clivefawcett

The beer sounds very tempting!! I know Chris and family well and yep he is a good face painter but not as good as a magician as I am (lol)- it looks like from your time scale things went quickly and we are hoping they do for us. We have just sold our house and now moved into rented accommodation that we have paid for until the end of November so I am keeping my fingers crossed that we can move then if all goes smoothly with the visa. What happens about driving licences and buying your own property there, I have heard that there is a grant that they give you? We are looking at bringing a fair bit of my current business over with us especially for the Mil Market - do you think there is much scope you can see what I do at the moment at www.spectacularevents.co.uk sorry about all the questions.

muzzcat

Dont think you'll have much trouble with your business, the mess's here seem to encourage children to attend functions in a seperate room with child care provided, maybe an opening there with a free show to wet their whistles! Also loads of huge all day pre schools in Palmerston's (theres 4 around Durack where we live alone 3 ABC pre schools and one Defence) maybe to advertise in. You'd obviously have to register with someone and police checks, insurance etc which no doubt you now. Dont think there's much competition either as haven't seen alot of that side advertised in the local papers. Also the local markets have entertainers as in fire eaters, bands etc so maybe an opening there?
Buying a property seems pretty easy, you get a first time buyers grant from the government and the military match it. Dont know the exact figure but it's worth it although obviously taxable along with everything else? Driving licence was easy just had to register with the local licence centre but must have a residence address and proof of this plus passport and visa etc also UK driving licence. No tick tests or anything which we were dreading, other states may vary. Being in the Northern Territory we also get two free flights a year to anywhere in Australia, a nice softener for being posted to somewhere remotish. You can either use the 2 domestically or just 1 towards a flight back to UK making the difference up in price.
Spent last night with Chris and family at a wedding, last to leave as usual. Even the cleaner was waiting to get into the function room, sad really especially as the bar had shut an hour earlier!
We know exactly what you are going through, the waiting is awful as the niggly doubts set in and you feel theres never going to be an end to it. But one morning you'll open up your e mails and it'll be there. Strange feeling! Then you hit the champagne, we demolished 5 bottles with a friend plus a curry and then started moaning at all the hard work thats still in front to get you out there! Worth it though now Im sat here on a Sunday lunchtime with our 19 yr old son trying to cook bacon and eggs on the BBQ (not going too well) and an afternoon ahead of us at the open air swimming pool in Darwin looking out to sea! So keep in there.
Take care
Julie.

clivefawcett

Hi Julie, thanks for the information we are just keeping our fingers crossed that the visa is sooner rather than later. You never know we may all get to meet each other for Christmas - won't that be strange?
Would you mind if we PM you over a few questions - Clive and Di.

muzzcat

Please do!
Julie and Bruce.

clivefawcett

As you may have seen we have got the Visa this morning - Champers and a curry tonight I think. Speak soon. Clive and Di.

muzzcat

Brill... glad its all coming together. Have a good evening celebrating and we'll keep you to those cold beer's Aus side.
Julie and Bruce.