colton: New to the forum

[Guest colton]

Hi there, came across your site the other day when I was extremely depressed about how our immigration process was going. You know what it's like, once you decide it's time to go, you wanna go NOW!!! Must say you have helped alot, lots of questions were answered and even things that I hadn't thought of. Hubby is really glad I've found you.

Well a little info about us, we have applied for a skilled migration visa and are working with an agent. My hubby has been offered a sponsorship but we want to go on our own merit so that we are not tied down to one person or company or place. Bad thing about that is that it seems to be a lengthy and costly process.

Hope you don't mind but now that I've found you I will be posting often and I have lots of questions. Keep up the good work, it's so good to chat to people who have gone through everything already.

[Bob]

Yup . . . . well, the first question from this side of the computer screen is . . . . what sort of skill is hubby going for?

Have you ever been on holidays or business to Australia before, and have an idea of what part of this enormous place you'd like to try first?

and . . . lastly, how far down the emigrating track have you got so far?

We can then get an idea of what sort of questions you're likely to pose.

Bob

[Riekie]

Welcome to our little corner of the virtual world colton!! I'm glad you found the forum informative and helpful -that's the idea! Shout if you get stuck without answers - we'll do our best to help you out!

[Cindylou]

Hi Colton

Welcome to the forum - our little piece of the world wide web! We're also still in SA, just submitted our Skilled Family Sponsored (138) application, so we've also got a long wait ahead of us. Hang around and you'll get some great advice and loads of support, and hopefully you'll be able to return the favour!

C U around, Cindylou

[Barnone]

Hi Colton

Welcome ...also in SA also with an Agent also want to get in under our own merit without being tied to a particular company or State so we are applying under the Business Skills - Business Owner subclass 160 category ... only TR to start with but you can apply for PR after 2 years ...I believe people senior management eperience can also use this method. Yes it is expensive & lengthy but I believe worth it.

The Agent we eventually decided to pay alot of money to has been well worth it & they know all the little tricks (as our application was not straight forward)

Good luck & keep us informed & posted.

BARNONE

(bit of a pun on my favourite SA chocolate & the fact that I disagree with prejudice for any reason !)

[Guest colton]

Thanks for the warm welcome. Here is a little background about us:

We have been on holiday twice to Australia already, with a three year gap inbetween. First time it was to see if we wanted to immigrate or not, decided nope we preferred south africa so we stayed put. We are great nature lovers you see and so this was the place to be. Second time around I went to my brothers wedding, he married a wonderful ozzie girl, he had already been there five years, he was travelling the world but ended up staying in Australia, we can all see why. We have lots of family in Australia and my great grandmother was actually an Australian so you could say I'm going back home! Funny thing is my husband also has lots of family living there so for us it is more like a home coming and seeing as both sets of families often come to South Africa on holiday they aren't strangers.

Every time we chatted the family would pressure us into making the big move but it never seemed right. Hubby doesn't like change too much, his attitude "If it's working for us, why change it?" Long story cut short, hubby resigned his job of 27 years with the same company and was offered contract work all over. (He is an Engineering Tech. Electrical) Scotland was too cold, Pakistan, well it's Pakistan, England we don't like, even though his parents and three of his sisters have gone back there, then he suggested Australia. Everything just fell into place, time was right and the whole family felt good about the move, we have the attitude that opportunities come around you just need to be ready to accept them, well we are now ready

Previously when we first looked we travelled all the way from Sydney to Cairns with a stop over to visit family in Perth. The place we liked the most was Newcastle, it just seemed liked home to us. My brother lived near Darwin so we had a look see there as well, since then he has moved to Maclay Island near Brisbane. Brisbane is wonderful too and reminded me alot of Durban so we fitted in quite well. Brisbane is somewhere we could live happily and Ergon in Victoria have actually offered my hubby a job there if we get the visa.

My only concern is we are all a surfing family and the surf is no good in Brissie, are there any spots we missed perhaps? We took our boards with us when we went but my family surf every day and I don't want to live miles from the surf. Sorry that sounds so shallow and fussy but I want my family to be happy not whinge about things they have left behind, this is a new adventure FORWARD no time to look back because you may miss what's up ahead! My kids, 17years, 19years and 22 years are surfers so that's life. We love Tweeds by the way but haven't had much success as far as jobs go there, still looking though.

As far as our application goes we are in the early stages, I think , although our agent has told us all will be through by the end of the year. Hubby's T.R.A has already been accepted and he goes for the IELTS on the 24 June. Would like all to be through by end of year as hubby and the boys will be leaving 6 months ahead of us so my daughter can finish matric. Both boys want to start a trade asap.

Sorry message was sooooooooooooo long, I did warn you though!!!

