willamos

These are a few things (cautionary tales) I think Brits should be aware of before embarking on life down under. Please add to them if you can think of more things and/or modifications:

* Moving country does not fix all issues in your life. This should be obvious but I get the impression from reading some stuff on here that a lot of people actually believe it will.

* Australia is NOT devoid of a large, large number of the UK's problems. If you believe that Australia is a crime-free zone, for example, you may be disappointed. Stuff happens here all the time (Quoll recently reported some fairly random shootings/stabbings near where she is in Canberra on another thread) and the idea that these things are unique to Manchester or London is silly. Where I am there was a mugging at knife-point not three minutes from where I live recently and there is a MAJOR vandalism and 'tagging' problem. It's supposed to be a nice area though, so would hate to be in a dodgy area like Broadmeadows, parts of Frankston, Dandenong or Footscray.

* The weather is different in Australia, but not NECESSARILY better. In Melbourne, the climate is surprisingly similar to the UK (unpredictable and often cold and windy) and whilst the summer is longer and warmer than in the UK, the really hot days (40 plus) are very uncomfortable and you cannot really enjoy them as being outside in that heat is unbearable. You have the risk of bush fires at one end of the country and serious flooding at the other. Tasmania can get both. If you are moving for the weather (this seems to be a major life priority for a lot of people, which is quite foreign to me personally) be careful where you go to.

* It is impossible to predict prior to leaving what and who you will miss - and how much. You may find yourself missing things more than you think. It is easy to be in Britain, amidst all the British moaning and complaining, and think that there is nothing you will miss. It is very easy to misjudge this and only see the light, so to speak, once you are 10,000 miles away.

* If you are in a mixed nationality relationship (which may well be the very reason for the move) you can find yourself feeling quite trapped/stifled by being surrounded by your partner's family/friends constantly, especially when you do not have any of your own around.

Sally Simpson

Good post W! Must admit, was a bit worried about what I was going to read but all of what you mention are things people should think seriously about before making the move.

The problem with family & friends is that sometimes you have to have actually moved before you fully realise how you feel about being so far away.

Oh & you have the risk of severe flooding and bushfires in the North of the country!

ozzieeagle

Great Post Willamos

canadaeh

I really agree with this one, too many people are leaving the UK because of the high crime, so many people on here say they are moving to Oz as it’s a safer place to bring up Children etc.

It’s NOT, it’s just the same as anywhere else in the world, there are murders, muggings, home burglary, stabbings, gang’s, just like everywhere else in the world.

Too many people move here with the belief that it’s a perfect paradise with no crime.

I think another one to possibly add:

*People that move here for a lower cost of living, it’s not the case, some things are cheaper some things are more expensive, wages are usually lower, sometimes the same, but in general it’s no cheaper than living in the UK, and in some cases it’s much more expensive.

willamos

Aaargghh! Stupid me for missing that one off the list!!!

YES, indeed.

* If you REALLY think that Australia is this cheap heaven-on-earth where you can get lots and lots and lots of great stuff with relative ease you are misguided and will be very disappointed. It is NOT easier to get on the property ladder here and, just like the UK, if you do manage it you will have to settle for a crappy place in an undesirable area - just as in the UK.

Simple things, like bread and milk for instance, are often MORE expensive in Australia than in the UK.

Aussies over the years have gone over to the UK and complained about it being expensive because with the exchange rate they lose out when converting dollars to pounds. Brits are convinced Australia is cheap because of that and the fact that when they go to Australia the exchange rate favours them. It's different when you are living in the UK and earning pounds and when you are living in Australia and earning dollars. Everyone forgets/ignores this.

moneypenny20

Blimey, I think I'm in agreement with OP It's all true but the weather thing is way too personal a thing to comment upon. Whilst many would struggle with the odd 40+ days a few places have a year, many won't and are healthier for the higher temps. Again, like the family and friends thing - there's no way of knowing until you've lived here a year or two as to whether you cope or don't.

willamos

I've always been puzzled though by the oft stated cliche that Australia has better weather than the UK.

How can folk say this when people can lose everything in bush fires burning uncontrollably and/or major floods sweeping across whole regions? Doesn't make complete sense to me.

And why do we as human beings think that really, really hot weather is okay but really cold weather is bad? Again, I don't follow the 'logic' of that.

Sally Simpson

My husband believes this but he really is suited to a tropical climate, hence why we live where we live. Personally I don't like extremes of weather anywhere but for 9 months of the year it really is perfect here, so this is where we are for now!

I don't think that people generally consider the very real possibility of bushfires etc when they are making the decision to move to Aus.

willamos

Of course they don't, because Australia's weather/climate is perfect; haven't you heard?!

I fail to see why one extreme is better than another.

''Really cold in England in winter, ooooh can't possibly cope with that. Really hot in summer in Australia, car steering wheel is burning the palms of my hands. That sounds much better!''.

Sally Simpson

I actually researched quite a lot, based on weather before we moved because we wanted a tropical climate but I think many people probably do not research enough. I was prompted to do this by all the threads on here about how freezing it is in winter, which certainly put me off Adelaide, which had been our original choice.

willamos

Today in Melbourne is cold and rainy. Very grey looking out the window.

But hey! I'm in Australia! Should be grateful! I could be in the UK!

Sally Simpson

Actually, I don't think it really matters what the weather is like, if you don't feel like you belong, then you won't be happy.

Sadly, you will not know if this is how you will feel until you have tried.

We lived in the Virgin Islands for 2 years, perfect in many ways but it just did not feel like home to me. People could not understand why we moved back to the UK. Some things are just deep inside you & invisible to others.

ozzieeagle

The way I look at today, is it's going to stay green just a tad longer. Which is a big bonus in my book.

You dont often get days like today, as you know. The last couple of weeks have been great for the flora and fauna.

bcworld

Yes it's shaping up to be a pretty diabolical weekend....the rest of Aus will be able to watch the forecast wind, rain, hail & lightning during the grand final and confirm their suspicions about Melbourne weather!!

Personally I think it's great....water is definitely something we need more of around here!

moneypenny20

But you're making huge generalisations here The climate where we live is perfect for me personally. That's not to say that bushfires don't happen, or that floods don't hit the area or sometimes I'm cold or too hot, but that for me and mine to see the sun and blue sky as much as we do, for us to feel the warmth of mid 20s temps most of the year makes us far healthier than we did in the UK or would in another part of Aus.