I have just been informed by a friend that in Oz they do not have nurseries/playgroups (apart from private nurseries) for childeren aged 3-5. I am going to be a full time mum when I get to Oz and am really starting to panic that when my hubby goes to work I'm going to be really lonely. Can anybody give me some info on where mothers meet other mothers, kids groups, anywhere that you can have a coffee and a bit crack.

Whilst I'm on did anybody get to Oz and feel really lonely and how long did it last?

Cheers
Dingdong.

I think you are worrying unnecessarily, we were over there in May and there appeared to be one on every corner, unless every one of these were private, in fact my wife commented on the amount, don't know about the regs in Oz though, but I would have thought they all had to be regulated.

Don't worry they do have playgroups in fact they have a playgroup association. I was in Bayside Brisbane and looked playgroups (I think) up in the phone book, I called a Brisbane number and they gave me the number for the co-ordinator in my area who told me where and when my local playgroups were held. I went to the one in Ormiston and it was run very much like here in the UK, parents ran it and took it in turn to provide morning tea. I was made very welcome. There was also a playgroup day (held once a year I think) where all the local playgroups met up and the kids had a wonderful time doing different activities etc.

Nurseries do tend to be private and they usually have a waiting list. I managed to get my little girl in one day a week but she eventually refused to go as they insisted that they have a min 2 hour sleep in the afternoon and at 3 she was there to play not sleep!!! (her words).

Anyhow as I said before when you get there check out the phone book. I also got a number where they sent me a list of nurseries in my area which was really helpful (might have been the same number but it was 2 years ago and my memory is getting terrible)

Susan

Hi Susan, your reply interested me. Why did you not settle? we are Gold Coast bound in January and we are looking for ALL views, good and bad. Was it hard with the children on your own? were you homesick??

Thanks
Dingdong

There are certainly playgroups on the Gold Coast of the type where the mother stays for a coffee too. What there is not, are the playgroups for 3 year olds where you leave them from 9 to 11.30am. This was a great thing about UK. Nurseries on GC will mostly only allow full day care, but some community day care centres apparently offer half days. I never found one though.

Where are you heading exactly?

Queenie

Hi Queenie

We are going to the Gold Coast Area on Janury 3rd, probably Helensvale/Pacific Pines. I think I'm gonna need the moral support of other mothers with small children who perform the best temper tantrums on earth, on a good day these are relatively easy to deal with, on a home sick lonely bad day I should imagine it'll be hard to handle.

Where are you located? have you been over there long and did you find it hard at first - sheer panic has set in.

View appreciated.
Dingdong.

Hi dingdong,

Homesickness was part of it, but more the fact that I knew it would never ever be home to me. I had that gut feeling that I would never settle so we came back sooner rather than later. Also our little girl was very unhappy, she hated the heat, and was frustrated to death, she was ready for going to school but off course in Oz they don't start until the year in which they are 6 so she wouldn't actually have started until next January, back here she is now in Year 1 having had 6 months in nursery on our return and a year in reception. We experienced tantrums like you have never seen. We came back and she changed almost immediately!! I remember shortly after our return asking her what she liked about being back in England her reply was being able to see Nanny and Granda, I was totally gobsmacked as we didn't see them an awful lot before we left and at 3 I honestly thought it wouldn't affect her so much, how wrong can we be, we all just asume that children, especially young ones, will adapt very easily and just get on with life.

It certainly has been the best decision we ever made to come back and it was much harder than the decision to migrate in the first place. We had talked about migrating for 10 years, visited twice and it took 2 years to get our visas, but I can honestly say we have never looked back and have no regrets.

This is our experience and for many it works out and they love life out there but for us it was just not meant to be.

You say you are settling on the Gold Coast, our friends settled there first but found it very transient and their children struggled to settle. They now live north Brisbane in Dakabin and the kids love it and have made loads of friends.

Good luck with your move

Susan

Hi Dingdong,

I don't really want to panic you further but we just spent 18 months in Helensvale (or is that Hellnbacksvale?) and hated it.

