emmani

We have done our research and are looking towards sydney area, northern beaches. We have 2 young childrewn and want a better lifestyle for them to grow up in and with teh economic climate here and other things we feel its the right time to take the next step.

I work in marketing and my partner is in construction. We have gone through the full assessment and we can get in on point through my partners skills and cana pply for a working skills visa.

I am not looking for a city life i want some where more laidback with good schools for my children. The attraction to austraia is the way of life, i am open minded and i do understand that the problems i might face here could be the same as i face there but we have contemplated this for some years now and personal circumtances has now given us the push to do it and you can but try i would rather say i tried that wish i had done.

Many thanks and all comments gratefully accepted.x

perksy

Australia is a big old place you need to be more specific about your needs, requirements and situation For example I could tell you Alice Springs is suppossed to be nice, but if your job is a marine biologist then that area is no good to you.

Pollyana

You need to start with www.immi.gov.au and find out if you can get a visa first.

Dorothy

Canada is even bigger. Your degree in horticulture is not really going to do you any more good in Yellowknife than a marine biology degree would in Alice.

Really, tell us a bit about what you would like in a place to live and some more details such as what you do for a living.

UncleKev

What is it that attacts you to Australia?

You need to be very clear before moving half way around the world.

Have you worked with Aussies in England and found that you get on very well with them and would like to relocate and spend the rest of your lifen working with Aussies and having them as next door neigbours?

You dont migrate to Australia to get rich. What you do get here is a more laid back lifestyle, with more room to move. If you have kids, they will grow up with sunshine and a backyard to play in.

You must have done loads of research to be contemplating such a massive decision so I would expect that you would be deciding between:

East coast versus West coast
Big city versus country town
Inland lifestyle or coastal lifestyle

What type of lifestyle are you looking for?

You also need to look at why you want to leave England. Some people have problems in England and then when they move to another country they find that the problems came with them.

Australia is no bed of roses, but I would say that the standard of living here is better than 99% of countries in the World.

ABCDiamond

I was wondering why you last four posters had lost the plot !!!

They mentioned "sydney area, northern beaches"

Then I checked back, they edited their post after you had all posted.....

emmani

sorry i am still working out how to do this!! LOL

dave99

sydney is like raising your kids in london, if you want a good relaxed lifestyle and probably all the things you think of when you think of coming to australia then come to perth.

ABCDiamond

That's OK, you come from Saddleworth, so I'll let you off

One of my ancestors was born in Saddleworth, or got married there, or something....

ABCDiamond

Northern Beaches of Sydney may be OK.

NickyC

My children were brought up within 7k of Sydney CBD.

They had a choice of five beaches nearby - one just five minutes walk down the road. Fantastic parks and playgrounds within minutes. Short walk to school and countless sports and activities to particpate in.

They also did heaps of bushwalking, swimming, sailing, rowing, canoing. All within Sydney itself.

Not a lot of kids could do that in London..

emmani

That sounds just what i wanted, i want a place where the kids can do lots of activities outdoors.

MartinH

Seriously unless you need to live in Sydney, I would think about somewhere else.

Will you (or your partner) need to work in the city? If so that is not necessarily compatible with wanting to live on the Northern Beaches without a horrendous commute.

I found Sydney to be not laid back at all - sure the beaches are nice but to be honest you get tired of them.

Also I would try and put into hard facts what you mean by a better lifestyle - do not be sucked in by the thought that all Australians spend there life sipping beer in front of the barbie with a glorious sunset for a backdrop. I may be in the minority but life for us in Sydney just was not better (Plain and simple) but then I don't live in the UK so it may be different for you.

I am not saying you shouldn't try it - you should - but make sure you know what your exit route is if it does not work out.

emmani

many thanks for this whereabouts do you live? and where would you say would be best for commuting yet still have acces to the beach?

MartinH

Until last November we lived on the Upper North Shore in Pymble which is about 30-40 minutes from the CBD (car or train) and a similar distance from the beaches. We have now left as we did not really like it as much as we though we would!

The problem with the northern beaches is that they are not serviced by a train line which means either a car (expensive to park in the CBD) or a bus.

Also you need to think cost versus living space as this might a better place to start. Prices have moderated recently but its still an expensive place to live. e.g. if you can "only" afford $500,000 then that might dictate where you can look.

South of the harbour tends to be cheaper and some people prefer it.

Are you thinking about private school or public?