Living in Australia

Australia is a unique continent-country where you can choose from a wide variety of lifestyles and landscapes to make your home. Whether you choose one of the large cities in Australia, a spot next to the beach or the outback, you still need to plan your move carefully.

Situated in the Southern Hemisphere, Australia is made up of the mainland in addition to several small islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It was originally settled by Europeans in the 18th century and is the sixth largest country in the world. Australia also ranks very high for quality of life, health care, life expectancy and public education.

Many Britons choose to move to Australia for the climate, outdoor life and laidback attitude - and the fact that Australians also speak English. Although there are similarities to Britain and an awareness of shared heritage, there are also many different ways of doing things which may surprise you. It is important to make yourself aware of the differences in culture to help you ease into Australian life and minimise culture shock. Don’t go with rigid preconceptions of how to do things. Keep an open mind and do some research in advance.

Call Us:  Staffordshire & Cheshire: 01785 251161 orCall Me Back

Living in Australia

What to expect when you arrive in Australia

Of course you know that the climate is different but don’t forget to prepare for the many differences you will encounter. Even if the locals often speak English, they may have different customs and practices. The Australian love of Vegemite (a spread similar to Marmite) sandwiches can be hard to understand as is Australian Rules Football which is very different from football in the UK.

Get support for your settlement in Australia

Various social clubs and playgroups designed for expats are available to help you to acclimatise to your new country successfully. Do get in touch with some of these. Members can provide invaluable advice and support as you are bound to find some aspects of your new life confusing.

Expat groups, both online and offline can help you adjust, make new friends and get a handle on Australian life. There are many online groups, such as British Expats and Poms in Oz.

You may even wish to pay for professional advice from a company which provides help for families who are thinking of beginning a new life in Australia.

Living in Australia

Call Us:  Staffordshire & Cheshire: 01785 251161 orCall Me Back

Call Us:  Staffordshire & Cheshire: 01785 251161 orGet an Estimate

Living in Australia

Driving - the same, yet different

On the roads, speeds and distances are measured in kilometres, not miles. Keep in mind that speed limits and the rules of the road are also different. Prepare yourself by studying the rules of the road before you leave. Individual states have websites giving you vital information. Australia recognises the UK driving licence so you can drive using this for the first three months. After that you will need to convert your licence to an Australian one. To apply you must be an Australian resident. If you have had your licence for more than two years, you probably won’t need to take another test but you will need to complete the necessary formalities. Remember that regulations may vary from state to state.

Prepare ahead for your banking needs

The National Australia Bank and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia offer special migrant bank accounts to help new immigrants settle and manage their finances down under.

Opening a bank account prior to moving to Australia is a good move which will help establish your credit rating and, of course, make life simpler for paying bills and when your employer pays in your wages. Once you arrive in Australia, you will want access to funds in Australian dollars and having a bank account already set up will greatly simplify any financial transactions.

Living in Australia

Call Us:  Staffordshire & Cheshire: 01785 251161 orGet an Estimate

Living in Australia

Education

Choosing the right schools for your children is crucial to ensure that they settle quickly and easily into their new environment. If the children are happy and doing well at school it goes a long way to contribute to the overall happiness of the family. Your children will make friends, and the adults may also develop a social circle with other parents.

Many Australians send their children to state funded schools which are considered good, and you may be pleased to see that your child benefits from smaller class sizes than the UK. Private schools are very expensive so before choosing this option do plenty of research. Visit the schools that you think may be suitable and speak to the teachers and other parents. This will give you a flavour of what to expect.

The Australian Schools Directory lists all state and private schools in Australia.

Housing in Australia

The housing market also differs from the UK. A highly competitive rental market means that many Aussies can find a home in decent commuting distance but also close enough to a natural beauty spot which will provide that all important work/life balance. It is important to plan your potential commute, shopping trips and school runs when considering where to live as waiting forty five minutes in downtown traffic just to get to the supermarket can be a stressful and time consuming endeavour.

It may appear to be wonderful - and less expensive - to live in a remote area, but unless you are used to that sort of lifestyle, consider carefully. It can be very comforting to have neighbours in the event of an emergency or just to socialise.

Call Us:  Staffordshire & Cheshire: 01785 251161 orGet a Quote

Meet our movers

Call Us:  Staffordshire & Cheshire: 01785 251161 orGet a Quote

Removal quote appointment booking service

Britannia Goodwins Removals & Storage can help your overseas move go smoothly. Contact us for a free, no obligation quote, or by calling 01785 251161 and speaking with one of our Stafford and Cheshire removals specialists.

How are our appointments carried out

In the current times you might prefer that we don't visit your house in person to carry out a survey. This is fully understandable and we can just as easily undertake the survey by video call, using whatever method you're comfortable with, usually FaceTime or WhatsApp.

See what our customers think of us...

