Australia - what you need to know
Jan 25th 2010, 9:39 am
#47
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Jan 25th 2010, 9:41 am
#48
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Re: Australia - what you need to know
Jan 25th 2010, 11:48 am
#49
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Jan 25th 2010, 12:27 pm
#50
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Re: Australia - what you need to know
This did make me laugh!
I feel like playing my little tiny violin now, but I'm not sure you'll be able to hear it from the UK as Australia is so far away.
Although seriously, each to their own and all that. One hates it, another loves it. You'll never change each others opinions of the place so why bother trying?
I feel like playing my little tiny violin now, but I'm not sure you'll be able to hear it from the UK as Australia is so far away.
Although seriously, each to their own and all that. One hates it, another loves it. You'll never change each others opinions of the place so why bother trying?
Jan 25th 2010, 2:51 pm
#52
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Re: Australia - what you need to know
Oh Dear 
Twenty years of having to suffer this overheated and overpriced hell hole, my heart bleeds. It seems that you must suffer from the same deficiency in navigational skills that effects my poor wife. She can't find the exit from a shopping centre car park without four orbits of the entire complex, and you apparently can't find the nearest international airport and and the exit to pommyland despite being here for "twenty years"
Super expensive rents ???
I'm presently paying $160 a week for a one bed roomed unit close to town, with ground maintenance, water and hot water charges thrown in. My previous unit was two bed roomed, again within easy walking distance to town with a double garage and ground maintenance and cost $200 per week.
Now this might be extremely expensive by your reckoning but I think it's very reasonable. When I check the present price of rental accommodation in UK, I can't say that I'm immediately impressed by how "cheap" it is. Are you still using the prices that were current when you left "twenty years" ago as a benchmark ?
As for relatively high prices for some goods and services compared with other countries ? I really don't want to shock you, but the reason that Oz is a twenty-four hour flight from Europe, is because it's a very long way from Europe to OZ
Despite what you might have heard on internet forums, it's got nothing to do with Qantas flying really really slow so that their useless, ignorant, racist staff have more time to subject their once colonial masters to every imaginable indignity.
As a result of this relative isolation, some products have to travel a really long way to get here. Especially HP sauce, Branston's Pickles, tripe, pigs feet, Danish Bacon, black pudding and of course 'real' beer and 'real' fish and chips. Even when they are available, many of these delicacies will attract a high cost premium, making them outlandishly expensive and out of the financial reach of many UK immigrants.
As for " The banks are shockers and fleece Aussies big big time.". May I suggest that you change banks ? This is not quite the challenge that finding the exit to this country obviously presents you with, and the good news is that the staff at your new bank will be happy to guide you through the process.
I have a total of six accounts with the CBA and none of these accounts attract charges of any kind apart from my credit card's annual charge ( I'm working on that one ), so I can really recommend their service. Their branch service, internet service and support, plus 'free' use of their ATM network and all for 'nothing', just can't be beat as far as I'm concerned. Though I suspect that you have a long list of pommie banks that will provide a far better service for less
It does seem from the tone of your post that you are most unhappy here and as an Australian I can only emphasise and hope that you will eventually learn to adapt to Australian ways and the Australian people. Though as you have been a guest of this country for over twenty years without apparently finding one redeeming feature in your whole experience, perhaps it might be better if you called it a day, and returned to UK's green and pleasant land.
We would like to thank you for your efforts, we share your disappointment that this venture did not have a more fruitful outcome and we wish you all the best for the future.
If you are strapped for the return ticket price, I'm sure the forum would be able to arrange a 'whip round', though failing that, I believe that Centerlink are able to arrange emergency repatriation for desperate cases such as yours.
Please ensure that the door doesn't hit you on the arse on the way out.
Twenty years of having to suffer this overheated and overpriced hell hole, my heart bleeds. It seems that you must suffer from the same deficiency in navigational skills that effects my poor wife. She can't find the exit from a shopping centre car park without four orbits of the entire complex, and you apparently can't find the nearest international airport and and the exit to pommyland despite being here for "twenty years"
Super expensive rents ???
I'm presently paying $160 a week for a one bed roomed unit close to town, with ground maintenance, water and hot water charges thrown in. My previous unit was two bed roomed, again within easy walking distance to town with a double garage and ground maintenance and cost $200 per week.
