Prescriptions

Get enough medicine to cover until you can see a doctor in Australia.

Be aware that some destinations en route may have restrictions regarding bringing certain medications into the country so check this beforehand.

Collect hand-over files from doctor, dentist, optician, schools etc.

Arrange some private health cover for Australia if required/desired

Pay off any outstanding debts

Close any surplus bank accounts and destroy unwanted cards

Shred and dispose of any personal records you are not taking

Ensure all your relevant paperwork is in a travel file

CANCEL: Ask for refunds where applicable
Car insurance: Get a letter confirming No Claims Bonus
Car road tax
Standing Orders/Direct Debits: make sure they are cancelled with the bank as well as the company
All utilities (gas/electric/telephone/community charge) cancel in writing
Broadband
House insurance
Car Insurance
Sky TV
Newspapers
TV licence

Request references from credit card companies, banks & mortgage lender; request up-to-date statements
(financial statements useful when going for a rental)

Sort out family allowance

Buy currency for the trip

Ensure that your possessions are on their way

Check in with the shipping company to ensure that everything is going to plan

Organise transport to the airport

Take final gas/electric meter readings and send details to suppliers

Get PHOTOCOPIES of:
Birth certificates
Marriage certificate
Passport bio pages including visa page (handy for employers)
Mortgage statements
Driving Licence
Utility bills for the last 6 months (to show regular payments) – will help in rental search to show good payment
Savings accounts
Bank statements

Then scan onto a stick

Arrange for a NATIONWIDE credit card: no fees for international purchases (remember, you won’t be able to get an Australian credit card until you have a job)

Get an Australian bank account sorted

Get a school report file together

Sort out Ambulance cover before you go: (this will depend on which state you go to. Some states have a levy, some states have an annual fee. Here’s the link for the Ambulance Service in Victoria Membership Home - Metropolitan Ambulance Service

Make a note of useful UK telephone numbers, i.e. bank customer services etc (the International number)

Set up an independent email address (Hotmail or Gmail etc) and transfer your existing address book over before we move) – also save to stick. Remember that if you’re with, say, Pipex or Virgin you won’t be able to use that service in Oz therefore all your contacts and stored email will be lost.

Arrange a rental car for when you arrive (but NOT from the airport as the cost is extortionate). A taxi into Melbourne city is around $50 and pick rental up from a regional office. Check out Europcar,.they are normally the cheapest rental from the airport.

Info Pack for rental

• If you have a relative in Australia ask them to write a character reference
• Copy of bank statements/utility bills/mortgage statements
• Get a reference from UK estate agent stating how well our house has been maintained and what kind of people you are
• If you have a rented, ask the estate agent for a character reference stating that you paid rent regularly and on time every month
• When applying for a rental, write a covering letter explaining why you currently don’t have a job (i.e. just landed). Mention in it you’ve had a mortgage for ‘X’ years and you have PR/or you’ve rented for ‘X’ years etc
• Take passports with you
• Front up with cash for 3 months advance rental (we did, but it wasn’t needed). There are usually quite a few people going for the same property so offering to pay in advance may clinch it for you

PO Box or other Postal Address for the first 4 months (visit a Post Office to do this)

This is a bit of a catch 22 situation! You will need a long-ish term postal address in Australia to be able to setup your Bank Accounts, Medicare, Centrelink, Drivers License, etc. If you have a friend or relative, ask them if you can use their address. PO Boxes can be used for general mail and are available in most post offices but they are like gold dust. NOTE: You can’t set up bank accounts, Centrelink etc with a PO Box as your address.

Now, take a few deep breathes...... !!!

This is intended for guideline purposes only (and comes from my own personal experience).

GOOD LUCK!

Dolly