I have read in various places that the cost of living is approx 25% less in Aus than it is here so instantly the $110000 becomes the equivelent of £60k a year - very livable !!!!!!!

Can I ask what made you begin to consider Aus in the first place. There must have been something. Can't you re-connect to that feeling. If you have your future employer organising much of the move for you, you are in a bl**dy good position to get everything done. You are obviously in a "safe" place right now. Spread your wings, experience what it feels like to fly south for the winter - and if you absolutely hate it, fly back north for the summer

Good question. I'm a scientist -- have spent 12 study visits in Australia over the last 11 years with total time in Australia 3 years. Loved it -- but then every time it was a visit. Often thought it would be a great place to live. Applied somewhat speculatively for a Professor position from a lecturers post in the UK and got it. Was amazed and flabbergasted -- pinched myself for a long time. I've loved Australia every visit but now very nervous I will hate living there. Perhaps I ought to sit tight methinks. I've no complaints at all -- the employer has given me a substantial set-up grant for my research. But the problem is that I'm not very good at 'normal' life things -- probably not atypical for someone stuck 70 + hrs a week in work. My list of things that perhaps I ought to get organised just gets longer and longer. i realise thart compared with others I'm in a very very fortunate position!

Presumably if you are not good at the "normal" things - I had a father like that - brilliant at his job but general life - not his thing someone does them - your wife? If she is keen, can she do the "normal" things? If you have enjoyed all your visits, you must deep down love it. I would imagine the only things ( ) you were ever coming back for were family and work. Now you would have them there.

Only you can decide, but please validate and then decide.

DON'T SELL YOUR HOUSE- rent it. Rent in Perth is cheap enough. Perth is OK, depends what you are looking for.

I'd be happy with HALF that salary, dont forget the houses are considerably cheaper than here. I'd rent your UK house out (with an agent).

A brilliant opportunity!

What would you tell a student panicing over exams......having left the revision too late?

Just firefight - pick out the priorities, do them, talk to your wife, get her to help you talk things through and do a list. Then just do the things you have to and don't tire yourself out thinking.

If you can't manage everything, get help. Pay someone to do the bits you can't cope with, trust your agent to do the selling of the house (but keep an eye on it) and get help at the Perth end if you need it. I'm sure there your employer will have experience of relocating people. Money is a tool, use it to make things easier for you.

This is why you have a Ph.D etc. so that you do have opportunities.......

I'm trying to encourage my other half to apply to a Uni and his salary scale is half yours and that's in Melbourne. They must love you!

You will beat yourself up for ever if you don't at least try. If it goes t*ts-up, then it's a nice extended holiday and a new network of friends and work colleagues left behind in a new country.

Trust me, I'm an ex-scientist married to a slightly un-worldly economist. I do all the organisational stuff as bright as my other half is, he is also somewhat hesitant and not so hot at practical matters. Talk things out, don't worry and bottle things up.

I am concerned.... if you are this worried about going i am not sure you will last much more than a month or 2 in Perth. I think to make it work you need to have a really positive attitude. Just look at that TV programme a new life downunder and all the moany people who go there and come back (not saying your like them though)

Sorry to put depressing slant on

Having chopped some vegetables, I am going to add a bit more...

........if you really, really don't want to go, talk to your wife and decide not to go.

My parents-in-law have been trying to get us to emigrate and we finally found out why. They couldn't face being split up for 6 or more weeks (back in the 50's) and so decided against the trip altogether. They do now regret that decision.

Whatever you decide to do, it will be the right decision for you at this time. Try not to have any regrets - record your reasons so you will know why you made the decision you did in 20 years time.

[QUOTE=Jensen Healey]Blimey, if I had a firm offer of a $110k job I'd be outta here! That's actually a pretty good salary for Oz.

Why not just take a long holiday to validate the visa's, then at least you keep your options open...[/QUOT
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$110K per year is enough to live a very comfortable life in OZ considering you can buy a family sized house in Perth for around $300K. That is a high wage for Perth. Theres no need to be nervous all your risking if it does'nt work out is a bit of money your not risking your lives like the people who go out to work in Iraq, for probably less then $110K.

Hello,

Well what a life changing decision you have to make!

All I can say is, that if you sit there and think, and worry about it, you will never go. You will find something that stops you, like you can't leave because the neighbour door but one is poorly....there will always be something that could make you stop. What you have to think of is the things that will change your life with making this move. They may be good changes (or bad ones) but ultimately until you take the plunge you will always wonder "what if".

I am making that plunge along with all the people in this forum, and like many others I may not like it and come back, but at least I know that in 5, 10, 20 years time I can say I tried. Its the trying that counts. Sell the house and go, if it doesn't work out, no big deal, come back to England and make a new life here..

good luck

l think if you loved the place for holidays l doubt very much you would hate living there.

Yes, but they are a minority who hate the place go back after a few months, not the majority who are glad they moved to OZ. Anyway if they did'nt put whinging Poms in the show it would be pity boring