DEEDEE01

Hi All,

Got the med requests yesterday, woo hooo !!!!

Time is pressing on now and we are still in no closer to deciding on where to go.

We are a young couple looking to move TO either the Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast. We had discussed Taz aswell, but we think we may try QLD first, depending on the job front.

I have NO clue where to look, never been to Oz before and now starting to panic. We are looking for a nice area not a million miles from the beach where the hubby can get a job welding / boilermaking. Upto yet NO look, there are little jobs around in this sector from the searches I have done.

Can ANYBODY recommend somewhere on the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast, that isn't to expensive, where there a expats and where my hubby can get a job in this field.

We are looking to do our meds end of Feb, so really need to start putting plans into action, WE DONT HAVE A CLUE where to start

I have kept calm and calculated upto yesterday when the med request came, now I have gone to pot !!! Hopefully we will be moving September / October.

I really need your help guys, any info would be better than nothing, I feel I have looked at every website there is, but still find myself scratching my head

Donna & Pete.

tony4563

Hi DEEDEE01.
We too got our meds request yesterday. Bricking it! It's suddenly becoming a reality if it all goes well. We are looking at the Brissie area. We were there last year and loved it, but still need to weigh up the pros and cons of emigrating there even if we do get the Visa. Time was not on our side and if we didn't apply last year it would have been our last chance.

DEEDEE01

Hiya,

Totally know what you mean about bricking it !! If you don't mind me asking, why was time not on your side ?

Donna.

tony4563

The age limit for applying for a PR skilled visa is 45. We are still undecided if it is the right move for us but getting the visa gives us a few more years to finally make the decision. With respect, don't look at Oz through rose tinted specs. It has its problems just like the UK. Emigrating, to me, without at least a visit is very risky. You have asked questions that maybe should have been sorted before you applied for your visa. Don't just move to Oz on a whim...Do your homework first! This website is an excellent source for information and advice and should answer most of your questions. You do need to get a feel of the place though to find out if its for you. Its an expensive trip back if you've made the wrong decision (check returning to the UK forum) At least give yourself a chance by flying out for a holiday. Sorry to seem a bit negative but I do have your best interests at heart

DEEDEE01

Hi Tony,

Thanks for having my interest at heart, you are sweet.

I totally know what you mean about rose tinted glasses. We have kept our feet on the ground from the start and hopefully, to the end. This is something we have been talking about for many years now, so we are researching and learning more each day.

They way we see our position is, I am 25 the hubby is 28, we have no children and have travelled quite alot for our ages. We see this as something different, whether it be for 2 years or for 20 years. It doesn't matter where you go or what you do, you will always encounter the same problems you left behind, regardless.

What change can offer, is something that isn't routine, different, exciting, something that can last as long as you want it to. If we move to Oz at the end of the year, whats the worse that can happen; we want to come home. At least we can say we have tried and failed, better to have never tried at all.

UK has lots of problems at the moment, and I'm sure there are more to follow, as does Oz, I'm sure, but what the UK can't offer us is a better lifestyle, better weather and happiness. Maybe if we had walked a different path, things would be different now, but as it stands, we are both unhappy here and have been for a while, there is more to life than the UK, our idea is to travel and see as much as we can and experience and enjoy as much as we can, while we can, you never know whats aound the corner.

Of all the places in the world I have travelled to, I could have quite happily have lived in any of 'em !! I hope Oz won't let me down

We want to have children soon, where will that leave us then ? we will have no time to do what WE want.


Thanks for your advice, it's nice when people look out for you, there is people that care after all !!!

Donna.

tony4563

Hi Donna.
Thanks for your very kind comments You both seem to have an excellent attitude to life in general and the fire in your belly to improve it. A definate recipe for success. It could be a great life for you both over there. Good luck!

GillyG

Here here DEEDEE01, I totally agree with you! It is better to regret doing something than regret never doing it! Oz isn't in outer space.

I went backpacking in 2001 and spend 6 weeks of that time in Oz and loved every moment of it. I then went back again for a month in 2005 with my now husband and we had a ball. His sister lives on the Gold Coast and we're hoping on settling around that area (give or take a couple of hours drive). I think a lot of people would say go on a reccie to see Oz through a different pair of eyes but I think if you're a open-minded, laid back person you can make a go of it and embrace the experience even if you decide it isn't the place for you. I know that I loved Oz for "holidaying" but it may be a different story actually living there...but if I don't give it a go I'll never find out...just the same as you Donna.

