dlparry

OZ or NZ?

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Hi, I am looking to leave the UK and live abroad. I have been looking at NZ recently as my husband suggested it but I have found myself asking why not Australia, why NZ. We are a family of three, me, my husband and a five year old son. Husband is going to be looking for work as a HGV driver or equivilent, i just want part time work, anything will do during school hours, would like to live in a town, not a big city, where it is warm most of the year, near a beach or within reach of a beach and a house in the region of £100,000. Son has special needs and minor health problems. I know I am probably asking too much. Has anyone live in both? which do they prefer and why? where sounds best for me and my family?


thank you

Browner_

Tough criteria for NZ.

If you are ruling out Auckland,Christchurch and Wellington then thats where 90% of kiwis live!

Nelson would be a smaller town with a reasonable climate, but whether you would view it as "warm" all year round I dont know. Tauranga may be more your thing.

Again if you are looking for work, avoiding those 3 main centres makes it much tougher.

The beach criteria is easy to fulfil in NZ.

The house price criteria - 100 grand isnt a lot even in the current market, but outside of the 3 main centres you have more of a chance.

Australia will offer more options, but even then Brisbane isnt "warm all year round" - its positively boiling in summer!

yorkshire_sparkie

We chose NZ over Australia mainly because I am scared to death of spiders

No, seriously.... we weren't too bothered about "hot" weather... we don't mind a cold winter. We have friends on both islands and have visited the country twice (had a good look round both times too)... I hear the wages, weather and job prospects are better in Aussie..but for us it was NZ hands down

We love it there. We like the laid back way of life. We want a fresh start and a better place to bring up the kids (we like the outdoors life).

Hope you find the right spot ) Good luck

Yummy_Mummy

I agree!!!

NZ for us because OZ has deadly "everything" I wouldnt be able to relax and let my kids outside to play.

Plus even tho i like warm weather.. i am not sure i could work in it I can cope with heat when we are on holiday, but not when u have to go to work in it....

For hubby, he is a keen mountain biker and NZ has a lot to offer bikers. Plus we like hill climbing and stuff, so there is no shortage of walks we can go in NZ Plus all the crazy activities in NZ.. i luv skydiving, horse riding and anything fun!! So NZ has all that and more to offer!

So NZ really won hands down.

I will go to Oz to visit my friends there, but not sure i could ever live there!

Good luck in deciding

janek

Nelson is a town of about 42,000, with the best suburban beach i the country some people [toughys] will even swim in it all year round. Although it does not snow in town in the winter, there is plenty of the stuff visible on the mountains surrounding. Temperatures in the winter do drop a bit though with frost on the ground in the mornings. What is warm to one person may not be to another, I find 10 degrees cel. very cold but some people depending on where they live may not find that to be the case.

I don't know much about the hGV driving business, but Nelson is surrounded by hills so there is quite a lot have to driven in or out.
The downside is that you won't get much of a house for 100,000 pounds -
still you won't get much of a house in Australia for that money either, at least not near a beach.

Personally I have never seen spiders or snakes when I have lived in Australia but I have only lived in big cities which may account for that, although Australia does have a fantastically large cockroach [harmless] which I found to be much more common.

owen

Actually your biggest stumbling block may be your son's condition. Unfortunately immigration from both countries will assess very thoroughly if there will be any dependence on public services and if there is, how much that will cost welfare compared to the input into the economy from you and your husband.

Very harsh I'm afraid but I rmember reading about several declines due to this scenario. I would probably advise contacting immigration specialists from both countries to find out.

cleverchap

NZ for my wife and I because in Australia you have a choice of beach or desert and thats it. In NZ you get a lot of greenery during summer, skiing in winter and creepy-crawlys don't try to kill you

Grayling

That is nonsense.

you have obviously never been to Australia.

large areas are forest and jungle for a start.....

luvwelly

I agree on the special needs and also for NZ I understand getting in with HGV driver as the main party is not easy either as they won't grant PR only work visas or sth, so be sure to check that out. The disadvantage of a work visa being that it is tied to a particular employer who can therefore exploit you and the longest you can get one for is 3 years.

mohogony

Obviously you have never been to OZ, it has plenty of nice green countryside and it has snow and ski resorts as well, regarding creepy crawliers they are'nt trying to kill anyone they are terified of people and only bite when attacked first,

Browner_

Im sure, but when you roll over in bed on top of that funnelweb....

Im sure sharks are much more of a danger in OZ, but sharks dont live in your house and come out when you turn off the light....

You can guess I HATE spiders

mohogony

No one has died of a spider bite in OZ in 30 years you are probably more likely to be killed by a sheep stampede in NZ then a spider bite in OZ.
l have never had a funnel web spider or any spider in my bed. If you have some sort of spider phobia then theres types of insect spray you can buy at the supermarket that you spray your house one a month or so and no insects or spiders can survive in your house. But l could'nt be bothered l hardly ever see any spiders in my house, they leave me alone so l leave them alone

Browner_

I already have to spray the house in NZ to keep the White Tails at bay. Plenty of them little b*ggers.

TheArmChairDetective

Bethlehem Near Tauranga. Fantastic place. Lovely. Would definitely live there but unsure about work possibilities.

shoshana

Whangarei and surrounding areas. Although I grew up in Auckland, my parents now live just north of Whangarei in Ngunguru and love it. It is close to facilities of a small town, hospital/airport etc but nice and country.

Personally I am a city gal, but its lovely there.

cheers

Edit: Actually i am having the NZ or OZ debate with my hubby at the moment. I spent 9 years in Sydney before moving to the UK with my English husband and now we heading back and to where is the question, pros and cons on both countries