Would you move to Australia if given the chance?
Posted by starwars011@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 280 comments
I’m not really in a position to be able to do this, but have been fantasising about it recently and really wish I had a career path on the skilled occupational list.
Has anyone here considered the move, thinking about it now, or made the move yourselves?
Legends414@reddit
Well it seems like people wouldn't want to move due to having friends, relationships, family back in the UK or a job they like. Good thing that apart from my parents I don't have many of the others anymore, hence why I'm considering a moving too
Callum1999999@reddit
Have you moved? I’m looking to move at the end of the year
Legends414@reddit
Oh hey!
I did indeed move, and I've been here for a year and a half now.
Easily, the best decision I've ever made in my life :)
Callum1999999@reddit
That’s great. Are you there on a Working Holiday Visa?
Legends414@reddit
I am indeed. I have 1.5 years left on the WHV before I need to have found a more permanent long term visa to allow me to stay here :)
Callum1999999@reddit
Would you say this is accurate? I’m looking to find a job before I go out there with £5k.
Legends414@reddit
A couple of things are priced a little too high I'd say, most of that is pretty accurate though. E.g. Travel and SIM: I pay $53 pm (£25), and travel costs is dependant on the city you are in. E.g. in Melbourne, public transport can cost up to around £6 a day, whilst in Brisbane, travel costs 0.25p per trip
Rent estimation seems a little little high, but again, area dependant
It would be easier to go over some stuff on a different platform haha
Feel free to DM me your Instagram handle. Or Facebook if you'd prefer!
Can also point you to some use FB groups ideal for all these sort of questions, and if you're going to Melbourne, I can get you into the backpackers Watsapp group chat full of people willing to help :)
Callum1999999@reddit
Sure. I’ve just sent you a DM😁
Callum1999999@reddit
Callum1999999@reddit
MuffinFeatures@reddit
I did it. Best thing I ever did.
Unless you’re living in the bush or are really reckless you’re unlikely to ever be bothered by a snake or spider. It’s hot in summer but autumn, spring and winter are lovely and there are plenty of places that have more temperate summers. It’s also a really easy culture to fit into with zero culture shock (for me at least).
I don’t personally see any downsides to travelling and living in other countries. You can always come home again.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
Did you decide to stay in the end, or did you return to the U.K.? The WHV looks like an option but not much chance to stay permanently.
MuffinFeatures@reddit
I stayed for many years and got my aussie citizenship which was my ultimate goal - so sweet to have that Australian passport! Im back home for now (aging parents etc etc) but would go back in future for sure. The great thing about having citizenship is that it also gives me automatic permanent residency in NZ, too.
I started on a WHV btw but my employer sponsored me and from there I got my permanent residency and eventually my citizenship.
FuzzyFig8732@reddit
Hi, not sure whether you will see this after 1yr, but trying anyway. Does a sponsoring employer mean you directly start with PR, or is it a temp visa that eventually can become PR?
imminentmailing463@reddit
No. Much too far away from all my loved ones. Much, much too hot. And I'm scared of spiders. It's also not a country that particularly interests me culturally. Also what I've heard and seen of the cities doesn't particularly draw me to them, particularly the suburban, car based sprawl aspect.
RG0195@reddit
It's not that much hotter than the UK if you live in the south of Australia - which is where most of the most populous cities are.
Outrageous-Middle778@reddit
What are you smoking?
RG0195@reddit
Factually there's not a wild difference in temperature between Melbourne (most sourthern city) and London. Melbourne's lowest average temp is 9.6C, London is 5.8C. Melbournes highest is 20.6C and London's 19C. It's not a wild difference at all. Although like anywhere the closer you get to the equator it's hotter so if you were to move to Darwin the difference is astronomical!
Hopeful_Conflict_813@reddit
It's 40 enough for it to be much hotter
WattleGully@reddit
I lived in Melbourne until last year. It hits 40+ on the regular.
Impossible_Client365@reddit
No it doesn’t. It hasn’t in at least 12 months bc we didn’t get a single 40+ day all summer
WattleGully@reddit
Not last year. But every year since 2013 it has.
Impossible_Client365@reddit
As far as I can remember, it hasn’t hit 40 for the last 2 or 3 summers. Even before that, it only happened once or twice per summer for the preceding couple of years. To say it hits 40 “on the regular” is a pretty big exaggeration
WattleGully@reddit
You seem to confuse regular with frequent.
pdoll48@reddit
Melbourne is the equivalent latitude to Athens. Do you see London and Athens having the same climate?
Loud_Fisherman_5878@reddit
Lattitude doesn’t mean much- I live at a similar lattitude to Moscow and it never gets to -30c here like it does there.
pdoll48@reddit
Fair point, but there's a reason for the Greek diaspora to Melbourne and the prevalence of grape vines in Melbourne suburbia.
Loud_Fisherman_5878@reddit
I don’t think it’s the weather though. Melbourne is quite a bit cooler and rainier than Athens- it isn’t known for its good weather!
bakeyyy18@reddit
From other online data it's an average of about 4C different over the year, but Melbourne also gets 40% more sunlight, so you're going to feel warm a lot more of the time.
And that's the city known for being 'cold' and unpredictable by Australian standards - Sydney or Adelaide are more like being in the Mediterranean.
BeanBarrier@reddit
I’ve lived in southern Australia for 12 years and it’s way fucking hotter than the UK, where I lived for 17 years
imminentmailing463@reddit
UK summers are already hotter than I like, so hotter then that again would definitely be too much. Plus, I'm extremely fair skinned, the strength of the sun would be a real issue for me
highlandviper@reddit
All of this… and I’ll add I don’t want to be in a country where literally everything wants to kill you. I read a thing about kangaroos. They’ll go and sit in water and wait for you if they don’t like you and then pull you in and hold you under… then there was video of the guy parachuting and a kangaroo just casually came out of nowhere, hopping along, made a beeline for him and started punching him in mid air. What the fuck sort of animal comes at a person like that. Fucking kangaroos. Nope.
-----1@reddit
The dangerous animal thing is vastly exaggerated, yes there are more things that could injure/kill you but it's not like they're fighting off Koalas/Spiders daily on their commute.
If you move to a city/town it's no less dangerous than the US or Canada animal wise.
highlandviper@reddit
Yeah. Alright… I might remind you… “A dingo took my baby!”
Ill_Mood_8514@reddit
Yeah, in the outback! Hardly the city.
Loud_Fisherman_5878@reddit
Babies have been attacked by foxes in London. The dingo/ baby story was very sad but the baby was in a tent in the middle of nowhere. It doesn’t happen often!
Ill_Mood_8514@reddit
Yeah I know, I'm an Aussie (now living in the UK) and I remember the Lindy Chamberlain story from when I was a child. That was the only instance I have ever heard of a dingo taking a baby.
highlandviper@reddit
Alright, Mr Aussie-pants. If it’s so safe over in Australia… I dare you to have a baby, go back over there and put it in front of a kangaroo or a dingo. Let’s see what happens.
