I am 31, and considering moving to Australia…

[WhereamIgoing25]

So, as the title says: I am 31 years old, currently living in London, single (actually just been dumped by someone I was dating for a few months!), no dependents and a bit fed up with life here / in the UK… and thinking of moving to Aus for a year or so.

Don’t get me wrong - I have a pretty active social life, and I am close to my family and friends - but apart from that I don’t feel like anything is keeping me here. Especially not my job / career! It wouldn’t be a permanent move (I don’t think) but I am ready for a change.

Thought I would turn to MN for some advice! I’ve never been to Aus / NZ but I’ve always had it in the back of my mind to visit / move there.

Pros? Cons? Did you do it? Would you do it if you could? Best cities to move to? Are there really spiders and snakes everywhere?

Do you have a profession that is in demand in Australia which would enable you to get the appropriate visa?

You can get a working holiday visa for 3 years without having to satisfy any skills or job related criteria.

Worth a go for a year OP, area depends what you can afford and what youre looking to get out of it- any ideas on budget and priorities?

I seriously considered moving to Australia in my late 30s, went through all the checks and got accepted. Then I visited it again, and thought, 'No'. I'm London-based and I didn't feel the cities over there compared. I thought Melbourne was the nicest but not enough to make me leave the UK. There just didn't seem to be enough going on for me (bit of a culture vulture). I'm also terrified of spiders and strong tides so all of the outdoorsy stuff was a total no-no for me. The thing I felt it lacked the most though, which really took me by surprise, was the lack of history. Over here, we're exposed to old buildings etc everywhere we go. I didn't realise how important that was to me (even though I've absolutely no idea how it actually enriches my life here) but it made a big difference. Also having Europe and all those cultures on our doorstep is amazing - Australia is just so far away from everywhere. In the end I didn't go and have no regrets. Obviously loads of people go and absolutely love it. Just remembered - sunny days on tap was lovely.

Do it! I regret not moving there when I had the chance. I loved it there. 💕

I know someone age about 27 who moved, permanently, with his girlfriend, in January 2024. She got a transfer with work. They've just come back and moved in with her mum because they couldn't find a good social circle and they were bleeding money.

If you think you've got another 30+ years of 9-5 do it, have some variety, worst realistic outcome you come back in 6 months not having really enjoyed it.

Lack of history, do you realise that the indigenous people of Australia are the oldest living culture in the world? 🙄 Do it OP!

My DC’s are just a little younger than you.

I would encourage them to go, try something new, live a different life for a while. Take the opportunity before you have more responsibility (mortgage, kids, pets).

So exciting.

DO IT

go west! Everyone always settles on the east coast but the west has so much to offer!

spiders and snakes - probs saw 2-3 of each in a year

you’ll never look back. From someone who did it for a year and has regretted not staying permanently

I say do it! Life is for living! ❤️

i'm trying to figure out how to travel with my dd, so wish I'd travelled before becoming a mum! xx

Go for it and get the vibe for a few years. However do your homework because the cost of living might hit you hard. Some cities are amongst the least affordable in the world.

I'm in Australia, not NZ, but work there is clearly an issue: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/09/leaving-new-zealand-record-departure-numbers

Definitely give it a try, you can go on a 3 year working visa and see which parts you like the best (Perth in the West was my preference)
Do lots of research so you have a clue about distances between places, it can be shock when you are used to the UK.
Join lots of facebook groups for info.
What is your career now? It is expensive so if you need to work it’s worth looking at comparable openings / rent prices to see what you can expect to live on!

A relative who was a similar age to you did this during lockdown. She absolutely loves it and posts some amazing pictures. I think her mum finds it hard though.

We appreciate the local culture so much we are doing everything we can to destroy it with every mine expansion. Every single week.

40C heat, wild fires, racism and boorish misogyny. Go for it 👍

I think people on this thread are massively over thinking this

jusy go for a year and do something fun !! Work at a bar or something, learn to surf, live in a share house! You don’t need to go and do a big career thing - travel around in a camper van and work in something they you can do in various places so you actually see the country.

i quit my job at 28 and went around Asia for 6months (turned into 12)

Then moved to London on the way home randomly after deciding a week before to see if I could make it work (my parents house was my back up back in Ireland)

It did all work out and I’d bloody do it again too - life’s too short ! I’d say just go for

I live in Australia. I do often see spiders and snakes, but generally they won’t bother you. I’ve lived here my whole life and not been bitten by either.

I would definitely do a year travel round, live in a few different places. It is expensive yes, but I don’t think as bad a London.

We permanently migrated without ever visiting, with the proviso “we can always come back”. Been here 15 years.

I'm Australian & always regret not having the courage to move overseas for a year or two when younger. I say go when you have the chance.

There's jobs here in Aus in certain industries, but try to find something before you arrive. It's also very expensive so make sure you can afford it.

Also consider going rural & trying a couple of different places. It's a completely different experience to the cities!

If you can afford to support yourself DO IT. Take it from an old hag, don't let life pass you by. Do the things. Travel the travels. Make new friends. Meet new loves. Do it.

My friend did it when she was 30 and loved it! They were in Melbourne. She did do it with her boyfriend though. They were there just over a year I think.

I’m mixed raced Brit and DH is Aussie. 40C is rare in Melbourne, wild fires are also rare, their government is more left wing than ours, they have no Farage and ‘island of strangers’ speeches from their PM, they don’t have marauding racist idiots with trigger fingers on social media spreading rumours about criminals who cause countrywide riots and force the police to scream ‘white British man’ after a car tragedy to beat said trigger fingers from kicking off again, last time I checked Andrew Tate wasn’t Australian.

Should add I wish I did something like this before having kids and settling down. I’m only 32 so plan to do it when I’m older instead.

You can get all this bar the 40C in the UK.

And it's not 40C everywhere; Australia is a continent as well as a country so avoid parading your ignorance.