Choccy84

Hi everyone!

Myself & my husband are thinking of a 2 year move to Australia with our 2 children, with a possibility of permanently living in Australia. Thing is we have no idea where to start!

What areas of Australia are good? I am a nurse so local hospitals are important. Good schools too. We want the beach/water/outdoors lifestyle, was looking at rentals in Perth but a lot seem to be apartments which is not what we would like

Any suggestion/info/help/tips would be greatly appreciated!!

Many thanks

Bermudashorts

Your question is so vague that it is quite hard to know whre to start with an answer!

"What areas are best?" Australia is as big as Europe and the USA, there is no "best" area or areas. You need to work out what you want.

Climate can vary massively across Australia so that might be one way of narrowing things down. House price affordability also varies massively so that is another way of narrowing things down. For some people, the availability of work will vary across the country so that also helps to rule places in or out.

Most people in Australia live around the edges, so a very high percentage are within a reasonable distance of a beach and water so this does not help to rule that much in or out. Other than I can suggest you avoid Alice Springs. And whether you spend time indoors or outdoors is up to you, not where you live. My most outdoorsy friends in the whole world live in Merseyside, they are non stop camping, fishing, kayaking, body boarding, surfing, you name it, it is just the way they are.

I am quite sure people rent houses in Perth, perhaps just narrow down your search to houses when you use the typical websites like www.domain.com.au.

Two year moves are quite hard for a family by the way, well in the sense that there aren't any two year visas you can obtain independently. If you only want a two year visa, you would need to find an employer sponsor and these are hard to come across.

Choccy84

Hi thanks for replying! Sorry my post was so vague but we are total beginners so don't have a clue about any areas in Australia! We will have to start researching.

We are fed up of the British weather, want some permanent sunshine!

Grayling

Firstly are you eligible for a visa?

Are you degree qualified?

Choccy84

Hi yes I have a degree in nursing

Moses2013

As mentioned by others, you'll need a visa and I doubt you'll find permanent sunshine. More sunshine yes, but Melbourne will have different weather than Perth and many people like the sun, but hate the heat etc. We're all different and it might work out, but you might want to consider taking more holidays if you want sun.






If you calculate moving costs for a whole family, maybe even one income less, is it really worth it? The money for the move alone will buy you a few stunning holidays in sunny European locations.

Bermudashorts

Australia doesn't have permanent sunshine. It is a much harder climate to live in than the British climate, although on balance I do just about prefer it myself. But I find it easier to enjoy the outdoors in UK.

Amyway you still need to do a bit more yourself. You can't just ask on a forum "where is best" amd expect to get answers that are meaningful for you.

Start by thinking about the three things I mentioned. First availability of work for both of you, nursing is pretty flexible but what about your OH, mine could only work in Sydney for example so that was decision made for us. Then think about climate, heat and humidity are most punishing in Queensland and Northern Territory for example which might put some off. And then housing costs vary hugely, will you have a lot of capital to bring? You would probably want it for Sydney especially, Melbourne and Perth to a slightly lesser extent whereas Brisbane and Adelaide are more affordable.

Choccy84

I'm scared to write anything now for fear of being corrected!

I don't think I said "where is best" I was just asking for people's experiences, I'm kind of sorry I did now

Maybe I shouldn't have said permanent sunshine, more sunshine would be nice!

Thanks for your time

SouthernOz

We lived on the Sunshine Coast for 2 years but moved to S.A 6 years ago due to work promotion.
I love living in S.A and UniSa and Flinders have been 2 quality choices for our children.
Availability of work has to be a massive factor so search Seek and other sites for jobs in your field.

blackcab

Just becareful, have a three week holiday here in Peak summer, i really wish we had before we went to all the trouble and cost of obtaining Permanent Residency. We are in Brisbane, we came here for the permanent sunshine and was sick of the British weather. Well after four years here, we are returning back to the UK because we are sick of the permanent sunshine and longing for a cold frosty clear skied morning. The sun can be as painful as the wet rain, i actually now after four years prefer the wet rain on my face rather than the sun. You have to live in the sun to really get to know what it entails. We never go out in the sun unless we have to, we spend less time outside in the summer than we spent outside in the UK in the winter. The sun really damages your spirit, as much so as the grey skies. Also, we get humidity here in Brisbane, cloud cover trapping the heat when there is no air. For me a hot and humid day is like nothing else i have ever encountered, it drains you, and makes us all feel utterly miserable. But that is our two penneth, my view, i am sure many other will disagree, but we are all entitled to out own opionions. Have a holiday, it will be money very well spent.

GarryP

General pointers:

• most if not all people want to live within hailing distance of the cities, so worth thinking in those terms. As a pen picture
  • Perth - geographically isolated - most people get bored of it within a few years (which wouldn't be an issue with you). Rocketed up in the mining boom, now crashing down with its end.
  • Adelaide - everyone forgets adelaide, and joblessness is high
  • Melbourne - major city, thinks its got culture, 4 seasons in one day, but a climate closer to the south of france than you are used to. Has jobs.
  • Canberra - government town, closes at 5pm, colder
  • Hobart - people with two heads and one horse, lots of greenery, colder.
  • Sydney - expensive, and a bit like living in a city anywhere.
  • Brisbane - weirdos, and hotter, sweatier, climate
  • Darwin - don't.
• you are probably looking suburbs with your requirements, look further out.
• 2 years for the kids is worth thinking about. Going back to the UK after could prove disruptive to education. Not a reason not to though.

quiltman

As Grayling said , are you eligible for a visa?
Your nursing degree and experience will have to be assessed - search for "nursing in australia" in the threads here and you'll see the potential hurdles this entails.
Here's a starter link:
Nurses, Doctors, and other Medical/Healthcare occupations - British Expats

It's not straightforward and for a 2 year stint I wonder if the costs of assessment plus all the hassle and costs of moving make it worth while.
As blackcab says, you can get fed up with wall to wall sunshine! We live in the Philippines and in summer spend much more time indoors than out - even with 30/32 degree days it's far too hot to sit outside for very long and when it rains , even the rain is warm! Good luck with your dream , I hope it works out for you.

SouthernOz

Very good advice.
The heat in jan -feb can be brutal in SA but it is a hot dry heat with little humidity.

Beoz

Lot of weather moaning going on, everywhere ........ glass half empty stuff. .... No one has moaned about Sydney weather yet, got to be coming though.

Gordon Barlow

a quick guide from an old piece of doggerel:

The good folk of Melbourne
Are frightfully well-born.
Of much the same kidney
Is the beau monde of Sydney.
Adelaide's forte is culture;
But in Brisbane the people insult yer
And don't hardly know they've been rude
They're that ignorant, common and crude.
It's scarcely worth
Mentioning Perth.