If you had a choice between Western Australia and North East England, which would you choose and why?

[Glitteryrosette]

NC for this as could be outing.

I have potentially got the opportunity to emigrate to Western Australia with DH and my two primary age DC. I have close family out there who would be relatively nearby (in Australian terms- a sibling less than an hour away and a parent 4 hours away).

I currently live in a lovely house (mortgaged but at least we are on property ladder) in a place I love, with lots of close family on the doorstep (including my other parent and in-laws). My two DC enjoy their school and are settled and happy.

I am finally in a position where I am progressing my career, making good connections with other professionals (crucial for my role), have paid off my student debt (it cost me £50k to qualify!), and all being well I will be promoted in the next year or two. I love my job and the people I work with. My commute is manageable.

About 12 years ago DH and I considered a move down under, but at the time I had only just qualified, had a lot of debt, and I would have had to do it all again to do the same role in Australia, which put me off and we decided to stay put. Then we had our first DC.

Following Brexit, the pandemic, the cost of living and the state of the UK generally, we are now considering whether we should make the move to Australia before it is too late in terms of both our ages (im late 30's, DH is early 40's) and before eldest DC starts high school. Whilst I would probably have to do some form of studying, I no longer would have to re qualify, but I would need to have my qualifications assessed by the equivalent Australian governing body, and would inevitably be in a slightly junior role and have to prove myself before any chance of promotion. So career wise, a move would set me back a good 3 years or so.

However, my family in Australia, who have just spent a month in the UK, cannot believe the state of things over here, and reiterated all the opportunities available in Australia, and how much better life would be for us and our DC.

I have visited Australia, and loved WA. Perth in particular. It is beautiful and a great city. So is the surrounding area. My DH lived in Australia for a year before we met and is desperate to make the move. He LOVED it.

But I love this little pocket of the UK. I am feeling torn. Would life really be better for my DC in Australia both now and in their future? I am happy to make sacrifices for my children but only if I am fairly confident they will pay off.

DH and I have both put feelers out with potential employers in WA, and (to our surprise!) there has been interest in both of us and we are waiting for an emigration consultant to get in touch.

I would be interested in hearing the opinions and thoughts of others, especially those with primary age DC who have made the move (either way)!

Also, just a thought...... Do the aussies do day trips to the antarctic ?????? I simply adore penguins and seals... 🤣🥰

Ermmm no they don't. The Antarctic is quite a long way away you know! Although the sea in Southern Australia is bloody freezing in my experience. Anyway you don't need to go that far to see penguins and sealions, you can see them in the wild near where I live in Perth. You can swim with dolphins too, its lovely.

I was told in the change rooms last week that I had been swimming with the dolphins. Surfers regularly surf with the dolphins, but.

You can do day flights there and back but as you don't land, I'm assuming a window seat is needed for full value.

A few months after I emigrated to Oz I was at the beach having a swim with my son, when out of the corner of my eye I spotted a fin about ten metres away. I shouted SHAAAARK and pegged it out of the water as fast as my little legs could carry me. It was a fucking dolphin, talk about mortified! 😁

This is brilliant 🤣 we are currently on route as moving to Australia and this made me laugh!

Ok. I haven’t even visited Australia but I wouldn’t want to live there because I cannot tolerate the heat. Last summer here in the UK was bad enough.
Were I 40 years younger (I’m 70 this year) I would have loved to emigrate.
My parents were almost £10 poms in the 60’s.
If you have the opportunity I would go for it rather than regret trying. I do know someone who emigrated, hated it, came back and then returned to Sydney. She struggled because her widowed mother was here and she was an only child.

Not Perth but eastern beaches of sydney.

I moved here as a backpacker in 2008 with my now exh.

I now have a 10yo ds, and have stayed because of him. The life for children is very different than in the uk, it's very outdoorsy, sports are a big thing, and on the whole I think children remain young for longer.

I live in a cosmopolitan area, and our boys, are having play dates at the beach, and because of the outdoor lifestyle have much less screen time. schools are good, my son has just started prep which is a private catholic school so far better than the public system, but still affordable at around $15k all in. This will get as high as 25k as he reaches the top end of high school. Other top sydney private schools top out at around $45k a year.

It's much easier to progress quickly in a career here, as a Brit, (and I may get flamed for this) have a much harder working mentality than the more laid back aussies.

I'm an average person, and earn approx $160k per year, I'm not wealthy but manage comfortably as a single parent in one of the most expensive suburbs of sydney, I've managed to balance parenting alone with no family support and a career.

Perth is a different beast, it's much quieter, there is less obvious culture, but over the years you realise that no it's not got the long rich history of Europe with the beautiful buildings and galleries etc but a natural beauty, long road trips, two week camping trips over the holidays, the quiet and outdoors, hiking, animal life, bush lands and small towns with their gold mining history.

It sounds like you are happy in your life where you are, I would think about a 2/3 year plan, then reevaluate. It's not for everyone but I think you would regret not giving it a try.

A common point keeps occurring about annual leave in Australia, standard is 20 working days per year plus public holidays (10) and most organisations shut down (additional usually free leave days) between Xmas and new year, what is the leave standard in the uk?

I think the main problem will be your children growing up and seeing Australia as home, they will meet partners have children and settle . You may yearn for the uk in 10 /15 years time and have to leave your children the other side of the world.

I'd stay in the UK.