We lodged out 457 last week so am now awaiting its confirmation. We are hoping to move to Brisbane in mid October...
I have just finished work as a teacher and husband is a civil engineer- we have two children 5 and 3 so am interested in chatting to anyone with similar age little uns. We know nobody out there so am worried about the lack of support and people to share it all with.
We can sort out our first 6 weeks accomodation (company will pay) I am just a little unsure where will be best I am thinking apartment in Kangaroo point, so I dont need to rush into getting a car and we are close to OH work to enable maximum time together in order to decide where to base ourselves after that time. It will also allow me time to suss out the city- actually I thought I could laze at Southbank all day...

I havent decided yet whether to bring the cat- is it safe?? will she get eaten by some humungous spider??? She is older and lazier and mainly chills in our garden now..

I am enjoying all the sorting and packing but I am sure the next 10 weeks will fly- I am also interested to know people's experience on shipping times so I can ship as early as possible...

luckily I have to consume all the contents of my drinks cabinet so I'll be chilled for the foreseeable furture...

 

Hi heldownunder, welcome to BIB,

i hope you get everything sorted and it all goes smoothly, someone who lives in the area will be able to offer some guidence about suitable places to live, schools and things like that, hopefully once you arrive you will be able to meet up with some of the other expats who live in the area.

You will find that you can ship your cat over, but you will need to start getting it organised now, as a lot of pet shipping companies can be booked up well in advance, also the laws here are very different to the Uk regarding domestic pets. I am not 100% sure but I think In Queensland you have to keep the cat on your property, not allowed to stray. At the very least they are not allowed out at night, and I think they have to be registered and microchipped. This may sound harsh, but it protects your cat as much as it protects the wildlife. Most cat owners seem to find that the cats soon get used to just living on their own plot and settle down well. Dont worry about spiders and snakes, if your cat was unfortunate enough to get bitten, all the vets carry anti venom, I have been here 12 months and seen one poisonus spider, and not yet seen a snake, but then again i do not go looking for them. :biggrin:.

 

Hiya
For shipping i would allow 8 to 10 weeks door to door, the shippers normally quote sailing time and fail to mention your shipment will take an average 2 to 3 weeks to clear customs and be delivered to you.

There are lots of pet carriers out there, your pet shouldn't have a problem living in Brisbane, animals are pretty clever and can normally tell if something is dangerous or not. Pets here do have to be registered with the local council, so make sure you do this when your cat arrives.
You may however struggle renting an inner city apartment with a pet, so this is something to consider.

As for suburbs to live, where exactly will hubby be working? and do you plan on working to?

Hope this helps for now
Cal x

 

thanks for all the advice-
i would ensure tha cat is in kennels here before flying so she arrives as we move into a place out of the center.

looking on websites people talk about cats having to be kept on your property - is this true?? I can understand keeping them in at night but do neighbours really shoot them if cat in stubborn mood and refuses to come in???

I am beginning to think I need to put energy into finding her a home here ;-(((

 

I have not heard of neighbours shooting cats, But depending where you live there are restrictions, and cats may have to stay on your property, not allowed to roam the streets. You will need to check the state and local council regulations. A lot of cat owners cat proof their garden so the cat cannot get out.