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?

On a side note though, I wonder how long it will take for someone to tell us we're all a bunch of racists?

You never can tell. Usually stuff like that erupts on threads about places one would never live/holiday in. However I've twice seen threads on Staffroom on the Education section where teachers talking among them selves have had numpties jumping on to tell them what a know-nothing bunch of whingers they are.

On a pleasanter note, I've just been doing that very Australian thing of cleaning the gutters, something I've not been able to do for a long time because of temporary physical restrictions, and my refusal to pay someone what I can do myself. This entails getting out the big ladder to reach the roof. My God, it's hot on a metal roof and also impossible to do without thinking of Molly Meldrum.

and also impossible to do without thinking of Molly

Quickly adds - He’s all better now, isn’t he?

G'day from central VIC.
Been here about 15 yrs. Came with kids, now have tiny GC!

I've not heard otherwise, and Australia being what it is, any adverse news would be headlines. At least for the Herald-Sun. Sod it, The Age too.:o

I wonder if anyone else found that when they first arrived in Australia, everything seemed somehow more hardcore...more rough...not in a bad way but with the garden being so much bigger, I found it harder to get the washing on the line! The wildlife is quite apparent where we live too...so snakes are a thing I worry about during the season...and vehicles are more sturdy and everything's bigger.

Do you know what I mean? The UK seems softer doesn't it? In general....domestically?

Also...what about laundry detergent...that takes some getting used to! There's less choice here but I no longer use the heavily scented kind anyway so it's ok.

Being a keen gardener and all-round in tune with nature I found the Australian landscape baffling in the sense that I could no longer look at a tree and know what it was or the season. It was entirely alienating. I'm not stupid, I knew it would be different objectively, but not how it would feel. I found the "untidiness" of Australian native plants odd, but now get it and prefer it. I should say that I'm completely all over the Victorian seasons.

Cars are often unnecessarily huge, as if they all go off-road But then they have to pay more tax, so all good.

So true about the washing line being a mile away, though I put this down to lines always being in the sun and out of sight. What do you think about laundries, though? Every house I've lived in has one, though not one so useful as to be big enough to leave the ironing board up permanently. I hadn't thought about laundry detergent as I go for Aldi's cheapest.

Yes!!! I'm in!!!

Echt God yes to the weirdness of the landscape at first! It was odd not knowing what flowers and plants were because I was always very informed about UK wildlife...I could name most wildflowers.

Here I was like "Hmm...another weird bush...spiky...and with tarty looking flowers!"

But I'm better now...and YES to how messy they all are. I was confused about everyone putting woodchips down on their flowerbeds...thought it ugly at first.

I LOVE my laundry. It's a mess but I am happy bunging washing baskets in there and the ironing board...not that I ever use that now!

In England I always ironed the children's clothes but got here and saw how feral free spirited and crumpled all the kids were and embraced it!

Hennypenny is an English thing to iron everything?

I find the trees and landscape strange and I’ve lived here all my life!

Do those here from the UK miss being in such close proximity to other countries and the history you get living in Europe? I’ve always been jealous of that. I never wanted to go Disneyland as a child. It was always London, Paris and Versailles that I dreamed of visiting. Not surprisingly I had to wait until I was an adult and had a job to fulfil my dreams

HennyPenny I know exactly what you mean and UK being softer. I’m an Aussie yet married an Englishman who lives here and have travelled to UK many times. I always feel brash in England like my accent is like a braying donkey against gentle British accents. Clothing is softer and so is the water in UK.
I’m originally from Melbourne but have recently moved to NSW mid coast. Much warmer!

bluetongue, they are very different (not so much in Victoria which reminds me a lot of parts of the UK. The countryside reminds me of Northumberland ) - the light is brighter and clearer somehow, but there are familiar plants and trees here in Vic, which I didn’t see so much of in WA.
I do miss the proximity to Europe and being able to hop on a plane to a different country and culture within a couple of hours, and I miss castles and cobbled streets, but there’s a lot to see here and Asia isn’t that far away if we want a change of culture for a while.
I do go back to the UK often though, so I don’t get too much chance to miss anything.
I love living in Melbourne, despite finding making friends harder now the girls are grown up and not doing a school run anymore. It’s a fun city and there’s always something going on.
I’m with echt with washing powder - Aldi’s. I’ve tried lots and it’s as good as any of the more expensive ones, I think.

I will be an Aussie Mumsnetter come December!!!
We leave the U.K. and head to Perth permanently. Have been in the U.K. for 11 years, originally from SA.
I CANT WAIT!

NZer originally, lived in UK in my young adulthood, returned to NZ, now in Brisbane.
Would love to return to UK but circumstances don't allow so happy enough in Brizzle.
Long time Mumsnetter (10 years or so I think. more a lurker than a poster).

Zaphodsotherhead
DS moved to Sydney last month - I totally get what you say about this thread making your DD seem a little closer.
He is LOVING it - his plan was to move over for a couple of years for global work experience, but I'm not so sure that's still going to be the case!
On a positive note, we're visiting for a month in April, and can't wait to see more of Australia.

Blue I didn't travel loads when I was in the UK...so no. I love history so have just embraced what there is of it over here. There's some very interesting history...it's all just a bit closer in time!

@ajandjjmum Australia is just so beautiful! I visit my DD once a year (usually) and I've travelled around there a bit, and I LOVE it, and utterly see why she wants to live there! But it is hard when they are so far away, isn't it?

Wow so many South Aussies - can't believe it!

I'm from SA. Came to Sydney as a child and visited the uk growing up.

I love both countries. In many ways I love the UK more, however I live for the Aussie sunshine and beaches. Summer here and staying down the coast is my absolute favourite thing in the world. Also SA has the best wineries

I miss the proximity to Europe, although I took plenty of advantage when I lived there I’d love to be able to pop over to Rome or Budapest for a long weekend! However there is lots to see here that I would never have got the opportunity to see if I’d stayed in Europe, we’ve visited all over WA and some of it is mind blowing! Also we are off to Bali in December which I’m very excited about.So it’s swings and roundabouts I guess.

👋🏻 sunny Brisbane here - South of the River. Emigrated from U.K. with my husband and 13 (now 14 year old) son. Been here a year in 2 weeks time 😱 gone so quickly. Loving it so far. So beautiful and clean and the sun always helps.

Melbourne here! Not a fan tbh but stuck here for a while. I sometimes think I’m the only person who has a more indoor lifestyle here than I did at home. I hate driving and miss the woods and hills and greenery, and how easy it was to get places on the train...

Glitterbaby I completely understand how you feel.

Come summer I’m hardly ever outside as I worry about sunburn and the sun and heat give me migraines. In my daydreams I’m moving to Yorkshire or Scotland. I’ve already got a whippet so I’d for right in

Is it weird that I’ve never been to Bali? I’d like to at least give it a go but not being a hot weather and pool type person I’m not really sure it’s for me.

Bali is not a nice place. If you're not a fan of heat go to Tassie

Hello! Aussie in the UK hoping to move to Melbourne once hubby’s visa comes through Also expecting our first baby, so will have an additional passenger to ship over . Planning on renting in the Fitzroy/Brunswick areas to start with, and keeping fingers crossed for good local childcare!