[Cindylou]

Hey Colton

Just a quick one - my great grandfather also came to SA from Aus! He was a newspaper reporter who came to cover the Goldrush stories and settled in SA. His only son (my grandfather) had three sons, and now my brother (and his family) have taken the name back to Aus!

Good luck with your "surf search"

C'Lou

[chatterbug]

Hi Colton,

Yip we live in Brisbane and the surf is not too flash because of the islands "protecting" the bay. There are beautiful beaches and excellent surf on North Stradbroke Island, so living close to the bayside in the Redlands area will allow you to visit regularly. As your family on Maclay island would be able to confirm, you'd have to get there on a ferry with your vehicle (about $95 return) or with a water taxi and then a short hop with the bus. It all works out quite expensive if you want to do it regularly tough!

Then there is the Surfer's Paradise/Gold Coast option (sixth largest city in Australia). I have many friends who live in the Northern section of the Gold coast who commute to Brisbane by car or train (60-75mins) one way. The point is that you have access to the job markets of the 3rd and 6th largest cities of Australia and you are close to the surf.

Also look at the Sunshine Coast, if you can secure a job here, it is really a great place to live, but I think not really an option for a daily commute to Brisbane. We are moving to the Mango Hill area fairly soon which is 28kms North of the city and only 66kms from the city of Caloundra (southern part of the Sunshine coast - where the surf begins!). We also like the surf and good beaches, so we have gone for the middle ground, close enough for commuting during the week and not too far from Sunshine coast on weekends for access to a good beach.

Hope this helps!

Beach BUG

[Guest colton]

Thanks for the input, Redlands was one of the places I had my eye on, just didn't know what the surf is like. My brother and a mate row their boat out from Maclay to North Stradbroke whenever they want to surf so not too hectic for him. Along the Sunshine Coast I was a bit weary about the stingers in the stinger season, isn't this a problem up there? I know it sounds crazy but we don't want to settle in an area where we are away from the surf, here back home we surf EVERYDAY and unless you know the feeling you can't imagine living without it, my family and I would be absoloutely miserable especially since we have such good surf here and it takes 2 mins in the car to get to the beach or a 20 min walk. At least the Ozzies get the surf thing and everyone we met while touring surfed, it was so awesome. Not many women my age surf here but in australia it is normal and young and old surf, just what we need!!!

What about settling on Maclay Island, housing looks relatively cheap out there and more relaxed. I know the ferry everyday can be a problem but is it worth all the schlep in the end? My brother lives on a yacht, has for the last 6 years, but has just got a house on Maclay for him and his family, kids needed somewhere to ride bikes, etc. He loves the island but has a long day with all the travelling to work and back, he works in Brissie, he is pushing for us to come there as well but I don't want hubby to have to travel too far to work.

Any thoughts

Always good to get an outsiders opinion, I would love to live close to family but sometimes I think they are trying to sway me to their way and not be really objective. At least they want us close I suppose

[chatterbug]

Hi Colton,

Happy to try and help - its best to get another opinion, yip and family can be biased, cause they love us, its their "job description".

The Redlands per se has no surf, but open bay area, protected water which is excellent for boating and makes for good sailing, but believe me there is no surf. It does have access to the beaches at N Stradbroke via the ferry terminal at Cleveland (and some other points south of this) (but the ferry trip alone takes 45min to an hour and then you still need to get to the surf beaches about 24kms from there! So although a great outing every now and then, I don't think it would cut the mustard with your needs in mind!)

I don't know about the "rowing out from Macleay to North Stradbroke to surf". Sounds a bit unrealistic to me. North Stradbroke is a huge island and has three distinct towns, nl Dunwich, Amity point and Point Lookout. Around Point Lookout is where the best surf is.

I would personally not settle on those islands because of the travel difficulties. Except for if you are able to work on the island or close-by in the Redlands, the traveling to Brisbane everyday would be prohibitive in my books! Also the schools are not that flash. In a recent comparison of schools in SE Queensland those schools came out the lowest in a number of categories.

Anyway I would consider the Sunshine Coast. It starts at the city of Caloundra in the south, roughly 100 kms North of Brisbane and goes up to Noosa to the North. There are many excellent beaches and because it is not so crowded you'd be able to get to any beach in tick! And no there are no stingers here - those occur mostly in the wet tropics, much, much more north than here!

You could check out the Sunshine Coast (and its many lovely beaches) on the web so that you can get a feel for the place. "Larry" (on this forum) lives in Caloundra City and I'm sure he'll be able to share much more detail. Also "Queensland Girl" lives on the Gold coast and can share her thoughts on what its like down there.

