Hi
My name is Donna, i'm 30 years old and moving with my other half to Brisbane in October. I'm a stay at home Mum with a 7 month old baby girl and would love to make a few friends before I get there - other stay at home Mums looking for someone to hang out with and show me the ropes - hit the lagoon (and the shops and coffee bars) with the babies/toddlers. Or if anyone can offer me advice on baby groups or places I could make new friends that would be fab.

I hope to hear from someone soon,
Donna

 

Hi Donna welcome to BIB. You will find lots of baby and toddler groups over here, i was surprised how many are out there , and some are even free of charge.
Where in Brisbane are you moving to ? I will see if i can find some gropus for you.

Cal x

 

Hi Cal,

Thanks for your message, that's good to know as I really don't want to be lonely and would like for my daughter to mix with other children. We will be moving to the city (or very close to it) - if you could recommend anything I would be grateful. Would you happen to know if the Aussie's are friendly with the Brits or do the Brits generally "stick together"?

Thanks for all your help.
Donna

 

Hi Tinkerbell

Welcome to BIB,

As Cal says, it will depend where you live regarding mother and baby groups and i can't offer any help on that front (to old to be stay at home mum, also wrong sex). But Brisbane is a very big place and it will depend if you live, north, south, east or west suburbs.

As for the Australians I have found them to be very friendly on the whole, they are not the type of people who will come and greet you as you move into your house, but if you introduce yourselves then they will respond. I have lived on the coast and currently I live 5 hour drive inland from Brisbane and again I have found the Australians to be friendly. One thing I do say to new migrants is that you have to remember that you have spent al your life in the UK making friends at school and work who grow into lifetime friendships, it will take sometime to replace that kind of friendship. However you do have two advantages...

English accent, a lot will ask where you are from and tell you they have relatives in the UK, a good conversation starter.

A Young child, always a good conversation starter in any country.

I wish you well with your adventure and once you arrive and settle in, post on here asking if anyone in your area wants to meet up for coffee or drinks, I am sure you will find other ex-pats who will be only to happy to meet up, after all what’s more British than a couple of ex-pats meeting up over a drink and having a good old British chinwag.

If you look at some of the other posts you will find members talking about meeting up, try sending these members messages and you can chat about your move and hopefully get some moral support for your move.
:laugh:

 

I agree with Colin, the majoirty of Aussies i have met are great, very welcoming and friendly and also seem to understand you have no support network and are happy to help out if needed. (i have more child free time here with no family than when in the UK,lol)
Some areas/suburbs do have a higher English population but i guess its personal preference and i enjoy having a mix of friends, aussies,kiwi and english.

Cal x

 

Hey Tinkerbell
Hope you arived safely, were currently in Spring Hill CBD. Its nice bit hard to make mates in the city, most families seem to live out in the Suburbs. I have 2 boy Nath 4 next month n Chris is nearly 13.
I was lucky i meet a really nice girl at work who has a 3 yr old, she helped me find loads of places.
Good places i've found where mums hang out, Police youth citizens club at Suncorp stadium they have baby gymnastics every morning think it starts at 09.30 for under 2's, the city libary and the state libary at South bank cultural center do nursery rhyms every thurs at 10 am. New farm also has a libary and playgroup and a fab big park. Not sure of the times thought not been to them yet. I'm working full time just now till my perm visa comes in. So Nathan goes to day care 3 days a week, which he loves!
Oh there also a soft play area in New Market 'Tigres' nice for a coffee and a wee play!
Look out for the Kids in Brisbane magazine, it free you find it in place like Tigres fab for finding out waht going on.
Hope yous settle in, we arrived last October, its been a quick yr!
Let me know if u need any other info! x