Hi,
just wanted to say hello. I am new to expats. My family and i are moving to Tasmania in five weeks. Been looking on here for a while and it is so helpful. Where do i go on here to find all things Tassie? Is there anyone else who is going or gone from UK?
jane

There's a thread here just for you

Hi Jane, i know that Pollyanna pointed you in the direction of the Tassie thread. Just wanted to say a quick hi. We too are moving to Tasmania - although we have not been able to sell our house yet this year (off the market now - but will try again after Christmas). Where are you heading for and if you dont mind me asking what work skills did you get your visa on?

We're more than likely going to head to the Hobart area's - as we visited there on our validation trip last year - but we do also like the look of the North - so who knows! My OH is a sheetmetal worker/Thermal Insulation Engineer and thankfully we know he should be OK for work at both ends of the Island...

Hope to see you on the Tassie thread soon. there's a lot of friendly people on there - both residents in Tas, and those of us still waiting to join them!

Yes welcome to BE and us in Tassie, or going to Tassie. Plenty good people on here to help answer your questions.

Hi thanks for relplies,
we are hoping to go to Launceston to start as we have friends there. But dont know in the long term, will settle where other half gets a job i suppose. He is a decorating lecturer, but will work as a decorator.
Cant wait to go, its getting close now. Cant sleep for thinking about it. Know what you mean about house sale. Ours has sold three times and fallen through But fingers crossed this time!
When are you going Cathy? Are your kids excited? Ours are a bit young to understand i think. Little girl thinks she can ride on a kangaroo!
Cant talk to my mum about it as she hates the whole idea. Stress and excitement all into one. It looks a fantastic place. Where did you stay on your validation trip? Did you all have a good time?
jane

Launceston is a nice city, been to it a few times but not lived there so others may view it differently. Many Tasmanians i have met argue over Hobart and Launceston as to which is best. Not been to Hobart as yet ( i am up North) as too busy working. Plan to go as soon as i can. Many on here will share your thoughts and stress on the move. You will find the people very friendly in Tassie and so helpful etc. At least you havr had people try to buy your house. We have had no luck at all. Hope it all works out for you.

Hi Jane

We are in a small seaside place called Bridport on the North East Coast been here just over 18 months now, Launceston is about an hours drive away. If I can help with any questions, like the others have said please ask away.

It is very stressful but yep exciting too.

Kay

Hi Jane, that's good if you have friends already in Launceston - i think that makes the whole moving experience a little easier - especially when you have kids involved. I'm not surprised you cant sleep if you're almost going! I think i'd be exactly the same.
We really want to go next year asap really. We've had our visa since April 2007 - and my OH wanted to go last year - but i insisted on doing a validation trip 1st as we were originally considering Perth (as OH's sister&her daughters live there) but we did want to visit a couple of places as well - and since day 1 i'd really liked the look of Tasmania and the climate appealed to me. have you been to Australia / Tasmania before ?
When we went last November we never anticipated that when we put the house up for sale this year that the property selling market would be so bad this year. With hindsight - we'd have had a lot more money to play with if we'd sold last year But we weren't to know i guess.
My daughter will be 6 next March and my son will be 2 this December so he's too young to understand / care about anykind of move. My daughter on the other hand seems to have forgotten about the idea - she was really positive about moving to Oz when we came back after our trip last year and every now and then she talks about it - but as she's now on her 2nd year at school - she's formed some close friendships at school and is more aware as she's getting older that she's going to be leaving her Nans/Grandad etc behind. But i think she's still young enough for it not to be a problem.
On our validation trip last year we spent most of the holiday in Western Australia staying at Andy's sisters and then going to places like Mandurah for a few days. We then flew from Perth to Melbourne - and then over to Tas for almost a week (staying in Moonah - just a short drive from Hobart city centre). Andy met up with a prospective employer which was good - who also put him in touch with another company...and we met up with some people that we'd been chatting to on this actual site that live in the Hobart area's which was nice. We then flew back to Sydney - and then back to Perth for a few more days before flying home. It was an expensive trip, but one we dont regret as for me it helped decide that Tasmania was definitely the place for us. We do however, regret not having gone to the North of the Island as there's one place in particular (Ulverstone) that really appeals to us...
I understand what you're saying about family accepting the move....I have had problems with my Mum & Dad. Well not so much my Dad but he takes my Mum's side Part of the reason i've delayed our move was because it took me a long time to get my head around leaving friends / family - especially taking the kids away from my parents as they both suffer from ill-health and will never be able to visit us in Australia....that's been the hardest part for me. But someone's always going to get upset when a big move is taking place and we cant help that. Andys sister etc were upset that we didnt choose Perth and have chosen Tas instead! they automatically assumed we'd just want to live where they live so there's no pleasing everyone so we've decided just to please ourselves!
I think Tasmania looks like a lovely place to bring up young children - and ideal for giving them the kind of childhood i think that we had years ago....


