I know there have been a few threads in the last few months with people discussing moving to Australia and I’m wondering how those of you who did move have got on, any difficulties you’ve come across and if you have any tips for someone thinking of moving too?

Thanks

F

We moved out here about 2 1/2 years ago to Adelaide. Assuming you qualify for a visa, and have work out here, then it’s a potentially brilliant move. Yes, it can be too hot in summer some days, but then how often is it too cold / wet in the UK?

Distance is a big issue if you or any of your family are prone to homesickness, and don’t make the mistake about it being the UK abroad – it’s not.

Costs may seem high, and on average I’d say things cost 30% more than the UK, but that’s fine, as I and most people I know earn more than double what we did back at home. Perth, Sydney and Canberra are particularly pricey, but wages again usually seem to match (to a point).

What industry are you in?

Aside from the boring stuff, riding’s good, and even in summer night rides are the go to beat the heat. And don’t forget, there may be a few days when it’s too hot, but they’re fewer than teh number of days taht are too cold and wet where you’re moving from 🙂

Zokes, thanks for your reply. It’s such a potentially big move that it helps to hear that others have made a success out there. A visa isn’t an issue, my dad is Australian so I hold dual citizenship. I have an interview later in the week for a job in Sydney and the wages are more than double what I get paid here but after looking at rent costs etc I understand that this doesn’t mean that I will have double the disposable income as here.

Taxes are roughly similar to the UK, but there’s no NI, so you save about 12% taxed off your income.

Beer is eyewateringly expensive for good stuff (yes, there is actually very good beer here). TBH Sydney isn’t any more expensive than London. The trouble is, harbour aside, it also shares many of the same issues – traffic, commuting times etc.

One piece of advice you really must heed though is being aware of the consequences of the distance on you and any family you’re bringing. I find it hard some days, but nowhere near as hard as MrsZ does, and that can make it very difficult.

That said, weekends like we’ve just had in the Flinders in Outback SA more than make up for it 😀

Another point – the scaremongers in the media keep talking about recession and the end of the mining boom. Who knows… but it might mean that the problems affecting the rest of the world have finally caught up with ‘the lucky country’. It is worth noting that mining aside, the Australian economy hasn’t been much to write home about for a long time. Just something to consider.

To be honest I don’t know if it would be a long term move for us although if all worked out well who knows. We are both in our 20s and always said we’d like to live abroad for a bit. My partner can’t secure a permanent job here, my job is ok though I feel ready for a change so the time sort of feels right for a move.

and don’t make the mistake about it being the UK abroad – it’s not.

My brother is in Mornington, just outside Melbourne. He says there is almost more Brits than Aussies now. The climate is a bit closer to a European one, too (apart from being the wrong way round)

Didn’t something change recently with the LAFHA (living away from home allowance) that made it a bit less financially appealing to move over?

(thats about the extent of my knowledge of the change)

To be honest I don’t know if it would be a long term move for us although if all worked out well who knows. We are both in our 20s and always said we’d like to live abroad for a bit. My partner can’t secure a permanent job here, my job is ok though I feel ready for a change so the time sort of feels right for a move.

In that case, give it a go! (and sorry for coming across as too negative in my last post)

We moved over as I couldn’t get a permanent job in the UK, and my PhD examiner “strongly suggested” that it would be in my best interests to apply for the position I now hold, which came with sponsorship for a PR visa. 99% of the time it’s great, it’s just those moments you miss home, be it friends, family, or just a refreshing rainy walk in the Lake District (my weakness) that can make it difficult.

But as I said, I’ve already been to loads of amazing places here that I would have never dreamt of going to / seeing until I moved here. And the sad thing is knowing that no matter how much I try, I’ll still not see all of it!

In your position, come and give it a try!

Zokes – my mate who lives in the Adelaide Hills also misses the Lakes.

Is it bad of me to send him huge prints every so often 😉

Is it bad of me to send him huge prints every so often

It wouldn’t work for me, I’m about two years behind going through my own digital photos, so I keep effectively doing that to myself!!!

6 months in Tassie here.

Up’s and downs as with anywhere.

Unemployment is rising and there is a bit of a 2 tier economy with regard to mining.

Cost of living is releative to earnings so not as bad as it looks and earnings are not as good as they look. (6 of 1 1/2 dozen of other)
Sydney wouldn’t be for me as one of the reasons was not to sit in traffic all day.

If your both in your twenties get her a Working holiday visa to get her out then do the rest from here (if you want to sponsor her 🙂

Also due to the exchange rate worth using UK cash to ship stuff rather than buying out here.

Most of all good luck and enjoy

Cat, I’ve been in Melbourne for about 8 months. Most of the time I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been: I can ride to work across parkland and along a river in 30 mins, I can walk to some brilliant bars, cafes and restaurants. The Australians I’ve met have been nothing less than amazingly welcoming (though that did mean I watched the AFL final in a house of Hawks fans). There are good reasons why Australian cities dominate the top 10 of ‘liveability’ surveys and no Brit city makes the top 50. In your situation I wouldn’t hesitate to try it out. I have friends who did just that and now have kids in school here and no intention of going back.
Downsides: the green hills and woodland trails of Hampshire seem a long way away. My parents can’t fly this far so it’s up to me to do the travelling, which means I will see them infrequently (and expensively). Other than that, I’ve not had any difficulty and have no tip beyond : try it. As with all things, it will be what you make of it.

