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Original poster

It's decided ... moving to Sydney April/May 2008... which areas are good with kids?

181 replies

MrsBigD · 22/08/2006 11:42

o.k. it's still a bit away but thought I better get started re what to consider.

Visa stuff I have info and paperwork to be done.

I've been to Sydney yonks ago and obviously didn't look at it with the eys of a parent trying to work out which area to move to for good schools etc. but more to find good night clubs etc

So who knows Sidney from the parental perspective and is willing to share all the gritty details ?

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Original poster
MrsBigD · 06/09/2006 11:18

wondering whether I'll have the 'Aussies' in stitches then with my German/English accent that's slightly NZ tainted?

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Sandcastles · 06/09/2006 12:40

arfishymeau, we brougt over sofa & chair (huge) bed, mattress, dd'c cot, mattress, her toys boxes, 3 chairs (had a chair mad aunt!!) a garden chair, bike, microwave.....hang on, it's easier to say we brought all the stuff you'd normally have in a 2 bed house, plus baby parafinalia (SP), plus dh's WW1 & 2 parafinalia (a load, our cellar was full of it!) and my craft stuff, bar white goods & wardrobes. We had over half a container. hth

arfishymeau · 07/09/2006 04:46

Hmm. Not bad SandCastles. Nearly AU$10K though. I could get a pool for that. Our house in the UK is full of junk because we merged 2 houses into one. There's stuff everywhere so I think some extreme culling would be in order. Dutch tv anyone?

MrsBigD. Am trying to imagine a German/English/NZ accent and am coming up with something Dutch/South African. Unless you can say Dan-ce pantz without strangling it (hmm, thinking Dinz Pintz for you maybe?) you'll also be amusing the natives.

Also time to ask the Aussies what an ocker is .

Original poster
MrsBigD · 07/09/2006 06:52

Ocker : an unsophisticated person or Uncultivated or boorish Australian.

Dance pants deffo would be a challenge as I pronounce dance with an open a, like yourself

Dependign whihc slang dictionary you go to

As for a house full of junk... ebay it That's what we're going to do. Whatever we don't need will be sold off somehow or given to charity. Especially some of the cuddly toys... no way will I be paying to have all of them shipped...

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Sandcastles · 07/09/2006 07:50

We were quite ruthless when we sorted out what to bring. But, it is alot, but a damn sight cheaper than starting all over again. Our fridge would have been too small, but loking back I do kinda wish that I had brought my washer/drier. Didn't as it was either that or the travel system and that was more important. Also, was told washer/dryer may not work so was too much money for something that we "might" be bale to use.

Original poster
MrsBigD · 07/09/2006 13:44

well we defo won't be taking white goods as we are currently renting and the stuff doesn't belong to us

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sunnydelight · 07/09/2006 18:23

Oh lord, I haven't decided about stuff like white goods. I need to talk to a rental agent here to see whether we should leave them with the house. I suspect the answer will be yes, but then I'm worried about what happens if things go wrong - presumably we will be expected to replace them asap. I also know I will then have to go out and hire/buy exactly the same stuff in Oz - AGHHHHHH!

Astrophe · 07/09/2006 22:39

take as much as you can. We didn't bring much over here as we thought we'd be getting a furnished house. We didn't, and it has cost us a fortune, plus was chaotic not having things when we first arrived and had to rush around buying things. And then whe we leave we will have to sell it all again as all our stuff is back in Aust in storage!

tribeoffive · 08/09/2006 09:41

Sitting waiting for the quotes on moving our belongings. Decided this time want the whole package - they can pack our stuff,pack the cat,get rid of the stuff we're not wanting and they can clean the house and anything else they want to offer
Sorry kids its def bread and water for the next month or two at least they won't have a stressed out mum,and i think its a sacrifice they will think worth taking, yes???

Original poster
MrsBigD · 08/09/2006 10:21

Most definitely yes! After our last move within London (!) we vowed next time we pay people to do it for us!

Have another problem at the moment... trying to persuade dh to do a reconnaissance trip to Sydney in about 12 months to check out neighbourhoods, schools etc., seeing that he needs a holiday anyhow and I will have had 2 this year on my own, sans enfants and hubby. However, he doesn't see the point because a lot of info is available on the net and we can just arrive there, rent and then have a look. And also schools will take kids if we arrive 1/2 way through term... no problem (he said). IMHO we should check out stuff beforehand because what if we don't like the area we're renting in but kids already settled in school?

