British Expats - Just over 5 years in Cairns!

Hi All,
I have to say I really do love this place! I love living here in Cairns & wouldn't want to be anywhere else ( well maybe somewhere about 10 degrees cooler!)
We arrived here in October 2007 on a 457 visa, we really thought we had won the lottery ( due to being told we would never be able to move here unless we had the right skills) as hubby is a plant operator & that was never given a visa before. His sponsor / employer promised us allsorts. When we arrived we spent 3 weeks in a holiday apartment until the (employer owned) house was available for us. We finally managed to move out of their house a month ago. We were so desperate to get out & away from them constantly watching our every move. It has took all our savings & sanity to get to this point. We are so over them having the house evaluated & them telling us we should buy it! We have had a lot of good times here but they have been overshadowed by the not so good times.
When we " did the sponsorship deal" we were told they would sponsor us for permanent residency after 2 years, it took them over 3 years to start the process & even then it was after we insisted they did it. They totally stuffed up the application so we were here over 4 years before we got permanent residency. Due to that it put back our application for citizenship which we can now just apply for, which means our son cannot get HECS for Uni so we now have to find $5000 in the next 30 days to pay fees so he can continue his education.
I can honestly say a 457 visa is a great idea for single people or childless couples. We arrived here with 4 children ( and $ 8000) & have worked for every cent we have needed due to not being able to claim any benefits, we knew that we couldn't get them ( so did our sponsors, who sent my hubby all over the country away from his family just so he could earn enough money to look after us) I have also worked as many hours as I can over 2 jobs to help financially.
For the past 2 & 1/2 years we only saw hubby at weekends which has put a massive strain on our family, our eldest son moved back to the UK & the other 3 don't have the relationship they should have with their dad due to him not being here.
So, anyway, I can say after 5 years & 4 months here, I do not for 1 minute regret moving here BUT I do wish I hadn't done it on a 457 visa as after 5 years to me & all we have been through it is legalised slavery! So if you have a family, please get a PR visa before you get here.
P.s. I am just happy that my marriage is strong otherwise I think it would have ended a while ago due to the shit we have gone through the past few years!
P.P.S. Well I am hoping we are a strong couple now we have to find the $5000 to get our son through the first 6 months of Uni until we finally get Citizenship.