Almost 2 years. UK to Sydney to WA
Mar 26th 2010, 4:53 am
#1
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Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 3,337
Almost 2 years. UK to Sydney to WA
Well it will be two years in May and although a little early I thought I would do a update now – slow moment at work!
We came from England on sponsored 457 visas for my job to work for a Australian mining company in Sydney. The move was a blur and I can never be too gratefull for my wife who had all of the packing and things to organise. It didn’t really sink in that we were moving to Australia until the day we left the house and I walked out and handed over the keys to the new owners. I had been working 18 hour days at university to get my masters finished in time and had only handed in on the Wednesday, got blind drunk the Wednesday night, stayed in bed ill Thursday and moved to the other side of the world Friday.
We were lucky that part of the deal was they would put us in a hotel for a couple of weeks while we found somewhere to live, but the time went like a flash. We were viewing 5 places a day, usually finding that we were cramped into a tiny apartment that I would have been embarrassed to house a rat in and then standing back in amazement to watch people actually trying to secure it! After a week I was starting to worry we would never find somewhere. Then one day we had been to see yet another “hole” and decided to have a walk. Well we stumbled across this amazing stunning area – it was like a dream, but clearly VERY expensive. Nevertheless we had a look on line for places available there and sure enough I would have had to have been on 3x the salary. Well, it got to day 13 and still no closer to having somewhere to live and the morning internet search didn’t look hopeful. Then in desperation I had another look at our dream area and behold, the gods were smiling. There on line was a stunning apartment in the middle of the dream and being offered privately at “just over” the max budget. I called and asked if it was available and said I would take it there and then. So we found ourselves living in a Breakfast Point with a view of the CBD and harbour bridge. Amazing!
Again I had to rely heavily on my wonderful wife as we couldn’t move in till day 15. The day we had to leave the hotel but also the day I was flying out for my first two week stint in the outback. So, without any grumble she moved in with our suitcases but nothing else. Not even a cup for a cup of tea. We had been given a small allowance to bring things over but it only covered shipping some personal things (photos, fav CD’s and stuff) and cloths. That, and the furniture we had was all hand downs which was now so old I don’t think it would have survived the move!
I came home after my two weeks to find a beautifully furnished apartment, but during my break the global financial crisis hit the metal prices and I got the call to say the exploration office was to be closed immediately and I was to be transferred to underground mining. It became clear though that the metal prices was a storm the mine wasn’t going to wear unscathed and redundancies were likely. We had given up everything to come to Australia and the loss of a job would mean loss of visa and a return to the UK with no money or a place to live! (There is a lesson here for those considering the 457 route – a lot of friends were not as lucky as me!). So I started looking for another job, desperate to stay in Sydney but the months were passing and nothing was going in NSW other than by moving completely to a small mining town – no thanks. So, when a offer came to work for one of the big gold miners on the biggest exploration project in Australia it was something I couldn’t turn down. Luckily the package covered full relocation costs to Perth including a removal company to come in and pack. But again dear wife had to shoulder it, as my last two week swing in NSW didn’t end till the morning of the move. We also, a month before the move found the new and very important addition to our family – Mickey our Chihuahua / fox terrier cross.
So, reluctantly we found ourselves on a flight to the wild west! Again, we had two weeks paid in a hotel to find somewhere to live and again it went to the limit! We looked around Perth but were far from impressed with what our budget would get us in the city. So we started looking south around Mandurah and possibilities started to open. In fact we saw a few places that I was happy with, but that my better half didn’t feel homely – important since she is at home all day and I am away so much. Then, the day before we were to leave the hotel we found our wonderful house in Dawesville. We were a bit worried about how far it was from Perth – especially as we didn’t have a car, but the place was perfect. New house in a small gated complex with a heated pool and spa and 50m from the ocean and a great beach. So, we moved in and I even was able to stay home for a week while I awaited the new visa to come through.
Any reservations we had about the place were quickly dispelled the day I went for a swim and riding a wave to shore looked to my side to see a dolphin playing around me. Magical. And Mickey loved running on the beach.
