So you based your decision where to spend your life based on border control questions that last 10 minutes? Really? Or am I missing the humour?

I did say that my reasons are probably daft ones, but they're not confined to humourless border control attitudes towards visitors from the UK, I found those to be indicative of other attitudes within Australia, but hasten to add that my experiences were purely based on my visits to Sidney where my family live.

I'm also in receipt of a Civil Service pension from the UK which would be frozen in Australia, and one or two other considerations which make an EU country a better prospect for living in.

(And my ankles swell up when I sit on an aeroplane for 24 hours).

Ah the pensions thing is disgraceful, so I'm with you there.

a good point - why can't they do the questioning and checking as they used to on the Eurostar train, its not as if you are going anywhere

but at least its only 24 hours, fancy spending 3 months on a ship to have some redneck on the jetty telling you that "your type aren't wanted".

I'd love to hear more about this, all but about 12 members of my family, and I have a HUGE family (Jewish and Scottish blood, big breeders) live in Australia and New Zealand and the most I ever got were a few extra points on the application.

there are such things as Spouse Visas, Child Visas, Aged/Contributory Parent Visas.....all family ones, not points based at all

www.immi.gov.au if you really want to look into it!

yebbut - his reputation goes before him

Cheers Polly, just had a quick look and it says no... unable to provide a suitable visa. It all hinges on the fact that mum and dad are still alive. When we were seriously looking in 07/08 the immigration advisor (also a family member) told us the best bet we had was the skilled visa, then they took my profession off it. We still have another option but its not in Oz anymore I'm afraid, that ship has sailed for good.

I am sorry to hear that, but it depends on "close" family, and "financial support", i qualify on both counts i think, if not i return to the Med.

If having the funds to tide me over I would go for Spain without a doubt. Australia would eat into one's savings far too quickly. Everything here price wise has gone through the roof in recent years.
It's ok to work in a high profile mining job, if one is in that area and work hard and save then bail out in good time....but I think the lifestyle has ben sacrificed to a degree.
Spain is having problems so I am only suggesting it for someone not needing to work....never been to the Canary Islands but passed Las Palmas a few times at sea...looked great.
The other thing with OZ is the Brit pension is frozen from time of departure UK. Aussie pension is useless being mean's tested as well as very low...
Rather than retire in OZ you'd do better moving to Bali or Thailand. Many more are doing just that.

Ok, looked at the close family aspect but how do you mean financial support? If thats financial support their end then it may well leave a route open for us.

I have both support from their end and am capable of supporting myself at least twenty years. Like i said earlier, my lifestyle i doubt i will see mid sixties.Gudluck.

Yeah, from their end there is a lot of financial support but I haven't found any evidence that will help me in any way. They own extensive amounts of land in and around Byron Bay but even that hasn't been a help.

I am not gong into personal detail, but my only guess is the "closeness" of the family involved is not close enough? If its a long lost uncle, not surethat would count, whereas if it were your mum, well it may help?

You don't have to get into personal details do you? Pollyanna didn't, she simply gave me a link to look at. You are saying that you have a free card into Australia, on an Expat site, its only natural that is going to raise questions from posters. I'm not asking for your National Insurance number but the ambiguity isn't exactly helpful given the fact that you are asking for peoples advice.... what if we all get evasive and defensive? Not helpful is it?