Shall the Aussie Mumsnetters have a thread to chat a bit?

[HennyPennyHorror]

I suppose AIBU to put this here...but it IS the busiest area. I just thought...I'd see if there were any other MNrs in Oz who'd like a little chat thread together?

Hope everyone is okay with the fires?
We are in the (slow) process of moving over to Queensland (3 hours outside Brisbane) and we are very worried about the fires.
We have the option of Perth too, so we’re wondering if that is safer. We are part way through sorting out our professional registrations and would need to change it to WA rather than Queensland.

Hope everyone and their family, pets and property is safe.

sangroper thanks all is well! We fly on Monday!! Friends coming this morning to take all our possessions we are leaving behind, move into a hotel tomorrow and then Monday in the big day. Land in Perth on Tuesday evening. I said goodbye to all my wonderful friends at work yesterday so lots of tears, but I am looking forward to getting there now and SLEEPING for a week! We are all shattered! Thanks for thinking of me, will post when we land and aren’t in coats and boots!!

@BanKittenHeels This week notwithstanding, WA does have fewer fires than eastern states. Our topography is very different. And I’m very much a sandgroper so can’t offer an opinion of anywhere else.

However, having lived elsewhere in the world, life is always largely a state of mind, I think. Good luck with your decision making.

So how's it going with the Aussies, both in Au and abroad, in the build up to Christmas?

A sizzling 44 in Melbourne on Friday, though normal service will be restored (bar the much-needed rain the next day)

Checking in with the Aussies and hope you and everyone you know is safe.

I've abandoned my day in the garden because the air is blue with bushfire smoke haze - the fires are a long way away - but my first world problem aside, it brings it home in a different way.

I'm from the UK so worrying hearing on the news about the terrible fires in Australia l hope everyone on here is keeping safe at this awful time

Thinking of all Aussie mumsnetter from Toronto

I'm a Londoner in a little country town in Victoria. Been here since 2006. Our area is currently safe but the rest of the state seems to be burning. The news gets more terrible by the hour. I moved into town from a bush area after having to evacuate summer 3013. Having said that it's an illusion thinking you're SAFE anywhere now. These fires are something else.
All my thoughts with everyone suffering.
Wish I was back in Blighty. Seem to be thinking that quite often nowadays.

*2013 I've emigrated, not time travelled

Mumma 😥 hope you stay safe xx in Yorkshire (UK) late last year we have had really bad floods.. I've never known them to be this bad xx

Helloooo

Just found this thread and checking in Moved to Adelaide from the UK in 2011.

Just for info / if of interest, there’s a couple of threads on the go about the fires:

(This started a little rocky, but seems to be ok now)
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3782035-To-ask-you-to-pray-for-the-thousands-of-people-trapped-on-a-beach-by-fires-in-Victoria?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3780741-Australian-bushfires?

I recognise some names from here on those threads.

Hope everyone is staying safe and cool!

Haze over Melbourne today is quite unsettling. Matched by the continual denials on climate change by the news corp media and loony wing of the govt. I miss London.

I'm holidaying on the Great Ocean Road. No fires here thank God. Just watching the news every day in disbelief at the scale and destruction.

Thanks notsodimwitthe phrase climate emergency is no Fucking exaggeration, is it?!

I’m safe (Also in Adelaide) but I’m struggling at the moment.

My depression and anxiety has taken a turn for the worse with the heatwaves and fires I feel a bit selfish about as I’m in no actual danger but I’m just devastated by it all. The terror for all those people, loss of whole communities and of course the loss of all that habitat and wildlife (this is actually what devastated me the most.)

It doesn’t help that I absolutely hate summer to start with. I knew the longer we went without decent rain the close we were to something like this happening. No idea why hot, dry weather is so celebrated.

On top of that I have absolute rage towards our prime minister. He’s completely out of his depth in this situation.

I just don’t know what to do with this combination of sadness, grief and anger.

It’s tough bluetongue and I’m absolutely gutted about KI. It’s such a unique and unspoiled part of Australia’s original flora and fauna, and the amazing produce that we get from there we could be losing.