I started work and the time slipped by, though I didn’t feel settled in Perth and actually have some pretty negative posts on here about it. I know now that it was because my new job, instead of being very field based, which is what I enjoy was much more office based and I wasn’t happy. But, luckily I was able to secure a secondment to our large gold mine in WA in the exploration team doing week on week off and love it and hope to hear I can stay permanent beyond my secondment. My attitude has changed a lot to Perth and WA. I still see a lot of its negatives, but I now also see it pluses and I couldn’t see myself anywhere else. I love going home on break and taking a board to the beach and enjoying the waves, fishing in The Cut or going for walks around the Peel. Life is good. Damn good. And even a few weeks ago got around to finally buying a car!
So, looking back, there were stresses and “moments”, but to those thinking about making the journey, as long as your reasons are sound – don’t think this is the UK with sunshine. It isn’t! It is as forign in many ways as moving to anywhere else in the world (we have lived in several countries). But if you have the right motives, then give it a go. The world is a small place and the worst that can happen is you go back. But for us Australia is home now and my company are sponsoring us through permanent residence and we look forward to one day becoming Australians (Just like our Mickey). My wife loves it in Dawesville. She gets to spend her mornings playing on the beach with Mickey, swims in the pool, afternoons watching the dolphins in the marina and evenings watching the sun set into the ocean. We are lucky!
I hope those starting this journey have a wonderful time. You will have ups and downs, but don’t let them put you off. You would have them in the UK as well!
We came from England on sponsored 457 visas for my job to work for a Australian mining company in Sydney. The move was a blur and I can never be too gratefull for my wife who had all of the packing and things to organise. It didn’t really sink in that we were moving to Australia until the day we left the house and I walked out and handed over the keys to the new owners. I had been working 18 hour days at university to get my masters finished in time and had only handed in on the Wednesday, got blind drunk the Wednesday night, stayed in bed ill Thursday and moved to the other side of the world Friday.
We were lucky that part of the deal was they would put us in a hotel for a couple of weeks while we found somewhere to live, but the time went like a flash. We were viewing 5 places a day, usually finding that we were cramped into a tiny apartment that I would have been embarrassed to house a rat in and then standing back in amazement to watch people actually trying to secure it! After a week I was starting to worry we would never find somewhere. Then one day we had been to see yet another “hole” and decided to have a walk. Well we stumbled across this amazing stunning area – it was like a dream, but clearly VERY expensive. Nevertheless we had a look on line for places available there and sure enough I would have had to have been on 3x the salary. Well, it got to day 13 and still no closer to having somewhere to live and the morning internet search didn’t look hopeful. Then in desperation I had another look at our dream area and behold, the gods were smiling. There on line was a stunning apartment in the middle of the dream and being offered privately at “just over” the max budget. I called and asked if it was available and said I would take it there and then. So we found ourselves living in a Breakfast Point with a view of the CBD and harbour bridge. Amazing!
Again I had to rely heavily on my wonderful wife as we couldn’t move in till day 15. The day we had to leave the hotel but also the day I was flying out for my first two week stint in the outback. So, without any grumble she moved in with our suitcases but nothing else. Not even a cup for a cup of tea. We had been given a small allowance to bring things over but it only covered shipping some personal things (photos, fav CD’s and stuff) and cloths. That, and the furniture we had was all hand downs which was now so old I don’t think it would have survived the move!
I came home after my two weeks to find a beautifully furnished apartment, but during my break the global financial crisis hit the metal prices and I got the call to say the exploration office was to be closed immediately and I was to be transferred to underground mining. It became clear though that the metal prices was a storm the mine wasn’t going to wear unscathed and redundancies were likely. We had given up everything to come to Australia and the loss of a job would mean loss of visa and a return to the UK with no money or a place to live! (There is a lesson here for those considering the 457 route – a lot of friends were not as lucky as me!). So I started looking for another job, desperate to stay in Sydney but the months were passing and nothing was going in NSW other than by moving completely to a small mining town – no thanks. So, when a offer came to work for one of the big gold miners on the biggest exploration project in Australia it was something I couldn’t turn down. Luckily the package covered full relocation costs to Perth including a removal company to come in and pack. But again dear wife had to shoulder it, as my last two week swing in NSW didn’t end till the morning of the move. We also, a month before the move found the new and very important addition to our family – Mickey our Chihuahua / fox terrier cross.