I have added some Google earth aerial photo's for your reference. In addition check out this site http://www.about-australia.com/ for more background/touristy detail (click on QLD and then zoom into Sunshine coast etc.)

I hope some of this helps with an additional perspective!

Redlands to Noosa: (Notice Macleay island on the inside (not surfside) of N Stradbroke island)

The Sunshine Coast: A lot of surf and no stingers!

North Stradbroke Island: (Notice the 3 towns and the road distance form Dunwich to Point Lookout is approx 24kms!)

Beach BUG!

[Guest Larry]

Greetings! I have been scarce the past couple of days.... Went to Brisbane to attend a workshop on "Sustainable Transport Planning".

Chatterbug, you might want to rethink your idea of moving to the Mango Hill area. - Coming down from Caloundra yesterday morning and this morning, the traffic was fine..... Until the Anzac Ave turnoff to Kallangur and Mango Hill! After that, going was very slow! - Maybe I am getting to be a bit spoiled by living in Caloundra, but I am sure that the Brisbane traffic is worse than the Melbourne traffic.

I'll take a look at some of the pics that I have taken up and down the coast from Noosa to Tweed Heads and post them here. Watch this space:-

Noosa on the Sunshine Coast:-

Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast:-

Dicky Beach at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast:-

Kings Beach at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast:-

Kings Beach looks across the Pumistone Passage towards Bribie Island. It is fairly well protected and not a good surf beach. Those are the Glass House Mountains in the background.

Looking north from Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast towards Surfers Paradise:-

Looking south from Burleigh Heads. - That is Coolangatta in the far distance at the left of the photo:-

Coolangatta Beach at the south end of the Gold Coast (and of Queensland):-

A beach at Tweed Heads in northern New South Wales... Right at the mouth of the Tweed River :-

Edited May 25, 2006 by Larry

[chatterbug]

Welcome back Larry after your dose of the big smoke! Thanks for all those really cool pics......I think I'll have to visit one this weekend.

Too late she cried....re the move to Mango Hill, we have already started building there! and yes I think the traffic could be worse than my normal trek on the Old Cleveland road, but others who live on the Northside assure me that its not always like that! I choose to believe them....hehe!

Apparently if you live on the Northside there are many options and backroads to get to the city (N of the river) (it would take some time admittedly to get to know them), whereas if you are on the southside all have to converge at certain points/bridges (riverside-Catain Cook bridge, Story bridge,the Gateway, etc) which causes congestion.

This is the theory, I'll let you know the verdict when I start the North/South schlepp! Apparently the commute from the Western suburbs is the worst, sun in your eyes in the morning and in the evening going home, and huge congestion! I'll stay away there.

I think the Anzac turn-off is not going to get better if they don't come up with other alternatives though, what with all the housing developments at Northlakes and Halpine Lakes and the rest of Mango Hill. Lets hope the planners are clued up!

Where do you live in Caloundra? What is the housing market doing in your area, any bargains to be had??

Cheerio

Traffic BUG

[Guest Larry]

I live at the south end of Golden Beach, just north of Pelican Waters. I am renting at the moment.... Having a lot of difficulty getting my funds out of Victoria. (Personal problems)

As for bargains on the Sunshine Coast.... A South African colleague of mine, who has been on the Sunshine Coast quite a bit longer than I have, assures me that there is an over-supply of residential land up here. He assures me that there are plenty of bargains to be found. It looks as if you can save quite a bit of money by buying a block and then building.

However, having said that, Golden Beach seems to be rather underpriced and might be a good place to look. But for how long??? Pelican Waters, on the other hand, is rather pricey.

Edited May 25, 2006 by Larry

[chatterbug]

Hi Larry,

Thanks for that, know the area.....We think its an ideal area for our parents in law to "retire" to...now we just need to get them here! I like the calm waters (for fishing,sailing,swimming), with Bribie just off shore and the option of some surf not to far off.

Mmm...wish I had some xtra money lying around to snap something up!

Well I'm sure colton would have a better idea now!

Lekkerbly

C'BUG

[Guest colton]

Thanks for all that info and the cool pics. Got the kids all excited as Burleigh Heads is well known for the surf contests they host. The kids are raring to go!! Funny my younger brother lived in Coolangatta for a year and that is where he wants us to settle as he is hoping to come over some time later. Just need to sort out the work situation for hubby, I want to be able to go for a surf anytime without too much hassle getting to the beach. I am all excited now and need to do a job search for those areas, thanks a million!!! You are a mate for life....

[chatterbug]

No Worries Colton,

The Gold coast is gr8t! I'm sure you guys will love it! Good luck with the job search! What line of work is hubby in? and what will he be looking for over here?

And for interest sake, where you you guys currently live in Durbs?

Cheers

Beach BUG