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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be sick of living in the UK and to want to move to Australia?!

60 replies

MsKLo · 29/01/2011 08:29

Australia has been in our thoughts for many years - the outdoor lifestyle, the good weather, seems like a much better lifestyle for kids...

But we have never even been there - yet we dream about just saying 'fuck it' (!) and move there! Don't get me wrong, I do love my country but I just feel the lifestyle would be better there and better for our kids. I know every country has problems, but am quite fed up of living here.

Would love to hear from pons in Oz too! Are you glad you moved?

Should we pursue this dream and leave family and friends behind and just go for it or stay?

Bleurgh! I just don't know!

OP posts:
Original poster
MsKLo · 29/01/2011 08:30

That should be POMS! Not pons!

OP posts:
Original poster
MsKLo · 29/01/2011 08:43

Anyyyyyyone?!

OP posts:
mitochondria · 29/01/2011 08:44

Spiders would put me off.

dickcheeseandthecrackers · 29/01/2011 08:44

Whereabouts in Australia would you want to live and where do you live now? It can be a VERY big cultural change.
Do you know anyone out there?
Do you have jobs that will get you visas?

I'm Australia living here in the UK.

hoovercraft · 29/01/2011 08:46

We are going by the middle of next year...cant wait!

Chil1234 · 29/01/2011 08:46

"The grass is always greener" so do your research more carefully than just asking around on the web. Plan a 1 month visit, perhaps....

Original poster
MsKLo · 29/01/2011 08:48

We know people in Melbourne and yes are doing research...

Would love to go on hols but have young kids and it is expensive...

But yes all those ideas are good thanks

OP posts:
hoovercraft · 29/01/2011 08:49

and remember australia itself (and property) is very expensive

Original poster
MsKLo · 29/01/2011 08:50

How did you go about it hoovercraft? Where you going etc?

OP posts:
ThreIsNoSpoon · 29/01/2011 08:51

Well yes, it is hotter. And the weather is generally lovely. But what gets me is people (not you, I am talking generally!!) go over for a holiday and spend a fortnight on the beach or in the rainforests or surfing and fall in love. They then decide that 'this is the life' and want to move there.

What they are forgetting is that life still goes on - we do NOT spend all day sitting on the beach having BBQ's!

You still have to work and clean and do the groceries and have childcare hassles and the cost of living over there is higher and......

Basically, what I am saying is, it is a fabulous country and a fantastic place to live and there are wonderful things to do on the weekend (remember even in Sydney you can be over an hour from the beach unless you are paying through your nose for housing!) BUT dont get sucked in by the tv shows.

It is the same as here, but a bit more laid back, less class concious, friendlier but you still have to do the same drudge stuff as here!

Having said all that, I would go back in a heartbeat. I love Australia and the way of life and the people. :)

(sorry, didnt want to rain on your parade but people are often unrealistic about life over there when they see these tv shows! Then they come back whinging that their expectations werent met!)

AttilaTheMeerkat · 29/01/2011 08:51

You should watch "Wanted Down Under" which is being currently shown on BBC1 at present. Its about UK families who decide whether or not to make a permanent move to Australia.

I've been to Australia and there's no way I'd ever live there. But that's just me.

How would you feel about leaving all that you know and your family and friends behind?. That can be very tough to do in its own right. Older children too may find the move hard as well and may not want to leave their friends and life behind.

You would face the same problems now in Australia as you would in the UK.

Also cost of living in Australia is expensive. Regarding jobs you need skills that they want.

ThreIsNoSpoon · 29/01/2011 08:52

Massive xposts! Melbourne can rain. A lot!! They are known for having four seasons in one day! But it is gorgeous and I would choose Melbourne over Sydney, especially with kids!

hoovercraft · 29/01/2011 08:52

I am an australian citizen so I have a different situation but am applying for a visa for my dh.

This forum may have some advice
www.expatforum.com

ThreIsNoSpoon · 29/01/2011 08:54

cheeseandthecrackers do you think it is a bigger change for an Aussie coming here or a Brit going there?

cjdamoo · 29/01/2011 08:54

I replied but its vanished,

Am a pom in oz. I migrated having never visited. Its taken me two long years to feel at home.

We work just as hard as we did in the uk. Certainley we are no better off. I miss friends and family so much at times the pain is physical.

However my kids love it. We have more "family" time. We do more.

The visa process has become a nightmare over the past two years. They keep moving the goal posts. So if you are about to embark on the journey be very sure.

hoovercraft · 29/01/2011 08:57

I had a hell of a time adjusting to UK...BIG change for me. Tooke me years to settle.

echt · 29/01/2011 08:58

OP - do your research. Especially about the weather, which is not a top reason for being here.

We are not sorry we moved. But we're in our mid-50s and would have no job if we did move back to the UK.

BUT

We have a high income yet can't afford to buy - I suppose we don't want to live off the coast. (Melbourne).

With these asides, we love it here. We have one DC, so less to think of there. DC is in a good state school.

I gave up a well-paid UK job to follow DH. I now have permanent, though VERY less well-paid for the same work employment.

You must visit before you you jump. Good luck.

hoovercraft · 29/01/2011 08:58

cjdamoo where are you?

Morloth · 29/01/2011 08:59

Australia is indeed very expensive, I would go so far as to say that it is in some places relatively more expensive than London.

To be honest it is pretty good to be home, we spent the afternoon on the deck having a BBQ after a swim.

But next week is back to school and they are predicting temperatures in the 40s for where I am, which is just too hot. Is pretty much the same as when it is -5 outside.

It is a loooooooooong way from the UK, you will be very much cut off and the culture is very different, I found more of a culture shock between the UK and Australia than between Australia and Asia.

I wouldn't be anywhere else now, but I am Australian and came home to family so it is a bit different.

52Girls · 29/01/2011 08:59

I think it is a far bigger change than people think it's going to be. The impression I get is that they think it's the UK but hotter and with better beaches. I know I would feel very isolated if I moved there, it's not as if you can visit every other weekend. It will lose its sparkle after some time, the grass is certainly not greener, life will not suddenly be wonderful - there are still fantastic things about the UK. (and it's Winter, everything seems worse). You need a LOT of money to go. Good luck to you if you do go for it though.

cjdamoo · 29/01/2011 08:59

I am in Newcastle NSW.

cjdamoo · 29/01/2011 09:00

The grass is NOT greener. Mine is a nasty yellow colour atm. :)

hoovercraft · 29/01/2011 09:01

We have discovered that to move to brisbane, we will need at least £500k for a house. Yes POUNDS.

ThreIsNoSpoon · 29/01/2011 09:02

Grin @ cjd!

yes, the grass can most definitely be brown! And crunchy!! Ow!

echt · 29/01/2011 09:03

The grass is vair vair green in Melbourne. :)

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