Move to Brisbane
 

Hi,
Myself and my partner are planning to hopefully make the move to Brisbane. We currently going through the skills assessment process as my partner is a secondary school teacher. I have just qualified as a teaching assistant.

We have family who already live in Brisbane and have visited a few times so we are familiar with what a family lifestyle would like.

We have 2 children and they love being outdoors, which is is limited in the UK due to the unpredictable weather.

I'm really looking to see how other Brits have found the change in lifestyle, was it easy to make new social groups?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks 🙂🙂

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

"Lifestyle" is usually a red flag.

You will be working as hard, if not harder, in Brisbane than in the UK.

If your kids are not "outdoorsy" enough in the UK, they won't be in Queensland either. It's probably not just the weather.

Getting a high school teaching job in one of the capital cities is difficult. Your partner is unlikely to find a job quickly and will have to do relief for a while first, which may be scant. Remember that he/she is not just competing against other teachers in Brisbane who don't have work, but also against every other teacher in regional Queensland who wants a transfer to the city, and all the new graduate teachers getting pumped out by the universities . . . and they all have an advantage of local training, local experience and local networks. If your partner is good, something will pop open eventually, it's a question of if you can hold out long enough for that to happen. If they are mediocre, something may never pop open.

I am not trying to be a wet blanket but I think you need to temper your expectations somewhat. You will still have to go to work and the kids will still have to go to school. You won't suddenly have a lot more leisure time in Brisbane than you had in the UK (in fact, probably less). You won't be knocking off early at 3:30 each day for a round of volleyball with the kids before dinner.

What is it that you do, and what are your plans to find work in Brisbane? Ultimately this needs to be treated as a financial decision and a business deal. "Lifestyle" does not mean anything without the money to back it up and make it feasible.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Can only agree with carcajou "If your kids are not "outdoorsy" enough in the UK, they won't be in Queensland either. It's probably not just the weather."
One thing to note is that you'll never have the long summer evenings like you have in some parts of the UK, so actually less daylight after work and most kids wont be playing football before school.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-...eable/11227404
Also another thing to consider in the future:
Dr Chapman completed the study as part of her PhD at the University of Queensland, and said she was "alarmed by the findings".

"Unless we make some big changes, it means the climate in Brisbane is going to become harder to live and work in," she said.

"It's not just at-risk groups, such as the elderly and the very young that will be affected.

"These results show that even healthy adults will need to avoid outdoor activity throughout most of the summer."

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Thanks for reply,

I think we are realistic in our expectations for a move to Australia, maybe my original post was not clear enough. I know if we were to move out that a 'home and away' lifestyle wouldn't be waiting for us.

Our children are still outdoorsy even if we have bad weather over in the UK.

I appreciate your advice. I know it will challenging in terms of finding and securing a job.

These are things that we are factoring into our decision.

Thanks again 🙂

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

It certainly won't be a "Home and Away" lifestyle in Brisbane. Home and Away is set on a beach in the far northern beaches of Sydney. Brisbane doesn't have beaches.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

The OP has family in Brisbane and has visited so I think they have a realistic view, certainly better than many migrants who have never set foot in Australia. Having family here will be a big help settling in.

Attitude is important, keep an open mind and accept that some things will be better and some not so good. Kick starting your career again may take a while. Not sure what it is like in Brisbane but in Adelaide all new teaching graduates have to work rural for first post before getting a chance to apply metro, often for 3 years or more. Experienced migrants usually have to do supply and short contracts if they want metro before networking and references get them a permanent position. If your family know some teachers that may help.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Seems to be a lot of negativity around, most brits i know absolutely love it here & would never go back, if you did well in the UK you will probably do well here too. A few complain about the heat but most people are quite happy with the climate.
Lifes a short adventure dont regret what you did, only regret what you didnt do.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Doubt it's negativity and you can only say this if it suited you Lifes a short adventure dont regret what you did, only regret what you didnt do
To me it sounds like you moved to Australia many years ago, have a healthy pension and might be 50/60? The reality is that every life/period is different and you have to look at each individual case.
I also know people who regret buying property at the wrong time and now can't afford the mortgage. I also know Germans who did well in Germany and moved to Mallorca, but didn't do that well over there. Other Germans would never go back to Germany and love Mallorca. I know Irish who didn't like Australia and returned and others want to leave again. A lot has to do with timing and never assume that person A will have the exact same life as person B;). If a couple spent 20 years in the countryside enjoying the silence and suddenly a motorway is being built right next to their home, the situation for them will be very different. The other couple might say that they finally have a motorway.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

However many of us are equally not happy here and would return home in a heartbeat. Climate, lifestyle, family, friends, attitude, numerous reasons why we are stuck here and why we would prefer to be elsewhere.