Now this might be extremely expensive by your reckoning but I think it's very reasonable. When I check the present price of rental accommodation in UK, I can't say that I'm immediately impressed by how "cheap" it is. Are you still using the prices that were current when you left "twenty years" ago as a benchmark ?
As for relatively high prices for some goods and services compared with other countries ? I really don't want to shock you, but the reason that Oz is a twenty-four hour flight from Europe, is because it's a very long way from Europe to OZ
Despite what you might have heard on internet forums, it's got nothing to do with Qantas flying really really slow so that their useless, ignorant, racist staff have more time to subject their once colonial masters to every imaginable indignity.
As a result of this relative isolation, some products have to travel a really long way to get here. Especially HP sauce, Branston's Pickles, tripe, pigs feet, Danish Bacon, black pudding and of course 'real' beer and 'real' fish and chips. Even when they are available, many of these delicacies will attract a high cost premium, making them outlandishly expensive and out of the financial reach of many UK immigrants.
As for " The banks are shockers and fleece Aussies big big time.". May I suggest that you change banks ? This is not quite the challenge that finding the exit to this country obviously presents you with, and the good news is that the staff at your new bank will be happy to guide you through the process.
I have a total of six accounts with the CBA and none of these accounts attract charges of any kind apart from my credit card's annual charge ( I'm working on that one
), so I can really recommend their service. Their branch service, internet service and support, plus 'free' use of their ATM network and all for 'nothing', just can't be beat as far as I'm concerned. Though I suspect that you have a long list of pommie banks that will provide a far better service for less It does seem from the tone of your post that you are most unhappy here and as an Australian I can only emphasise and hope that you will eventually learn to adapt to Australian ways and the Australian people. Though as you have been a guest of this country for over twenty years without apparently finding one redeeming feature in your whole experience, perhaps it might be better if you called it a day, and returned to UK's green and pleasant land.
We would like to thank you for your efforts, we share your disappointment that this venture did not have a more fruitful outcome and we wish you all the best for the future.
If you are strapped for the return ticket price, I'm sure the forum would be able to arrange a 'whip round', though failing that, I believe that Centerlink are able to arrange emergency repatriation for desperate cases such as yours.
Please ensure that the door doesn't hit you on the arse on the way out.
Jan 25th 2010, 5:18 pm
#53
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 17
Re: Australia - what you need to know
I'm not talking about individual banks in general. St. George (previously Advance) were pretty good but now it's consolidated back to 3-4. It's the fact, as shown last year, that the banks collectively do what they want, and hold the Australian public hostage with varous rate increases above & beyond any RBA increases. The Govt. have no balls, Swann etc. lame responses.
If you can afford it great, but I do think the banks have people over a barrel, this is a sentiment echoed by most I think. Very few people have a high opinion of the various banks regardless of how often they try to re-brand themselves.
If you can afford it great, but I do think the banks have people over a barrel, this is a sentiment echoed by most I think. Very few people have a high opinion of the various banks regardless of how often they try to re-brand themselves.
Jan 25th 2010, 5:24 pm
#54
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Re: Australia - what you need to know
[Super expensive rents ???
I'm presently paying $160 a week for a one bed roomed unit close to town, with ground maintenance, water and hot water charges thrown in. My previous unit was two bed roomed, again within easy walking distance to town with a double garage and ground maintenance and cost $200 per week.
>>
You must be living in the bush somewhere Dorothy's husband if your paying $160\wk certainely not Sydney or Melbourne where rents start at $400+\wk or a rabbit hutch. Enjoy your bedsit .. sounds awesome, is rickets inclusive of the rent
I'm presently paying $160 a week for a one bed roomed unit close to town, with ground maintenance, water and hot water charges thrown in. My previous unit was two bed roomed, again within easy walking distance to town with a double garage and ground maintenance and cost $200 per week.
>>
You must be living in the bush somewhere Dorothy's husband if your paying $160\wk certainely not Sydney or Melbourne where rents start at $400+\wk or a rabbit hutch. Enjoy your bedsit .. sounds awesome, is rickets inclusive of the rent
Jan 25th 2010, 5:39 pm
#55
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Joined: Oct 2009
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Re: Australia - what you need to know
It's hysterical the way soo many aussies jump on this forum for a spot of pommie bashing. Skippy - it's for UK expats only. We get enough of your BS during the day mate. Now take off your flip flops and walk down the street barefoot, strap on your beligerent attitude and take the week off for austraaalia day or as many sickies as you can chuck
Sydney & Melbourne are great towns. Sunshine Coast too. If you paying $160\wk you're obviously living in the bush somewhere as rents are $500\wk+ for a 1 bedder back in civilisation. Rent here is v. expensive in anyone's book. Anyway enjoy your bedsit, sounds like your living the australian dream.