Centurion

Just to point out that the sunshine coast is known as the casual coast, thanks largely to the huge number of casual jobs rather than full time employment. Population density, tourist based economy make it a wonderful place to live, but a very poor place to find full time employment for many, including industrial professions.

If I had to choose, then I would say the Gold Coast is better for that type of employment.

hantsfamily1

We moved out to Brisbane August last year. Spent the first 2 months in a fully furnished rental in the Bayside suburbs which was nice but a bit too quiet for us.

We ended up moving to the Gold Coast and love it. The beaches are superb, plenty of restaurants and loads to do. The hinterland is only 20 minutes drive away if you want to go inland.

I am working in Brisbane at the moment and its an hour door to door so I still get to enjoy having the beach 5 minutes away for my free time.

I would rent a short term holiday let for a few weeks and give yourself time to sort out exactly what you want. www.realestate.com has plenty of holiday lets on the gold coast and they are quite reasonable too. A friend of mine rented a beachfront 2 bedroom apartment for $450.00 per week.

Steer clear of estate agents until you know exactly what you want to do and just allow yourself time to settle in and have some fun doing it.

Its a great country with lots to offer but dont expect it to come easily, you have to be prepared to work hard and do exactly what it takes to have your trade skills/professional skills recognised and do it with a smile on your face.

Robina is quite reasonable, Varsity Lakes is lovely, I am currently living in Broadbeach Waters which is great but everyone has different tastes. You can rent a 2 bedroom apartment within a couple of hundred metres of the beach in Broadbeach for around $300.00 per week. You are a young couple and would have everything on your doorstep.

Good luck, Mick

Timber Floor Au

www.realestate.com.au



Good Luck

hantsfamily1

Thanks Timber I missed the au

Timber Floor Au

no problemos

DEEDEE01

Hi Mick (& all those who have posted upto yet),

We have a dog who will be coming with us to Oz, so I trying to stay away from apartments if I can.

Ideally we would like to get a 2 bed house to start if we can, that way we have the garden for the dog.

We have worked out that we do not want to pay more than $400 a week for a 2 bed, is this about right for that area ?

I was actually looking for jobs for the hubby on the job sites and I must admit, I found nothing on the Sunshine Coast, as somebody else pointed out in their post, and only a few around the Gold Coast, looking pretty bleak at the min, hopefully when summer comes around and the weather gets hotter, a few more jobs in welding may come available, he said it's hard enough in the UK welding never mind in 35 degree heat, so bearing that in mind, we might find something.

Thanks for the pointers, I will check these areas out

Donna.

fox's2oz

Hey Donna
We moved to Caloundra on the Sunshine coast 2 years ago with our 2 kids (we had never been to Oz before)and we love it. The sunshine coast is a bit quieter than the goldie but still has a lot to offer.Rentals are quite hard to pick up but you should be able to get a good 3-4 bed house for $400 not to far from the beach.I'm in engineering (fitter / turner)and my advice is to wait till you get here , most jobs in engineering here aren't advertised on the internet or through the big agencies most people get jobs by knocking on doors or through the local press . There are always people here after good welders(maybe even my boss) and i'm sure its the same on the goldie.Only downside is the wages on the coast compared to Brisie are not great , but its the the whole work / lifestyle balance . Give it a go if you don't you'll always be thinking what if ...... Good luck


Steve

hantsfamily1

Hi Donna,

We brought our dog with us as well and still found it easy to find rentals where it was ok for the dog. $400 is about right but obviously the more you pay the more you get but with a bit of searching you will be ok.

Our dog was in quarantine in Sydney for 30 days so that gave us plenty of time to sort out a lot of things and will give you plenty of time to find the right place.

As the previous poster said its easier to sort jobs out when you get here. The local papers and weekend papers are full of jobs and good workers will not struggle to get the right job but like I said before be prepared to get stuck in to the way of life and do what it takes to make it work.

A short term holiday let for a couple of weeks should give you plenty of time to sort out a long term rental property.

As for working in the heat you just get used to it but they are more geared up for it with plenty of A/C and cooler designs for the buildings.

Best of luck, Mick