Just wanted to say a proper hello to all our new members..We have been here on the Sunny Coast for a while now..Paul came out with our daughter last May and I followed with our son in August...There have been down times but the good times far outwiegh those...It does take a while to settle, with so much to do...I am really beginning to think that the visa was the easy part...It is like starting all over again at 18 but with a bit more knowledge..
The Sunshine Coast has lots for families..Sure there is plenty of countryside but the beaches are amazing...The people are friendly (the driving is crap)...evenings are spent relaxing outside with a cold beer and weekends are always jam packed with things to do...
We live inland but are less than 30 mins away to lots of beaches...
Anyways just wanted to introduce myself properly and hope to be able to help with a few of the things that may bother you, or just to have a giggle..
Take care all and it really is paradise here..
Your turn Cal!!!!
Jo x

 

Here goes then ,lol
Im cal ,hubby Gary a diesel mechanic,son Zak 9 and daughter Jodi 4,we made the pilot show for Wanted Down Under back in March 2006 and we have been in Brissy (SW) since november 2006 and are loving everything life throws at us.As Jo has said,, be prepared to live like you did when you bought your first ever home,(on your own and skint)lol,,it does get better but took a good 12mth before we stopped buying things we need.We shipped very little out here but i have no regrets you can get bargains here too! The first few weeks are chaotic until you get sorted and find your bearings but keep smiling and youll get there!
We are 40 mins south of brisbane city and 45 mins from the stunning beaches of surfers paradise,Mt Tamborine which is a must for anyone to visit is only 15 mins drive,Jimboomba is an up coming area with lots of new land estates being built.We choose Flagstone Estate as we wanted acerage(boys and their motorbikes,girls and their horses!) but unlike most estates we have schools,childcare and shops which is so handy.
We have found the aussies some of the most friendlist helpful people we have ever met,the Northern accent sure is a converstaion starter!!You cant rush anywhere ,everyone wants to stop and chat which is just a bit different to the uk,lol!Work is out there,you just have to go and get it ,dont expect job offers to drop on your knee and dont wait for return phone calls - they never happen!!
good to luck to all of you still waiting for the visa ,it truely is a different lifestyle,i just wish id done it years ago.
Cal x

 

Hi Jo and Cal,
Great to hear of both your experiences. I feel as though we are going into this with our eyes open -expecting to feel very homesick to start with. Some friends of ours went to New zealand with the intention of staying forever, then came back after 2 1/2 months because they missed home. We are planning to come for 2 years and then we can review things after that. I hope that we will want to stay, but who knows? We have been to Queensland before though, so we know that you are not exaggerating when you call it paradise!
Thanks for all your support and advice.
Kate

 

Its good coming with your eyes open,there where a few things that took me buy surprise ,main one being the cost of dental treatment ,,i strongly advise you all to have checkups etc before leaving ,,no freebies for the kids here!! i dont mind paying for a Dr as the service ive recievd is worth it.I was also surprised how cold i was in winter,,make sure that fleece top and jeans are at hand,lol.
Cal x

 

Hi mods nice to know you will be keeping an eye on here too - i promise to behave!!!!!

One message for Tim though - why blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Chelle i love blue ,,sorry mate pink is great but blue does it for me,lol
Cal x

 

Do we know you Chelle?? hehehehe
Great to have you here..I miss ya

xx

 

hi can you tell me how to put a pickie on the avatar as when i go onto edit its got a dot in the do not use avatar and when i try to reset it doesnt do anything,
thanks
annette

 

Hiya if you click on the avatar optons ,scroll down and you can see add custon avatar ,if you click that the dot saying no avatar should disappear ,i struggled finding a photo small enough ,hence still no pic,hope this works
Cal x

 

Thanks for that Tim, glad to know it wasnt just me - thought it should be simpler than it looked!!. Maybe now you can put that phot on Cal if the file size has changed.

 

Hehe ,,i did it ,,didnt think you guys would want to look at my ugly mug so opted for a pic of our pool instead!!lol
Cal x

 

And what a fab pool it is!!!! Ohhh I can dream
Great to see a pic of you too Anette
Jo x

 

mmmmwwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Hello! Isn't it great on here. As you can see I've manged to lose Ian from my title and now have one all to myself!

Lou
x

 

I ditched Gary too,lol!!! brits in brissy is mine,lol
Cal x

 

Thats so not fair!!!!!! TIMMMMMMM I wanna ditch Paul too...Help me