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Moving back to the UK from Brisbane

15175 Views 11 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  jamesr32, 
S
Hi,

After 10 months of living in Brisbane, we've decided to move back to the UK, Tunbridge Wells in fact. The decision hasn't been easy and even now I'm thinking is it the best one.

Brisbane is a great place, but its far too hot in the summer months, and as a small city its pretty boring. The insects do your head in, in the end.
We have contemplated moving to Sydney or Melbourne, but then my wife has never been to either city and to pay a lot to move somewhere else then find out you dont like it would be another mistake.
It was the worry of not being able to find a good enough job if we want to move back to the UK in 3-4 years was getting me down. We can stay here to get our Aussie passports, but theres no point if my wife doesn't really want be here after 3-4 years and wouldnt buy a house here.
Is the obsession just to get the passport for the sake of tell people you've actaully made a success and got something out of it, after all the expense and time, effort getting the skilled visa worth it.

I do know though that UK isn't a bed of roses either, with the over population, immigrants, less sunny days that Brisbane, but at least theres English summers where its light until 9:30, here in Brisbane it gets dark at 7:00 in the summer.

Perhaps the best thing to do is to go back for now, live in Tunbridge Wells, and only holiday to Sydney/Melbourne and if we like it so much move back! Who knows.. Going back and forth is an expensive business though, but thats the only way you can compare...
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S
Hi

we are thinking of moving to Brisbane as its looks like the best place we, as a family, would enjoy. My wife is an A&E nurse so the prospects of her getting work is good....we hope.
We have 3 daughters, all different ages and think Brisbane would be ideal for us. The cost of houses looks good there in the areas to the north of the city? and Sydney is not that far away?!!
We are coming out to try before you buy and are taking a look at Brisbane, Sydney and maybe Perth?
Could you give us more insight into the pros and cons of Brisbane?
Thanks

Paul:cool:


surfbum99 said:
Hi,

After 10 months of living in Brisbane, we've decided to move back to the UK, Tunbridge Wells in fact. The decision hasn't been easy and even now I'm thinking is it the best one.

Brisbane is a great place, but its far too hot in the summer months, and as a small city its pretty boring. The insects do your head in, in the end.
We have contemplated moving to Sydney or Melbourne, but then my wife has never been to either city and to pay a lot to move somewhere else then find out you dont like it would be another mistake.
It was the worry of not being able to find a good enough job if we want to move back to the UK in 3-4 years was getting me down. We can stay here to get our Aussie passports, but theres no point if my wife doesn't really want be here after 3-4 years and wouldnt buy a house here.
Is the obsession just to get the passport for the sake of tell people you've actaully made a success and got something out of it, after all the expense and time, effort getting the skilled visa worth it.

I do know though that UK isn't a bed of roses either, with the over population, immigrants, less sunny days that Brisbane, but at least theres English summers where its light until 9:30, here in Brisbane it gets dark at 7:00 in the summer.

Perhaps the best thing to do is to go back for now, live in Tunbridge Wells, and only holiday to Sydney/Melbourne and if we like it so much move back! Who knows.. Going back and forth is an expensive business though, but thats the only way you can compare...
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jojo
surfbum99 said:
Hi,

After 10 months of living in Brisbane, we've decided to move back to the UK, Tunbridge Wells in fact. The decision hasn't been easy and even now I'm thinking is it the best one.

Brisbane is a great place, but its far too hot in the summer months, and as a small city its pretty boring. The insects do your head in, in the end.
We have contemplated moving to Sydney or Melbourne, but then my wife has never been to either city and to pay a lot to move somewhere else then find out you dont like it would be another mistake.
It was the worry of not being able to find a good enough job if we want to move back to the UK in 3-4 years was getting me down. We can stay here to get our Aussie passports, but theres no point if my wife doesn't really want be here after 3-4 years and wouldnt buy a house here.
Is the obsession just to get the passport for the sake of tell people you've actaully made a success and got something out of it, after all the expense and time, effort getting the skilled visa worth it.

