British Expats - 3 years in Perth!

Well just realised its the 20th today and I reckon we where just about falling off the plane sleep deprived 3 years ago. Well what can I say, from someboby who had never visited Australia before and never had a seconds thought of ever going back.
We from the first day made an effort to say home meaning here and the "UK" meaning the UK. It worked well for us anyhow. We decided to have some time off first when we arrived and rented in Padbury, nice enough house and good shops, Steve found a job roofing and I decided to try and get into vet nursing, well I thought why not give it a go, I was always deemed too old in UK standards so I ended up vet nursing, Steve quit roofing and opened a pet store, which currently is up for sale but more on that later.
Between Steve in the shop and me practically full time at the vets we probably work more than we ever did in the UK, we later bought a house out in Banksia Grove, again thats up for sale as well, and have been getting that itchy feel so threw caution to the wind and bought a 5 acre block out in Chittering, selling the shop and house to finance the move and a new home business which I think can be another thread one day.
So in 3 years we have rented, bought, bought land and now building as owner builders, been employed, then self employed and will continue to have our own business. Life is good, its hard sometimes, long hours at work, huge mortgages compared to the UK but I think its worth it.
Schools here well I don't think they are as good, not after my sons 3 years at the local high school anyway, he started there with high grades and has now got a lower level than he started with, doesn't make sense to me, he is happier at school here, moans a bit in mid summer but generally as a family we are well settled.
As for going back to visit well possibly, if house and shop sell we may sneak back for a surprise visit but other than that I am in no hurry to return.

I have to say if anyone comes here thinking it as a cure from debt or a marriage stuck in a rutt it wont work, you really have to work hard at settling here in the first couple of years, making friends is an obvious one but silly things that you knew in the UK but have to search for here are annoying, the knowledge you have on the UK, silly things like the tax system you probably know a fair bit get here and you know nothing, I don't even know how much money I need to put in a payphone here let alone asking about bus tickets and if they have day saver tickets? Its all a steep learning curve, just as well I am patient.

Oh well hope you all enjoyed this thread, good luck to all who follow our foot steps and don't give up, stick it out for a few years, Australia certainly grows on you.

Jenny and Steve