Ill_Mood_8514@reddit
I go home quite frequently. There are no kangaroos or dingos in the cities so the likelihood of just coming across a dingo or kangaroo day to day is slim to none unless in the outback or country. I have however have been around dingos and kangaroos when in the appropriate areas and have not had any issue. I'm far more afraid of the yobs and knife carrying hoodie thugs here than a dingo or kangaroo.
highlandviper@reddit
You say that… but who do you think is under that hoodie. That’s right… it’s fucking roo.
CosmicBonobo@reddit
That Dingo Ate Your Baby!
quite_pyro@reddit
Crazy how a baby getting eaten by a wild animal is so culturally acceptable to make jokes about.
She was completely vindicated when they found the baby's clothes in a dingo lair a few years later.
You see it in tons of media from Family Guy, The Simpsons, even Frasier.
symbicortrunner@reddit
I now live in a small town in rural Ontario. We do rarely have bear sightings, but other than that there's not really anything that poses a threat to humans (other than Canada geese, those buggers are evil).
psycho-mouse@reddit
Add on top the astronomical cost of living, housing costs, and cost of domestic travel.
People moan about all of this in the UK but Aus is on another planet.
pufballcat@reddit
Houses are significantly cheaper to buy out there, being a similar dollar price to our sterling price. Wages tend to be a lot higher: for example, I know of an interior decorator who charges $700 a day.
psycho-mouse@reddit
The average Australian house price is pushing $900k or just under half a million quid.
In NSW that average is over $1.1 MILLION…. AVERAGE!!!
pufballcat@reddit
These Brisbane houses aren't
psycho-mouse@reddit
They’re still incredibly fucking expensive haha.
apeliott@reddit
I went out there for a few days to visit a mate. Loved it so much that I quit my job as soon as I got home, packed a suitcase, and got a one-way ticket back to Australia.
Stayed there for a year then moved to Japan. I'd consider going back.
Vivimir@reddit
Man i’d kill to have that lifestyle
apeliott@reddit
It was an interesting time but probably not as glamorous as it sounds. I did it on the cheap and took a lot of risks.
wrongabouteveryting@reddit
Good for you! Life is about experiencing it.
eatwindmills@reddit
Took a bit of a turn there... what happened?
apeliott@reddit
I had picked up a working holiday visa for Australia about 11 months earlier but then gave up on the idea and forgot about it. The visa gave me one year to get to Australia and activate it then I'd have a year from then to stay in Australia.
When I visited my mate I thought that had activated it. It hadn't, because when I entered they asked the purpose of my visit and I said I was visiting a mate for a few days.
When I went there the second time they said the visa had expired a couple of hours ago and I could only stay as a tourist for three months and not work.
To get a new visa I had to leave the country and the nearest country was New Zealand. So I flew over there, applied for a new visa, then had to wait for three weeks for the new working holiday visa to be approved.
While I was there I met a Japanese girl. We got on well and when I got the visa she came to Australia with me for three months before going back to New Zealand to finish off the working holiday visa she had there. We kept in tough regularly.
At the end of the year, my boss in Australia offered to sponsor me to stay and eventually get citizenship. The Japanese girl said she wanted me to go to Japan. I wanted to be with her, so I quit my job, packed a suitcase, and got a one-way ticket to Japan.
After I arrived I ended up meeting a karate master who offered to sponsor me and teach me karate so I stayed, learned karate, married the girl, bought a place in Tokyo, and started a family.
Been here for the best part of 20 years now. I'd like to visit Australia again but all our trips now are back to the UK to visit family.
Legends414@reddit
This is gonna sound like a weird question, but when you were in Australia and she went back to New Zealand, were you guys "together" at that point? Or just friends and just regularly kept in touch for 3 months? Asking for myself haha
apeliott@reddit
We were already "together" before we left New Zealand.
We basically lived together for three months in Australia.
After she went back to New Zealand it was kinda ambiguous. Neither of us expected it to work out in the end. We kept in touch because we still liked each other.
SpudFire@reddit
What are the chances of going to Japan and meeting Mr Miyagi?
apeliott@reddit
Pretty slim I guess lol
I was in a bar with my wife and one of her friends. Her friend asked me what sports I was into and I said I did some karate back in the UK. Her mate says her father has been doing karate for years and he would love to meet me.
A couple of days later we go to his house to meet him. After that, I start training at his dojo. A couple of weeks later he offers to sponsor me for a culture visa and I agreed.
Turns out he had been doing karate since he was 16 with his best mate. His best mate's father had started a karate organization and had some government ministers on the board. They were pretty well connected. We had guys from the American embassy in one of the dojos, civil servants, people like that.
eatwindmills@reddit
That's wild, congrats man and awesome story.
apeliott@reddit
Cheers. It was a crazy ride. Life is far more settled now.
lifeissinful@reddit
As somebody who is incredibly pale and has an extreme fear of spiders.. my answer is 100% no.
Peace-and-Pistons@reddit
Speaking from the point of view of someone from the UK, no Australia is just a hotter more expensive version of the UK
19Pip87@reddit
Currently seriously considering it.
Only issue is I’m a teacher who did schools direct training which isn’t accepted in Australia. Currently working out if there’s other career options!
yolo_snail@reddit
Spiders, snakes and the temperature makes it an instant no
Dad_D_Default@reddit
Reading this in Australia, wearing my winter woolies and keeping warm by the fire.
10C is cold here because the houses and clothes are mostly designed to shed heat. Likewise, 30C is hot in the UK because of the reverse.
Spiders are around, but most houses are sprayed so they're not an everyday occurrence. Snakes are about as common as hedgehogs [are in the UK]: rare enough that people tend to post pictures on Facebook if they have an encounter. Like hedgehogs, they tend to be trying to get away from you.
bakeyyy18@reddit
Sort of, but insulation works both ways - UK houses aren't great in winter either, although we probably have bigger radiators
Dad_D_Default@reddit
One of the fundamental differences is that UK houses tend to have sustained heating. So radiator systems are turned on in Autumn and then the thermostat is used to control the amount of heating. Similar with storage heaters. Insulation is used to retain as much heat as possible to save on energy costs.
Australia covers a lot of climatic zones but about half the population live in a coastal band between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane that has similar weather. There, heating is usually used on-demand when you feel cold. So when you get home from work and it's 10°C but you're only going to be awake for another 3 hours and it's not worth turning in the heating, then you feel the cold.
Clothing is an underappreciated factor too. I've bought Hugh quality clothes from Australian stores designed for cold weather that are no better than something from Primark. Similarly, British t-shirts and shorts tend to have a dense weave and less air circulation than clothes here in Queensland. My archive to travellers is to take the essentials and plan to buy clothes at the destination because there really is a difference.
HighlandsBen@reddit
UK style central heating is practically unheard of in Australia, so yeah. Some houses have ducted AC that can be set to heat. Otherwise it's wood or gas fireplaces or portable heaters.
Agreeable_Guard_7229@reddit
I’ve spent months at a time working in Australia (Melbourne and Perth) and never once encountered a spider or a snake. Temperature is also very reasonable
yolo_snail@reddit
When you say the temperature is reasonable, I'd consider anything above 20c 'too warm' and above 25c 'intolerable'.
East_Ocelot2825@reddit
How pathetic
yolo_snail@reddit
I know, I'm proper pathetic aren't I.
Might as well go and pop myself in the bin.
Agreeable_Guard_7229@reddit
Ok point taken. How do you cope in the U.K. in the summer?
yolo_snail@reddit
Here's the fun bit, I don't!
