Glad to hear you had a good holiday - did you stick to the north or did you manage to catch the wonderful National Capital as well? Hope you can sort out what was holiday euphoria and what is substance enough to make you want to make a move eastwards.

WOW is just what we said when we went over East. We went as far north as Noosa in the pissin' rain WOW WOW WOW and as far south as Byron Bay and just about everywhere in between.

Stupid as this sounds it was chucking it down when we arrived at Brisbane Airport but even that felt right

We were looking at moving there too but decided to give it 2 weeks to get over the 'holiday feeling' and do a bit more research.

In the cold light of day we saw that the issues that frustrate us about living in Perth were similar to the ones that would frustrate us about QLD in the long run. Plus OH would need a licence to work there whereas he doesn't need one here.

Having said that we are looking at an investment property over East as we may well end up living part time UK/Oz a few years down the line.

This is exactly how we feel. Honeymoon feeling...then reality.
I think although we loved it, the same issue's that annoy us in Perth will eventually catch up with us over East.
The weather for us while we were there was fantastic. Never rained once. After all the flooding they have been having, i thought i would need to take my wellies and canoe
I now see Australia in a different light...not the boring stinking hot hell hole i live in, but an amazing place full of life and adventure

Lucky you It didn't stop raining for 4 days when we were there. It didn't matter though. Did Noosa, Australia Zoo and Brisbane in the rain. It stopped when we went to the Gold Coast and we had great weather.

tbh I always thought Australia was an amazing place and still do but I just don't like living in Perth. I am convinced that if we had gone to QLD initially we would have stayed.

I still can't understand how I had 22 wonderful months living in Oz a few years ago and yet cannot settle this time.

Anyway, a year on, although I did regret moving here at first, I have no regrets now. I'm glad we gave it a go. Life's too short for 'what ifs'.

Oooh, now that's a bloody great scenario, you jammy thing!

We lived in Perth and I honestly have to say that you just can't compare Perth with the rest of Oz. I hated Perth even though we lived in one of the so called nicer suburbs, Mt Pleasant and Applecross. We've moved around quite a lot, Perth, Sydney, Launceston - and now we are on the Mornington Peninsula - one one of the best places to be. Had holidays in Qld but just too hot and humid for us. But I still have this dreadful longing to be back in the UK. South Somerset is where I will always call home but for anyone stuck in that isolated desert called Perth - do try the other side of Oz before making that final decision.

Absolutely. The rest of OZ is so different to Perth. Another country infact. I loved Brisbane, but the humidity was something of a concern (caused havac with my hair) might aswell throw the straightners.

We have decided UK is our home and always will be. So we are sticking to our plans and heading home. But the East side will be a definate if we return.

Just adding my 10c worth - cos they dont do 2's!

We live very near coolangatta but in the hills. Yes, it is beautiful, but I have to say that they (the dreaded shop assistants) are a damned site more polite in Brisbane (even if they dont mean it ) Even 'locals' if they have a foreign accent here, get treated as tourists. That gets me quite cross. This area is great, its very green and there are NO water restrictions. I dont work for the tourist board - cos I still want to go home - too English I guess. I miss the daffodils I did mention the racism that some have spoken about in Perth to my Dad and (I sooo apologise for this if you dont agree - its someone elses opinion), that the reason for this is that Perth is the closest Aussie city to South Africa (which I have also lived in as a child - so dont shoot me!!!) Make of that as you will, I haven't visited Perth, but thought it might be something you might like to 'chew' over.

Australia is an itch I have always needed to scratch ever since returning from SA and being told it is the land of milk and honey. Well, its not for us - at the moment - we have had some good times and made a few good friends, but we have also had some incredible bad luck while being here, which seems to occur everytime we start to think we could actually live here, so whether you believe in fate or not, we've decided to call it quits for the time being. We aren't 'oh woe is us', just kinda, well if that's the way it is, then so be it.

If you can make it here, then power to your elbow, infact - do you wanna buy a house??

lol, yeah, buy my house too.

We have had alot of bad luck whilst here, expectations haven't been met either, so it's been a disaster really. But we can laugh about it, so haven't lost the plot yet

We are living in Perth at the moment and find it a bit too quiet for us!! We loved Brisane when we visited but as you say I think we'd find it a bit too hot and humid to live there.

We've just started looking into Melbourne and have been giving Mornington Peninsula serious consideration. I miss home a lot but definately don't want to go back thinking what if we'd tried somewhere else and loved it!!

Go for it! i wish i had the guts to try somewhere else, but i know i would still miss my family and friends too much. If they were to move here, then that would be different.

I think you're right, going home. I mean, where do you stop 'looking'? If it didn't work in Brisbane, would you think "Oh, let's try Adelaide?" At what point do you stop trying to find somewhere that feels right here?

That's the conclusion I've come to after deciding not to try Melbourne and to go home.

Exactly. I just want my life back. And because it was good before, i am not worried about going back. Infact i keep having the same dreams over and over again about how my life used to be. Must be a sign

I agree with this point. I do realise it is a complete generalisation, so don't all have a go , but I reckon those of us who were perfectly happy with their lives in the UK, and either particular circumstances have resulted in being here, or the old "I wonder...?", are those perfectly happy to return to the UK, and who perhaps feel more at odds here and cannot settle enough to want to stay.

Again, a complete generalisation as we are all different, but I do wonder that those who maybe did not particularly like their home lives/jobs or whatever in the UK, are those who are desperately trying to convince themselves (others?) that they do love it here. They need it to work more, because the alternative to them was not better. They also appear to be the ones who slate the UK more on these forums. I then wonder if/when the rose tints for Australia will slip off over the years.. or if they continue trying to convince themselves.....

[QUOTE=Looie;6036751]We are living in Perth at the moment and find it a bit too quiet for us!! We loved Brisane when we visited but as you say I think we'd find it a bit too hot and humid to live there.


I'm on the gold coast and it has got a lot more humid here over the years. It's definitely one thing I wont miss when I leave.