Moving to Nowra Australia with husbands job, is it mad?

[Joo1es]

Hi,
I haven't posted for ages, I have 2 children aged 3 and 2 and it looks like we will be moving to Australia in 18 months I realise this is a little while away but at the moment we can pull out but soon won't be able to. Just after some advice, has anyone done anything like it? There are so many issues Schooling is different out there and my ds is due to start school this sept, but is there any point if when we go in June he won't have completed a whole year and he wouldn't start until the following Jan once out there - I don't think. Anyways sorry I am rambelling but would love to hear some advice or experiences. Thanks

Nowra?
May I ask why there? Something to do with the aeronautical industry perhaps?

Nowra?
May I ask why there? Something to do with the aeronautical industry perhaps?

Is he forces? And is he joining the RAN or RAAF?

I spent 4 months in Nowra about 13 years ago. It is a small town, about 2.5 hours drive south of Sydney. I have to say that I really enjoyed my time there. Everyone was very friendly and laid back. The sea is FANTASTIC, Kangaroo Valley was beautiful. You are 4 or 5 hours drive from teh snow in winter (we went skiing). Although I didn't have DCs then, I suspect that it would make integration even easier. I said if I'd been there for longer I would have found it very hard to come back to UK.

Sorry - no advice about schooling, but they are so young, I really wouldn't worry too much.

Oh - but if resident in the UK I think you will have to start him in school - legal obligation.

my dh is in the navy. is it a bad choice?

I don't think they have to start school in the UK legally until they are 5? He would be joining RAAF, it would be nice to go visit before I commit myself to 3 years, but way too expensive. Also family I would be leaving behind, there is a huge part of me that thinks it would be the opportunity of a lifetime and an amazing adventure as a family, but my practical head wants to know all the finer details before I commit myself.

Hi dd was in the same school boat as you. Im sure NSW is the same as qld in that ds will start school in the january before you arrive, I think it is called kindy ? in qld its prep and in the uk is reception? Im sure you could home ed him till you move but from september to june is nearly a year and he could then swap straight into school in nowra? dd found even from novemeber tojanuary in a new place with limited new buddies hard work! so id dread june to january!

Your child does not legally need to be in school here until they are 6. They can start school at the beginning of the year so long as they will be 5 by April 30th of that year.

So if I am reading you right you could start your child in September in UK, move here and they would enter Kindergarten and finish Kindergarten December of that year and move to Year 1

Nowra is quite nice very Australian, not at all cosmopolitan, but on the train line to Sydney, lovely beached and very affordable property.

I knew a lot of Navy people out there - ex RN turned RAN. I would say that 90% loved it. However, some didn't and usually that was due to the wife missing her (UK) family, it being too far/too expensive to get home. I would say it would be a fab opportunity - but suggest you try and contact some people out there. Your DH must have names of some who have recently headed out that way. Any contact I had would be hugely out of date.