EEEkkk can’t believe I am ....

I hate to be negative but just bear in mind the old saying of "the grass is always greener". I'm sure OZ has its good points but it will always have a lot of bad ones too, I think you should watch prime in the mornings, they have an oz morning show on and you will get to hear some of the debates etc and will help you see oz in a truer light.
I have never actually been to OZ, but me and DH emigrated here from England and I can assure you it pays to do research. I thought I had done our research, but we got screwed over by a recruitment consultant and by our first landlord. Our plan of having a lower mortgage so that I could be a SAHM didn't work out either. Don't get me wrong we are still happy that we decided to come out here but it wasn't and isn't as peachy as we had thought, sometimes it is too easy to get caught up in the excitement and adventure of emigrating, you need to take a step back and have a really good look at the whole situation.

Sorry not trying to piss on your parade or anything, just some friendly warnings.

We have just been in a similar situation, had decided to move with friends and all then hubby got a promotion so decided to stick it out here for another year or two and then see how we go. My friend went though, her hubby is getting 3x as much as what they were here but the moving cost was huge adn the rent and mortgage bigger too but they still love it. She is starting to struggle with the heat. She said that there is just so much to do there though, places are always having fairs, carnivals etc... and of course the theme parks (they moved between brisbane and surfers) they have been there 4 months now and are slowly starting to settle but she is super lonely and said its quite hard to meet new people.

maybe you could find a parenting forum in Aussie and have a chat and maybe try to make some contacts before you decide to go that way you will have some base over there. You could also talk to them bout wages, medical costs, day care costs, things to do in the areas you are looking at, and in general what is happening over there. It may help you decide where you might go.

It really depends on where you want to move to. My parents have just moved back over there after being in NZ for 22 years. We lived in Brisbane city when I was born and they have just moved up to the Sunshine Coast (30 minute drive from Oz Zoo) and they love it up there. Mum is just doing some cleaning job at an apartment block (and getting paid over $20 an hour) and my dad has just got a fulltime job as a sales rep (earning sh*te loads).

They do have major water restriction at the moment. If you are really looking at it, follow the election online for the next few weeks - that will give you an idea of what you are heading to. I would jump at the chance going over there (i'm an Oz citizen so have no problems over there), but as DH has just accepted a long term job here in NZ we won't be moving for a long time. Also another thing is you have to have a "card" to work over there as well - even the citizens do. I can find out from my mum and dad if you like.

Thanks for you comments good or bad, becks that would fab if you could find out for me.
We will prob be def going but as for saying the grass in not always greener, we certainly know this but if we don't go and give it a try we will never know aye!!??
We will be going to either brisbane or the gold coast not sure which yet need to have some serious talks with our friends they have been ther lots on holidays so know way more than us. It's all a bit exciting and scary all at the same time

You're absolutely right about regretting if you don't try and also that you can always come home.
If you watch prime in the morning they have a lot of debate going on about the election, it covers the whole of OZ as well so gives a good indication of what is going on all over OZ.
With the earning 3x what you earn here, the same could be said of Britain. Me and DH earnt a lot of money in the uk, I earnt double the average UK income for one household and DH earnt about 1.5 times the average income, but we could still only afford to live in a 2 bed terrace house (unit) with hardly any garden and we could only afford one car. True we lived in Kent which is one of the most expensive areas, but it is also one of the areas that offers the highest wages and many commute to London.
Have a really good look at house prices, school and medical fees, whether you will need 2 cars, what insurance prices are like (insurance in nz is ridiculously cheap compared to the uk) whether insurance is compulsory (car and home insurance are not optional in the uk).
Also one of the things that has been being discussed with the oz elections is how the tax cuts keep driving up the interest rate, so what is given with one hand is taken with the other. Many oz families are complaining about the same things that are problems here and in the uk, ie unaffordable housing, one income going solely to pay mortgage etc.

Sorry about all the comparisons to the uk, but I haven't lived in OZ and just wanted to give an indication into some of the things that can be vastly different from country to country and the uk compared to nz is the only comparison I have.
And like I said earlier we are still happy with our decision to move here, but ours was a lifestyle change rather than wanting to be better off financially (although that would have been a nice bonus)

Whatever you decide, wish you all the best. The talking to ozzies on the huggies forum is a cool idea.

Personally I think it is a wonderful idea as long as it is right for you.
I love Brisbane, it's so laid back. I was brought up in Brisbane and have a lot of friends there. I found it a much nicer place to be a child and the schools are much better IMO. We are certainly going to consider a move there once we have children. My grandparents still lived in NZ while we were in Brisbane and they did miss us and we missed them but our visits with them were so so special and it hasn't ruined our relationship with them at all. We're so close and DH and I even got married on their wedding anniversary.
Like my2angels said there is a lot more to do there, there is always something happening.
If you're unable to buy a home here now could you really be any worse off if you go and give it a try?
I wish you all the very best either way.

Brisbane (well the outer suburbs) are great for families - cheaper living than closer to the city and public transport is great there. Gold Coast is becoming a retiment haven so it is full of old people.

I'll have a talk to mum and dad tomorrow and let you know Nicola.

awww thanks andie, you always have something encouraging to say!! Thanks becca will look foward to you next installment for me, And april fools awesome advice too, will have to get my parents onto skype if we go and then we can talk whenever!! I think we will go and have a go at it, like you said if we are unable to buy a home here we might has well see what it has to offer, have told my dad and amazingly he said he thinks we should go for it!

Oh and as for prime, we live rurally and can not get it so can't watch it, bummer !