Well' got the visa, validated it, sold the UK house. All thats left now is the packing which I am starting today

Still have not decided whether to ship or go empty handed:scared:

Anyone know where I can get a list of things you cannot take

Ship everything, you'll only have to buy it all again when you get there.

Things they don't like: wicker stuff, christmas decorations with pinecones and wood, seeds, plants, cocaine, kidde porn, muddy shoes or bikes with dirty wheels.

just to tag on a question to this (oh Debsy - well done ! ) - are the electrics between the UK & Oz compatible??

Ecando -0 I think you just have to change the plugs.

Crickey - that's a relief. My computer is a third child (DON'T MAKE ME CHOOSE!!!) and was worried ....

where are you off to ecando?

Bring a few power boards, and just change a single plug on the lead to those.

That will keep you going to begin with, until you can get round to changing all the plugs. But also bring some spare fuses, they don't have fuses here.

The socket boards will also be useful for a long time for those products that have an adaptor plug that you cannot change, and are to expensive to buy again.



Congratulations Debsy on getting to the point that you are almost here.

Hi Debs - this answers my email guess you will be busy for a while

Lots of people seem to say take more clothes if you are into stuff like Next or even (hush) M&S knickers. I know in the early years son-in-law had a standing request for M&S short sleeve office shirts.

Lots of info on here on containers and shippers. Most useful info is who NOT to use.

Congrats Debsy.

Definitely good advice about bringing lots of 4 gang extension leads, you just change the plug on the end to an Aussie one. Especially important for computer stuff as they all have those transformer plugs on the end and you cant change them.

Plugs cost around $3.50 each, so far we have bought about 20 and are still using lots of the UK extensions. It is amazing how many plugs you really have!!

I would bring most of your stuff as it is time consuming when you first arrive replacing everything.

Bikini and sunnies - dump the rest

That's packing covered...what's next ?? Book flights !!

Debsy, When are you coming?
My advice would be to ship whatever you can, but then lots of people gave me that advice too and I chose to ignore it wish I'd listened though!
Theres a link on the AQIS site that tells you about restricted items, I'll see if I can find it.

Thanks everyone only a few months left now and I will be off
Hoping for late summer autumn

Bring everything allowed - you can always sell if you don't want it here.

Good luck Debsy.

Whisky

Hi Debsy. Glad to hear everything is working out for you. We hope to be out on the Gold Coast about that time as well. Got a feeling the house sale might hold us up though, although its early days yet, only been on the market a week, so hopefully things will start moving shortly. We’re heading to the Gold Coast in June to validate David’s visa. Its only going to be a fleeting visit though, be out there about 4-5 days, just enough time to get TFN/s sorted and bank accounts set up, and we’re using it as an opportunity to get a lot of our stuff out there as well. We’re not using shippers as we are only taking personal items, so we figured 2 or 3 trips back and forth should be enough. It also helps when one of you works for Britain’s favourite airline – keeps the cost down slightly. My mum and my brother arrive from Australia on Monday for 7 weeks, and we will all be heading back to OZ on the same date.

Take care and hope everything works out for you.

Regards

Gina

Thanks everyone. I am going to investigate shipping tomorrow as I think I shall be taking my stuff with me.

Gina Good luck - see you when we get there