Its not negativity, its just realism.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

That's a lot of this forum described right there

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Be careful with your signature, otherwise it might also be seen as negative ;)
Australia/UK - Same sh*t, different bucket

I remember a bloke who was a chain smoker and the doctor advised him to maybe smoke less. He couldn't believe the negativity :thumbdown:

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

The lifestyle is great in Australia but is whatever you make it really

I probably work harder here but that's through choice. My industry used to have a 45hr week both here and in the UK, but a few years ago here due to HS&E and the industry filling up with pussies wanting some 'work/life' balance bullshit, went to a pathetic 40hrs. Ridiculous I know but there it is. I'm hourly paid, so the more hours the better (I'd do 50hrs+ if I could as I like money). In the UK they're more switched on in this area and, thankfully, it's still 45hrs+ so the boys are still making decent candy. I do other work too but that's my choice

We've got a mixed outdoor/indoor lifestyle. Love to do stuff outdoors but it can get too hot at times so indoors it is. Again, it's whatever you make of it

Get your ass over here, it's a great place to live

Good luck

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Nope, that's neutral

I don't have signatures displayed on BE as I'm not interested in them and forgot that's still mine. I've had that, I think, since 2004. Maybe time for a change!

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Seems like having a positive opinion of what life is like here has stirred a few people into smart arse replies, really if you are unhappy or struggling why dont you admit its not for you but instead of poo pooing the place to geniune people looking for advice, try somewhere else or return. The fact is the majority have thrived here & don't have too many regrets apartfrom distance from family, Bear in mind forums tend to be written on by people with strong opinions either way, most people who are quite content dont bother replying to these but would be happy to give a balanced view if asked.
Dont bother with any negative replies to this as like most i really dont care about individual sob stories or some irrelevant germans in Majorca.
G'day

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Sorry, I can't resist one with Brisbane in the title. Australia is a great place to live. The more and more I live here and with the yearly visits back to the UK, the less desire I have to return. Probably an age thing, kids, a slight leaning towards and easier life. However there are aspects I miss. Always will be. Same would be if I lived in the UK

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

That is a fair point to be honest. The problem with posters like Howzat is what he wrote i really dont care about individual sob stories or some irrelevant germans in Majorca.
It is clear that he hates the UK and loves Australia and this is great, but he will only consider his view and life. The point I was trying to make is that each individual case is different and one has to look at all points. Unfortunately this is also a big problem in Spain and it is worth nothing if the wealthy retired couple with a healthy pension pot and villa tell the young family with kids, who have no Spanish skills and no job prospects how amazing it is. At least the OP here has done research.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

I love it here.

But preparation is the key - and treating it like a business deal. "Lifestyle" doesn't mean anything without the cash to access it - and "so the kids will be more outdoorsy" etc is a fairly shallow stereotype of what life here is like . . . and just because teacher is on the "shortage" list doesn't mean there is any actual shortage. Just an imbalance between rural and urban as rammygirl pointed out.

Migrating halfway around the world is going to be the most challenging thing many people ever do, rellies in Brisbane or not, and I don't think it's a service to posters, to sugarcoat that.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

I think the first reply was a fairly accurate and a.mon bias reply, teaching is very competitive in some states as are other skill sets, being on holiday anywhere does not really give you a true sense of lifestyle as you are on holiday, nowadays. If I were to move anywhere either here or overseas my first call would be money/work and everything else is a bonus. Good luck with whatever you decide

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

My reply is not meant to be negative.its realistic.
I cannot return because I have no money. I do not own property here and all I have in my future is my super. Which has been almost removed by COVID.
I migrated at the age of 40 to marry an Aussie.When the marriage failed I was left with no money to return and start again. I have a good job here - the only reason for staying. I would not get a job like this back home at my age. And now, with no super to fund my planned retirement to the UK I am probably stuck here for life.

