Help - Stay in OZ or move to NZ???

[Willow]

Hi All,

Firstly I need to say that this is an AWESOME SITE 

Ok where to begin    We are in Perth and have our PR.  Hubby is a qualified Refrigeration Technician/Mechanic or as they like to call it here, Engineer 
We have been in Perth for 5 years this April.  And we HATE IT    It's a true desert island in every sense of the word!  The Aussie are rude horrible people  and we sooooo miss home    But we know going back is just not an option!!! 

So we have started to put our feelers out and so far between going over to the east coast of Oz or taking a step over the ocean to NZ, NZ "seems" like a better option

But we would like to hear from you wonderful ex-SApats on what life is REALLY like over there?  And if anyone has made the move from Oz to NZ, please could you let us know what you experienced?  Your comments and advice would be so appreciated.

We are looking at the North Island in particular.  Maybe Auckland or the Bay of Plenty.... Somewhere where it doesn't get too darn cold but where the summer months are warm.  Not like here where in summer your flesh is literally cooked off your bones!!!  In summer you cannot venture outside as it's just far too hot and in winter it rains all the time... So one is permanently indoors due to the weather!!   
Thank you in advance for your help 

Willow

[Tui]

Hi Willow and a very warm to the forum family!! We did the move from Perth to NZ - I too hated it!!!! But, by saying that OZ was very good to us, and I must stress, this was a very personal feeling. We were in Morley, Bayswater....know the area? I too found Perth flat, dry, baron and with NO mountains.......it was soul destroying for me. Only pro - better wages...BUT that is as far as it goes. I found the Ozzies to be a little to clicky, only made friends through our kids and they turned out to be fantastic people, who we still email and call to this day. Loads of SA there, so thank God we met the most wonderful families, so that pulled us through the 2 years that we were there. After only being here in our NZ rental for 2 weeks, I knew the names of all my neighbors, who many came over to into themselves - that sadly did not happen in OZ in 24 months... Here, this feels like home, being a smaller more intimate Country.

What is better here - hmm, let me think.....fresher air, greener grass, stunning scenery, lakes, lovely beaches, not to hot weather - just right, NO BLACK CROWS!!, lovely tui birds, and the most fantastic bunch of people!!! And stunning mountain ranges did I mention greener....lol!

We went through 2 Perth summers 41/42 degs - NEVER AGAIN!! Yes, you are so right, it is a desert Island indeed! One other advantage, only one flight to SA.

So, move, move, move....ASAP!! Wishing you  with all your plans. Am positive your hubs will find employment here.

Everything of the best - we did the move, and have not looked back. We have been here 5 months and wow, what a difference - a much better one!


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[Tui]

Oooops...forgot to mention, we are in the Bay of Plenty and LOVING IT!! Weather is just fantastic! But then again, we would be happy anywhere in NZ.


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[Willow]

Oh Kiwiwannabe THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU...

Thank you for understanding what it's really like here in Perth.  Yes I know the area you were in, we are not far from there, we are in Ellenbrook.  I have had that same soul destroying feeling for the last five years!  I'm so happy I'm not the only who feels like that!     The other SA fam's that are here are happy and cannot relate to how I feel, at one stage I thought it was just "me" who's feeling this way...

Thank you for your honesty.  I know that the economy here is better but I would sacrifice that for a happier existence any day.  Hence wanting to move!

If you don't mind, please could I pick your brain about the In's and out's of your move over to NZ?  (Container prices etc etc)  Your help will be greatly appreciated.
I hope to see you soon in the near future and repay your kindness over a cup of coffee...   

Cheers
Willow

[thombatt]

Having lived in Australia for 5 years you will qualify to become Australian citizens, unless you have been out of Australia for major periods of time (see http://www.citizenship.gov.au/) .

The first thing I would do is become naturalized Australian citizens. I know there is a test and you have to accept the oath of allegiance to Australia. Australian citizens may live and work in NZ without restriction. People with Australian PR may also live and work in NZ, but I don't know how that will affect your ability to take up Australian citizenship at a latter date.
It would appear that Australian citizens may become NZ citizens by doing the required time of stay in NZ.
http://www.dia.govt.nz/Services-Citizenship-General-Requirements-for-a-Grant-of-New-Zealand-Citizenship?OpenDocument#five
but the site is a bit contradictory in that it also speaks of having NZ PR, which you don't have (and don't need to live and work in NZ).

I suspect an email, or call to INZ will clarify the situation

It might sound as if there is no issue about the need to become NZ citizens with all the rights Australian citizens have in NZ, but rules can change, ask any NZ'er who moved to Australia post 2001.