We’ll have low temps tomorrow and there’s a 25% chance of rain so I’m fingers crossed we do see some rain and it helps.

I’m sorry you feel so under it all ; I went for a long walk yesterday when it was cooler, just to take time out to appreciate what we have here and to think about how lucky we are. Maybe that would help you - just getting out and seeing something nice?

Please accept my apologies if I’ve in any way come across as really patronising.

Not patronising at all GirlDownunder.

Is it weird that while doing mundane stuff this week like shopping at the supermarket or putting petrol in the car I’ve been realising how I take these things for granted? There are people at the moment in the same country as me that can’t do these things. It’s scary how quickly everything we rely without thinking can break down.

I’d go as far as saying that the way I feel down with summer every year is probably a form of SAD. Before the fires got really bad I actually decided to try and move somewhere cooler. I’m looking into emigrating to New Zealand but obviously that will take some time.

Is it weird that while doing mundane stuff this week like shopping at the supermarket or putting petrol in the car I’ve been realising how I take these things for granted?

Not at all! I’ve thought about others, and how much I take for granted just taking a bottle of cold water out of the fridge, or having a shower.

It’s just rained here (for all of 5 minutes, stopped already) but I went out to lift my face and be thankful.

It’s been very cool here today, so I’m hoping that you’ve had a better day blue.

To everyone affected by the heat or fires, heres raising a glass to another day. Hope you and yours are safe.

Adelaidean living in London here, been following the bushfires threads on here and obviously checking in on friends and family. Seen on Facebook this morning that friends' cars in the suburbs were covered in ash. So far only family affected is one who was evacuated from their house in Lobethal before Christmas but their house was OK and they got to go back home. Raised a glass or two of adelaide hills wine on new years and explained why to the European and north American lot who were at our house why.

Interesting to see how many brits seem to be in SA these days, when I left there were barely any. I do notice a lot more different nationalities and languages when I visit nowadays, when i left it was very white and only ever heard english spoken unless in a greek/italian restaurant.

Nice to find this thread! I’m currently living in Melbourne although it looks as though we will have to move back to the UK in September . How is everyone getting on? It’s absolutely devastating about the fires. I can’t get my head around the scale of it all . It’s been nice to see a few UK-based friends supporting various bushfire appeals.

On a totally separate note, does anyone have any good ideas for little “aussie” things I could add in a care package to send to my mum back home. She’s poorly (about to have an operation and radiotherapy for breast cancer) and I will be sending her some gifts from the UK, but I thought it might be nice to send a few Aussie things as well! So far I’m stuck at Tim Tams and novelty Happy Socks/Bonds socks .

Sorry to hear of your mum butter. My first thought was Tim Tams. Burger Rings and Milo. What about a cuddly koala or a clip on one. Or a flag that you could write a message of love for her on. Maybe some Aussie DVD,s like The Castle.
As for the fires I'm in WA so apart from some little bastards setting fire to some bush we've been OK.

So grateful for the rain we've had here in Melbourne, though the inevitable orange dust from the desert, i.e. all that stuff in the middle of this wide brown land is a bit trying. First world problem I realise.

Thinking of "The Castle" reminded me of something my late DH asked an Aussie: what films to watch that are quintessentially Aussie:

The Castle
The Dish
Crackerjack

Thanks @Koalablue - those are some really good ideas! I haven’t even heard of The Castle. Thanks for the other suggestions @echt.

@koalablue - I can’t believe they were setting fire to the bush. What is wrong with people?!

echt
One of my favourite Aussie films is Pricilla Queen of The Desert. Not sure a fan of The Castle myself but so many British friends love it.
No arrests for the fires yet , I just hope the cops find them before the locals do.

How's everyone's Australia/Invasion Day going?

The weather has turned up trumps, not too hot, and topped off by a walk on the dog beach. Now it's my turn, feet up, sangria on the side and a good book in the front garden, loud with lorikeets going daft in the flowering gums.