If you feel I am just posting a sob story then fine. Go ahead and take the mickey, I am so far down the depression road that one more nail in the coffin really makes no difference now. Everyone I love is on the other side of the world. I cannot even visit them because the government here will not let me leave. And even when some restrictions are lifted my medical conditions mean I will still not get permission to fly.

I have many friends who have migrated and now live happy lives here - lots of those friends were on BE before the Aus forum became a political battleground They no longer post but are still happy. And good luck to them. I hope future migrants are as lucky.

However unless you have walked in the shoes of another migrant, please do not judge them. You have no ideawhat some of us have been through.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Well it's called a diversity of experience/opinions to which you will on any forum worth its salt, a display of alternative sides of the topic . It is obviously necessary to have this in order to arrive at anything remotely useful in a topic being discussed.
It obviously doesn't infer that all will necessary find it their experience as there is no right or wrong, unless of course vested interests are being expressed for own profiteering. Easy done in the guise of
passing on information and/or reacting to realistic experiences of others in something akin to a defensive stance.

The fact is loads of migrants return to their home country over the course of time. A third of British migrants I believe at one time retuned to the Motherland. I personally know many. More Europeans, but many Brit's as well. It should be pointed out, that a number were 'happy as Larry', over early years, but the mood changed over time. Sometimes a considerable time.

Loneliness often given in part anyway as a factor. Once kids left, life appeared somewhat mundane for many living a suburban existence. Options more limited. I can give a host of reasons over the years given from better health and pension options for Europeans, too not wanting to get old in Australia for Brit's. (have heard that last one quite a lot. Is UK really better in the age?, well travel is easier and some I guess crave familiarity and imagined life of another time still existing)

Australia is very far removed from the country it once was, where a UK immigrant could be reasonably assured of a better material life than home. Most things are pretty much on par these days. People in both countries are seen as increasingly 'disposable' on the work front, with nothing much laid back about most Australian work places, where some of the longest hours anywhere are worked and job security far from secure in many instances. Lots of 'who you know', rather than best qualified for position and quite a lot of bullying within the work place.
A lot of the ever growing 'mental health' toll being a result of work stress related issues.

It's best people get all sides to the equation but my feelings are, it won't make a lot of difference anyway. If one as something in their mind like moving to Australia, they will be more likely to seek out the positive post in order to support their desired reading than something likely
to challenge their 'dream'. Only reality will confirm or question the wisdom of their initial decision making, usually after a shed load of money has passed through different hands (cost to migrate being a business these days and expensive) as to whether it was worth all the effort or not.

Sometimes I'm convinced a year or two away seeking adventure with a back pack in Africa or Asia or South America would provide better returns in the adventure stakes and allow a return to familiar life on conclusion. (some claim to immigrate to Australia for an adventure? Really? )

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

You are probably very right with this and it can even be worse for people who spend holidays somewhere and fall in love with the country. They are even more likely to make the move, no matter what the cost.
I remember a time when everyone wanted to move to the US, especially after a holiday in Orlando and the kids loved Walt Disney World. Even highly educated people were investing in burger restaurants to get that golden visa, until reality hit them of course.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

A bit like several who have crossed my path over the years, that came out as Back Packers, several years prior to immigrating , seduced by' other times'. , Obviously when younger and part of a tribe, in a matter of speaking, arriving after immigrating that the realisation that 'real life' is very different away from the Back Packer bubble.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

I'm frankly surprised at the degree of negativity in some other replies on this thread.

Migration may not work out for everyone, but from your OP, you and your family have some key advantages, e.g.:
- Other family members who are already locals. They'll be invaluable on their own, and also a starting point for your own network of Aussie social contacts.
- Portable skillsets in the education sector, that are likely to be at least partially transferable from the UK to Australia. Don't expect an easy ride on this one, for either your partner or you, but the QLD education sector is still rebuilding after being gutted by a right-wing state government a few years ago, and even amidst the current health crisis, the sector is still, very slowly and cautiously, hiring. Expect to have to hunt for the opportunities, expect a lot of competition for each role, and don't expect full-time hours and/or permanent status upfront, unless your UK CVs are truly special.
- Some previous direct experience of the climate and culture in Brisbane, in particular in relation to your children's love of the outdoors.