I don't think dh quite grasps the gravity of sorting out schools etc. as so far here in the UK I've always taken care of stuff like that... I think the intricacies are beyond him iykwim

So how can I nicely kick his butt?

(and excuse the spelling, very tired today and suffering 'guilty mama complex' as left ds at nursery today and he cried bitterly when I left... I'm sure he's fine but those little blighters do know how to turn it on don't they

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sunnydelight · 08/09/2006 14:19

That's exactly why we are doing our holiday in November MrsBigD. We want to have a chance to wander round a few neighbourhoods as a family and even check out schools if we get a chance so we have a good idea of where we want to be when we get there. We will have a month in a company apartment when we arrive to give us a chance to find somewhere, but it will be centrally located which is not where we will end up living and I really don't want to keep the kids off school for weeks on end until we find somewhere to live. Also, the schools only have to take you once you are living in the area, so co-ordinating everything could be a nightmare. Once we move DH will be working and I really don't fancy trying to sort everything by myself with three kids in tow. Were you thinking of sending your DH off on his own? I think most men (yours might be exceptional of course ) have no idea of what is important to a woman on a day to day basis. In our house the "domestic trivia" is definitely left to me, although DH would be horrified to hear me put it like that. He insists that what I do is equally valid, but at the end of the day I know I will be dealing with getting kids to school/dealing with them settling in/trying to form new friendships etc. while he slots into his role at the office, complete with the instant opportunity to meet, and socailise with, people at work. Anyway, in 12 months time there should be loads of us in Sydney so lots of info - do you fancy doing a "starting off in Sydney" blog tribeoffice?!

sunnydelight · 08/09/2006 14:20

Sorry tribeoffive - I've obviously got offices on the mind

Original poster
MrsBigD · 08/09/2006 16:38

sunnydelight - can you have a look around for me too?

Yes dh would be sent on his own, 'prepared' with lists of requirements from me. It's funny how men don't seem to be equipped to deal with the domestic/educational side of things isn't it.

Tribe... you have a blog???

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robinpud · 08/09/2006 19:41

I am available from January onwards for paid reconaissance missions finding family friendly locations in sunny syndey. Just contact me on robinpud@downundersomewhere

Original poster
MrsBigD · 08/09/2006 20:02

ROFL what would you like as payment robin? pudding?

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robinpud · 08/09/2006 20:07

wine will suffice at the moment It's dh's turn to cook.. a once monthly event so he is phoning the curry house as I type!

Original poster
MrsBigD · 08/09/2006 20:11

LOL with us it's normally the pizza delivery service or the chinese down the road. . Though to be fair dh has been putting on dinner whenever I'm going to the gym and it usually is a nice large chicken salad, or tonight we had falafel, pita, houmous and tzaziki

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robinpud · 08/09/2006 20:36

Oh god, you have been on the Jamie thread. It's my night off from meal prep.. only get the one now and then. Back to homemade wholemeal bread and quinoa at every meal tomorrow.

Original poster
MrsBigD · 08/09/2006 21:27

ya what? LOL trust me I'm not on the Jamie thread. If it weren't for nanny and food supplied at nursery my kids would mainly live of chicken nuggets and the like or pitta & houmous, and avocado or tomatoe pilfered from the salad bowl. Oh and they do drink fruit shoots and get wotsits

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robinpud · 08/09/2006 21:45

Aarggh.. you sound very normal then MrsBigD Can you believe it.. his only night of domestic duty, the bag of takeaway he carried from the car to the kitchen has splattered orange oily sauce everywhere .. all over my newly cleaned wooden floor so haven't even eaten yet have been cleaning up after him! It wouldn't happen if we lived in OZ...

Original poster
MrsBigD · 08/09/2006 21:58

wouldn't happen if you lived in Oz? Well you're going soon aren't you

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PeppaPigsMum · 10/09/2006 13:34

hi everyone. i've been away in Noosa for a week's holiday and this thread has snowballed. have to catch up properly with it all later - got to get some sleep now. have friends arriving tomorrow morning on a 5.15am flight ...

Original poster
MrsBigD · 10/09/2006 22:24

Daft question... where's Noosa?

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tribeoffive · 11/09/2006 13:50

Can't keep up with all the threads goin on about Sydney etc think I will stick with this one. Don't go and leave me now fellow 'moving to Sydney mums' and all other OZ/UK mums

Astrophe · 11/09/2006 13:52

still here, but also confused about which thread is which...perhaps a single, new, all inclusive thread is called for