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Original poster

Shall we do an Aus/NZ round up?

191 replies

ClaudiaSchiffer · 05/12/2008 02:50

Hi all

Where is everybody? It seems that all the old familiar Oz/NZ mners have wondered orf . . . shall we have some hellos?

I'll kick off

Hi there, I'm ClaudiaShiffer, I have two daughers and live in Adelaide, I am a Pom and have been here for 2 yrs. Mostly loving it. DH is an Aussie and is beyond delighted to be back in Oz after 10yrs in the UK.

Now your turn

OP posts:
AdventFemme · 30/12/2008 02:45

Hello bg et al. No kidding it's been a long time. I've had texts from friends back in the UK asking if I'm still alive. RL has been overwhelming recently.

brightongirldownunder · 30/12/2008 02:57

I know VF - we're moving in a week, so will prob be offline for a while...can one of you guys cat me though if you plan a meet up. I soooo need a dirty martini.

Bubbaluv · 31/12/2008 20:08

Hello Ladies,
Happy New Year!
I am Sydney Expat living in UK. Poss moving back to Aus in the next couple of years.Just posted a thread asking if anyone has any insight into Bronte Primary as we're looking at a place in the catchment- any help from the Sydney contingent would be hugely appreciated.
Am very jealous of Sydney Summer right now - I'm frrrrozzzzen!

brightongirldownunder · 01/01/2009 00:05

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Loved the fireworks!
Bubbaluv not in Bronte area, but stay in touch on here - bound to be someone to help.

flummery · 01/01/2009 02:13

Happy New Year to you all!

How fab were the fireworks? We went to Birchgrove Oval for the 9pm ones and just scooted round the corner, sort of up along past White Bay, for the midnight ones. Loved them.

Bubbaluv, one of my friends here in Balmain has a lot of contact with Bronte Public as her kids do nippers at Bronte beach. It's a great school - lots going on, loads of parental involvement, good head, exciting ideas etc. If you've got some specific questions, post them here and I'll ask her for you.

ZacharyQuack · 01/01/2009 04:25

Hi everyone

I'm in Wellington, NZ. DH and I are both Kiwis, have lived for a while in the UK but been back home for about 10 (yikes) years. 2 DDs, 5 and 4.

lulalullabye · 01/01/2009 11:09

Hello and happy new year everbody !! We have only 2 wks left now before we leave......scarrrrrrrrrrrrrry.

Bubbaluv · 02/01/2009 11:10

Flummery,
Thanks so much for your help! I got the impression that Bronte was quite socially progressive and strong in drama/music/arts etc. Was really just wondering how good it was academically.
Any info your friend can provide would be much appreciated!
Thanks again!

flummery · 03/01/2009 01:50

Bubbaluv, I'll ask - pretty much everyone I know is away on holiday at the moment, so I won't be speaking to her for another week or so. I'd imagine it's fairly strong academically. Primary school in Australia are, on the whole, pretty good. The vast majority of children just go to the closest primary school and we're not really afflicted by many of the issues you have to deal with in the UK. Any child who is in area is entitled to a place at the school, for example. They'll bring in extra teachers and install demountable classrooms before they turn children away. The only time it's difficult to get in to a primary school is if you're opting for an oversubscribed school that you don't live in the catchment zone for. As a result, schools tend to reflect the area they're in and Bronte is a great area.

flummery · 03/01/2009 01:51

Oh, by the way, I was LoremIpsum but it kept reminding me of work, so I'm back to flummery.

brightongirldownunder · 03/01/2009 02:37

I thought I recognised you flummery!

Bubbaluv · 03/01/2009 12:16

Thanks Flummery! I guess I'm really trying to weigh up the standard of education there compared to the nearby private schools. We have DS down for Scots, but if Bronte Public is academically strong then the cost saving would be very welcome! I'm a Sydney girl myself, but really only familiar with the private schools.
No problem if it takes a while before you speak to your friend. We're not going anywhere this instant, and I'm just very thankful for your help.
Enjoy the sun!

arfishy · 04/01/2009 07:22

I'm just down the road from Bronte and I've heard very good things about the school.

Bubbaluv · 04/01/2009 09:26

Ooh thanks Airy! Do you know if Clovelly Primary is also good?

