Originally Posted by jad n rich (Post 11897885)

I think also try to understand the medical and dental system. Many things even for children are not free.

Just allow a few thousand a year extra for health if you need medications, dental even basic care, orthodontics, specialists. Even if its on medicare it may only cover a % of the cost.

Also long term, age pensions etc asset and income tested. Many wont even get a health care card to help with medical bills in old age. Save hard while here for those years, especially if your self employed etc. i think most migrants have no idea about that one.

Originally Posted by Phoodilicious (Post 11897834)

Having arrived in Brisbane16 months ago from a 4 year stint in the US but previously in the UK here are some thoughts in partial response to your posed questions:-

1. Surprise #1 - Australia did not seem to be as expensive as everyone made out when compared to UK prices but was a huge sticker shock compared to US prices. Even now with the more favourable exchange rate coming here - if I see an Australia price (say for a meal out or an item of clothing) and think wow that's expensive, when I halve the cost to get an approximate UK conversion it no longer seems to be that much different (compared to US prices still more expensive however).

1a. Surprise #2 Aussies you meet everywhere else in the world always seem to be so laid back and super-friendly (including my Aussie neighbour in the USA for the last 3 years I was there) - however on being here over a year in the near northern 'burbs in a very family orientated area, we found it nigh on impossible to meet people! We tried pubs and restaurants and as the pub culture is very different and most places do not have bar stools at the bar or communal tables, people arrive in groups and stay in their groups at a table and so there is no real opportunity to mingle and potentially make friends. The Aussies at work are very friendly but for the most part that is a work thing and work and home don't crossover. Ex-pats colleagues at work all say the same thing - much harder to make friends without having kids in school or some such reason to meet. You will find that easier having school age children I would imagine.

We have just now moved a couple of weeks ago to the Bayside area that others have mentioned and there is a "British-style" Indian restaurant around the corner (very good Balti style) a British cafe serving typically British cafe type meals (not tried) but also having some British grocery items (some things are easily found in the standard grocery stores but some are not, however their prices are outlandish!) and a Chumley Warners fish and chip shop which does all the Brit stuff including chip shop curry sauce and mushy peas if that's your cup of tea! So I think this supports the fact that there must be some demand for all things British in this area for those businesses to thrive.

2. For the piece of advice - people will say they will come to see you in Australia and you will promise to make visits etc too - in reality it is a very long way to go almost anywhere and costly so the appetite to spend 24hrs travelling and adding that time on to both the start and finish of any holiday when most people only have 20 days paid holiday will mean you don't see people as often as you would like.

3. What would we have done differently in hindsight? We would have made our first home somewhere less suburban/family orientated when we did not fit that family scenario as not having an easy route to make friends outside of work was not ideal. While we don't really specifically seek out other Brits when we move internationally, it has to be said that even if you have nothing else in common, you can always make small talk about the old country .... :-)

Originally Posted by sam2345 (Post 11897961)

Thank you all for the time and advice, I really appreciate it.
The plan is to rent out our home in London and it is a 457 visa that I'd be coming on? I was looking at areas in south west Brisbane but after your responses I'll switch focus to the Bay suburbs.

Keep the advice coming!

Originally Posted by Amazulu (Post 11897887)

No different from any other western country then

Originally Posted by jad n rich (Post 11898984)

I am sure UK residents could work out pretty quickly if their pension will be assets and income tested and reduced accordingly. Ditto other countries. Ditto kids dental, scripts, specialists etc etc.

Let them decide.

Originally Posted by sam2345 (Post 11897961)

I was looking at areas in south west Brisbane but after your responses I'll switch focus to the Bay suburbs.

Originally Posted by jad n rich (Post 11898984)

I am sure UK residents could work out pretty quickly if their pension will be assets and income tested and reduced accordingly. Ditto other countries. Ditto kids dental, scripts, specialists etc etc.

Let them decide.

Originally Posted by bcworld (Post 11897690)

Manly, Wynnum, Birkdale, Cleveland, Wellington Point, Ormiston...getting further away Victoria Point, Redland Bay.

Originally Posted by sam2345 (Post 11898270)

Thank you Fish, I've looked at Chapel Hills/Kenmore/Indooroopilly and there do appear to be a few outstanding schools there. Being within walking/jogging distance of a shoreline(I'm aware that it's not a beach) is quite appealing because it's so different from South London.