There was no community spirit, neighbours were not nice, people not friendly etc. We have moved to Sydney now and love it - different entirely.

On the other hand some people who have moved to the GC love it - courses for horses.

Queenie

Hi All,

We are hoping to settle in Ashmore, which is a suburb of Southport on the Gold Coast. My Mum & Step-dad have lived there quite happily for almost 20 years, and we have visited over 15 times now. Helensvale (on the few visits I have had to this area) did seem to be a very quiet place but Southport & surrounding areas is a very young palce with lots of families. It has a great atmosphere and lots to do! I love it so much & already think of it as home! We will also be looking at Child Care for my son. Where we will be (renting my mum's old house in Ashmore) there is at least 3 nurseries within walking distances, 2 primary schools (1 state & 1 private) and 3 High schools (2 state & 1 private). Hope this helps.

Love,

jonahs_mummy

Hi Johan's Mummy,

Ashmore is actually a suburb close to the suburb of Southport. My parents have been living there since it was bushland (25+ years) You're right, it is far nicer than Helensvale.

Last year a local radio station ran a poll on which was the best children's nursery and one in Ashmore won. I can't remember the exact name of it; maybe you could ask around and send Jonah there. Would your Mum ring the station and ask? It was not the one on Cotlew Street anyway.

What are the state high schools in Ashmore? I can only think of Aquinas (private catholic) and Trinity (private Lutheran).

Ashmore Primary school has apparently still got an excellent reputation, I was speaking to someone about that recently.

Hope you are happy in Ashmore. I know my parents are.

Queenie

Hi Queenie

Thanx for that - my mum is getting all the nursery details for me to look at..... I know the one you mean on Cotlew - its just before Ashmore Plaza right?

The nearest state high school is Benowa (i think)...?

My brother went to Ashmore State Primary & then to Trinity & he loved it! He is currently at QU just down the street!

Love

Jonah's Mummy

Ps. Whereabouts are you?

Hi it's like this in the U.S too ! Friends back in U.K have kids in full time school while here pre-kindergarten costs a fortune!
For me i thought M.O.M.S was great i think it's worldwide check out their website it's a great way to meet moms like you in your area and they make calanders with everbody getting together to suggest playdates etc
Good luck on your, emmigration can be tough wherever you decide to move

Hi there Queenie,
What a pity you didn't enjoy the people in Helensvale, I actually thought everyone we met there was really friendly, we were actually staying with friends in "The Shores" although very quiet, the people we did meet were really nice, but as I said we were only there on holiday and were probably lucky in the fact we were introduced to people and didn't have to make our own friends. One thing though a lot of the people we met had never been anywhere else in Australia let alone the world.

Also I thought the sports facilities for the children were fantastic, and our kids even joined in the soccer training with the local teams, who all made them feel welcome.

But on a whole, the Gold Coast in general appeared really nice, and I do believe Helensvale high to be well thought of ?


I would be interested to know why you thought it to be "Hellnbacksvale", though?

Hi Dicko,

It was very hard for us to make any friends at all. I think there is just such an influx of new faces on the GC, people just blank strangers and keep to themselves. The people in the shops were nice enough and also friends of friends/family like you said, but not the average joe. It was not our personalities as most never gave us the chance.

The other problem was the people we met through friends had never been anywhere (some interstate once or twice), didn't read books, weren't interested in travel, anthropology, fine food, languages, history, art, current events, psychology etc (all important to me). The main topics of conversation amongst the ladies was fights with hubby and what was on sale at Target. (Ever seen Kath and Kim?) We are not very sporty, and hated BBQs. Basically we did not fit in.

On the other hand it was excellent for the kids. We had yearly tickets to Seaworld and Dreamworld, and also went to Wet and Wild, Movieworld and all the beaches. The outdoor parks, notably Pacific Pines and Washington Waters were fanastic too, and free! Mt Tambourine was also lovely with heaps of bushwalks.

If you love doing sports and talking about sports, and a really relaxed lifestyle with plenty of sun and not much culture, I'm sure you will love it there. As the local radio station says "why would you ever want to live anywhere else?"

Wishing you the best
Queenie