DCSsunhill · 04/01/2009 09:33

Ahem, I just need to add an ammendement to Ghosty's last statement that I made her go to the casino.....
Ghosty...WE WON TONNES OF CASH!!!....great idea, non? Well, enough to buy a round anyway

Anyhoo, DCSnatch here. Living in what is affectionately kown as the "arse end of Melbourne" but we like it!

arfishy · 04/01/2009 11:25

I think all of the primaries around here are very good. In Bronte, Clovelly, Coogee there are a lot of involved parents - they send their children to the primaries and then send them privately at 11.

I've only ever heard good things about all of them. Lots of very wealthy friends who could go private are using them as they believe they are as good, if not better than the private schools at this age.

Bubbaluv · 04/01/2009 11:38

Brilliant - thanks Airy! I was hoping that might be the case. We're currently investigating one house in Bronte and one in Tama, and the cost saving in having a really good public school nearby is not insignificant!

arfishy · 05/01/2009 05:47

Grrr. I've just realised you're still in the UK bubbaluv. I was going to insist that you came to our next meet up. Ah well!

You're right though. It's scorchio here. Apparently 37' on Wed. Just what I need after a trip back to the UK in Dec.

ninedragons · 05/01/2009 05:53

My brothers went to Scots and loved it, if you need a recommendation.

Except wearing their kilts on the train on cadet days - that, they were less impressed about.

flummery · 05/01/2009 06:42

Bubbaluv, we've taken the state primary route because there are so many good, strong, academic ones around. A lot of kids move at the end of primary, or in year 5, though our two boys are moving in year 5 for DS1 and year 3 for DS2 as they're moving over at the same time.

In fact, they start at Sydney Grammar at the end of this month and while it's exciting, we're going to miss their lovely primary school (DD will stay on there for a few years yet).

Hello brightongirl, did the move go OK?

I'm over in Perth for a week for my grandmother's funeral and am flying back to Sydney tomorrow. It's been lovely to be in Perth and see family and friends, despite coming for such a sad reason, but I'm missing my DCs and husband.

arfishy · 05/01/2009 09:46

NineDs - did you see that Ascham has put up their fees by between 7 and 9% for 2009? If you include the 6% they went up in between us accepting our place and the first invoice they have increased 15% in DDs first year.

I am not even going to break the news to DP. It will all be too much for him after the $35 outlay debacle for both the school play AND violin concert DVDs.

ninedragons · 05/01/2009 10:07

Holy shit. I suppose the problem is that Sydney's population has increased by about 20-25% since I was at school but as far as I know there have been no new private schools opened (apart from the wacko Christian ones up in the hills).

Either DH will have to pull in a new and fleecable client, my employer will have to return to the glory days of six-month bonuses, or DD will have to be smart enough to get into Fort St.

I am quite hopeful. I wouldn't brag out in the general melee of MN but in our quiet corner I am happy to tell you that I watched open-mouthed on Friday as she got the memory stick out of the coffee table drawer, crawled across to the DVD player and tried to ram it into the USB slot in the back. The downside is that she cracked the trick of releasing her seatbelt on the second time she got put into the car seat. We turned a corner and heard a thunk and a cry and she was rolling around on the back seat.

Deffo no more skinning up in front of her if she is entering the watching-and-imitating stage of development!

ninedragons · 05/01/2009 10:09

So sorry to hear your news, flummery.

I wasn't being flippant, I just didn't see your post until I'd hit post.

arfishy · 05/01/2009 11:25

Oh gosh flum, nor did I, I just barged in on the school subject again. I'm sorry. Were you close? I would find it very hard to leave DD AND have to travel a long way to a funeral of somebody I cared for.

NineDs- she sounds bright as a button. It's amazing really - my mum wouldn't have a clue what to do with a memory stick. Disclaimer: I've tried - I really have. I may or may not mention the fact that a near-toddler is actually out-doing her in the technology department.

Ascham is still a great school though, I'm very happy with it. However, if they carry on at this rate I may find myself relocating to one of the international schools in Dubai.

brightongirldownunder · 05/01/2009 13:29

Flum - so sorry to hear about your loss. Hope you're ok.
We move at 8am on Tuesday (shit - thats in 7 1/2 hrs!)
House is in chaos neither of us want to leave as new house smaller and garden tiny. But it was a choice of that or a holiday accomodation until we found a new place - def. a nono.
So anyway, I'll be offline from tomorrow for a few days. Keep in mind for cocktails - I'll need them. Was very tempted to down a bottle of red tonight until I realised the spare room hadn't been touched..

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