Originally Posted by jwinch

I was hoping my own children wouldn't have to get into that kind of rat race to keep there heads above water, which seems far more likely to happen here than the UK.

Originally Posted by brisnick

i disagree. i think they are far more likely to join the rat race in the uk than here. i earn more than i did in the uk, put in less hours, work is far less stressful, and i have the beach and the weather. still can't afford a house, but that's no different to being in the uk.

for me the only drawback is that i'm 16000km away from my family and friends.

Originally Posted by Innyjim

I earn in $ here what I earned in £ in the UK. Houses are really no cheaper here anymore. It is far more expensive to borrow money here. Groceries are on the whole more expensive here. Crime rates are higher here than our part of South East England (Reading). There is little choice in terms of media, retail or utlities.
The sun shines here and oh, petrol is cheaper. Now what was that about paradise ?

Originally Posted by wombat42

If you love the sun and drive a big petrol guzzling car, it still paradise.

Originally Posted by jwinch

We have both manage to find work, my salary has dropped from $50 per hour in the UK to $24 here. My husbands has dropped from $75 per hour in the UK to $28 dollar per hour here. Our Income is only 40% of what we had in the UK. I have spoken to many agents and they assure me these are the going rates for the sunshine coast. all down to supply and demand they say. I don't care what anyone says the cost of living on the coast is BLOODY EXPENSIVE ! when earning $'s

Originally Posted by NAC

I just wanted to say thankyou to everyone who has contributed to this thread. As someone planning to emigrate this is exactly the kind of thread I personally need. You need to see the reality without the rose-tinted glasses. We have done a lot of research and I do have big doubts. We have always tried to be realistic and see this as a 'big adventure' rather than the pursuit of a better life (although we wouldn't be doing it if we didn't think that our lifestyle would be better). I doubt whether we will be any better off financially, you just hope that other things will make up for that side, but until you live there you will never really know. Everyone's situation is different. We aren't leaving behind inner city life but a rural life in Scotland which possibly makes the decision harder however, at this stage in the application process, the decision to back out and stay where we are actually seems harder to make than the decision to go!
Carolyn

Originally Posted by Gjn200

Do you think the amount you were earning in the Uk was Normal? I recon thats over £100000 between you for 40 hour weeks. Jeez........

Originally Posted by jwinch

Before anyone starts jumping on the whinging pom band wagon, No I am not having a bad day and yes it is a beautiful place, But there are many issues I have came up against since being her that I either didn't give enough thought to or perhaps more likely didnt want to give more thought too.

My initial reasons for moving were like many peoples, less work stress, no morgage, better quality of life, better future for the children etc. We lived in East London where you couldn't but a flat for less than £200,000. It always worried me how our children would ever be able to afford a morgage etc.

Well we have been here five months I am a qualified accountant and my husband is a plumber.

We have both manage to find work, my salary has dropped from $50 per hour in the UK to $24 here. My husbands has dropped from $75 per hour in the UK to $28 dollar per hour here. Our Income is only 40% of what we had in the UK. I have spoken to many agents and they assure me these are the going rates for the sunshine coast. all down to supply and demand they say. I don't care what anyone says the cost of living on the coast is BLOODY EXPENSIVE ! when earning $'s

House Prices - The cheapest 3 bed Houses I have seen in this area are $330,000 plus and most of them have been real S**t holes. So unless you come over with lots of UK £ most people will really struggle to pay a morgage. We are back to the same scenario with the kids that given the average earnings they are going to stand even less chance of buying a house.

Yes the area is beautiful, the beaches wonderful, the weather fantastic. but when you are sitting in gridlocked traffic in the centre of buderim or the bruce highway night after night on the way home from work, and when you are driving around in circles for 3/4 hr at the week end to find a parking space near a patrolled beach it does make you take a step back and think.

The cars screeching around the roads at night drives me nuts, especially at 2 - 3 in the morning. Its cheaper here for young kids to get a car on the road as they do not have to pay inflated insurance premiums because it the vehicle thats insured for CTP anyone can drive it. They number of accidents I have seen in five months is beyond belief. mainly involving youngsters or drink drivers. I dread the day my 16 year old starts learning to drive. Our car has been hit three times whilst parked in car parks and my husband had the side of his brand new van taken out in a car park. Every time baring one the culprit drove off leaving no details. It just makes me think for christ sake is this what we have gone through all this for !

They are predicting that the population of the sunshine coast will double over the next ten years. just as my kids leave school. Infrastructure and unemployment are going to be major issues. the area seems at breaking point already, how is going to cope with continued expansion.

My children are in state schools, both very big, one over 2000 students. I have spoken with the Head Teacher and yes immigrants (like myself) are causing major problems for the schools. There are 30+ children in their classes and everyweek there are new children starting, that along with what he describes "feral children" of dole bludgers that are attracted to the coast cause major social disruption to the classes.

I suppose I just feel a bit guilty because I know that we will be alright, we have some money behind us and we can just move on, but have I really given my children a better chance in life ? - or am i just kidding myself ?

Originally Posted by hevs

Thats a very valid point if your on tank water (married guidence bit free)

Just an aside, we've had no rain for 6 weeks or so so i've had a water delivery. People of MELBOURNE BEWARE!!! it WILL rain like its never rained before sometime soon.

GG, keep the chins up girl xx

Originally Posted by Ialibu

That's what I have found really surprises folk from the other side, when it buckets down here it is bulk water.