If it's going to be a particularly intolerable day, I'll usually go out shopping and spend the hottest hours in a shopping centre with AC. Or, I'll just sit and suffer in Spoons, where at least I have unlimited coffee
andyone1000@reddit
Have you considered losing a few pounds? I hated U.K. summer temperatures, lost 5 stone and voila! No problems with the temperature!
yolo_snail@reddit
I considered it, then I considered my love for cake and pizza and decided temperature tolerance was a worthy trade off
tantrumizer@reddit
You'd have to go to Tasmania. Probably fewer snakes and spiders there too.
Typical_Nebula3227@reddit
I’ve seen no snakes, had a couple of big spiders in my house, and it is definitely too hot in summer even in Melbourne.
Typical_Nebula3227@reddit
I did move to Melbourne from the UK. It has a mix of positive and negatives.
Legends414@reddit
Yes , I'd be interested if you elaborated too
Typical_Nebula3227@reddit
I get paid way more money. I like the colourful birds and the biscuits. Buying a house is hard because they’re insanely expensive here. The houses here are really spread out which makes it difficult to get places without a car. I miss British food. Other places are very far away so every trip is a long haul flight. Even visiting another Australian city is so far that you have to fly. Healthcare isn’t free. You pay about $85 for a doctors appointment and Medicare give you about half of that back afterwards. But getting a doctors appointment or a referral to a specialist is much easier. You don’t get to see family in the UK very often.
RabbitRabbit77@reddit
Can you elaborate about the biscuits. Do they have better biscuits than we do? (I might consider moving if so)
Typical_Nebula3227@reddit
They do have better biscuits. Timtams are so good. They have a company called Arnotts that was started by a Scottish guy who made biscuits and cakes like British ones but better.
Rabei25@reddit
Can you please say more ?
Typical_Nebula3227@reddit
You can see my other replies to people who commented on my post, but I will add that I’ve never seen a snake. I have had one large spider in my house and two outside in my letter box at the end of the drive. People generally like the big ones because they eat the little poisonous ones. But I haven’t seen any little poisonous spiders. Kangaroos, Koalas, Wombats, and Penguins are all super cute and fun to see.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
Was it difficult to move out there? Would appreciate some advice on the process!
Typical_Nebula3227@reddit
I have a masters degree and PhD. Then I got a job at a University in Melbourne where my employer sponsored my visa and paid for my moving costs. I guess getting the visa is the hard part then the actual moving is easy. I got a shipping container for my stuff that took three months to arrive. I lived in an Airbnb for the first two weeks and found a house to rent super quickly. Flying is hard to sit in that tiny chair for basically 24 hours and upgrading to business is really hard if you’re not rich because the price is insane for that distance with airlines like emirates.
remarkable_poetry191@reddit
No. The extreme heat doesn’t appeal to me, too car-centred, too big and spacious, cities and towns are not historic or characterful enough, too far away from Europe and the rest of the world, etc.
ApprehensiveAlgae105@reddit
I’m Australian and like it, could never live in the UK. I don’t understand how people can be happy with constant rain, overcast weather, and very bland food (with the exception of curries, it’s all beans on toast then amazing curries!). The salaries there are lower than australia too, and prices of things much more expensive. This is just my opinion though as there are benefits to the UK, like it’s very easy to get around just about everywhere, people can be friendlier than in some cities in australia, there’s more efficiency in public transport, it’s closer to Europe, etc.
Many people are saying australia is too hot and dry. It’s a huge country with a lot of different climate zones. Canberra, Tasmania, similar to the UK and never get that hot (maybe 1-2 weeks a year, then back to the rain). These places are so isolated though, you’ll be driving for hours to do anything interesting. It also defeats the point if you’re already in the UK and don’t mind the weather. I hear adelaide is a happy medium but I’ve never been there so can’t comment.
Sydney and Brisbane are extremely humid, so is along the coast where most people live. Spiders and snakes aren’t really a concern unless you’re walking through the bush in summer poking things you shouldn’t be poking. In winter the snakes hibernate. You’ll come across spiders in the yard or in your house but most of the time you can just leave them alone or catch them inside and put them outside (they can be good for the garden). Most people have spider identification charts somewhere visible in their house if they live somewhere more rural where these are common.
I wouldn’t consider Australia as a place to live unless you’re looking at moving to the coast, near the beach, and so on. England is very close to Europe and it’s incredibly easy to get around which provides a lot of things to do. It’s a great place to live if you can tolerate the weather (I couldn’t).
Leaving family behind is difficult too and I wouldn’t recommend it unless everyone is in good health. Also, our immigration system is very difficult to navigate. Even if you’re on the skilled migration list. There’s also the risk that employers will take advantage of you if you’re a visa holder depending on sponsorship. If you do choose to move, make sure you join a Union.
Good luck with whatever you decide. As others have mentioned, worse case you hate it and move back to the UK with some interesting stories.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
Have you been to the UK?
MuffinFeatures@reddit
I’m a dual British/aussie citizen but was born and raised in the UK and can categorically say the food is worse in the UK. Both in terms of the quality of produce and general availability of interesting cuisine.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
What specific places did you live in to make that comparison, and when?
MuffinFeatures@reddit
I’ve lived all over Australia and all over the UK. I live in the UK now and I spent the first 20+ years of life here.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
None, but I'm not claiming to be able to make a comparison.
ApprehensiveAlgae105@reddit
If you’ve never been to australia, then what qualifies you to have an opinion about the food over people who have lived in both countries and ate the food lol?
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
I haven't expressed an opinion about the food in Australia, or made any comparison, or said your opinion is wrong.
MuffinFeatures@reddit
But you’re challenging my ability to do so. Got it.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
Asking you to qualify it isn't challenging it, get a grip.
If you'd lived in rural Cumbria or the Welsh valleys until you were 10 years old and then spent the rest of your life in central Melbourne or Sydney, your perspective wouldn't be particularly insightful, would it?
MuffinFeatures@reddit
Charming.
wildgoldchai@reddit
Honestly, reads like many of the American assumptions re food. That narrative of having “bland food” is just old now.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
Yep.
Within spitting distance I can get Thai, Greek, Chinese (the Westernised version anyway), general middle Eastern, Lebanese, Sri Lankan, Spanish tapas, and the usual range of Indian and Italian options. And I'm in a fairly unremarkable medium sized market town, in any major UK city the options are off the scale.
ApprehensiveAlgae105@reddit
The problem isn’t the type of food it’s the quality. The produce in the UK is much worse for example buying fresh fruit and vegetables, they go off within a day. Most of the time by the time you buy the fruit and veg it’s lost most of its flavour. It’s much fresher in australia and there are other countries where it’s even fresher than aus.
The Asian food in the UK typically tastes a bit strange or not quite right. It’s very westernised. Again, curries are fine but Thai, Chinese, etc. food is quite gross in the UK.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
Where have you been in the UK?
MuffinFeatures@reddit
You keep trying this line of questioning when you yourself said you live in a market town. Can’t speak for ApprehensiveAlgae105 but I’ve lived in a number of UK major cities including London which has the best food in the UK. It still doesn’t compare to Australia in my opinion. I don’t know why you’re so sensitive about this opinion when you haven’t even been to Australia. It’s bizarre.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
I'm not sensitive, I'm just interested to know what people's actual frame of reference is. Why are you so insecure about your own opinions?
