Hi, my husband, my self and our 2 kids (girl 13 & boy 12) have just started the process for visa application. We love the sound of Perth, and all going well hope to be out there by the end of this year. I am very worried about our children and how they may settle in as they are at that difficult age. They are both very excited about the move but also very scared. Anyone with kids a similar age who could give advice?

Bernadette (Manchester)

Same here....lol

Dave

Hi Bernadette,

Our kids are a bit younger boy nearly 6 and a girl nearly 3 it may be a bit easier for us but I'm sure in time they will settle. Why are you emigrating?
What do you both do for a living ?

I'm sure I'll be worse than the kids I may learn a few things from them.

We did have the best christmas ever in Perth we didn't want to come home nothing really keeping us here

Cheers Carol

Hi Carol,

You are the first expat I have spoken too. Nice to meet you.

We are emigrating for lots of reasons. We would like to be mortgage free and looking at the house prices in Perth we may just about be able to do that. Although we may have to borrow a small amount at the way the prices are rising. We also think that we would be able to enjoy life a bit more as we both feel that we do nothing but work, work, work and no play.
My husband is a chartered accountant and I believe they are in demand out there at the mo. I work as a receptionist and hope to get some part time work eventually too. Manchester has a lot to offer but unfortunately it has become very expensive to live here.

Hi Bernadette,

Nice to speak to you also.
My husband works offshore oil & gas but no prospects of future onshore work in Scotland. It would be nice for him to be home every night or shift work I work as a relief medical receptionist and I'm a qualified florist.

We don't have much support from families either as both of no longer have our mum's probably makes it easier for us. But I do value my friends and good friends are hard to find. Although we do have good friends in Perth she is an accountant and he works offshore.

We have great neighbours where we live as well which I value when my husband works away, will I have that when we go who knows until you try?
My husband will probably have to work offshore for a couple of years to get started in Oz.

Speak soon
Carol

Hi Carol

Found you!!!!!

Speak to you soon

Tracy x

hi there ! we are thinking of moving to Perth from Newcastle England.WE ARE JUST STARTING WITH THE VISA STUFF AND FINDING IT A LITTLE HARD, MAYBE WE ARE DOING SOMETHING WRONG.HOW LONG FROM START TO FINISH DID IT TAKE YOU TO SORT YOUR VISA OUT AND WHAT WAS THE COST.ARE YOU GOING OUT ON A SKILLED MIGRATION VISA.ANY INFO YOU COULD GIVE ME WOULD BE SUPER.
CHEERS
DON

HI THERE.
WE ARE JUST IN THE EARLY STAGES OF WANTING TO MIGRATE TO AUSTRALIA AND NEED AS MUCH ADVICE AS POSSIBLE.HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A SKILLED MIGRATION VISA AND WHAT IS THE FINAL COST ETC. COULD YOU OFFER ME ANY ADVICE

CHEERS
DON

Hi there,

Are you doing the whole process on your own or are you going with an agency?

Cheers Carol

I have heard its quite nice from in laws but can you leave us some land? we wont get there til the end of this year and want to move there too with family.
On second thoughts its bl**dy awful, I wouldn't live there if I were you

If you do decide on Secret Harbour will meet you there for a couple of drinks

Hi, i've sent my app in Nov (495 SIR) still waiting for Case Officer.

Im emigrating with my husband Barrie who is a painter/decorator and our daughter Ebony who is 1. My mam and stepdad are also applying!!! We are hoping to get there by Sept but think I'm hoping for too much!

We are hoping to go to the Mandurah area, been looking at Secret Harbour it looks lovely. Does anyone know what the other areas of Mandurah are like?? (Greenfields, Dudley Park, Silver Sands, Parklands etc)

Would love to hear from anyone looking to go to the same area or some that are already there.

Hayley
x

we are going thrugh Visa Beauro.its going to cost arround £3600.00 start to finish im told.a lot of money if it goes down the pan.

Hi,
First of all Secret harbour is very good for families with children. One of my friends has just moved to Secret Harbor and she absolutely loves it. She says it is great for kids there are loads of young families and the kids play out all the time. Secret Harbour school has a good reputation and the new school Comet Bay has just opened which is excellent, by all accounts.

As far as social support for your wife is concerned there are lots of expats in and around Mandurah who having been through the whole process of moving out here are very suppotive to new arrivals; for starters she would be welcome to join us at our weekly coffee mornings. The locals are very friendly and generally bend over backwards to help you settle in (in our experience so far). There are so many easily accessible activities for the kids to get involved in and as parents you do tend to meet lots of other parents at these activities. We live South of Mandurah and have been here for six months. My 10 year old boy who was never interested in extra curricular activities in the UK has so far completed two Hip Hop dance courses, two surfing courses (and won an award for catching the most awesome wave of the course!), 4 swimming levels (on going) and is currently doing a martial Arts weaponry and discipline course. This is the kid that would only go to trampoline classes once a week and had no interest in anything outside computer games before we came here. Our 3 year old has completed a Jumble Gym cousre (gymnastics), Artful Splodgers (cooking, arts and crafts) Clever Ducks (music, dance, speech and drama), swimming (on going) and is currently doing Mucky Ducks (arts and crafts) as well as 3 half days at Kindy. You do generally need a car to get to all the different activities but once you are mobile there is so much to do. There are lots of classes (sports, leisure and self improvement) available for adults too.

As for work you will walk into a job and be working in one of the highest paid industires in the state. A lot of the work is fly in fly out (usually 2 on 2 off or 9 days on 5 days off) but as I said before there is tons of work around and very good money to be made. My husband also works in gas and oil in refining. We took six months off when we first came out, hubby has now started his new job working in the Kwinana industrial area which might offer an alternative to fly in fly out if you fancied a change.

Anyway good luck with everything and as hard as it is it is totally worth it. Life in the UK is pretty good but for us life out here is even better.

Hope this has helped

ACE

Hi

I live in Rockingham - 10 mins up the road from Secret Harbour, it is a little more central, at present I don't think Public Transport is the best down there, but the train will be through this year which will make things a lot better.
Mandurah is about 20 minutes south of there and has an older population. I have an internet friend that lives there - he is 18 and cannot stand the place for lack of employment and things for Teen's to do (other than his footy). So that's something to think about if you have older kids. Perth is about 50min drive north.
Secret Harbour has a surf beach, but up a bit near us are lovely calm beach's. Shoalwater is very beautiful and the sea is a little deeper for a nice loll around.

(I don't actually go to the beach myself, have a pool)

I live between two very good state schools and a Baptist school that goes through to senior year. On the other corner is a supermarket, chemist and post office.

Our house will be on the market for sale in April, it is 4 x 2 with pool and double garage, also large games room, Refrigerated Air conditioning, Evaporative air-con and ceiling fans (can you tell I like to be cool )

We are off to see what life is like in the UK and travel to Europe while we are young enough and can work in the UK to pay for it all.


I hope that is not too negative for anyone this time