So, reluctantly we found ourselves on a flight to the wild west! Again, we had two weeks paid in a hotel to find somewhere to live and again it went to the limit! We looked around Perth but were far from impressed with what our budget would get us in the city. So we started looking south around Mandurah and possibilities started to open. In fact we saw a few places that I was happy with, but that my better half didn’t feel homely – important since she is at home all day and I am away so much. Then, the day before we were to leave the hotel we found our wonderful house in Dawesville. We were a bit worried about how far it was from Perth – especially as we didn’t have a car, but the place was perfect. New house in a small gated complex with a heated pool and spa and 50m from the ocean and a great beach. So, we moved in and I even was able to stay home for a week while I awaited the new visa to come through.
Any reservations we had about the place were quickly dispelled the day I went for a swim and riding a wave to shore looked to my side to see a dolphin playing around me. Magical. And Mickey loved running on the beach.
I started work and the time slipped by, though I didn’t feel settled in Perth and actually have some pretty negative posts on here about it. I know now that it was because my new job, instead of being very field based, which is what I enjoy was much more office based and I wasn’t happy. But, luckily I was able to secure a secondment to our large gold mine in WA in the exploration team doing week on week off and love it and hope to hear I can stay permanent beyond my secondment. My attitude has changed a lot to Perth and WA. I still see a lot of its negatives, but I now also see it pluses and I couldn’t see myself anywhere else. I love going home on break and taking a board to the beach and enjoying the waves, fishing in The Cut or going for walks around the Peel. Life is good. Damn good. And even a few weeks ago got around to finally buying a car!
So, looking back, there were stresses and “moments”, but to those thinking about making the journey, as long as your reasons are sound – don’t think this is the UK with sunshine. It isn’t! It is as forign in many ways as moving to anywhere else in the world (we have lived in several countries). But if you have the right motives, then give it a go. The world is a small place and the worst that can happen is you go back. But for us Australia is home now and my company are sponsoring us through permanent residence and we look forward to one day becoming Australians (Just like our Mickey). My wife loves it in Dawesville. She gets to spend her mornings playing on the beach with Mickey, swims in the pool, afternoons watching the dolphins in the marina and evenings watching the sun set into the ocean. We are lucky!
I hope those starting this journey have a wonderful time. You will have ups and downs, but don’t let them put you off. You would have them in the UK as well!
Mar 26th 2010, 8:19 am
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Limerick-Shropshire- Perth.
Posts: 3,215
Re: Almost 2 years. UK to Sydney to WA
Very interesting update.I remember reading some of your posts where you didnt appear happy.Im glad to hear that you and your wife have now settled.Good luck.
Mar 26th 2010, 11:39 pm
#3
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2008
Location: NSW
Posts: 402
Re: Almost 2 years. UK to Sydney to WA
Good and honest update, really enjoyed reading it - best of luck with your citizenship and hug the lovely Mickey 
Apr 2nd 2010, 4:01 am
#4
Tribu dei Chihuahua
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Port Kennedy -near the dolphins
Posts: 1,414
Re: Almost 2 years. UK to Sydney to WA
nice to hear that you have got your feet on the ground now and are settling in the area- nowhere is perfect but if you can find the positives then you can usually live happily. best of luck
Apr 5th 2010, 7:36 pm
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 8
Re: Almost 2 years. UK to Sydney to WA
Grats on getting there! Makes me so motivated to make the move. That's exactly where I hope to be in 2 years time. Exploration work somewhere for a week or two, followed by a week off surfing... the dream!
Apr 6th 2010, 3:05 am
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Happily in Adelaide
Posts: 11,994
Re: Almost 2 years. UK to Sydney to WA
Great update. Glad that things have worked out for you. 
Apr 18th 2010, 5:04 pm
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 70
Re: Almost 2 years. UK to Sydney to WA
What a marvelous post - truly inspiring !!!
May 18th 2010, 10:19 am
#8
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Tropical North QLD
Posts: 21,434
Re: Almost 2 years. UK to Sydney to WA
Great update.
Good luck with residency!
Good luck with residency!
