Come on down under to Australia

[Migration Help]

Fed up with Blighty? We are emigrating to Australia in droves.
The TV property presenter Phil Spencer offers his top tips for making a fair dinkum move.

A new decade prompts dreams of fresh starts, and if the economic gloom and the coming election aren’t enough to make you think of leaving Britain, the recent bout of freezing weather may just have pushed you over the edge. If you are going to emigrate, though, why not do it properly and go to the other side of the world: to Australia?

I’ve visited the country many times over the past 20 years. My love affair began when, having just left school in 1989, I visited my grandfather in Sydney and ended up spending a year as an outdoor education instructor and sports coach in a school on the Gold Coast. My Aussie girlfriend (now wife), Fiona, and I had a three-month stint in 1999, when we spent time exploring on 4WD camping trips. We were married in Melbourne in 2001 and, although happily settled in Britain, share a love of all things Oz — and make regular trips down under at Christmas.

All of which means that, for me, Australia is familiar, but also exotic and exciting. It’s one thing to go as a tourist, but quite another to settle there, as I found when I helped four families to move there as part of a new television series, Relocation: Phil Down Under, a twist on Location, Location, Location.

About 40,000 Brits migrate to Australia every year, which makes it the most popular location for emigrants; it also finished second, behind France, in a “quality of life” survey by International Living magazine (Britain placed 25th). Australia is especially popular with young families, a category into which all four househunters featured in the series fall.
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Take Lee and Bronagh Davidson, an insurance salesman and teacher with three daughters, from Essex. They had had enough of three-hour commutes and small, expensive houses, and they wanted to up sticks for Perth. Their dream was of an improved quality of life, centred on a detached four-bedroom house with a swimming pool within walking distance of the beach. They got the lot for £275,000.

Adam George, a recycling manager, and his wife, Cam, an occupational therapist, from Basingstoke, were also looking for a four-bedroom house with plenty of room to bring up their two daughters. They wanted to be within easy reach of Melbourne, but also to be near countryside and have good views and an enormous garden. I brought that one in for £223,000 — and it was still three times the size of their Hampshire home.

Not only does Oz offer the promise of a laid-back outdoor lifestyle, it’s an easy place to which to adapt. As well as speaking the same language as us, they share our cultural icons, play cricket and rugby, supply popular wines and drive on the same side of the road. Unlike here, you’ll find upwards of 10,000 beaches (more than any other country) and plenty of space: only two people per square kilometre.

Since 1945, more than 6m people have moved to Australia. One in four of the population was born abroad; more than 40% are of mixed cultural origin. The net result is a vibrant, welcoming culture. It’s all about having a “fair go”, the great outdoors and a healthy helping of irony.

It is also a huge country: so, with six states (and two terri*tories) to choose from, where should you go? It all depends on what you are looking for.

Best for city living
What a choice. Sydney is the most cosmopolitan city: it’s brash and loud, acts as if it’s the capital, and has 37 beaches and 150,000 British residents. Few cities in the world can match it for beauty. Perth, in Western Australia, is the sunniest city, with a unique character; although isolated, it’s laid-back and relaxed, while beautiful beaches and loads of space make it a British stronghold.

Darwin, in the north, is very hot, very wet and heavily influenced by Indonesia. Canberra, the capital, is culturally restrained and not known for excitement. Adelaide, in the south, is elegant, like a country town; it is the cheapest state capital and has comforting English undertones. Brisbane, in Queensland, is also excellent value for money. As “Brissy” and the Gold Coast are developing rapidly, they have the greatest demand for skilled labour.

For me, though, Melbourne comes out top. It may not be the most picturesque city, but it is multi*cultural, user-friendly and easy to get around. With 3.8m people, it has all the amenities and cultural goings-on you could wish for. Property is good value: the average house costs £278,000, according to Australian Property Monitors, compared with £310,996 in Sydney. We Poms appreciate the four distinct seasons. The cafés and restaurants are sensational, the sporting facilities top-class. Almost every month, there is a big event staged, including the Australian Open tennis and the Melbourne Cup horse race. Show me another similarly sized city that offers as many superb venues and sporting highlights.

Best for surfer dudes

Warm-water surfers should head to Byron Bay, a stunningly beautiful beachside town about 90 miles south of Brisbane, and the most easterly point in Australia. On the down side, it’s expensive, at least by Australian standards — the average house here will set you back £350,000. For something cheaper in the same area, check out Bangalow, 20 minutes inland, where £313,000 would buy a modern three-bedroom, two-bathroom, air-conditioned house with a double garage and reasonable garden. If you’ve plenty of cash to splash, then try Palm Beach, 25 miles north of Sydney’s Central Business District, used for the exteriors of the soap Home and Away.

If I won the lottery, this is where I would buy.
Continuing southwards, Geelong and Torquay, in Victoria, are also great for surfers, but bring a wetsuit. Geelong is within commuting distance of Melbourne and very affordable — it gets my vote.

Best for nature and outdoor Living

Take your pick: the Great Barrier Reef, beaches, mountains, rainforests, lakes or outback? Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney, offers superb outdoor entertainment. Tropical Cairns, in Queensland, has the reef and the Daintree Rainforest: it would be hard to get bored with either. Both are touristy, which means better employment prospects. My top outdoorsy spot, however, is the Margaret River, two hours south of Perth; somewhere near Bunbury would do well. Here, when the locals are not sampling their own fine wine, they are exploring wild beaches and forests, fishing, canoeing and camping. It is affordable and has a mild climate.

Best for retirees

Retirees tend not to head for the cities, but look instead for value for money, reliable health facilities, social interaction and consistent weather. Lots of locals retire to Queensland, but the tropical climate there can prove too much for Poms. New South Wales is a “club state”, where activity takes place at sporting, bowling and golf clubs — all of which are magnets for retirees from overseas. To the south of Sydney, where the climate is more temperate, Batemans Bay and Merimbula are popular options. Port Macquarie, north of Sydney, is a find — the average house price there is only £192,000. It’s not exclusively populated by older folk, but is well set up for them, with excellent hospitals, as well as entertainment and amenities.

SOURCE

MH

[Luke Johnston]

Well I am agree with all and I think that it would be really make you the nice suggestion that how you can make the things all according to the requirements. There are some things that must important to make the nice deals to avail and choose the different fields that you have the specialization in it.

[JuliusVince3]

When it comes to food, Aussie is one of the best delicacies I ever tasted. People are amazing and warm. You can also find affordable and quality homes. If you plan to rent for short term then there are many available properties you can avail. You just need to be practical and smart to understand the policies.

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[coffeeprincess]

Good Article hulle6.com
Thanks for your sharing.







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