Re LAFHA – yes it’s being stopped this month. To be fair, I couldn’t believe it existed when I found out I’d get hundreds of extra dollars a month just for living here. It’s not exactly a hardship.

What is / was LAFHA?

Have I missed out?

Living Away From Home Allowance

depends on your relocation etc.

LAFHA was a scheme brought in when the Aussie dollar was worth nowt in order to get skilled professionals in. basically, you didn’t pay tax. they’ve just realised that the dollar is real strong and demand to come here is high, so they’ve scrapped it. Lots of people crying about it, but I say, if you want to live in a nice, safe city you should contribute to the tax take.

I have been here since August 2011, I now have a sponsored 4 year work visa so the option of staying longer. I sped most of my time in the desert however if I was living in Perth full time I don’t think I would have been here this long. Don’t get me wrong its ok, most the people are nice and the city is ok, its just a slightly different atmosphere that doesn’t suit everyone. I can’t see me living here forever.

Can only comment on living in WA. Due to the mining ‘boom’ (not really a boom) there is a definite two tier economy and wage gap. This has pushed prices up a lot in terms of accommodation etc and there is only about a 3% vacancy rate in Perth.

Alcohol / going out is definitely more expensive but if your life style is more out doors and less pubbing its not too bad.

You would be wanting to earn a minimum of double you uk salary I would say. My salary here is approx 3 times my uk salary and I can live quite comfortably if not with a slightly better standard of living. That said I haven’t bought a car (which are expensive over west) or got permanent accommodation.

Australia in general is very Americanised in a lot of ways and slightly backward in others. WA especially so, a lot of times it feels like it’s 1970 and they have heard about the year 2000 and are desperately trying to catch up. However I understand that the east coast is much more up to date and somewhat more european in character

overheard in airport:

“what’s the time difference between Perth and Sydney?”

“about 20 years mate”

I moved to Sydney a little over 2 weeks ago…. and (so far) think it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

I’m really trying to keep things in perspective: there are loads of hassles associated with moving/starting a new job – and trying to get things sorted out whist you’re in temporary accommodation isn’t that easy. BUT, I’ve just spent an early-summer bank holiday Monday in 25 degree heat on a deserted sandy beach an hour and a half outside the city.

I guess a lot depends on your employment situation – both the Mrs and I got jobs secured before we moved, and our visas were sponsored… so it was pretty easy for us

Thanks all for your posts. I have an interview tomorrow morning for a job in Sydney so fingers crossed.

To be honest I don’t know if it would be a long term move for us although if all worked out well who knows. We are both in our 20s and always said we’d like to live abroad for a bit. My partner can’t secure a permanent job here, my job is ok though I feel ready for a change so the time sort of feels right for a move.

Situation we were in 18 months ago or so.

Moved over, I had a job to come to who paid our sponsorship. First 3-6 months were pretty crap until we got our own place and my girlfriend struggled to get a job. Once she started working she got a lot happier, if it had continued I think she would have moved back to the UK.

My wages cover all the bills with cash to spare, then all the money she earns we can save/spend pretty much.

Rent a nice house, have a new car etc etc. Can ride my (road) bike pretty much every day of the week in the sunshine!

It’s not perfect, if you want something done in a rush, don’t expect it to happen. If you need something, unless you live in a major city then expect to wait. It’s sometimes quicker to order online from the UK than from Australia, normally cheaper too. Some items just don’t exist here either.

@catatemygoldfish – you have a head start with a dual citizen passport, most Brits would find it very difficult to get into Sydney. It’s states like WA that are trying to raw n immigrants as Aussies don’t want to live there. As noted above the cost of living is higher and I believe I am correct in saving you have to save quite substantial amounts for retirement. That being said it’s an English speaking country with a warm climate / outdoor lifestyle, sports mad and stunningly beautiful.

FWIW Australia wouldn’t be for me as it’s too far away from Europe (I’ve lived in Australia, Singapore, NY as well as UK) and as a wintersports fan it offers very little from a lifestyle perspective.

Hi Jambalaya and Tarquin, thanks for the replies. I’ll wait and see how tomorrow goes but if I were to be offered the job and I turned it down I think it would always be in the back of my mind, ‘what if’. If I go and it doesn’t work out, well at least we tried.

Without wanting to be a tired old cliche….

“It’s better to regret something that you did, than something that you didn’t”

Australia in general is very Americanised in a lot of ways

This, but if you can keep away from the overweight, narrow minded gamblers you will probably be okay. My sister has been on the west coast 20 years, took years for her to really settle in but now she has her life is great. she still misses the UK seasons though.

Oh yes & bicycle helmets are compulsory, which should give you a heads up on the attitude to all things health & safety…

Without wanting to be a tired old cliche….