I do know though that UK isn't a bed of roses either, with the over population, immigrants, less sunny days that Brisbane, but at least theres English summers where its light until 9:30, here in Brisbane it gets dark at 7:00 in the summer.

Perhaps the best thing to do is to go back for now, live in Tunbridge Wells, and only holiday to Sydney/Melbourne and if we like it so much move back! Who knows.. Going back and forth is an expensive business though, but thats the only way you can compare...
Click to expand...
You've gotta do what you've gotta do and I hope the move goes smoothly. Tunbridge Wells is as good a place as any to start with, you can always move on once you're established. I was born and lived near there, in a town called Crowborough.

Anyway, Good luck with it all

Jo xx
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B
Isn't it funny that someone who complains about immigration in their country, then goes to migrate somewhere else?
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kaz101
Hi Surfbum99,

Have you visited any other areas in Australia? I was just wondering whether you could arrange a holiday elsewhere in Oz just to get a feel of another place before moving back to the UK.

I hadn't even thought about it getting dark so early up there but you are closer to the equator than we are down here on the south coast.

I'm not sure it is worth spending the time here to get citizenship if you probably aren't going to stay here anyway unless it's for your kids. I know one member is doing that.

As others have said Australia is a big place the areas and people vary from place to place. We knew that Brissie would be too hot for us and haven't even been there on a visit yet, but we will do (just to see what all the fuss is about :)).

Hope your move back to the UK works out for you.

Regards,
Karen
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Dolly
Is there any way you can get a trip in to Melbourne and Sydney before you leave - just to check them out? Melbourne has the reputation of being the most cosmopolitan city in Australia plus we do get the 4 seasons here (which is why we picked coming here).

Surely it would cost even more money to move right back to the UK to then come back over for a visit to Sydney/Melbourne to then maybe decide you would like to live there, and then ship everything back out here again?

.....just a thought.

Dolly
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amaslam
Hi Surfbum:

I think you've established that Brisbane isn't for you, however I think Sydney is better suited to your taste, it's busier, and Summer here does last till 9:30 (because they do observe daylight savings here, not in QLD). It's not as humid/hot as Brisbane and you do need heaters in the Winter here.

I think the move back to the UK is premature unless you've tried living in either Sydney or Melbourne instead of Brisbane.

I've been to all three and Sydney is still the place I choose to live, yes it's expensive, but this is where I feel best.

Similarly I think you need to give another city a go before deciding that AU really isn't for you.

surfbum99 said:
Hi,

After 10 months of living in Brisbane, we've decided to move back to the UK, Tunbridge Wells in fact. The decision hasn't been easy and even now I'm thinking is it the best one.

Brisbane is a great place, but its far too hot in the summer months, and as a small city its pretty boring. The insects do your head in, in the end.
We have contemplated moving to Sydney or Melbourne, but then my wife has never been to either city and to pay a lot to move somewhere else then find out you dont like it would be another mistake.
It was the worry of not being able to find a good enough job if we want to move back to the UK in 3-4 years was getting me down. We can stay here to get our Aussie passports, but theres no point if my wife doesn't really want be here after 3-4 years and wouldnt buy a house here.
Is the obsession just to get the passport for the sake of tell people you've actaully made a success and got something out of it, after all the expense and time, effort getting the skilled visa worth it.

I do know though that UK isn't a bed of roses either, with the over population, immigrants, less sunny days that Brisbane, but at least theres English summers where its light until 9:30, here in Brisbane it gets dark at 7:00 in the summer.

Perhaps the best thing to do is to go back for now, live in Tunbridge Wells, and only holiday to Sydney/Melbourne and if we like it so much move back! Who knows.. Going back and forth is an expensive business though, but thats the only way you can compare...
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anj1976
everyone has already suggested checking other places, it would be cheaper thn going all the way back and then realising it was a mistake. dont close all doors, give another state/city a try. who knows, you might never want to go back..
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E
Surfbum,

I fully understand your feelings. I have lived in Brisbane for four years now, and it just isn't good value for money - not anymore, anyway. Admittedly, Melbourne and Sydney are a different matter altogether, but I'm still planning to move back to Europe.