MuffinFeatures@reddit
Totally agree on the dreadful Asian food (Indian aside) in the UK. I really miss a proper laksa and really spicy, fragrant Vietnamese food. Great Vietnamese seems impossible to find here even in London. Nothing is every spicy enough, either.
wildgoldchai@reddit
Guarantee this person went to a tourist trap, had one meal and called it a day. Fine by me, more for the rest of us.
Serious-Goose-8556@reddit
“The salaries there are lower than australia too, and prices of things much more expensive“ As a recent Aussie expat this resonates with me most, and it seems to be contrary to popular opinion. Everyone here claims cost of living in aus is worse but my expenses here are much higher than in aus, and my salary halved!
Economy-Unit735@reddit
I absolutely agree - everyone thinks Australia is much more expensive when the opposite is true. My salary halved and everything is much more expensive in London at least
starwars011@reddit (OP)
The whole visa process is definitely the biggest hurdle. It looked easier in the past, and in the mid 00’s there were around 50,000 people moving there each year from the U.K.
Now it’s closer to 5000 skilled visas, and 6000 temporary visas each year issued to U.K. citizens. Competition seems much more fierce now with all the students and professionals from countries like India and China.
ApprehensiveAlgae105@reddit
Depending on profession and whether you can get a job, it’s generally easier to go rural because everyone wants to live in Sydney or Melbourne. If you’re a doctor or something then it’s pretty much guaranteed you’ll get in. If you apply for PR then it can take a long time but a work sponsorship visa is more of a middle ground, though you’ll be locked into a specific employer.
notreallycalledjoe@reddit
No, because I'd miss my loved ones too much. If I had no real attachment to family locally and I could find a job that paid something comparable to the cost of living there, I'd go in a heartbeat. I know a few expats who live there, its pretty much a 50/50 split between those who are considering a move back home and those who would never consider leaving Aus in a million years.
laissezfaireHand@reddit
Isn’t every British under 35 has recently been given chance to move Australia? There is a work visa between the UK and AU.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
That’s a working holiday and I probably wouldn’t be able to stay permanently anyway as I’m missing a job on the skills list.
laissezfaireHand@reddit
I thought there was no work restrictions with that visa.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
You still have to change employers every 6 months I believe, and it isn’t a path to permanent residency unless you can get an employer sponsor during the WHV.
MolassesInevitable53@reddit
No, because of all the things that can kill you.
But I moved to New Zealand and I love it.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
New Zealand looks incredible! What kind of career path were you in to get visa sponsorship?
MolassesInevitable53@reddit
I came over with my (then) partner and he was the primary applicant. He worked in IT.
art3f4ct5@reddit
No. I’ve already moved countries and continents once (I’m an immigrant to the UK) and frankly I don’t want to do it again. I’m at a point in my life where I’m very happy to be settled somewhere.
The only big pro about Australia for me is that it’s closer to Southeast Asia - which is where a lot of my family still live, so I’d be able to see them more often.
But other than that, I much prefer living in Europe because it’s so easy to travel to other countries within the continent. If you’re good at budgeting and have no kids, you can easily do a couple of long weekends somewhere in continental Europe every year if you wanted.
Also I have a lot of friends who live in Australia who are also Asian and they said the racism there is pretty bad. Not like everything’s great in the UK on that front, but it seems to at least be a little better here.
Adventurous-Macaron8@reddit
In a heartbeat, or NZ. No skills though!
starwars011@reddit (OP)
Same as me haha, no skills but to be honest I’ve probably even be willing to become a care assistant if it gave me the opportunity.
StationFar6396@reddit
No. Nice to visit, but hated living there.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
Ah I’m assuming you went and moved back in the end?
Glittering-Strike467@reddit
It's running out of water fast. Don't go. You'll regret.
Aware_Law9070@reddit
Fair enough, but think of all the kangaroos you're missing out on!
restlesswrestler@reddit
I would never but I know someone who has been there for about 5 years and they seem happier than they have ever been.
CosmicBonobo@reddit
Nah. It's about three-quarters of a mile away from the sun and even the teddy bears have claws.
ImpressiveGift9921@reddit
Too hot, too many awful creatures. I'm good here.
AndromahiBlue@reddit
No.
Left there in 2000 and went back in 2017.
Don't know what possessed me, but came to my senses and left Australia again this year.
tyger2020@reddit
I have mixed feelings on it, tbh. I definitely could pretty easily (I'm an RN).
Pros:
- Beautiful weather,
-nice beaches, nice cities that seem pretty cool.
- Lifestyle seems cool
-I'd probably be paid better than I am now
Cons:
- So fucking far from anything. Living in Sydney, the same distance just to get out of Australia (1,900 miles) could basically take me to anywhere else in Europe.
- Desolate. Outside of the main cities there is basically nothing for hundreds of miles, and that genuinely makes me uncomfortable (Sydney to Brisbane is like 500 miles).
- Its a lot more boring. Compared to the UK, which has almost 3x the amount of people and is right on the edge of one of the wealthiest continents on earth, the amount of things going on there just does not compete.
kam0706@reddit
So, while there’s quite a bit of nothing in the very middle of the country, the coast is really very populous the whole way round.
There’s quite a bit between Sydney and Brisbane. Not necessarily anything particularly exciting (beyond pretty beaches and nice coastal towns) but it’s not vast swathes of nothingness.
tyger2020@reddit
Oh no, it absolutely is.
Maybe to you it seems that way, but it really isn’t. There’s the capital cities, and a few minor towns (200k) aboht but even so, Sydney to Newcastle is like 80 miles and then it’s just what would be considered a medium sized town in the UK.
kam0706@reddit
Ok but there is literally residential suburban housing for the entire 80 miles between Sydney and Newcastle. It’s not technically part of either city. But how can you call that “desolate”?
tyger2020@reddit
Because in comparison to almost any country in Europe, it is desolate. A few tons of 8k people isn't exactly populated, and it quite frankly doesn't really offer anything like you said.
Compare that to the UK, where 80 miles could take you from Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds (all cities with millions) and then through multiple cities that are the size of Newcastle (Warrington, Chester, Lancaster, Bradford, Halifax).
Like, to a European that is just... empty. Sydney to Brisbane is 430 miles, and has basically two 'small' cities of Newcastle and Port Macquarie the entire way, which still are only like mid sized towns to most of Europe. 430 miles in Europe could take you from London to Stuttgart, stopping off at Ghent, Brussels, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Calais and Dunkirk across the way.
So yeah, to most europeans that absolutely IS desolate.
Tumeni1959@reddit
Too many little critters that can kill you for my liking.
The funny thing is, many seem to be native to Australia, but not found in New Zealand....
palishkoto@reddit
Well the closest point between Australia and NZ is about 1,500km so it'd be a way for them to travel!
Tumeni1959@reddit
They're in the same part of the world, though....
