Hello! I've read quite a few of the messages and everybody seems very friendly and helpful, which is very encouraging!

My husband is an ITU nurse and we are hoping to come out for a year on a 457 Visa - with any luck during November. We don't plan to become PR - we're just hoping to use the chance to enrich our life experiences before Nic retires - he's 60 and I'm 57. We're just hoping that a hospital somewhere will consider him not too old!

With any luck, I'll be a lady of leisure! Actually, am I right in thinking that I can work too, if I want to?

I'm not sure why we're picked Sydney - the obvious place I suppose when it's just a short(ish) stay. What would be really helpful would be if anybody could tell us the areas to steer clear of! When I look on estate agents sites, I have no idea of which areas are good and which are not so good! And another, probably dumb question, never having been to Oz, is it possible to live in a countryside area around Sydney?

I'll leave it there before I bore evrybody to death - you're advice would be much appreciated - and then I'll probably have loads more questions!

Bye for now

Carol

ps we're coming from Epsom, Surrey where I have a small B&B