To give an example of what I mean by bad price/quality ratio of Brisbane - I live in a rental, and for the whole period I've been here, I've spent the same percentage of my salary towards rent (I've moved a couple of times). Back in 2006, that sum was enough to rent a lovely old villa in a prestige suburb with a huge garden and a pool, while now a shabby two bedroom apartment on a very noisy street and with no view whatsoever will cost the same! Your average rental apartments in many major cities in Central Europe are about the same size, but half the price (and yes, I have checked the current price level as I'm planning to move there). Cost of everything else has also risen steeply in the last couple of years, making any official price comparisons made back in 2007 or before essentially useless.

To scopie and others that are considering moving to Brisbane - the weather is gorgeous, of course, but there is no real beach In Brisbane. You will need to drive to the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast to access the beach, and on Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings the highways between Brissy and the coastal resorts are packed. Groceries here are cheap if you buy them at the market, but you will usually need a car to visit the markets and bring back your loot. On the other hand, if you work in the city, you'll have to remember that parking downtown is as expensive as in Tokyo or New York (google for "Rising Brisbane parking costs rival Sydney" if you want to know more). The quality of public transportation is appalling, excluding the CityCat ferries that are efficient and convenient, but only travel between a very limited number of expensive riverside suburbs. Buses and trains are terribly slow and always late, if they show up at all. However, if your idea of a good time is to have a picnic in the park weekend after weekend after weekend, you're going to love Brisbane!
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S
hi again

Yer, I am feeling a bit S*&^ really after spending all the money to come here. Yes I've backpacked all around Australia 10 years ago, but my wife had never been.
We think Brisbane is nice, but not enough to buy a house here. It would be easier said than done to move to Sydney and/or Melbourne especially with a 5 year old and one on the way. Would cost a lot of money and to find a new job and a lot of energy, then what if you dont like it again?
I found the summer months far too hot, even my daughter say she wants to go back home and not to walk about as she is too hot.
The rental is amazingly high, for a rented family house. I've found the suburbs to be too lonely sometimes as they are so spread out, and yet a very small city centre, but thats Brisbane!
I'm just trying to justify to myself to stay here, to get the passport, but I think it might be better just to go back.
Its doing my nut in try to decide, well i've got the tickets home now anyway.
If we get back, I hope I can just get on again, without thinking, oh its the same old UK and nothing has changed etc.
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riversandlakes
> the 4 seasons here (which is why we picked coming here).

You mean the 4 seasons *in a day* hehe

@OP: Wish you happiness whereever you may be!
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J
Hi Surfbum,

I've just recently moved from the UK over here, from London where I lived for 4 years, before that I lived in Cheshire. I can remember when I first moved to London I hated it, even after one and a half years I still didn't like it, but then I started to enjoy what it had to offer as opposed to what it didn't have that Cheshire did. My point is the grass always seems greener.

I agree Brisbane is hot, too hot, we actually flew into Brisbane at the start of December and we slowly made our way down to Sydney where we are now living. We managed a few days in the city before we had to head off to the coast just to cool down.

But down here in Sydney it's just like being in UK, the weather changes daily, though it's still warm regardless of it being wet, windy or clear blue skies, I wouldn't trade it for a British summer, no way, and there is plenty to do here as well, from all the ocean water sports to sailing, wind surfing, kayaking etc on the harbour side, parks and walks, cycling etc etc it really has everything to keep a family occupied.

I agree with some of the other comments posted, you really should have a look at other places before deciding to go back home. It would be like an Ozzie turning up in Salford or Brixton and thinking the rest of UK was the same when, as you already know, there are some really beautiful places to live.

In the end it's your decision and only you and your family can make it, though it sounds like you have already made your mind up having bought your flights back.

I wish you all the luck in the future and hope that you don't regret your decision.

James
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