moving to australia

[goldie]

Hi

I have just joined this site so this is my first post, we are at the final stages of getting our visa so are hoping to come to Australia hopefully this year, but I am being told that Australia is so very expensive to live so worried about the money situation, with rental prices being astronomically high. Any help with this would be grateful.

We have two children one age 13 and one age 5 so would appreciate any advice on schools.

Goldie

[Diane]

Hi and welcome to the site. If you are coming to Adelaide, then possibly what you have heard about astronomical rents is more about somewhere like Sydney - Adelaide house prices and therefore rent prices are probably amongst the lowest in Australia.

 

What sort of work do you do? That might have an influence on the best area for you to look at - have a browse around the site as there is a lot of great info scatttered around.

[goldie]

Hi Diane

Thanks for your quick reply, my husband is a site manager in construction and I am a Educational Teaching Assistant in a local High School, we have put south Australia down on our visa, as we found that Adelaide is the cheapest part of Australia to emigrate too.

Like others I am worried about the move especially as I am afraid of snakes and big spiders but I will just have to get over that.

My husband is thinking of coming over to visit and find a job before we come over just in case it isn't want we want or too expensive.

[Diane]

I'm the worst arachnophobe, but to be honest - and it sounds really odd - we actually see less spiders here in Aus than we used to see at home in England! I'm never sure if that's becase our cats keep them at bay, or if they just prefer to steer clear! Certainly don't get them scurrying across the living room floor here like we occasionally got in England! When we first got here I was even worries about walking under a tree branch, convinced a spider would drop out of it onto my head! Never happened yet...

 

Ants and moths now and the occasional earwig, far too many of those :-)

 

As for snakes, we live by the park and obviously there are snakes there, but I've only ever seen one in ten years here, and I walk in the park most days with the dog. OH cycles through the park everyday to work and back, and very occasionally has seen them cross the path in front of him, but generally I think they are more scared of us and would rather avoid confrontations - that's what I tell myself anyway and it's worked so far.

[goldie]

Thanks Diane, you made me giggle, I think we have just got to give it ago, even tho we will be leaving our eldest daughter behind, but hopefully she will come visit and maybe join us eventually if we haven't returned.

Do you know of any good schools that would be good for my children, my boy is 5 but has behavioural problems which I think he is slowly growing out off and our daughter is 13 who really doesn't want to come and she isn't very bright and needs extra literacy skills.

Cheers for all your help and advise Diane

[goldie]

Hi all

Can anyone recommend a suburb to settle in, with good schools, lots of activities, close to the beach, shops, not too far away from the city, reasonable house prices.

[snifter]

Hi all

Can anyone recommend a suburb to settle in, with good schools, lots of activities, close to the beach, shops, not too far away from the city, reasonable house prices.

 

How far is too far away from the city?

 

I reckon you won't get it all unless you have deep pockets to buy in a pricer suburb.

 

When you say 'activities' who do you mean for? Adults, kids or both? What sort of things?

 

You really are better to wait till you are here and get a feel for the place and it's suburbs and areas. Having been here nearly 5 months our priorities changed and what we now want is different to what we started out thinking we would be happy with. Where we are looking was always on our area list but didn't top it, however, given the market, our disinterest in being too close to the beach and a few other things, we are looking more to the hills. Also as we've gotten a feel for the suburbs, have been round them, we know what we like and don't like.

 

Suburbs tend to have an ok to good decent range of local shops (depends on the suburb) and there are larger malls within driving distance of plenty of places. Beach will limit you to either the more expensive suburbs nearer to the city or further south and more of a commute but usually cheaper house prices.

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

our daughter is 13 who really doesn't want to come and she isn't very bright

 

I hope she doesn't ever read that statement!

[Guest rustybin]

We rent in Fulham gardens and pay $420 a week rent, we are 5 min from beach and 20 from cbd, 10 min from airport.it is more pricey hear but not much more and you get use to it. We have kids aged 13 & 5 also and have settled into henley high & henley primary really well. We also have met a lot of great friends here , mostly all poms and meet up quite regular . We've been here 6 months now and love it, don't think I will ever go back not even to visit, then can come here lol. If you want any more info pm me.

[goldie]

Hi

Thank you so much for your reply.

Activities I mean for both children and parents, my daughter and hubby love diving, daughter interested in trampolining and swimming too. My son is into football and swimming. I would just like to keep fit.

I don't think we would want to live in the hills, would like to go to the beach as much as possible.

We are thinking off renting our house here in the uk due to the fact we haven't sold it, so will have some income.

I think we would be looking at around £300,000 when we look at buying a home, unless we sell our property in the uk. My hubby is a builder so would like to build his own house eventually.

[goldie]

Hi

Maybe I shouldn't have put isn't very bright but I would like her to go to a school that will meet her needs, she is doing better at school and predicted a fair few GCSE's depending on what she chooses for her options. Do schools in Australia take options?

[goldie]

Hi Rustybin

Thank you too for your reply, I have looked up Henley schools and looks fabulous, and very near Adelaide, just need to make sure that there is work for my hubby, he's in the construction industry, so if there is lots of building work going off it would be great. Maybe we could meet up when we arrive if that's ok and thank you again