Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

Hi Christine

I have just received WA SS (26/01/10) and applied on 21/07/09. I'm not sure if I am unique in that it took just over 6 months to get mine, but we were informed initially that the wait would be 4 to 5 months (although the online app said within 3 months). Just something to think about - hopefully you will be luckier than us :)

Pops

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

hi everybody,, me the wife and 2 dogs are going to be applying for visas to move to ozz soon,, and are looking to move to secret harbour as the wifes mum and family live there and we absolutly love it,
as the wife is a hairdresser we will be apllying for a skilled visa on her part me only be a hgv driver aswell,,
what would be the best way to go applying for permanent residency as we were going to do everything ourselves, e.g paper work and other things but now alot of people are telling us to get agents ,, any help would be greatly appreciated

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

Hi Shaun
we started the process last May and decided to go with an agent after reading the forum. They really are so helpful making sure that you go for the right visa for a start. Defo worth the2k so far, we are almost there. Best of luck
Tracy & Alan

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

Thanks alot for that info tracy we will definatley look into getting an agent.
Hope all goes well with your visa process.

Shaun

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

its good to hear loads of people are in thse same boat. where to live and what school to send your kids to. were are moving over june 2011 on a 1192 visa. just found out my yougest birthday is in july and is set back 1 year in school. we have heard that port kennedy is a nice place to live, but not sure on areas as never been to perth. good luck to all moving over

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

You seem so much more organised that us, now I'm panicking. Are you going to choose a school first and then look for jobs and accommodation in the surrounding area? We are heading over in September but I didn't even realise you could secure a school place from the UK. I'm worried about choosing a school then finding out the job is going to be two hours away or something, so we were going to do it the other way round from you.

Don't know where to start really. We are in the process of getting shipping quotes too, and applying for at least 5 jobs per day. It's all quite stressful isn't it, but so exciting too? :)

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

-29c degress :ohmy:why does anyone want to immigrate to Canada, even the Eskimos must hate it.

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

If you can get your child into one of those two schools, you'll be off to a flying start. Certainly wouldn't recommend living in Joondalup as you originally said, as it would be a fairly long commute to school, or work for you. Also, some of the Shenton College kids/families can find it hard to accept people who don't live in the western suburbs. Shenton College is the local high school for these most expensive suburbs in Perth, but its gifted and talented programme takes kids from all suburbs, if they can do well in the test to get in, or have proof of ability from overseas.

Claremont is a very expensive, swanky suburb. Some schools have bus services (have a look at the TransPerth website, or whatever it's called), plus both those schools are near train stations: Leederville, on northern suburbs line, for Perth Modern, and Shenton Park for Shenton College.

Let me know if you want a list of suburbs, to start looking up on real estate sites.

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

I'd say Claremont is a lovely suburb for families who can afford it. It's pretty much right in the middle of the CBD, Fremantle with a great live music and pub scene, the ocean and the river. It has lots of cafes and shops, but bear in my mind that you are in one of Perth's most expensive suburbs which obviously reflects in the prices of local stores. There is a few local pubs, but as you certainly know don't expect anything like cosy English pubs. Claremont is one of the very modern and quite posh suburbs. Most of Perth's best schools are in this district and traffic around 3pm when most kids get off school is a bit of a nightmare as every mum picks up their precious ones in their big 4wheel drive that never ever goes off-road... sorry bit off-topic but I find sooo true!
I probably can't judge as I am not a mum but I work as a nanny and know many families' opinions on Claremont and the schools. I certainly would think twice about enrolling my child in a school in such an expensive suburb if I can't provide my children with the same sort of lifestyle their classmates would experience. Yes, they do wear school uniforms and therefore in everyday life money might not be important in an obvious way but comes the weekend you will certainly have your kid ask you if they can have a jet ski because Andy from school has one... just something to consider :)


sorry just read helen's reply. maybe listen to her rather than me re shenton college. she seems to be a bit better informed. all i can base my statements on is what i have heard from families i nanny for.

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

We arrived in Perth 3 weeks ago. Rented a furnished appartament in Scarborough beach area and set off with no preconceptions or expectations about any suburb. We drove rush hour in and out of Perth north and south of the river and decided it was easier for us to live sor. We then checked local schools for our 5 year old daughter to start pre primary. Most primary schools had places so we then set out to get a rental.

It only took us 3 days from arrival to secure a brand new 4x2 in Southern River which is close to Canning Vale. 3 days later our container arrived and only one glass was broken (Whites come very highly recommended). We find Southern River very quiet and our daughters new school is only 2 Mins walk from the house. My wife has secured a job in the CBD, and the transport links here for driving and trains is excellent. 20 Mins from the city centre.

We then sorted out a car from Lynford in Osbourne Park. Customer service was excellent and we got a great deal on a new car. Just need a contract of employment to get credit plus a 10-20% deposit.

Our advice is to be open minded and take BE with a pinch of salt. Everybody has their own opinions and experience. Find your own groove and go with gut feelings. You will know what is right for you and your own circumstances.

Good luck every one who is arriving and has arrived. Truely lovely place to live and bring up kids.

Ps. The spiders and snakes are not chasing you down the street and there is no kangaroos hopping about the cbd. :thumbsup:

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

Joondalup to Perth Modern would be OK on the train, a couple of my daughters friends attend Perth Modern and it is a relatively easy commute. Their experiences of the parents at the school has been good due to the fact that families come from all over, not just the exclusive areas.

I can't comment on Shenton College, its results speak for themselves but with regards to the type of parents I wouldn't know.

Re: Anyone recently moved to Perth or planning to?
 

There's no point in living that far north (or south) if you can afford to live closer, especially if the parents need to commute to the CBD. It can make it hard for the kids to meet up with friends, and you can spend a large amount of time driving around, with a "Mum's taxi" sticker on your car.

Perth Modern has no local intake students, so all the students live outside the area and it is the only entirely selective school in WA. Shenton College is mainly a local intake school, for the western suburbs, and there is definitely a different attitude towards life by a lot of its families. I have spent five years so far studying the rarified Western Suburbs species. Just one example: some regard living north of City Beach to equal living in Geraldton:lol:. I heard one mum I know say that she was happy for her child to go to Shenton, but that Perth Modern was too far to go!:lol:

Shenton also has a gifted and talented programme, plus an enrichment programme for those who didn't get into the G&T one. These programmes are open to anyone who gets enough marks in the exam, or has some other proof of ability.

Shenton's overall TEE results are usually pretty good, but last year Churchlands SHS beat them by quite a few places. Churchlands doesn't have one of the Education Dept's academic gifted & talented programmes, only for music, which has a good reputation. However, it runs its own academic higher achievement programme which seems pretty good.