I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say that once you get over the fact that some parts of it are a cross between England, American and Tenerife and that the familiarity to England is cosmetic only you can settle down very well and make a good life here.

We've met loads of good mates here who make life fun, even if some did follow from the UK but that just increased the social outing options.

Schools here have much more to offer than the local secondary schools in our previous areas.

Jobs are on a par with UK if you make the effort to shop around and not just stick with the first one . Although the holiday entitlement is slightly less sick days are seen as holiday entitlement by most like the UK Civil Service used to do.

Houses are cheaper around here than the UK and you get more for your $$$ so come on down where the sun shines most of the time and the water is warm...:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

That depends on where you Live

G

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

You need to move near me then...;)

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

I have a house in a nice 'middle class' suburb in England (midlands) and have a house in a similar area in Brisbane.

The house in Brisbane is smaller yet is valued at over 40% more the one in England.

I am not complaining....simply pointing out a reality.

G

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

Where in the Midlands though as there are many provincial towns and cities that have more affordable housing than others.

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

This is in Derby.

The cost of housing in parts of Brisbane is more than most UK cities like for like.

You could buy a nice house in a reasonable suburb near London for what housing costs in many areas of Brisbane.....especially the western suburbs.

G

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

Well, that's your opinion :sneaky:

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

Certainly the case for us. To have our house in this location in the Bristol area would cost around £450k-500K. Ours costs the same in dollars. Downside is, it's not double brick with double-glazing. Upside is, in Bristol countryside - I wouldn't have a city as fab as Melbourne 45 mins away, I wouldn't have a stunning lake 20 mins away, I wouldn't have a beach like the bay beaches 40 mins away (think Weston-super-Mud), I wouldn't have a national park + all the attractions therein 10 mins away and I wouldn't have skiing within 1hr 30mins.

I must stop being so posimistic :eek:

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

It certainly is and I'm not ashamed to admit it ;)

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

You, you bl**dy Australian you.... :angry_smile:

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

I concur.

I love it here - I loved it the first time (before I moved to UK), and I love it with so much more appreciation now.

Still trying to get settled since we have only been back for 2 months, but already meeting people and getting out there and making the most of it. I am finding my money going alot further, my wages higher (and I was living in greater London!) and just feel better about the future for me and the family.

I don't have rose tinted glasses on, I too agree there are things the same, and things not so good, but ultimately this places works well (for me).

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

hello,
gosh have you been there 3 years already!???
time flies when your stuck in the uk :(:lol:
glad to hear you love it ...
sue xx

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

I bloody hate Australia.

• I broke my little finger playing Aussie Rules a month ago ago and it still hurts
• I sprained by thumb marking the ball a week ago and it still hurts
• Lor, Fraser and the Crows got me drunk at the weekend in Olinda and I sprained by foot falling off the step on the way out the pub... and it still hurts
• I went to the Telstra Dome on Sunday with the other AusKick coaches to help out as a Goal Umpire while my two sons played footy on the ground infront of 40,000 people and scored seven goals while hundreds of strangers cheered them on, then on the way back up to the stands after I spilt a hot pie on my hand... and it still hurts!.

All in all it sucks here, everything hurts !

:rofl:

Al

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

I agree with Ann.

I managed to buy 2 houses for the price of 1 in the UK. The smaller house is still bigger than the one I had in the UK. :thumbup:

Re: I've been in Australia for 3 years and must say...
 

So is housing in Oz a bit like bacon in Sainsbury's - "Buy one get one free?" :rofl:

Buzzy