DeanJeffWinger@reddit
Nope, too scared of Spiders to even risk it
Nandor1262@reddit
I’m pale and 1 in 3 people in Australia get skin cancer. So no def not
amarilo567@reddit
What is extreme fear for snakes called? I have that fear and Australia has plenty of snakes, it is common to find a snake in your compound or house. I'm not taking that risk.
kam0706@reddit
Common? Depends where you live. I’ve never seen one unless I’ve been out bushwalking and even then, it’s been rare.
kam0706@reddit
So, while there’s quite a bit of nothing in the very middle of the country, the coast is really very populous the whole way round.
There’s quite a bit between Sydney and Brisbane. Not necessarily anything particularly exciting (beyond pretty beaches and nice coastal towns) but it’s not vast swathes of nothingness.
FourEyedTroll@reddit
No. I'd probably enjoy the climate for 5 seconds before longing for a drizzly afternoon. Also as a battlefield archaeologist I'd be redundant out there.
Eurghunderstandme@reddit
Yes. Better weather, nice new start to life.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
How old are you if you don’t mind me asking? I was probably in my late 20s when I realised maybe settling somewhere else permanently is something I’d like to do.
Eurghunderstandme@reddit
40 :(
unknowntoff@reddit
No, too hot, too expensive, too isolated
Ambitious-Calendar-9@reddit
Sometimes yes. I'm a vet nurse in training, so once I'm qualified I would have a skillet to offer the country. However, it's a fantasy. I can barely go a week without talking to my mum and siblings, and I get extremely homesick. On top of that, I don't do well in very hot weather.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
At least with such a transferable career it will always be an option. That’s quite a comforting thought at least knowing there’s always a backup.
Capgras_DL@reddit
If I could bring my family, absolutely. Britain’s a sinking ship and I don’t want to be here when we go down.
symbicortrunner@reddit
No. Too far away, too hot and highly vulnerable to climate change, and too much dangerous wildlife. We moved to Ontario, Canada instead
Klutzy-Notice-8247@reddit
Nah it’s overrated. Go to any decently hot country instead and you’ll get the same lifestyle, I.E Mediterranean countries. With Australia, you have the downside of being two 10 plus hour flights from home, being 9 to 11 hours ahead of all of your friends and family making having real time conversations much harder and being in a country where the seasons are switched so it’s stupidly hot in December and surprisingly chilly in June.
Move to some other place like Spain, Greece or Italy if you want nice weather.
mermaidsez@reddit
I did. Live in Sydney. From Yorkshire. There's plenty of things I miss about the UK, but I think I'm generally drawn to the safety of the area I live in and the outdoors 'let's-get-a-coffee-and-go-for-a-walk' lifestyle.
Every time I'm in the UK I get homesick for Australia, then when I'm here I pine for things the UK has to offer.
Originally came for 6 months, been here for over 10 years!
MuffinFeatures@reddit
I relate! I basically don’t feel truly at home anywhere now and that’s not a bad thing. I have two homes on opposite sides of the planet as far as I see it.
JJY199@reddit
Am thinking about it as the quality of life in the Uk is currently on par with that of latvia and is fastly declining
Every day i am asking myself what exactly am i paying a premium to live here for
The cost of flights is currently the only thing detering me
Outrageous-Middle778@reddit
There’s loads of people talking about dangerous animals and heat.
The heat in Australia is way more bearable than it is in the uk, particularly london. In major cities there tends to be shade, air conditioning etc. I’ve found the same temp in london much harder than Australia.
Dangerous animals - if you live in the cities the only time you are coming across a dangerous animal is in the zoo. Half a dozen people in the uk get killed by cows every year in the uk which is more than get killed by sharks in Australia
MuffinFeatures@reddit
I love Australia but there’s absolutely no comparison between a London summer and a Sydney summer. The heat and humidity in Sydney is oppressive and unrelenting. And there’s still heaps and heaps of rental homes that don’t have air con.
FickleAd6586@reddit
As an aussie living in the UK I always find this topic interesting. Australia has always been marketed as paradise to the UK (going back to the early free ticket ads) and brits love to hate on their own country, so I'm endlessly told I was bonkers for moving. But reality is a little different.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
I think a fairly significant number do end up moving back, but depends on the individual. I’ve always been adventurous and have lived in a couple of countries, so have always liked the idea of settling abroad
ChocolateSnowflake@reddit
Nah not for me.
Too hot.
Too far for me to risk putting my dogs in a plane.
My career would very limited not being on a northern hemisphere time zone.
Agreeable_Guard_7229@reddit
What’s your career?
bakeyyy18@reddit
Northern Hemisphere supervisor
3332220@reddit
That's not how time zones work
ChocolateSnowflake@reddit
Yes I acknowledge in another comment I’ve worded that badly.
But my point stands. Australian time zone wouldn’t work for me.
Tumeni1959@reddit
I thought time zones covered both hemispheres ... ?
ChocolateSnowflake@reddit
True. Badly worded.
Simple-Formal-8588@reddit
I made the move 6 years ago (like most people I expected to do the WHV for a year and head back home). I don’t think I could move back to the UK now for a variety of reasons, main one being I get paid more than double and my work/life balance is far better. I live in Melbourne and enjoy the hot summers and mild/cold winters. The yarra river running through the city reminds me of the Thames which I nice nostalgic feeling. Oh and I don’t have to queue at 5am in a field to get into the AUS Open.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
I also like hot summers. I’ve spent time living in Spain before and managed in 40 degrees without it too much problem. It’s different in the U.K. as buildings aren’t prepared for it.
Can I ask what profession you were in to get sponsored? Going on a WHV could be an option!
Simple-Formal-8588@reddit
In Melbourne it’s the winters people struggle with as the insulation is crap, as long as you’ve got air con for the summer you’re fine. I ended up doing my 2 WHV years and then got sponsored as an IT Trainer. It was never on the list as a route to Permanent Residency but covid changed the rules for some of the visas. I got my PR last December. WHV is a good place to start as you’re here and then you can look at all the different options available to you. Your occupation may make the list during the years you are here too.Good luck and feel free to reach out if you have any more questions.
throwaway55221100@reddit
I dont think the grass is necessarily always greener.
You need to get sponsored for work. If you are in a career where you are able to get a good job over there then its likely you can have a good job here too.
Housing in the likes of Australia and Canada is worse than here.
Its also hot AF there. Certainly compared to the UK. They are obviously better equipped for it but most of us struggle with the heat here.
MuffinFeatures@reddit
I think it’s a matter of perspective. If you’re hoping the grass is greener you’re likely to be disappointed. If you’re instead hoping for a change and an adventure into something new you’ll be pretty happy.
HellPigeon1912@reddit
Would love to and have wanted to for years. Very much hope I can do it one day
starwars011@reddit (OP)
I have similar thoughts to you, but as I’m in my 30s now it’s becoming a more distant prospect.
HellPigeon1912@reddit
Also in my 30s
QueefHuffer69@reddit
Nah, it's hot and far away plus all my stuff is here. I'd be tempted by Berlin or Toronto though.
imminentmailing463@reddit
I'd heard great things about Toronto, then was really underwhelmed when I went. I feel like I must have missed something.
wheretocaptain@reddit
I’m curious what the great things were haha - I went there a couple of times for a few days each and it was very forgettable
imminentmailing463@reddit
I'd just heard from a few people that it's a great city. But yeah I found it quite forgettable. Not because it isn't nice, it is, but because I found it just quite unremarkable. I had 4 days there and by the third day kind of felt ready to move on.
moofacemoo@reddit
Probably one of those great places to live but meh to visit.