Brisbane has the nicest weather of any of the 9 cities I've lived in to date (though San Diego ran it close). Mind you, summer can get too hot, too humid, too stormy--I've never seen anything matching a full-on Brisbane electrical storm anywhere else on the planet--but only for a few days at a time in December-January. But spring and autumn are 4-month seasons of "27 and fine", and winter is also nice, just somewhat colder. If you and your family enjoy the outdoors generally, there are few places to better enjoy it than South-East Queensland (Brisbane and its wider environs).

With respect to making new social contacts, the traditional Aussie way is through encounters between parents at school sports engagements that your children become involved in. That has worked OK for us, but our best-established mates have come from our work environments, and through relatives my wife already had here.

In nearly 15 years here, mostly in Brisbane, we have had some rocky experiences to get through, notably a job loss and career change during the GFC, without a "native" social network to fall back on. But Australia is also a meritocratic society, and I was able to establish a second career from scratch in short order, without any contacts within my then-new line of work..

And overall, I've never regretted making the move.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Why is it negativity:huh:. People still don't seem to understand that being cautious is not negative and if you moved over 15 years ago, you will also have a complete different life than people moving today. A lot depends on your finances and luckily house prices in Brisbane are not as bad as other cities in Australia. But to give you an example, just to have the deposit for a smaller house, we would have to sell the house here and the house in Spain and would end up with a bigger mortgage than before and add on even more costs. It really depends where you are from and where you move to, but please please look at each individual case. Telling people that the outdoor life is great brings no value. Maybe the OP is from London and has plenty of cash but what about salaries, child care costs compared to their current location? Then again Covid might make housing more affordable again, so this opens new doors. It really depends what one is comparing to.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Well, mate, when I moved here, I was a recent widower and my net worth was roughly zero, due to the costs of my first wife's final illness. I started again from scratch in Oz.

Then I lost my job during the GFC, and had to change careers to recover. For a variety of reasons I won't detail here, this was easier to accomplish in Australia than it likely would have been anywhere else I've lived, and now I have a new family, a nice home, a stable career, and a great set of mates, all built from the ground up, in Australia.

So I suppose I never had to worry about giving up the house in Blighty, or Spain, but I managed to make a decent fist of it regardless.
If you'd read the OP with any care, you'd have noted that the OP made particular reference to her family's enjoyment of outdoor life, with an implicit contrast between UK and Brisbane-area weather. Such considerations clearly "bring value" to the OP.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Sorry to hear and glad it turned out well for you. Just saying that all circumstances are different and with kids it's a complete different story. If you have nothing to lose it won't matter but the outdoor living thing is also a topic in Canada and New Zealand forums. It's often not the country that's the issue but more the location within the country. It's been sunny and warm for weeks in the UK and the same people who moan about weather are still stuck inside. As mentioned, if you want outdoor living for kids one has to consider that it's a huge city and with kids it gets dark very early. Some I know moved to Melbourne because of this and it's just a warning.
This is taken from a thread many years ago
QUOTE]Originally posted by Dean:
Just wanted to post a quick reply here. We have been in Brisbane now for 6 years and I still miss the long summer evenings of the UK. We came back to the UK for a holiday in June/July and it was SO nice to have daylight almost up until bedtime. Yes, people do get up earlier here and yes they do go to bed earlier but maybe because I am more of a night owl than a lark, this is one of the few things that I still haven't adjusted to.

