Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

Morningside is a couple of suburbs over seems to be a few properties in that area from what I can see. Definitly worth a drive out there, I would of rented in Bulimba if I'd visited before I rented here. Hope it works out for you. :)

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

Life in OZ would be very difficult if one person took the car to work and one was stranded, OZ is american in that way everyone drives everywhere you have to, 2/3 car families are the norm.

I'm not sure about bris, but if anyones going to the sunshine coast and wants a suburb with buses, large shopping centre, shops,endless restauraurants and cafes, doctors, bars, clubs, all within walking distance take a look at Alexandra Headland. The schools for it are at mooloolaba or Maroochydore and a school bus picks up those over 2 klm from the school, or just jump on the normal bus. It really is about the most central and convenient place I have seen in OZ apart of course from inner city. Bonus is too the beach is just across the road, a patrolled surf beach at that. The housing is mainly older houses say about 20 years, many are renovated tho and brand new luxury apartments. We pay $300 in rent for a 3 bed house about 1 minute walk and we are in the ocean :D

Hope things pick up diddy, do think if in OZ one place doesnt suit its best to try another first before leaving, we tried melbourne and gold coast before settling here.

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

Best thing to do is come up to Cleveland to have a look. The Sunday market isnt what it used to be but you could use it as an excuse. Cleveland would be a lot easier for a novice driver than the GC. She would be a lot better than some of the LOLs. :D
Train link to the city.

Realestate.com.au has a house in Long street which is walkable through the parks to Cleveland. Wouldnt want to push a shopping trolley filled with icecream that far on a hot day though. :D Magpies at the moment may be a worry.

WW

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

diddy,
me n the missus have just arrived in briz from the uk and are thinking of Cleveland, seems to be a real nice little place with everything handy, a self contained town really, maybe you could check this area out?

Patmoss

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

Do you, or your wife have much of a social network/friends in Oz? Pretty obvious I know, but a good way to fight depression and to get settled is to expand your social network. Plenty of social groups around.

Do you want to stay in Oz, or are you not fussed?

Can't help on location as will be Sydney based myself.

good luck

Alex

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

I live in Albany Creek, north side. I have shops, swimming pool, library, buses to city and 2 big shopping centres all within a few mins of my house.

Your wife is very welcome to pm me if she would like a chat. I am a stay at home mum now and haven't as yet made many friends since we came here a few months ago.

Katie

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

Thanks everyone for their advice. I'm off hoem and we're not online at the moment. Have agood weekemd.

Paul.

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

When we moved out of Sydney we had to get two cars for us both to get to work, the last 3 months before the UK return we were down to one as sold other. It was a complete nightmare as I was living in a faceless, surburban hell with a few buses a day! Even though we were on the way back to the UK it was VERY depressing indeed, talk about island fever.

Luckily I had good buddies who helped out. Let me tell you a good network of buddies in Oz are irreplacable, it takes time to get this in place, often years but they replace your family. As other advice has said, get chatting to some other expats, it may start to help.

Good luck.

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

Paul, contact Wholeworldwindow (Colette) - she is in Upper Coomera so not far from you. She has a little 'un - I think he's about four. Nicole is bound to get on with her. There is also Lisa (flowerofscotland) She is around Helensvale I think.

Something to try before you move away. You might decide not to leave the area after all :D Can't help more cos I'm still here but should be out end of November if you are still in the area.

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

are you sure going back to uk will fix everything or are there other issues which need to be resolved??

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

I'd second Bulimba - the main street doesnt have a huge amount of shops (some cafes, small grocery store, cinemas, hairdressers, bookstore, those sorts of things, no large department stores), but its really lovely & its literally 5 mins on the citycat to the CBD. I think its one of the nicest parts of town.

Other places to try apart from Cleveland (which is also great & bayside has heaps of expats who can probably help her settle in a bit) would be Graceville/Sherwood which is close to the city & have nice high streets etc.

It really does depend on what it is she wants to do & what her needs are in the way of shops etc, but I think any of those 3 places would be a good place to start looking. If she wants large shopping malls I'd suggest some other places.

have sent you a PM.

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

Hey mate i feel for you guys, nothing worse than feeling sort of helpless, if thas not to strong a word.

We live in North lakes, $310 a week and you could walk to the Westfield from here, great schools and a free bus service around North lakes and to Petrie train station.

It is a wee bit out of the way here, but still easy to get about.

Hope things work out

Bill

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

Hi Diddy, I totally sympathize with you, I’ve had to hide the wife’s passport to stop her returning home, She went back for 4 weeks and that just made matters worse as it drove it home to her what she was giving up. I know what its like when the other half is miserable, makes it very miserable for you too. Karma to you and I hope you work it out soon.

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

We are thinking Albany Creek - at last someone who lives there !!!

Re: On the Verge of Heading Back, Brisbane Help Please
 

Theres quite a few ex-pats here. They opened a new Indian takeaway a few weeks back and on the first night it was full of UK accents gagging for a good curry.

Meeting ex-pats all the time