The overall experience at a time of stress was good

Why did you choose to get a quote from us and where did you get our contact details?
Recommended by two people who used your company.

How would you rate the way we dealt with your initial enquiry?
9/10

How would you rate the survey that we carried out?
9/10

Why did you choose to move/store with us?
Because of others experience

How would you rate your move team?
9/10

Would you like to tell us anything about your move team?
Very pleasant. Courteous, helpful guys

How would you rate our communication?
9/10

How can we improve our service?
Not sure

How likely are you to recommend us to your friends / family?
10/10

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your move?
The overall experience at a time of stress was good 

Iris Ramsey,

You made it stress-free and we now have the opportunity to just enjoy our new home.

Why did you choose to get a quote from us and where did you get our contact details?
We googled "Movers Staffordshire" and came across your company. The high review rating drew us to visit your website for more details.

How would you rate the way we dealt with your initial enquiry?
10/10

How would you rate the survey that we carried out?
10/10

Why did you choose to move/store with us?
We appreciated the transparency of being able to get an instant quote range so that we had a good idea of how much the final quote would be. We were also pleased with the prompt replies and ease of making all of the arrangements throughout the process. Because the initial inquiry was dealt with so well, we felt comfortable enough to choose you without shopping around for other quotes.

How would you rate your move team?
10/10

Would you like to tell us anything about your move team?
Kim, Matthew, and Darren were delightful. They were efficient, friendly, and considerate. Kim went above and beyond to make sure that all of our essentials (keys, dog food, phones) were set aside. When unpacking, we noticed how carefully wrapped the items were. Everyone was very patient with our dog who was keen to get in their way.

How would you rate our communication?
8/10

How can we improve our service?
Communication was excellent for the most part. We would have appreciated confirmation the day before the packing to know around what time we should have been expecting you.

How likely are you to recommend us to your friends / family?
0/10

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your move?
We are so grateful for your help in our move. You made it stress-free and we now have the opportunity to just enjoy our new home.

Justin Chung

Enthusiastic, positive and professional

Why did you choose to get a quote from us and where did you get our contact details?
Google reviews

How would you rate the way we dealt with your initial enquiry?
10/10

How would you rate the survey that we carried out?
10/10

Why did you choose to move/store with us?
Great google reviews

How would you rate your move team?
10/10

Would you like to tell us anything about your move team?
Fantastic.  Tyler and the team (and there were many over the three days) were positive and professional throughout.  They dealt with a nervous buyer with great empathy and always tried to put me at ease.  They were enthusiastic, positive and professional.  Thank you so much.

How would you rate our communication?
10/10

How can we improve our service?
Possibly with the quote acceptance online.  It was somewhat confusing.  However, when I phoned up with my queries, Catherine was amazing and sorted it all out for me.

How likely are you to recommend us to your friends / family?
10/10

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your move?
Brilliant

Dawn Wylie

They ensured all items were placed in the correct rooms and even positioned exactly where we wanted them

Why did you choose to get a quote from us and where did you get our contact details?
Google search

How would you rate the way we dealt with your initial enquiry?
10/10

How would you rate the survey that we carried out?
10/10

Why did you choose to move/store with us?
We saw some great reviews and the price was reasonable.

How would you rate your move team?
10/10

Would you like to tell us anything about your move team?
John, Robert and Gareth were fantastic. They arrived on time, were careful with all belongings and were genuinely nice guys. They moved us from 4 bed to 4 bed in under 6 hours, which is a miracle! They ensured all items were placed in the correct rooms and even positioned exactly where we wanted them. Would definitely recommend!

How would you rate our communication?
10/10

How can we improve our service?
N/A

How likely are you to recommend us to your friends / family?
10/10

Emma Fenton

UK Quote

Complete the form below to get your UK Removals quotation

Date Details

Moving Details

Contact Details

European Removals Quote Request

Complete the form below to get your European Removals quotation

Date Details

Moving Details

Contact Details

International Removals Quote Request

Complete the form below to get your International Removals quotation

Date Details

Moving Details

Contact Details

Call Me Back

Complete the form below and we'll call you back to discuss your requirements

Your Details

Self Storage

Complete the form below to get your Self Storage quotation

Storage Details

Additional Information

Contact Details

UK Price Guide

Complete the form below to get a Price Guide sent to you

Please note: Our Price Guide tool is intended for moves within the UK Mainland only. If you're moving to or from the UK mainland please speak to one of our friendly team who will be able to provide you with a bespoke quote.

Moving From

Moving To

Moving Details

Your Details

Please note: Our Price Guide tool is intended for moves within the UK Mainland only.

Call Us:  Staffordshire & Cheshire: 01785 251161 orLet Us Call You Back

© Britannia Goodwins Removals & Storage 2024. Registered in England 00719614 Britannia Goodwins is a trading name of John Bradshaw and Son Limited An indicoll website
Privacy PolicyCookie PolicyDisclaimerAccessibility