“It’s better to regret something that you did, than something that you didn’t”

Pretty much the conclusion we came to.

Give it a go, if its terrible then could go back to the UK after 2 years better off than we were when we left.

Seen some amazing stuff, in a party of 8 we saw penguins coming up the beach by night vision on Philip Island, lit by the most stars I have ever seen in my life.

“It’s better to regret something that you did, than something that you didn’t”

Exactly and given that my partner can’t get a job we don’t really have too much to lose. I won’t get ahead of myself though, we’ll see what tomorrow brings.

My wife being flown to Melbourne next week to discuss a new role, but think the job she is going for is based in Sydney though. Which is what she want’s, as her best friend lives there. Kind of hoping she will get a Melbourne role as it looks better for biking than Sydney, although I did enjoy riding around the Northern beaches in Sydney earlier this year and beats another Scottish winter. 🙂

Having lived & worked Melbourne I still dream of ending up there & do not quite understand why we didn’t.

Melbourne has a more UK climate (Sydneyites would phrase that slightly differently but ignore them).

In Melbourne you are in very easy reach of great beaches, desert & quite scottish like mountains all with a few hours drive.

Go for it. Assuming you are kid free then the decision is a lot easier.
Do it while you can, you can always come back.

IMO Sydney seems better for biking than Melbs. More trails within the city limits (I’m a ride-from-my-door type). You have to drive to get to the You Yangs, Otways down here. Melba is better in every other respect. Apart from sun-kissed sandy beaches.

I’m an Aussie who has lived in the UK for the last 10 years. Good posts above re distance, significant differences to UK, wages, living etc.

Riding is superb if you’re prepared to track it down. That is, unless you don’t like dust. This is always a good resource if you don’t know any locals:

http://www.mtbdirt.com.au/trails-information

Edit: Suburban sprawl is rampant out there. It’s one of the more depressing aspects of Aus cities, in my opinion. Try and live near where you work and avoid a long commute. There are some good cycling facilities in the big cities but it is still a land ruled by the car.
Edit 2: I notice the QLD state forests (at least near BNE) are allowing bikes in, finally. How are other states doing?

For any of you that live in Sydney or know the area, can you suggest areas around Sydney where I should look at for renting (just to get an idea of prices), that has good links to the CBD and is not too expensive?

I spent a year is Australia on a working holiday visa and loved every minute. My OH and I spent a lot of time working and not the usual drunken back packing!

In my opinion if you are going to live in Sydney it is important as mentioned above to be near to work as the commute can be a pain. That said if I was to go back I would probably want to live in the Northern beaches and commute if I was in the CBD for work. The Northern beach towns have more of a village feel to them each with it’s own identity and stunning beaches/lifestyle. Much less in your face than the Eastern beaches.

We also spent time living in Melbourne which I would say is a much more liveable city and closer to the European style we are more accustomed to. I wouldn’t hesitate to go back if the opportunity arose but my OH did struggle with the distance from Europe thing. Not so bad if it’s over a short period but she wouldn’t want to live there long term.

From my experience f we are going to live in Sydney it would probably be near Manly, close to where our friends stay as well. Easy ferry commute or cycle option to the city some days. Short ride to Manly Dam as well which is good fun.

Corroded I am guessing you have not found the cheaky trails around the yarra or the west gate dirt crit’s.

Been here in Perth for 13 months with my wife and 5 yr old son. We had the attitude of why not give it a go and so far it’s been pretty easy to live here. It’s a very mixed society, loads of expats from all countries so you do get the sense that locals just stick amongst themselves as they suspect that everyone else will be off when the boom ends (other expats from other countries have also made the same observation) that said, everyone is very friendly. It is v expensive here, the mining boom is experiencing a slow down at the moment but that may also carry a benefit of bringing the cost of living down.

We think we’ll be back in the UK in a few years when the visa expires as the property here is a huge investment, unless you live an hours commute away from the city, and then you’re back into the whole rat race of commute/work/sleep/repeat. I’m also missing the UK countryside, it becomes apparent how beautiful the UK is and how accessible it is, Oz is a huge country with stunning natural attractions but you need to be on the road for a week to see them!

The Lafha thing has just ended which is a PITA as temp residents are taxed at the same rates as perm residents but have to pay more for healthcare and in some states pay for education and other stuff, so there’s some sentiment of being taken for a ride.

If ou don’t have a go you’ll never know and I know we’ll have no regrets about coming out here whichever way our decision goes in a few years.

Lived in Sydney for past 7 years. Live in freshwater. 20km commute into city every day and trails nearby, you can string a 100km MTB ride together on northern beaches if you know where you’re going. The best trails are a 1-2 hr drive out of Sydney, ourimbah and appin. Trail mecca is Canberra. Great lifestyle but long distance from family can be an issue

Just an update…I got offered the job. Now deciding on whether to accept. I’ve got a million things swimming through my head now and only a day or two to decide, biggest worries are a visa for my partner, renting the house and trying to re-home the animals or raise the funds to bring them with us if we do decide to go.