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Original poster

Moving to Australia

25 replies

nickiw · 19/05/2005 14:35

DH is applying for a skilled migrant visa for Australia, cannot get into Sydney but can get into Brisbane, does anyone know about decent areas to live in or good schools, this could move very quickly!!

OP posts:
slug · 19/05/2005 14:41

I'll check with my brother who lives there. It may take a few days though.

Lonelymum · 19/05/2005 14:50

I will check with my dh who is a Brisbanian (or wahtever the word is). I'll get back to you tonight.

koalabear · 19/05/2005 14:53

loads in brisbane

brother lives in Kedron which is very nice - north of city

do you have any areas you are thinking of?

Original poster
nickiw · 19/05/2005 15:51

I really don't know the city at all, we stayed at a campsite there 10 yrs ago, really would like a nice safe area, good school, easy commute to the city and near the beach, not much!!

Thanks for your help

OP posts:
koalabear · 19/05/2005 16:09

as brisbane in on river, if you want easy access to beach, i would go north, and look around Albany Creek area

maybe there are some people who have more intimate knowledge of Brisbane schools, which i don't know much about

Original poster
nickiw · 19/05/2005 16:50

I will start looking in that area tonight, can't wait for a bit of sunshine!

OP posts:
eidsvold · 20/05/2005 04:43

nickiw I am in Brisbane if you want to cat me - plenty of good areas - depends on how old your children are and where you want to live. We live on the northside - north of Albany creek - my dh commutes to the city by train and we live about a 30 minute drive to the beach depending on what sort of beach you want. Good schools in this district. School system is a little different to the UK but anything you want to know please feel free to ask. Have taught high school in a few schools in our area.

I am a Brissy girl but my dh came here on a spousal visa - how does it work if your dh gets a skilled migrant visa - does that affect your ability to work if you wanted to also work etc.

Sunshine - well yes - it is a little chilly at night already with autumn here and we had an amazing hailstorm last night .....

local newspaper

eidsvold · 20/05/2005 04:45

perhaps if you check out areas you would like to live and let me know - see what I can find out for you or tell you.

Bouj · 20/05/2005 06:53

I am also in Brisbane, on the southside. I grew up here, so know it fairly well, but unfortunately don't know the northside! How many mumsnetters are in Brisbane? Whereabouts are you koalabear? I know a bit about schools on the southside, and have just bought a house here (went unconditional yesterday!) so can help with that too. We came here from London Sept last year - DH is English, and ds was born there. Quite an adjustment, but great for kids. Let me know if I can help any more.

Original poster
nickiw · 20/05/2005 08:11

Thanks for all offers of help - gratefully received. I will be able to work on dh's visa, how are the salaries compared to UK and how much would a 3/4 bed house cost to rent? Are good schools hard to get into. Boys are 4 and 6 is there a good time of year to come over?

OP posts:
eidsvold · 20/05/2005 08:50

we came over last June and it was great - we did not feel the winter too much and it gave us a time to ease into the summer heat rather than arriving from an english winter into summer temps.

You earn less but then generally the cost of living is less. The cost of renting depends on location and the such like.

Your six year old would attend school in year1 and the 4 yr old - if turning five this year would attend pre school otherwise he could attend kindergarten.

Generally there is not the big deal with oversubscription of schools here like there is in the UK. You would just attend your local school and enrol your son. Generally you have a few schools within a fairly close proximity ( in the urban areas of course) to choose from.

Bouj · 20/05/2005 10:35

check out realestate.com.au for rental prices ideas. You can also get info on areas, with average age of occupants etc... Also has nearby schools and the like. Another good website is ourbrisbane.com - it has loads of info.

Bouj · 20/05/2005 10:38

Sorry, just remembered, that when we were house-hunting in Holland Park (southside) a very helpful vendor told us all about the suburb, and said a friend of his was a school principal. He apparently said Holland Park Primary and Holland Park High Schools were the best in Brisbane as far as state schools were concerned.. I have kept it in mind, but ds is only 2, so will have a little while yet! Though I think primary schools are generally very good here anyway...

Original poster
nickiw · 20/05/2005 11:19

Good info, thanks a lot. With regards to the schools when does the school year start? My 6 yr old is currently in yr 1 and due to start yr 2 in Sept where would he be in Aus, also Charlie is 5 in September and would start full time in the UK in reception, I am assuming , if we are in Aus, he would have to carry on with pre school for another year which is a blow as he is already ready for school now? does this make sense??

OP posts:
koalabear · 20/05/2005 11:58

just as a note to the wise, school systems change according to state, so what is applicable to brisbane, wont be applicable in say sydney, or melbourne

Bouj - am currently in countryside of England, but born in Adelaide, and have lived in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane (Kangaroo Point and Newmarket) but was single and fancy free then (which is why I don't know about schools) - married an english chap, so chances of returning to land of sunshine and decent fruit a little way off

Bouj · 20/05/2005 12:09

School year starts in January - check out individual states as koalabear says, it differs enormously. Qld is also changing (confusing even me!) so worth a look. The websites seem to be fairly informative. If you do end up in Brisbane, it would be great to meet up! I miss the UK for many reasons, but the mumsnet meetups are a big one!

Original poster
nickiw · 20/05/2005 12:21

I will let you know as soon as we arrive!! Can't wait now, just getting our documentation seems to be taking forever.

OP posts:
eidsvold · 20/05/2005 22:36

nickiw - your 6yr old would go into year one and start year2 in January. YOur 5 yr old would do preschool this year and then start year 1 next year.

Original poster
nickiw · 25/05/2005 17:30

Hubby has just had phone interview for Auckland NZ now!! Any tips for moving there??

OP posts:
harrogatemum · 26/05/2005 09:09

I am so jealous - just come back from 3 weeks in Brisbane visiting sis in law and desperately trying to persuade DH to move back there (he is an Aussie). My sis in law lives in Windsor which is only a 10 min drive to the city and really lovely, lots of nice suburbs surrounding it as well - Wilston, Wooloowin to name a few. Eidsvold - I was there when they had the massive hailstorm - it was freaky!

Original poster
nickiw · 26/05/2005 10:54

If we do go to Australia it will definitely be Brisbane, not enough points for Sydney, the visa process seems to take ages. Still waiting for a copy of birth certificate before I can complete the forms!

OP posts:
eidsvold · 28/05/2005 10:26

windsor - very nice - I had dd2 in the hospital near there. Dh works near windsor and said you could see the storm coming over. We had very heavy rain but no hail out our way. Very freaky and scary for some people.

nikci we were applying for a straight spousal visa for dh and it still took over four months for it to be approved. Dd1 had dual nationality so we did not need to apply for her - good thing as she may have been refused on health grounds.

suzywong · 28/05/2005 10:28

don't tempt them to Brizzie to join your unique religious cult edisvold .

Come to Perth instead

Original poster
nickiw · 28/05/2005 11:39

We are still waiting for copies of certificates before we can fill the forms in!!! We spent a couple of weeks in Perth, beautiful city....nice beer and wine

OP posts:
eidsvold · 29/05/2005 23:00

suzy - dh mentioned the other day he thought Perth looked like a good place to live. a quick hit with the frypan knocked that idea out of his head

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