thegriffs

After reading this forum, I felt it was time to join, we are just about to become ping pong pomms, we spent 4 years on the central coast, on a dreaded 457 visa, start a business turn over 250K employ 3 aussies have so much money in the bank and you might get residency. We fell just short and had to come back to the UK, I understand they don`t offer this visa any more.

Anyway we are going to try again, my other half is going out as a student, and buying a business, but due to our age we have to go to the sunshine coast hence my question. We are looking at Maroochydore.

Please can anyone enlighten us, we have 3 children 1 dog and our fingers crossed.

jdraper

Hi

Can't help with anything but wanted to say welcome to BE.

BTW if you are going on a student visa, how can you have a business as well? I thought you were only allowed to work 20 hours each?

Jo
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thegriffs

Thanks for saying Hi

You can buy a business if you enroll on a course for two years, in this case hairdressing, which will be run by staff, then we can work 20 hours a week each, by the end of the two years providing you have meet certain criteria you can apply for residency.

jdraper

Pity you're not going to Gold Coast as I am a hairdresser too and will be looking for a job for 20 hours a week (as we are going on student visa too - husband is doing bakery/hospitality management at Gold Coast TAFE)!!!!

JO
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danbex85

Hi and welcome to B.E,

I Moved here from the UK at Xmas to Buderim which is about 3 minutes from Maroochydore. The whole place is amazing and I am sure that you will love it. Here is a brief description of a few nearby areas:

Maroochydore-
Nice place but quite commercial rather than residential although it does have a big shopping centre which is quite handy if you like shopping.

Mooloolaba-
(2 mins from Maroochdore)- Very nice place and this is the main hub of the sunshine coast. Mooloolaba is regarded as a very nice place. Nice beaches and some good shops etc. Lots of expensive waterfront houses and also a lot of nice normal houses(not waterfront). Mooloolaba is expensive in terms of commercial and also residential leases/purchases .

Buderim-
Nice small town with a small number of shops and lots of houses. (very sought after).

I hope that this has helped a bit...
The best thing for you to do is to come and have a look and see what you think of it. I personally have travelled all through QLD and the sunny coast is by far the nicest area to be. The beaches, people, lifestyle etc are great.

There are other areas near to Maroochydore but these are the main areas.

If you move to the sunshine coast you won't regret it!

thegriffs

[QUOTE=jdraper;5063496]Pity you're not going to Gold Coast as I am a hairdresser too and will be looking for a job for 20 hours a week (as we are going on student visa too - husband is doing bakery/hospitality management at Gold Coast TAFE)!!!!

JO

Hi Jo,

Yes that is a pity, were are you going on the Gold coast? I have spent some time up there, its a great place to be, busy happening place, it was my first choice, however to get goverment assistance with the business we have to go regional, or so our consultant has told us!

However we just want get there, we have had a couple of possible saloons details sent over to us, but we need to go and have a look, but that all boils down to money.

So like last time we shall just pack and go! If the house goes throughn with out any problems we will be there at the end of October. Sorting out removals and stuff today.

Cheers
Gary

thegriffs

Hi thanks for your reply.
Have you ever been to the Central Coast? if so how does it compare?
From what I have seen on the net it does look great, but we wont be doing a reccie, we are just coming over at the end of October all being well,
Are the Schools ok up there? We have a 8 year old.
My other half and Daughter will be going to TAFFE -Hairdressing Course, I will set up as Maintenace/Handy man with some involvment with a saloon which we intend to buy.

Do you think there is much call for a pomme handyman up there? if not I will have to think of something else.

Thanks
Gary

Famous 5

Hi and welcome to BE

We're on the Sunshine Coast and have been for just over a year now. We are about 15 minutes north of Maroochydore at Peregian and so far so good. We have 3 children and they love it. There are good schools, fantastic beaches and lots to do for children and adults. Housing is expensive (but where isn't it?) and in some areas it can be difficult to get good rental properties at a reasonable rent, but there is a lot of new development going on so there is at least some attempt to meet demand for housing.

Maroochydore is a commercial hub so that area is not a bad place to locate yourselves, especially if you are starting a business, but there are some wonderful places both on the coast and in the hinterland and as usual it is probably down to personal preference as to where you settle.

The Sunshine Coast is quieter than the Gold Coast but is developing rapidly. Since I first visited the Sunshine Coast about 4 years ago there have been some big changes, but mainly for the better. Hopefully the rapid development will not spoil the area.

If you run a search, you'll probably find a lot of threads about the Sunshine Coast as it seems to be a really popular area and lots of people on BE have moved here or are intending to do so.

thegriffs

Hi Thanks for that,

You sound like you have settled in quite nicely,

Having spent time in OZ we are fairly prepared, but it is nice to have someone else`s veiw, especially as we have never been that far up.

What do you do for work over there?

I take the children are happy, I no ours loved it and cant wait to get back.

Thanks again

Gary

Famous 5

Hi

We are quite settled and our children love it, although inevitably there are moments when they miss friends and family back in the UK (the same for us too). We have had some moments of doubt, but you have already made the break once so you know what you are letting yourselves in for.

It sounds like you may have concerns about moving to a regional area. To be honest with you, if you have to live in a regional area this is probably as good as it gets. Lots of people would choose to live on the Sunshine Coast even if they could live anywhere in Oz and there is certainly a huge range of lifestyle choices on offer - beach, rural, semi-rural, mountains - so you can take your pick. Not too far from Brisbane if you need a quick fix of city life and a short hop to Sydney from Sunshine Coast Airport. Also, because Noosa is an upmarket tourist destination, there are some excellent restaurants in Noosa and also in the surrounding area (the Spirit House in Yandina springs to mind).

My OH is in IT and got a job here before we left the UK (which we now realise was very lucky). I haven't found work yet - that's a whole story in itself - but I'm a lawyer and currently going through the process of qualifying to be admitted to practise here. In the meantime I can just enjoy all those fantastic beaches and do all those things there was never time to do when I was working - well that's the theory anyway.

Whatever you decide, best of luck.

F5

thegriffs

My Son, is in IT he runs the IT for a School, we have just applied for TRA approval as he is 21 he has to come out on his own visa, however he has told us he wont come out until he has permanent residency, which is fair enough.

Your Husband isn`t hiring by any chance??

I understand what you are saying about the sunshine coast and quite frankly we just want to get back to OZ and I am sure that the area you are in will suite us down to the ground.

Thanks for your replies, i will show the to lorraine later.

cheers

Gary

boobear

Hi Gary,

We're hoping to go xmas as I'm enrolled at the TAFE for Hairdressing course starts in Feb08 and guess what my husbands a Handyman, it was our only way to go because of age. But have been to the Sunshine Coast and you won't be disapointed.

Caroline.

thegriffs

Hi,

Well Im buggered!!!

Same boat as us then, it sounds like you will be in the same class as lorraine.

are you looking to buy a business? or work for someone?

how long has your oh been a handy person?

Yes the sunshine coast does sound great.

cheers

Gary

boobear

Don't think we could cope with the stress of a business I'm to much of a worrier so will be looking to work for someone, oh has been a builder for 30yrs so he knows a thing or too.
Glad there's someone else going on the course everyone else seems to have started, or going city bound.
What business are you buying if you don't mind me being nosey and is handyman what you normally do or just something to fall back on.

Caroline

thegriffs

Caroline,

How are you going to get your permeant residency?

since I came back from OZ I have been involved with Plumbing, tiling, Decorating that sort of thing, I have also been involved with Security CCTV for a number of years, jack of all trades as they say!

Cheers

Gary