Carolyn

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Many of us have commented on the partner's prospects as a teacher. I missed in the original post, OP saying he/she is a teacher's assistant. In Australia, that role is called an Education Assistant (title may vary slightly from state to state). Finding work in that role is even more challenging than finding work as a regular classroom teacher. Positions that open, get snapped up immediately, and are held onto a very long time - turnover is low, even in highly challenging schools. It's not a role that requires a university degree and so the pool of applicants is much wider.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

What a presumptuous tool you are, like most morons you are the one who is making enormous assumptions, you base an idiotic opinion on one post rather than facts, this shows clearly a lack of ability to appreciate opinions of anyone with a different school of thought. I still consider UK home, always will. Australia is good if you do your homework & plan accordingly, I have friends who emigrated & couldn't settle either due to finances or personal reasons & its a massive decision for most people, if it doesn't work out- to blame the country is lunacy, we all make choices in life.
An observation that a lot of negativity is posted still stands, its a fact. If someone stating that triggers you then you really need to improve your life.
on that note i will bid farewell & I'll either be banned or ignore anything further.
.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

How about you discuss the topic, rather than resorting to personal abuse?

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

It'd be nice wouldn't it Polly. And it's not even hard, unless the poster concerned can't express him/herself any other way. In which case they can just go away.

ps this is spouse of scouse, it's a long story!

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

I moved to Brissy in 2000 and never regretted it. Best decision I've ever made. I suspect the biggest downside is family (I don't have any close family in UK so not a problem for me) which draws people back to their roots but as OP has family in Oz not such a problem.

Never been back to UK since I left in 1990 and don't intend to. The weather here lets you do things that would be impossible in the UK and even though salaries are lower here so is the cost of living, IMHO, and so it balances out. My skills enabled me to engage in contract work and so I took short term contracts 9 months and then took off for 3 months exploring Oz.

I live a very comfortable life here but even if I wanted to go back I suspect my quality of life would drop due to more expensive cost of living in UK. My house here is worth about 275,000 pounds and I very much doubt I could get anything comparable in the UK for the price in a nice location.

The biggest downside for me in the UK is def the weather and the crowds and I'm sure that since I left 30 years ago it's not changed, except to get worse. Here the weather is generally as good in winter as your typical English summer and autumn and spring are as close to perfect as you could get (in Brissy anyway).

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

This is common in all countries. Chalk it up to you or the business you are working for and move on.

Interestingly working for a multi-national I find this is most rife in countries such as India and Singapore.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

^^^^This.

Howzat, please have another read of the site rules, particularly rule 1.

Ta muchly.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Nice wording thank you. To be honest I also don't care anymore and I've seen it many times. For you 10.000 might be nothing and for other people it's their life savings. Goddbye.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Well while widespread in the Anglo Saxon world is not common 'in all countries' as you claim. As for Singapore and India, both are examples of deregulated or never existing work places, where exploitation can be rife.
Not the subject under discussion though. Australia has more than enough exploitation of temporarily visa holders of its own to be getting on.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

What the saying with best laid plans? I'm afraid more than planning is required. Some outcomes are beyond planning. Luck is just as much a requirement not just in locating a job, but to being able to survive and function according to skill set in it.
Certain positions more in the professional line, would more likely for many, be suited going to America. Although I find London, very accepting of international experience, far more than Australia, which is very parochial in ways possibly not imaginable,
until exposed to it, with being 'local' or at least having the right contacts proves invulnerable.
This may be different in trade positions of course, have examples of this being so, but in the professions somewhat hit and miss.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

I'd say for a good half of the Australian population of have little in savings, but among the world's largest personal debts. I was amazed to learn just how many didn't have the savings to last more than a fortnight without any paid income.
$10,000 would certainly be a considerable sum for many.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Again no different to other countries. It wasn't too long ago the Polish were heavily exploited in the UK.

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

Well, we'll just have to disagree over how to view that consideration.

I've since moved to Melbourne myself, but it certainly wasn't because of 'early darkness' in Brisbane. Indeed, my single worst regret over the move is the loss of everyday exposure to Brisbane's climate and generally superior outdoor recreation opportunities. My children have lost their love for the beach, and swimming generally, because the ocean is colder here in Victoria, and the swimming season much shorter--and that's a huge loss, in terms of a family activity we all once cherished.

There were obviously other reasons to make the move, and those have largely panned out.

But nobody moves from Brisbane to Melbourne to experience a better climate... :lol::rofl::thumbdown:

Re: Move to Brisbane
 

I would actually :D

Why not get your children to use pools instead swimming doesn't have to centre around the sea (as I'm sure you know!)