When we eventually get there I am prepared to do whatever it takes to make it work and as long as I know I have put in 110% effort ... if I do end up coming back, then so be it life goes on [/QUOTE]

Oh no...the dreaded 110% has finally reared its ugly head.
I thought that was kept exclusively for X factor contestants

I live in Port Macquarie. This is a lovely town and we have been here 7 months. Cheap housing (we're just buying a 4 bedroom house with a large yard for $375000), seven clean empty beaches, friendly people, kangaroos on the golf course, koalas sometimes seen in the trees, whales and dolphins from our balcony... we couldn't be happier. I know that some of you will need to move to big cities for jobs and I know that I would not want to live in a big city, but if you are looking for peace, quiet and friendly people, then this is a great place.

I think Arkon is referring, partly, to your socio-economic status. If you are 'AB' ie a 'professional', and as such like the trappings of that, as different to a 'CD' - a tradesperson - then you will less likely to find a draw to suburban or outback Australia or anywhere outside the inner cities. The fact that an 'AB' has large financial assets is almost not an issue as many non professionals have accrued as much money.

Rich or poor, if all you want to do is swap your suburban European life for a larger version then this may turn out to be a good move. Australia is King of the Surbanite.

A 'poor' person in the UK can take advantage of lifestyle options to better themselves, or use what money they do have as a multiplier.

A 'rich' professional person in the UK may have already achieved satisfaction outside their financial assets which even more money will not enhance.

Hold your horses, I wasn't saying it was definately a socio economic thing, just that that might help explain why some might have a harder time than others. It made some sense to me and would also explain why years ago you were more likely to like it here because the differences to the UK were smaller.

Before I joined this forum, last January, I would have had the preconceived and uneducated mindset, that the thoughts contained in the above post were totally wrong and could only be relevant to the above posters unique experience.

Since then I've read lots of different views from posters, and most importantly visited the UK, for the first time in 16 years.

What almost certainly would have been true re Aussie have a much better standard of living 20 years ago, materialistically wise, is certainly not the case now.


Great post...

We was going to Perth, beautiful city and we had friends there, BUT my hubby got a job here in Bunbury , and i am so pleased, because we was meant to be here, it is a city , but not big, we love it here south west and we will stay. The beautiful ocean and countryside ,yes we have green countryside also, Denise
ps pics ,fergusan valley and our beach.

Certainly agree with some sound opinions here, though the thread seems to have deviated somewhat from my original posting!
As a further question to the original question posted, may I put forward the following.

If you have undertaken the hard and laborious process, which is a given to many of us applying, why only stay a couple of months?

Obviously, as many have pointed out, Australia, Perth, isn’t utopia, I doubt any place is, it’s what you make it. However my feeling is and (it’s only a feeling, not proven) is that if you achieve something easily, i.e. DIMIA acceptance, it is easier to let go of the fact that you made it and return to the UK.

I think what I should also state at this point, just so that readers don’t think I am being too black and white, is that the above is not taking into account family ties and friends back home, I would imagine this accounts for quite a few (homesickness returnees) and is across the board i.e. doesn’t matter what profession your in etc, etc. however, saying this, perhaps there is a statistical trend that points to a particular section of people returning.

If possible, people reading this, if you know of people who have returned to the UK, could you post their details?

1. Occupation i.e. Solicitor, Builder, Engineer,
2. Length of time there and
3. Possibly age

This is SPOT on.

And this is where the problem lies with migrants returning I reckon.

Australia cries out for skilled migrants so people jump through hoops and run through fire to demonstrate the right skills to gain the visa....only to find those same skills aren't recognised or required when they get here

There are plenty of skilled jobs advertised, so who gets them? Where are they?

These same migrants then end up with the shitty jobs feeling resentful that their skills aren't utilised and so return to where they feel these skills are more appareciated and utilised.

Finding somewhere to live and a decent job to maintain a decent lifestyle is uppermost in terms of importance for most folk. If these jobs or skills aren't needed, then the sun isn't always enough to maintain some people in their new life..............so they go"home".

Low unemployment levels are bandied around yet nearly everyone we know works on a temporary contract, with no holiday pay,no sick pay and crap working conditions. Work culture is very backward in a lot of places.

I know of a female barrister that stuck it out for 6 months. She said the cronyism and sexism was enough to tell her she would never get past the glass ceiling and as she was young and wanted a career, she had to go back.

My next door neighbour, a lovely Aussie bloke [a police sergent] also informed me that ageism exsists here. I didn't believe him until I heard a fellow senior within the organisation tell someone not to offer a lady a job as a CLERK....cos she was too old [she was 36!].

Australia is a FANTATIC place to live....no doubt about it. But in my view the job situation stinks and until the country changes its work ethics.....some people aint gonna stick it out. They'll go back "home" to be appreciated.......

Oh no...the dreaded 110% has finally reared its ugly head.
I thought that was kept exclusively for X factor contestants [/QUOTE]

Hi Angela,

I was looking through my old posts and wandered if you were in OZ yet, I am nearly there myself now.

PS We did Cairns last year, Beautiful Place!

Cheers