Agreeable_Guard_7229@reddit
I felt like I spent half my life in a tunnel in Toronto, half of the city being underground.
Vancouver though, that’s a different story. I’d move there in a heartbeat
Gillett1998@reddit
Everyone would move to Vancouver,that's why the average house is like 800,000 CAD
The_Elder_Jock@reddit
It’s on my to-do list. 2 more years till my current contract expires then I’m going for a straight transfer to Oz. Taking my young family with me. Hope it’s the right move.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
Good luck! Can I ask what career path you’re following to be able to do it? Unfortunately I don’t think I qualify
MembershipFew989@reddit
No, it's burning hot, the government is increasingly authoritarian, everything is trying to kill you, and my ex-wife has family there... And that's one snake too many 😂
Dad_D_Default@reddit
This is going to sound like I'm taking the piss, but it's not that hot if you avoid the hot bits. The suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney are bad, especially in areas where trees have been removed and black roofs are fashionable. But head into the hills of the hinterland and you'll find dry, temperate climates.
About 2 people die per year from snake bites in Australia, which is similar to the number of people killed by cows in the UK.
Not sure about the "government is increasingly authoritarian" bit either. If you're referring to the lockdowns over COVID, they were mostly supported by the people. The press like to claim otherwise, but you get that.
But your ex-wife's family. Yeah. I got nothing there. My first wife's family all live in Australia, but I'm still married to her so that's not so bad!
BppnfvbanyOnxre@reddit
Don't think so. Visited for a couple of months, Tasmania was stunning. On the whole I found it very expensive.
dooooonut@reddit
If you are likely to earn a lot of money, then it's great. If not, it's not
badger906@reddit
My friends sister did and he went out there a bunch with the intension. He came back after 3 months and I’ll quote him “most of the places I visited were a shit hole and the average Aussie is on a whole new level of retarded” lol. Not my take, just his. He’s not been back despite having unlimited free accommodation
Lunchy_Bunsworth@reddit
No. As others have said its far too hot ,away from family , their culture/lifestyle does not appeal to me and it would cost a small fortune in making return trips to the UK. Also the chances are that if you did make the move the properties which you could afford would be in some dormitory suburb of one of the bigger cities and have a long trip to work.
apwr@reddit
I did, been here five years now and still haven’t decided if it was a good idea or not. Pros are the weather, beaches, general outdoor-friendly lifestyle (the wildlife stuff is blown hugely out of proportion- I’ve seen one harmful spider and one snake, which was unfortunately dead).
Cons are how far it is from family and friends, generally feeling like an outsider and how casually racist people are here (although I’m in Queensland so it may be worse here).
Speakane@reddit
Probably not, at leasst if I didn't have a very good reason for it. I've checked my points score and I score well above the threshold to move there with a work visas, but I figure:
That said, if I had a good reason (e.g. Australian partner, work offered to move me there, Scottish independence happened) it'd be my 3rd choice after the US and Canada. The first two have better tech industries and are closer to the UK so defo my first choices.
Tinuviel52@reddit
I am an Aussie living in the UK and I’m not going back until I’ve done as much holidaying in Europe as I can. Also get more annual leave in the UK which is nice
Indigo457@reddit
No. Too far away and as soon as you’ve got over it being sunnier what’s left, a smaller more backwards version of British culture but with more spiders and killer snakes? I’ve always liked Australians I’ve met though so maybe I’d like it.
ulayanibecha@reddit
Absolutely not. I spent a year in Oz and after the novelty wears off I found it incredibly boring (but QOL is definitely better). There’s just no comparison to London and especially nightlife in Australia is tragic because of all the lockout laws.
Smoose1991@reddit
Hell yes.
Far away enough from family to not visit very often, or if they want to visit they can make it a holiday. Also warm but with air conditioning? Sign me up.
BeatZealousideal1857@reddit
I'd like to, seems like a great place to do road trips - I've spent a lot of time panning around Google Earth looking at the Australian landscape and it looks absolutely stunning to me. I'm also realizing that alot of my friends are drifting in different directions, and my family are all in good health, so I don't exactly have much holding me to the UK.
I've not heard good things about the Australian architectural industry though, which is where I'd be seeking employment...
Perhaps I'm better off planning a holiday there instead!
Fatuousgit@reddit
No. The thought of starting a new life in a place I know no one, thousands of miles from home, family and friends gives me no sense of joy. That sounds miserable.
ReneRottingham@reddit
Nope, one of the few countries that doesn’t interest me at all. The rest of Asia is much more exiting and culturally rich.
Peskycat42@reddit
In my youth I visited both Australia and NZ about 10 times. Everytime my relatives would bang on about how the standard of living is higher and I could get a house with a pool and land etc (I had an occupation which had a reasonable points on the visa etc). I could never get past the feeling that much of both countries reminded me of 20 - 30 years ago in the US. But the real barrier was a combo of high uv and mozzies. I hated having to slap on sun cream and mozzie repellant just to leave the house.
cctwunk@reddit
I'd love to if it wasn't for climate change. As it is northern Europe is probably the best place to be in the long term
PMme-YourPussy@reddit
Only if they eradicated all their ridiculous spiders.
spletterpletter@reddit
Lord no. Its a nice place full of nice people, but it doesn't have two things. 1. Reasonable weather 2. Historic interest.
PigletAlert@reddit
No, I had the chance when I was younger, had been there many times and couldn’t put my finger on what stopped me apart from hating the East coast’s weather. Once I was older I realised it was mostly cultural. The alcoholism, the casual racism especially towards their aboriginal population and their dislike of the British plus all the good jobs for me involved living remotely.
The UK has a lot of problems admittedly, but spending all that money and moving all that way to live with similar people who would dislike me anyway, just didn’t seem like a good move.
Meherwan65@reddit
No, The wildlife doesnt agree with me, gives me the scoots
esofagus@reddit
No. Too hot and culturally it doesn’t interest me in the slightest.
Kinitawowi64@reddit
My mother moved out there 17 years ago, which is probably single biggest reason why I wouldn't ever consider it.
Loud_Fisherman_5878@reddit
I did and enjoyed it for about four years. Then I spent three years trying to leave after I got tired of the downsides- distance from the rest of the world, high cost of living, crap weather (yes, really!), less interesting society- and discovered that they were locking us all in! Took me almost three years to get back and I don’t regret leaving- but it was definitely a good thing to do while the good parts lasted.
chonkyclouds@reddit
Nah, I've got a crippling phobia of spider webs and those golden orb weavers would be the death of me. Not to mention it'd be difficult to visit my family and friends. I'm sure there are a lot of great things about Australia and I'd enjoy the heat, but the distance alone would be off-putting.
ORNG_MIRRR@reddit
No.
The animals, the plants, the locals. They all want to kill you.
New Zealand, seems lovely. Australia? Never.
CrackersMcCheese@reddit
I’d move in a heartbeat. The UK is rapidly going down the toilet. I’m not suggesting Australia is any better but it would at least be a different environment.