Nothing new in the original post that every Brit already knows all too well. Everyplace has their faults of course. Unless your born in Australia where it's perfect everyday and anyone that says otherwise should go back to .. (yawn)
Sydney & Melbourne are great towns. Sunshine Coast too. If you paying $160\wk you're obviously living in the bush somewhere as rents are $500\wk+ for a 1 bedder back in civilisation. Rent here is v. expensive in anyone's book. Anyway enjoy your bedsit, sounds like your living the australian dream
.Nothing new in the original post that every Brit already knows all too well. Everyplace has their faults of course. Unless your born in Australia where it's perfect everyday and anyone that says otherwise should go back to .. (yawn)
Jan 25th 2010, 5:49 pm
#56
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,855
Re: Australia - what you need to know
what a load of cobblers.
as an example, leave ferntree gully and head for the dandenongs, reach belgrave and enter the forests with 40m high gums, 10 minutes later reach Monbulk. Rich green & lush. one of the highest rainfall areas in Vic.
another 5 minutes, reach Silvan. The earth changes from deep red to a sandy red. Ideal for the market garden horticulture in the area.
Turn off and head for Healesville passing through Seville. Undulating hills, plenty of green open fields or bush.
If you didnt turn off to head for Seville, you can always head for the Yarra Valley. Its 15 minutes and you are in the middle of the wine region.
I can go on and on about the diverse scenery in victoria in all directions, but I cant be bothered.
Who fancies chipping in to the "BE bugger off back to blighty fund".
as an example, leave ferntree gully and head for the dandenongs, reach belgrave and enter the forests with 40m high gums, 10 minutes later reach Monbulk. Rich green & lush. one of the highest rainfall areas in Vic.
another 5 minutes, reach Silvan. The earth changes from deep red to a sandy red. Ideal for the market garden horticulture in the area.
Turn off and head for Healesville passing through Seville. Undulating hills, plenty of green open fields or bush.
If you didnt turn off to head for Seville, you can always head for the Yarra Valley. Its 15 minutes and you are in the middle of the wine region.
I can go on and on about the diverse scenery in victoria in all directions, but I cant be bothered.
Who fancies chipping in to the "BE bugger off back to blighty fund".
But l agree when you said "why should l even bother " its not like alot of some of the whingers would ever go and see any of it.
Jan 25th 2010, 6:07 pm
#57
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Re: Australia - what you need to know
Well I reckon Australia has good points and bad points, as indeed does the UK. However, I don't agree that rent is expensive when you compare it with the capital value of property or the cost of actually buying somewhere to live. The negative gearing rules mean that a lot of Australian landlords are subsidising their tenants. In my experience (with one rental property in the UK, one in Australia), rental yields are MUCH lower in Australia.
Jan 25th 2010, 7:56 pm
#58
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Re: Australia - what you need to know
The drive from the north of Brisbane to Sydney is a huge distance! I'd bloody well hope it changed during that time!
I wasn't referring to driving interstate. I was talking about driving more common, reasonable distances.
You can drive no distance at all in the UK - the scenery changes all the time. Everywhere is different.
Drive from outer Melbourne into the country and the scenery will hardly change until you have been on the road for a couple of hours at least. The scenery does not change frequently.
I did not say there was NO pleasant scenery in Australia.
I wasn't referring to driving interstate. I was talking about driving more common, reasonable distances.
You can drive no distance at all in the UK - the scenery changes all the time. Everywhere is different.
Drive from outer Melbourne into the country and the scenery will hardly change until you have been on the road for a couple of hours at least. The scenery does not change frequently.
I did not say there was NO pleasant scenery in Australia.
Driving half an hour from where we lived before, we had rolling woodland views, mountain views, beach views, river views, woodland picnic areas and flatter green fields.
I'm sorry you couldn't find the same in Melbourne - but you can't tar the whole country with your brush.
Jan 25th 2010, 8:25 pm
#59
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Jan 25th 2010, 8:27 pm
#60
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