Moving to Australia - what to pack? Anyone have a good list?

[nhamilton]

I'm sure its been asked before...but we're planning a move to Australia and I'm struggling to find a decent list of 1) things to pack or leave behind, 2) things you'd wished you'd known before you left.

Have started a list of the all the stuff to do like mail redirection, final bills etc. and general house moving stuff but what are the "gotchas"? Things that never occurred to you and have caught you out?

Thanks!

What to pack as in a case or shipping?

If shipping take everything or as much as you can get into your container. It is expensive to replace items here so unless you need soemthing new put in in the container. If you don't need it here then you can easily sell on ebay or gum tree.

If it your case you are packing it will depend on what time of year you land here and also who you are flying with for lugguage allowance.

As for who to tell and forms to complete:

Inland Revenue form P85
Child tax credits
Child benefit
National Insurance
Dr
Dentist
Milk, Papers etc
House insurance
Car insurance
DVLA if you can get some car tax back
Bank
Credit cards. Keep one open but tell them you may be spending in Australia
Phone
Internet
Mobiles
Sky or Virgin

The only thing that caught me out was not being prepared enough for our air freight. The additional costs when we went to collect it at the airport made it expensive. Those items, ie winter clothes could have been replaced for less money than it cost when our final air freight costs were added together.

Bring your tumble dryer or get one before you leave. They are very expensive here and you WILL need one.

Be prepared for the emotional pull if you have a leaving party and once normality sets in here. It is stressful and you will argue with your other half and if anything like us way more so than ever before. You do get through it though.

When you get here shop around for internet deals. We went with Telstra but a bit more research and we could have got a supplier cheaper. It's around $90 for an average internet connection per month here - again, not cheap. Your landline will always be telstra but you can shop around for a phone call provider. Unfortunatley, there are no comparison sites out here.

Car insurance we didn't find anything to beat Bingle and for home insurance it was Real Insurance.

Your gas and electic come from one supplier only so nothing to research there.

Mobiles are easy to come by, even on contract.

Really? I think I used my dryer maybe 5 times in three years, but then again I was up north.

Pack a huge box of your favourite tea, biscuts, chocloate etc to stave off the homesickness and for a treat. Also things like night nurse and medised are things I know I will be taking back

There is a good book called 'living and working in Australia' it gives you lists, tips etc. I bought the UK one when I moved over here and it was so helpful!

Where are you going to be living?

I used mine pretty much throughout the winter in WA. Our winters are wet though so I'd have no way of drying towels and underwear etc.

Thank you for all the tips!

We're moving to Canberra in April so I'm expecting cold weather (will definitely ship the tumbledryer). Most of our household effects will go by sea so I'm also trying to get quotes for some unaccompanied air freight (only 23kg luggage allowance on Qantas).

Will also take a look at the "living and working in Australia" book. Maybe stock up on some more books from Amazon too as I've been warned books (even paperbacks) are quite expensive in Oz.

I hadn't occurred to me how stressful the move could be but telling a close friend last night I almost burst into tears - suspect it won't be the last time

agree about the tumble dryer - i'm in Sydney and you really need one when the weather is wet. most houses don't have any heating at all and damp clothes can take ages to dry (it can rain for quite extended periods of time).

also, there are some comparison websites here in Oz, but think they're relatively new. you could look at www.whistleout.com for contract mobiles, broadband and credit cards to give you an idea of what's available. we went with iinet for our phone & broadband and they've been pretty good.

definitely bring as much as you can - we left loads of things behind that I wish we had brought (Christmas decorations, kitchenware, books etc etc). it costs a lot to replace things.

good luck with the planning and move!

Ok so yes you will need your dryer in the ACT!
Take as much as you can but remember that quarantine will take anything that is from an untreated natural fibre or wood (I have had heaps confiscated that I thought were ok). You can pay to have this stuff treated though.
Also I found out that if you declare any alcohol they make you pay tax on it. So my two bottles or very expensive grog were taxed. Better to mail it to yourself.

Books are expensive at home too. Unaccompanied air freight is not cheap. I sent about 35kgs and it cost me about AUD$300

Have you looked into schools, day care etc? Private health insurance?

Canberra is v outdoorsey, so take bikes, skis etc if you have them.
I will be keeping an eye on this post as we head off in a couple of weeks and I'm sure there are things I've forgotten!

Another thought if you are bringing a container and have young children in nappies is ship over loads as well as wipes. If you have space too if any of your favourite stuff is on 3:2 or BOGOF buy it and ship it. I wish I had done that with shower gels and body stuff as well as persil and comfort!

If you are migrating here you get double luggage allowance from the airlines.

When we moved here in 2007 it was only DH migrating as I am Aussie and DD has dual citizenship, but Singapore Airlines gave us each 40kg luggage allowance! We didn't even use it all!!!

Definitely call your airline and ask about this!!

We have MIL send out Calpol regularly as every child paracetamol medicine here taste DISGUSTING!!! I have about 5 bottles which have had 1 dose spat out!!

Here in Melb there are a couple of British stores where you can buy home favourites I am pretty sure they have online shopping and also Coles (supermarkets) sell a few Uk products.

We sold everything before we moved and only shipped books, DVDS/CDS, toys, clothes and a couple of small kitchen appliances. We literally went on the biggest shopping spree when we got here and bought everything!! It was fun but tiring.

Get copies of your medical records, dental records, optical prescriptions (if required).

Can't think of anything else atm and need to go out but if I remember anything else I will add it! Happy packing!!

Books are expensive (I am in NZ, not Australia, but I think books are pricey in both countries) so stocking up from Amazon is a good idea. But once you are here you can use The Book Depository, they have free worldwide shipping. I buy books from there and it costs me about half what it would here in NZ.

Good thread for tips

[[http://www.act.gov.au/CAP/accesspoint?action=menuHome Looks like this can answer lots of Qs about life in ACT.

Re the dryer, I live in SA, and manage without a dryer.

"Your gas and electic come from one supplier only so nothing to research there"

Not true for all states, certainly not here in SA. Plenty of suppliers here.

Not all airlines give the 40kg (have a look on the britishexpats website as this is an ongoing thread there) - generally even the ones who do only give it if you hold an UNVALIDATED permanent resident's visa.

I would add my voice to books, books and more books (they are extortionate here), medised if you use it (you can't get it here)and if you are shipping dvds, videos etc. bring the UK players. You can generally, but not always, crack the players to be multi-region but we still have a lot of dvds that will only play on the player we brought over.

The supidest thing I did before coming was to give away all my Winter coats/jackets - what was I thinking! We're in Sydney and it does get cold (and houses are generally inadequately heated and not insulated at all).

As I am sure you are aware the exchange rate is woeful at the moment so unless you have money to burn it will be cheaper to ship stuff over rather than start again.

Your favourite face cream and enough M and S pants, vests, bras, swimsuits and socks to last a year.

Thank you once more for all the tips - some excellent advice. I never would have thought to ask about extra luggage allowance!

But if you fly with emirates you get 30 kilos at no extra cost.