UnderCover428@reddit
Most of Australia is uninhabitable right now, can’t imagine how things will progress with climate change…
_XtalDave_@reddit
I have friends who have, and love it.
Too much shit that can kill you there for my liking, though.
strawberrypops@reddit
My friend lives there and one summer her shoe melted in the heat. There is no way I could live somewhere that’s hot enough to melt shoes!
That said, my cousin made the move a couple of years ago and has never been happier.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
It depends on the exact opportunity.
Me and my other half were in talks with a couple of potential employers who were ready to offer us jobs and sponsor us for visas, but in the end decided against it because (amongst a host of other personal reasons) they weren't in particularly appealing locations - one was a remote cow town miles from anywhere with very little to do if you don't like sports, and the other was in the coal mining region of Victoria, which seems to be in decline, something like the equivalent of Stoke on Trent. Because of the visa arrangements we'd have had to stick to those jobs for at least two years before moving job or location.
Neither place would have offered a particularly appealing lifestyle compared to where we live at the moment, south of Manchester.
So I suppose my point is that not every place in Australia is amazing.
RaspberryWonderful16@reddit
Australia for me is an attractive choice for emigration because there is no language challenge to deal with.
However, Australia still has a lot of the annoying bullshit we have to deal with here. The only upsides seem to be better weather and slightly better economy. And more space of course.
badshot637@reddit
Heeeeeeell no that be where gympy gympy lives ain't no one messin with gympy gympy
Frosty_Technology842@reddit
I've got a few close friends who moved out around 20 yrs ago and have never looked back. Quality of life seems better than the UK.
fannykneck@reddit
No, their housing market is in an equal mess
Independent-Party575@reddit
I did and it’s the best thing I’ve done. Going back next year when they change the visa situation
Embarrassed_Park2212@reddit
Hell no, have you seen the size of the spiders and the heat, would probably kill me.
I have a step sister that moved out there about 15 years ago but she lived there before when my dad went out with his first wife in the sixties, 10 pound poms.
But if it's something you'd like to do then follow your dreams.
BishBeesley@reddit
No. I have considered it and been there a few times to visit family but compared to England and London in particular it’s very limited culturally.
keep_giving_up@reddit
If they got rid of the spiders and the snakes and all the other bugs, yeah, I probably would give it a shot. Quality of life is better, the salary for my current job is double what I’m getting now, and the hourly rate for the job I want to do is triple what I’m going to be getting. Seems like a no brainer to me. My family would happily travel, and I’ve seen many people on TikTok who have emigrated who travel back, because Australia seems to treat its workers better and allows them the time to travel.
ShadowOfDeth_@reddit
Will there be any Australians there? Because that's a deal breaker.
wheretocaptain@reddit
Can you do a working holiday there to see if you like it? For me it would be a no though - too hot and some similar problems to UK I.e. crazy rents /house prices, cost of living etc
Tradtrade@reddit
Yes you can it’s cheap and easy to do
Shushyabullshit@reddit
How cheap we talking? The reason I ask is I’ve considered it for years and have always received conflicting information.
Tradtrade@reddit
Like $600 it’s on google
Shushyabullshit@reddit
Oh sorry, I thought you’d actually done it. Really… I wasn’t aware of that.
Tradtrade@reddit
I have done it
Shushyabullshit@reddit
Well it’s not $600 I’ve been to Australia the flight alone is over $600.
Tradtrade@reddit
The visa. The visa is about $600. The flights are choose your own adventure. Look for a deal that goes from the uk to Bali then look for one that goes Bali to Perth. Or if you’re a ‘skilled’ worker find a company to import you that will pay relocation costs
No-Affect9203@reddit
My daughter moved there with her bloke at the time they were very young 20 25 We flew out for a month in April may temp fine Sydney. We stayed in Harvey Bay for 5 days and visited fraser Island, seven sisters and traveled all around Sydney Harbour which is massive it has brilliant transport links (ferries, metro and buses all on oyster card to pay,) the people were generally OK and welcoming apart from 2x pub staff who turned into ass holes as the evening drew on. My daughter split with her partner and is now back home.
But, I would move there in an instant! Unfortunately to old now which passes me off, oh well if I was young again!
Dry_Pick_304@reddit
I lived in Perth for 3 years. Mixed bag for me.
Pros
Cons
ilovebali@reddit
I got fined $70 for jaywalking when there was no traffic in sight. They really do love their rules over there.
SchrodingersLego@reddit
My son lives in Australia (dual citizen) and my daughter lives here. I wouldn't go there. I'm one of the palest women in existence because I never sunbathe. I hate hot weather. England suits me just fine. Also would never leave my cats.
vember_94@reddit
Yeah. Spent a year there in 2017-2018 and will be moving back for another year in a few months. Awesome place to be!
heavenhelpyou@reddit
Something I've always wanted to do - the main thing that deterrs me is the climate. I'm not built for that kind of heat, and would most likely be miserable.
Still, I would like to spend an extended period of time over there at some point in my life, at the very least.
My husband and son's love of Bluey is slowly convincing them that I'm right, so I'm just biding my time!
ilovebali@reddit
I lived there for 2 years. I loved it but as is life when you are working 9-5 every week, life sort of starts to look like it did back home and the novelty wears off a bit. It’s an absolutely fantastic country to travel though and I had so many unique opportunities and experiences which couldn’t be replicated elsewhere.
I would consider moving back as I think the standard of living is higher than the UK but the biggest issue is obviously distance from family and friends. There are occasions where it gets far too hot (47 degrees in SA was not fun) and having a warm Christmas is something I could never get used to but generally the weather is actually very pleasant.
browneyone@reddit
100% no.
The_Church_Of_Todd@reddit
No it’s too fucking hot and the wildlife wants to kill me.
Hairy_Celebration_57@reddit
No, I wouldn't. I couldn't cope with the sun/heat and all the huge creepy crawlies, the normal sized crawlers here in the UK send me into a panic. Most countries I couldn't live or work for that reason!
WickedMIL@reddit
Personally? No. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't. I grew up somewhere I was very unhappy, and as an adult I made the decision to move (within the UK) and it remains the best decision I ever made. I don't think Australia would be for me, but different things suit different people!
wotsitsarepleasing@reddit
I am from Australia originally and now live here. It totally depends on the type of person you are and what you like to do.
If you like to chill and eat good food, drink good coffee, sun and the sea, and you’re ok with critters, it’s truly a paradise.
If you like more stuff like city breaks, museums, culture, mountains and ‘softer’ types of nature like rolling green hills, you’re better off staying/moving somewhere in Europe.
barriedalenick@reddit
Not particularly. I mean if I really wanted to I would have tried to do so but instead I moved to Portugal - much quicker to get back to the UK and easy to travel around the country and the wider continent as well. While I am sure it has its attractions there isn't enough to make me want to go live there.
The_Geralt_Of_Trivia@reddit
I lived in Australia as a kid and came back to the UK in the early 90s (I was born in the UK).
Australia is (was) a great place to grow up. Lots to do outside. Lots of nature and fresh air. Nice people.
The heat isn't really a problem, nor is the wildlife (apart from magpies in spring). It's made out to be a bigger issue /risk than it really is.
