cutgrass

Having been a leech for the year leading up to our migration (i.e. reading everyone's stuff but not contributing that much) I can now give something back to the forum that helped me prepare for the move. So here's how our first two months in Melbourne have been . . . .

My wife and I moved here at the start of May on a permanent residency visa. We have no children, my wife is a Primary Teacher and I am a Systems (I.T.) Analyst.

We arrived in Melbourne having never visited the city (been to Adelaide and Sydney though). We booked into 'serviced apartments' for the first two weeks to give us time to find a place to rent. So here's my first tip - spend some money to make these first two weeks pleasant. Do not shortchange yourself on your temporary accomodation because when you spend an entire day in a strange city having to return home to a small box is not fun. There are PLENTY of serviced apartments around so do some research and find one close to the sort of amenities you want.

House/Flat hunting is easy. Estate Agents have lists of rental properties so just find your suburb, go to all the estate agents you can and start viewing.

I did all the research I could from the UK on suburbs - tried to find the best suburb for the best prices. It really is not that simple. Prices vary alot. I had my heart set on a sea view but all those properties are on main roads and they are VERY busy or on floor 50 of one of the massive blocks of flats. This place is also huge and until you're here you can't really grasp the size of it. My advice is to read up, make no decisions and when you get here do loads of exploring. We're in Elwood by the way, which is fantastic. House prices are about to slump from what I can see.

Getting around is easy enough. The trams are terrible - slow and expensive. The rail system is a little easier to use - faster. New cars are cheap compared to the UK and second hand are expensive.

Job hunting was a nightmare. If you're a teacher prepare to write essays for every job application you make. My wife got a job in Williamstown - straight after the interview more or less.

If you're in I.T it is really hit and miss. My advice here is to be sceptical about ANYTHING that recruitment agencies tell you. They will all tell you to let them be your only agency, that they can get you into the big companies blah blah blah. They will push contract work on you (because they make more money out of you) and getting them to put you forward for an interview can be a case of calling them every day. That being said I was reasonably successful, got through to the final round for every job, plenty of interviews, a few job offers. All in about 6 weeks of job hunting. I got a permanent job on a good (better than the UK) salary in a great company. So I'm happy. Just keep applying, always call them and be prepared to wait a while for a response.

Australians are on the whole quite pleasent. Melbourne is so multi-cultural many people will not react to your accent - or just assume you are travelling through. The only thing that I find frustrating is that everything is sooo sllooooow. Traffic lights are slow, service is slow, everything is so damn slow. Still - we did come here to slow down.

HSBC is the worst bank here. The EFTPOS does not work in petrol stations for example so if you're using them because it's cheap make sure you bring a credit card as well.

So in summary. We're OK, and enjoying it. No regrets yet and things look positive. The streets are not paved with gold and you will have to spend some cash and work hard to make a go of it.

Just don't come here expecting a walk in the park. You will only get out of it what you put in.


Finally, if I could have changed anything about our journey over the last 2 months it would have been to have brought more warm clothes. It's freezing!!!!!!

jerzy

Nice update, glad you're enjoying things.

Thanks for the tips on job hunting, I'm also a systems analyst and will be arriving in Sydney in October. From what you say about Aussie recruitment agents they sound just like their UK counterparts Any particular agents you'd recomend, or otherwise.

MarkMyWords

On the whole I agree with everything you say about Melbourne (although only on the basis of three weeks in a serviced apartment, not there permanently yet) but I have to say I'm very surprised by your new improved salary. Either you had cr*p pay in the UK or you got really lucky! Job-for-job I would expect about a 10% reduction. Maybe you found a really good agent. Who is this company that pays IT analysts so well? Can we all come and work with you please?

Troood

Thanks for that, very informative. Will now pack my winter clothes rather than binning them as orginally planned


Can't wait, getting very excited now - only 4 months to go. YIPPPPPPPEEEEEE

davidclifford

Thanks for this info - very helpful. We're planning on arriving in M early Jan with 2 smal kids. can you recommend any good family apartments? We take your point about splashing out a bit, but would still like to keep our expenses within bounds if we can! From the look of it on the net a lot of those places look pretty pricey. Any ideas?

Thanks for the tips on IT agencies. I'm an Analyst Programmer and I too think you may have been lucky - I've been looking at listings on the net and wages seem to be a fair bit lower on the whole. Again, any recommendations re agencies would be appreciated.

Best of luck in Melbourne!

Bordy

By the time you get here Trood you won't need those Winter clothes. You can buy a new winter wardrobe in the sales after Xmas.

Troood

Hiya

I've booked first two weeks on the beach in Carrum in a house and the 3rd week in the centre of Melbourne (again, another house). We've got a 2.5 year old to think of so PM me if you want the details of our accomodation.

Troood

And as you all know ..... a girl never needs an excuse to shop

Bordy

Even the people from Sydney come to Melbourne for shopping Trood. Bring your platinum credit card

anya4oz

He's right, Trood! There are some great shops - fashions are a bit different to the UK (i.e. a bit 'last year', but fine), with a good mix available, from cheap & cheerful to very swish, covetable designer jackets etc.

The Chadstone shopping mall looks excellent, though we only did a 'whistle stop' tour of it on the way to somewhere else. Am planning a whole day there after we arrive at the start of August Here's a link to whet your appetite:

http://www.chadstoneshopping.com.au/

BTW, there are branches of Laura Ashley, Monsoon, French Connection, Kookai and Jigsaw in Melbourne, in case you miss the UK stuff!

Happy shopping!

Anya.

woody1974

great bit of info, thinking of melbourne ourselves so its always nice to hear how the first part of the move goes.
don't go all shy on us now you've posted this one. it helps the ones like me to see what lies ahead WOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!
here we come

Bordy

My Mrs would kill for a Monsoon shop in Melbourne, where did you see that Anya ???

MarkMyWords

At a guess, Chapel St in South Yarra. Or maybe it was in Prahran. (Should have been paying more attention, shouldn't I!) Lots of designer-ish clothes shopping round there!

Bordy

I'm not taking her near chapel St unless she hands over the Credit Card first.

anya4oz

Didn't see it with my own eyes on the last visit (there's only so many clothes shops I can drag MMW round ), but the local Monsoon here in Cambridge looked it up in their store directory & said there was one on Collins St.

Anya.