likesshopping

HI 1. Try KMart and BIG W for household items - bit like Mataland and imagine Tescos without the food. :-)

Hi Leanne We would be interested in your packing boxes - can you pm me with your details and I can give you an email or call. Thanks Sarah

Check out 'Bums on Seats' ...my parents from the UK used them this week and would recommend. Pick ups from your hotel in city or Glenelg. :-))

Hi John, This is not true. I know many people who have rented out here before viewing and from realestate.com. We have rented our home through realestate to a family back in the Uk. Just thought Id let any newbies know that are looking it :-) Sarahx

Also check out Stayz website - really good for holiday homes in southern suburbs, Sellicks Beach, Aldinga, Maslin Beach & Moana http://www.stayz.com.au/accommodation/sa/fleurieu-peninsula/moana-beach?search=true Sarahx

Sold - thanks

Outdoor setting - wooden table, 8 director chairs, parasol and iron base - fair condition $100. Located in Moana Thanks Sarahx

Hi all We are having a garage sale tomorrow morning. Selling uk ladies clothes - sizes 12/14. Also lots of really good teenage girls clothes. Beach stuff, bits of furniture and homewares. Please come along and have a look if you are free - from 8.30am Regent Street, Moana Thanks Sarahx

Hi - Thank you for your interested karen & flossybeth - but everything has now been sold Sarahx

One set of bunks sold -thanks Still available: Double bed Set of bunks Chair Wardrobes

Excellent condition Black metal double bed plus Ikea mattress for sale - $150 2 X Bunk bed plus 2 mattress's for sale $150 each Cream Ikea chair (in corner of photo) $30 Ikea White wardrobe as new $50 We are in Moana Thanks Sarahx

Hi Donna Good luck with your validation trip. Even though All Saints is a catholic school, you dont have to be catholic to be enrolled. So you can give them a call to arrange a viewing. Sarahx

Good result Id say! and thanks for the recommendation of Spa Doctor - seems like a nice guy!

who did you use?

Good news to hear that you are expanding! We use MD Autos to service our poor two cars - They do a cracking job and I can highly recommend them. Best Mechanic we have ever had! Sarah

HI Clare We have some - nice sturdy ones from john mason. We live in Moana. Sarahx

terribly sad sad news...(((((

Hi Bev We have one now available for 24th March, 17 Regent Street, Moana. You can contact our property manager Kerri (pm for email address) to obtain an application. It will be going onto realestate in the next week or so, if we havent rented out before then. Thanks Sarahx

Awesome! Thanks Claire - I will give it a go - once the weather cools down :-)) x

So Claire, are you going to share your 'no fail' recipe with us all?

Hi Ali, Ours girls were 7 & 10 when we arrived and they were both at a very good Catholic school in the UK - I have to say that education was my biggest concern about moving over here. I had heard the education system wasn't as good. This is how we decided on where we wanted to live - firstly, do we want to live near the coast or in the hills? We wanted the coast. Secondly, where would my husband most likely be working? He would be working in the city. Next we decided what the most time he would want to commute? My husband was a big commuter in the Uk, so it didnt bother him - we decided that the maximum time would be an hour each way would the the very most he would want to commute. So, about 35km away from the city. Next we looked on Realestate.com.au for houses which were within our budget and were near the coast, not further than 35km away. Most of the properties I looked at were in the Southern suburbs - Moana, Seaford Rise, Seaford, Port Noarlunga, Maslim Beach etc. Once you decide on the sort of area (south, north, east etc) then you can look at schools. There are state and private schools within most areas and you can check out their NAPLAN results from this website here http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/your-school/interactive#search Ok, so my opinion on schools - I was really disappointed in the standard of schooling here, especially in the primary schools. We did end up sending them to a private school which we are happier with - however, what you do have to think about is that everyone here is in the Australian education system and unless your children are going to go back to the UK then they will be on an even keel here with other children. Its a bit of a hard pill to swallow - but I have relaxed into the schooling here. Both my daughters get very good grades here - and here is where they will be going to University and working...so the system is working for them here. Hope this helps Sarahx

oooohhh...love love love Yorkshire puddings - its gotta be Aunty Bessies though!!

We have built two houses since arriving here - we built both with Rivergum and we found the process relatively painless. Infact, I really enjoyed it. I agree with what NicF has said about finding a builder first and having a look at their standard homes you you can customise their designs to make it the house you want. We completely gutted our builders design and the only thing that we didnt change was were the stair case was. Everything else, we erased all the rooms and started our design from there. We had two blocks of lands - one which needed two retaining walls - which adds up to be very expensive - so as a previous poster has said, make sure you have land that is flat - It will be alot cheaper in the long run! Sarahx

We did the exact same thing Scot and do not regret selling everything and buying new here. The money what we saved with going for a container we bought new furniture to go with our new house in a new country ! Also, Kmart and Target do great household stuff now at really good prices - so worth starting a fresh I reckon. Ikea and Harvey Norman are great for furniture Sarahx

Hi Ali, I say 'go for it' ....Australia is a fabulous place for families - and whats the worst that could happen??.. (if you dont like it, you can go back to the UK)...but at least you would have given it a go. For me, Australia is the best place for me to bring my children up. Lots of lovely fresh air every day and a more relaxed lifestyle. Sarahx