I won't move there though, even though I really like the place. It's too far from family. Living away from everyone is very hard, and gets harder as you get older. I would also miss the UK too much. You may not think it, but there are things to miss... you just won't know it until you've been away for a few years. We also felt a long long way from everywhere - from the rest of the world.
Typical_Arm_8008@reddit
No I hate bugs and spiders and I have a history of skin cancer 😣
queeeeeni@reddit
Hell no. Everything that's deadly in nature has set up shop in Australia.
I
Temporary-Zebra97@reddit
No I wouldn't, I started a backpacking adventure there and had planned to be in Australia for 6 months but left after 3 days and have had to travel there in previous jobs and just didn't gel with the place or the people.
Thankfully I also worked with people who would jump at the chance of a visit so could also palm off some work trips to them, this I had to do, I always did theplanning to minimise my time there.
grey-zone@reddit
I’ve visited several times and know quite a few people who live there and it’s a no from me.
There’s the wildlife that plenty of others have mentioned, but quite a few other factors. A lot of things are just worse than the UK: cost of living, racism, screwing up the planet.
The one plus factor is warmer weather which means more outdoor time, some great beaches, good wine. For some people this is enough to counteract everything else and makes it great to visit but I definitely wouldn’t live there.
Tay74@reddit
Not Australia no, climate is far too hot and dry for me, and honestly it doesn't really appeal to me. New Zealand, maybe I would consider it, it's certainly a country I'd love to visit.
SceneDifferent1041@reddit
Not with the dinner plate spiders.
Madyakker@reddit
It seems like a nice place. I have family there so would like to visit one day. My best friend is Australian, I've heard good and bad things about living in Australia from her. My wife is a nurse so I guess she probably would be able to get a job OK. However it's all academic as I know she wouldn't want to live so far away from family especially as her parents are getting on in life and wouldn't be up for the journey to visit.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
I think nurses are one of the easiest ways to go there. My ex is a nurse, and we got as far as having a meeting in London with an Australian recruitment agency there. She didn’t want to leave her Mum in the end though, but shows it’s not too hard with a couple years experience.
MissDeeMeanor@reddit
Yes. Back at the start of this year my partner and I considered it as there was a race team that had job positions for both of us. The only reason not to is we have an 8 year old dog that i couldn't bear to leave behind with relatives but equally wouldn't put him through travelling there. My colleague and her partner and their 5 year old are just starting the visa process as he's been offered a job in Perth. They have 3 cats and 1 dog so are trying to decide which to take and which to leave, each costing about £9k to transport. She is excited to go although she's never actually been further out of the UK than Magaluf.
starwars011@reddit (OP)
Wow it sounds like a great opportunity for them! Can I ask what career they do to get sponsorship?
MissDeeMeanor@reddit
He does work at height stuff.....so when you see someone in a harness hanging off a bridge or something, that's what her partner does. My colleague is yet to look for a job, she's going to get the kid settled in school before she finds something.
InevitableReference6@reddit
My uncle, his wife and kid went in the early 1970s and were followed by 2 other uncles. They were Hull Trawler-men and the industry shut down with no future for them. They went into building trade and electronics and did well. My cousin who was 4 when she went came back to Hull in her 30s and decided to stay, don’t know why. I would definitely have gone in the 80s if I’d had a trade/skill.
Difficult_Green9344@reddit
I did for 3 years but missed my family too much.
jeffcarpthefisheater@reddit
I have a few friends who moved over there, or lived there a while. They liked it, but from their descriptions, I don't think it's for me. I moved to Italy instead, which I am enjoying.
borokish@reddit
Too hot for our lass, so probably not
Perth and Melbourne are absolutely lovely cities though and the outback is truly spectacular and wild
Aussies are sound as fuck as well
ukcsthrowaway@reddit
No due to the heat, the spiders/snakes and it just being really far.
Drab_Majesty@reddit
It's a good place to raise a family. Summer Christmas is not for everyone. The beaches are great. It is sheltered from a lot of the outside world for better or worse. Prepare to drive for a long time, it is a huge country with isolated towns outside of the coastal cities.
Eborys@reddit
Lovely people, lovely cities, lovely weather, but I couldn’t deal with the spiders and insects. So, no. A sad no.
CTLNBRN@reddit
Honestly when I was out there for a year I didn’t really encounter as many as people say. Couple of huntsman spiders every now and then and some noisy cicadas. I only saw 3-4 snakes as well over the course of the year.
Eborys@reddit
See, that “couple of huntsman spiders every now and then” is why I’m not going. That’s literal life scarring trauma for me lol
Typical_Nebula3227@reddit
I’ve had a few on top of my letters in my mailbox so I just let the spider keep them.
tantrumizer@reddit
If you're really sad about it, I wouldn't worry about the spiders. Unless you live in the countryside and have a shed, they're really not a concern at all. It'd be like someone not wanting to move to the UK because they're worried about choking on a Yorkshire pudding... Sure it could happen but it's pretty easy to avoid.
Last death from a spider was in 1980.
If you're highly arachnophobic, ok fair enough. You do see them from time to time even in the cities.
bambrini16@reddit
I feel like it’s a long way to go to be in a place that culturally isn’t too different from the UK- I recognise that it is different, of course it is, but I don’t get the impression that it’s different enough to warrant going all that way.
If I was going to move nearer that corner of the world, I’d much sooner go somewhere in SEA. Moving to another predominantly white anglophone country doesn’t appeal to me at all, honestly.
artemis_kryze@reddit
No. The entire continent is designed to kill humans.
New Zealand, on the other hand, is much more appealing.
salutdamour@reddit
New Zealand is stunning, just so terribly remote
Ok_Garden_4874@reddit
Yes. I maybe leaving my family behind (mom, and bros) but they know that I want to explore and they are ok with it.
amanset@reddit
No. I’m a redhead.
And spiders.
Howtothinkofaname@reddit
No. I lived in the Netherlands and it was already a pain having to make special effort to see friends and family, Australia would be a whole different ballgame. I like the people who are already in my life.
Also, it’s too hot and all my favourite places to visit are historical (I know the indigenous people go back a long way but I’m more into medieval towns, ancient pubs and the like. Europe really is the place to be for that).
Tradtrade@reddit
I did. It’s piles of money, a lack of culture and a lot of fires. I suspect Tasmania would be a different experience though
Sad-Spring-3085@reddit
No, their wildlife is terrifying.
Sibs_@reddit
Planning on doing exactly that next year now they’ve extended the WHV to age 35. Travel for a bit then see how I feel about a longer stay.
Visited twice and absolutely loved it. A number of my extended family have moved there from the UK and none of them regret it.
Inner-Device-4530@reddit
We did consider it and actually started to pull the paperwork together, but ultimately decided not to. If anything happens to family in the UK, you are realistically not coming back quickly. You are giving up your friendships and starting fresh. Recently the mother in law has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, to go and visit her is a 2.5 hour drive in the UK, if we were in Oz you would be talking via WhatsApp
Fuzzy_Pineapple_2468@reddit
I moved from the UK to Australia nearly 14 years ago (skilled migration path) and haven’t looked back. I’m an Australian citizen now and I would never ever consider leaving here.
AdSoft6392@reddit
If I didn't have my partner who is tied to the UK, I'd be actively looking to move abroad. Ideally I'd move to the USA, but Australia would also be a good option.