[Tui]

Agggggg....Ellenbrook - gulp! Have SA friends there, who hate it! No trains and in the sticks! We looked at renting in Ellenbrook, just after arriving there, and thank God we did not, or I honestly would have commited suicide And all the houses are the same, but rentals were fair, if I remember correctly?... Our kids went to Hampton Senior High, and Hampton Primary, so Morley turned out okay for us. Like I said, it is a personal experience, so do not want to ruffle any feathers of those who are looking to go over maybe?? It was just SO very different from Cape Town, where we hail from, and NZ is so similar, another reason why we fell head over heels in love with this little Island. Yes, quite happy to eat baked spuds for the rest of our lives, but to have this quaint beauty - is sure worth it!

Container costs.....I will get back to you regarding that, have all the docs filed away.

Glad I could put in my $1 worth!

Chat soon with all the in's and out's...and  I know that feeling only too well. Chin up!


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[dievissers]

    to the forum and     and      !  Hope you find the peace and happiness all of us deserve.

[Willow]

  Thank you "Dievissers" and "Thombatt", all and any input at this stage is most welcome.     We are due to apply for citizenship at the end of May this year.  I presume we will not have made a move by then, so we will go ahead and apply for it.  Yes we all deserve to be happy and at this moment in time, the money we have spent (R??? $? should be close to the million mark by now lol) has been worth it in so many ways, but at the same time it feels that we haven't found that Oz is home yet, and after 5 years that's a bit daunting!!!

But we are seriously going to start the ball rolling very soon.

Kiwiwannabe I look forward to hearing from you soon with regards to the "move" and THANK YOU   
for your offer, with regards to the info...

Willow

[SaKiwiBoer]

Hi Willow,
  to the forum. Hope you find what you're looking for.
If I were you, I would also get my citizenship in Auzzie first, before I moved to NZ, if I were you.
Cheese and enjoy, SAKB

[Ostrich]

Ditto what everyone has said about getting citizenship first -- it gives you (and your kids) more options/security in the long term, and it's a short wait for you. Good luck with your plans!

[zatexnz]

Firstly, WELCOME  to this site!!

I agree with Thombatt, about getting Oz citizenship first, and it seems you're already thinking along those lines! 

I would like to make another suggestion.  So far all the Saffers that I know that are unhappy in Oz, are those that are in Perth.  I have quite a few very happy friends that are on the East coast  - Sydney, Brisbaine, etc.  I even have a KIWI friend who is now living in Ballina in NSW and absolutely loving it!  So this is my suggestion:  Have you tried looking at jobs and opportunities on the east coast?   And I'll tell you why.  It is well-known that pay in Oz is higher than in NZ.  Yes, we have a more laid-back lifestyle here, but on the other hand, the lifestyle in some cases is SO laidback that the locals feel threatened by the hardworking Saffers, which leads to that "tall poppy syndrome" that is prevalent here.   We have Saffer friends living down the road that have been here for about 8 years I think, and they're again thinking of moving to Oz, because he's been without work here for more than 6 months, tried running his own business (electrician), and just not making it.  The other reason is simply the cost and stress of shipping your stuff over and settling in a totally new culture (although it may even be the same cost and stress as settling on the East coast! ). 

Please know that I am not trying to dissuade you from coming here, but just wanting you to think about the options closer to where you're at, before thinking of hopping the ditch again.

In the end, the decision is really going to be yours.  Kiwiwannabe and her hubby took quite a few months before they found a job in the area they wanted to settle.  The job market is tough at the moment, so it may be a good idea to just try out the East coast first.

All the best!! 

[Tui]

Willow, just spoke to hubby, and he told me we paid $7000 for a 10ft container, Perth - Tauranga. We did not take insurance. We used WridgWay, and were very happy with them! Only one breakage - our lounge mirror.....so cannot complain


All the best!


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[thombatt]

saaustralia.org

is a site tailored for South Africans who intend,or who have migrated to Australia. While a lot go to Perth more land up on the East Coast. A lot of the topics raised about the East Coast will be about Sydney (most) Melbourne (many) Adelaide ((many)  Adelaide is a popular destination as it is considered remote for immigration purposes) and Brisbane (a few).

My brother lives in Brisbane so I can ask him if you have specific questions about BNE. He doesn't have any children, so asking about education will be a waste of time.

Once you have your Aussie citizenship it's very hard to take it away from you. Having it gives you options, not having it limits you in the future. You may want to move to the East Coast in the future, who knows. To stay for another month to get it,well there is no decision required in my opinion. I know there is a bit of admin needed to get it, so it will probably be longer than a month. I know you have to get it in Australia though, you can't be out of Australia.

[Tui]

Good logical post Colleen - it is indeed a tough call! Immigration as we all know is so stressful and of course bloody expensive. The job situation is a little worrying to say the least, but, where there's a will, there's a way!


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[cyclewife]

A very warm  Willow.
Can't comment as I'm still in SA... but agree with what has been said already by our forum family members.
  & all the best with your future plans.
My step sister lives just outside Sydney - loves it there... she's just arrived for a long visit with her new addition to the family. Can't wait to hear what she has to say about SA now since she has been gone a while now....