if you look on my gallery next to my photo - you'll see some pics from our trip last year (alongwith a couple of other family ones)

Hi Cathy,
thanks for your reply. Its great to know that i am not alone. There are other people who are Tasmania mad too! Its great you have done a validation trip. Do you think when the time comes it will be a little easier because you have visited? We considered Perth too, must admit it does look beautiful. What was Melbourne like? No we have never been to Tasmania, but there seems to be something special about it.
The house selling has been a nightmare. We had to reduce ours loads and then viewers started coming in. Its really hard and ive not enjoyed it. If only we had sold last year, gone into a rental then applied.
It's starting to upset our oldest he is 8 and has loads of friends. Sometimes he wants to go, then he gets upset about his mates. Sure he will be ok.
Bet you had an amazing time on your holiday last year? Sounds exciting? Would love to see Sydney.
Does your husband have a job lined up? Our plan is to look when we get there.
Don't know where we will end up in Tasmania. We will look at Hobart too.
Can't seem to imagine it really.
My mum just won't talk about it. Its not helping with it getting close to Christmas. She was planning dinner yesterday. Blanking it out i think. When we do talk its to say, there are black ants and spiders around and that we won't like it!
This website is great. Can't wait to get kids to bed and have a good read!
jane

Hey Misty, welcome to BE!

We have just celebrated our 1 year anniversary of being here, if you have any questions fire away. I think that both Launceston and Hobart are equally good in different ways. I like Hobart as it's the closest to city life as you are likely to get in Tas, but Launceston also has a lovely charm about it, with a fantastic City Park and lovely open spaces to take the kids. My other half is from Bridlington and was really pulled towards Hobart due to the harbour side reminding him of his childhood. We have actually bought a house in the country, 45 mins from Hobart and are really enjoying the country lifestyle. We have a 4 year old boy and he loves being able to have lots of space to run around and we have piece of mind that is relatively safe around here. I was also pulled to Hobart being a city girl growing up in Milton Keynes, if I want a city fix it's not too far away!

Kerry
X

Hi Jane, Unfortunately we didnt get to see anything of Melbourne or Sydney as it was literally just stopping at the airport till our flight connections.
Whereabouts in yorkshire are you living? My older brother lives in Acomb, York - and has done for a few years now - his wife is from Harrogate.
Sorry you had to drop your house price a lot in order to sell it. Seems to be the way to go at the moment though for everyone. My OH got a phonecall from the estate agent we used yesterday asking us how we were getting on - not that we'd use him again - but he said to Andy that prices had dropped quite a bit for those wanting to actually sell around where we are.
We're the same as you - we will probably settle where Andy initially finds work - be it North or South, we have a few companies contact details at both ends of the Island so we'll have to wait and see. Are you shipping all your furniture out?
It's hard when parents are not fully supportive isn't it? i know it's because they love us and dont want to not see grandchildren/their children etc - but it does make it harder for everyone i think. We used to get the negative comments about the heat/insects etc - but i think when they realised that wasn't working they stopped it all... I'm sure like other people have said before that when the time comes and you've actually left, once they realise that you'll ring / Email or write that they will still have a lot of contact after all they wont feel quite so bad. (that's what i'm telling myself anyway!).

I see that Kezzabird has just sent you a reply on here. We met Kerry and her family when we came over last year.....

Everyone on this site is generally really helpful with info etc - and some people have been very supportive to myself - and put up with my whinging at times!!! It's a great way to share experiences and ask for advice...and
a good way to make some Tassie friends.

Anyway, i'll say bye for now as we're off to the Lake District for the school half-term - and i need to get packing!!!

Good luck with everything, no doubt chat again when we get back.
(and i think we need to move this over to the other Tassie thread as im sure some of the other guys/girls would like to say hi too on there)

Cathy

Hi Kerry,
sounds like you are having a great time in Tas, living out in the country and only 45 mins from Hobart? The country sounds great. Bet your little boy is loving it? I like the idea of country living, not being too far from Hobart.
Bet you have had a great year? Fresh and exciting?
Small World with Bridlington, we go there all the time. Kids love it. Of all the places in England we have been, we always go back to Bridlington!
jane

Hi Cathy,
have a great time at the Lake District. Great place to spend half term.
Will move across to the Tas thread.
Bye jane