Moving your life across the world is a pretty big deal. Australia couldn’t be farther from most English speaking countries. Ireland, The UK, The U.S Canada are all so far away from the land down under. This can make moving abroad that bit scarier, when your friends and family are a 24 hour flight away.
I’ve lived in Australia the last 5 years. Here are 11 things to know before moving to Australia.
- It’s normal to feel homesick.
There’s no way around this one unfortunately you will feel homesick at some point and that’s okay. Think about it, you’re moving your life across the world away from your support network and familiarity of home.
Personally, I feel homesick the most when it’s the holidays, Christmas or when I’m experiencing a lot of stress. Christmas never truly feels like Christmas. I associate Christmas with sitting around the fire with my family and a half eaten box of celebrations watching Jack Frost. It’s a weird one when you’re standing on the beach in 30 degree heat wearing a Santa hat having a BBQ.
The time zone
This can make it difficult to just pick up the phone at 2 am and call your mam for a chat. It comes and goes in waves. Then there are days when I’m going for a coastal walk and I’m reminded of the beautiful life I’m creating for myself here and why I left in the first place.
Stay in touch with your family
Before moving to Australia set a time with your family that you can schedule in a call like a Sunday morning. Send them a text when you think of them. It will mean the world to them and reach out when you miss them. It’s nice to hear their voice and see a familiar face when you’re settling in.
- Friends are your family here
Friendships are crucial here as an expat in Australia. I underestimated the importance of good quality friendships before moving to Australia.
My friends are my family here. They are my support network when going through a hard time. It will take time to make and develop new friendships.
Don’t be disheartened if this doesn’t happen as fast as you would expect. It takes consistency and effort.
Your friendships at home didn’t just happen overnight, they likely developed over years!
Be open minded.
You will need to put yourself in uncomfortable situations, put yourself out there to make new connections and meet new people. But I promise the reward is worth it.
It’s not uncommon here to meet someone for ten minutes and before you know it you’re invited to their birthday party the following weekend.
Say yes to as many things as you can
Don’t be afraid to ask that girl for her Instagram. Follow up and arrange a coffee date. Chances are, they’re in the same position as you. The friends I have today are because I took a chance and put myself out there.
- Before moving to Australia, set up a Transferwise account
Do not transfer money from your home bank to an Australian bank. It will cost you a fortune in fees and they will give you a pretty miserable exchange rate in comparison to Transferwise.
You can get an international bank card with Transferwise and use that on your travels around Asia and when you visit home. Super Handy!
- The Sydney Stone is a real thing
Before moving to Australia I heard about the ‘Sydney Stone”. If you’re like me and love to go out for good food and drinks, you’ll likely notice the scales go up those first few months. Don’t panic.
This is an exciting time for you, you’ve just arrived in Australia, you’re basically on holiday for the first few months anyways, you’ll be living your best life!
This probably isn’t the best time to go on a strict diet.
Do your best, move your body, go for a walk and eat well when you can. But please don’t stress and enjoy yourself. You will settle down and get back on track and that’s ok! Take the pressure off yourself and don’t feel guilty.
- Before moving to Australia make an Aussie bucket list
Write down a list of all the places you want to see and things you want to do, whether that’s skydiving in Airlie Beach or visiting The Great Barrier Reef. It is so satisfying at the end of the year to look back at all the things you ticked off.
It also gives you something to work towards. Time goes so fast here and before you realize 6 months will have passed.
Ask the locals
The Aussies know their country better than anyone. Any time someone gave me a recommendation big or small I wrote it down in my notes, on my phone. 9 times out of 10 their recommendations were the highlight of the trip. So I highly recommend you take their advice.
- It does in fact get cold, pack that winter coat before moving to Australia
You will thank yourself later. Australian Winters here do get cold especially in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. In Sydney they don’t have central heating, their windows are usually single pane glass too. This is to let the heat out in the summer.
In winter, my apartment can be colder inside than outside. Grab yourself a cheap electric heater from Kmart and heat the room you’re in.
Personally I wouldn’t spend a lot of money on fancy coats here as you’ll only probably wear it for 3 months of the year. Then it’s back to t-shirts and shorts.
- Before moving to Australia you need to know the sun here is intense.
Australia has the highest rate of melanoma in the world. Since being a nurse in Australia I have seen so many patients with skin cancer, especially in tradies, landscapers and farmers. Those that work outside really need to be careful.
Many employers in construction mandate that workers wear long sleeves and long trousers to protect them from the sun.
Wear your SPF
Don’t worry about stocking up on SPF before moving to Australia. Australia has really good quality sunscreen and it’s very affordable. Wear it everyday! The Aussie sun is no joke and my Irish skin isn’t taking any chances.
- Transport
If you plan on living in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane you likely don’t need a car, at least initially. The public transport is so good.
I have a car in Sydney, but never drive into the city. The traffic is bad and the parking is insanely expensive. Public transport is cheaper and more convenient for going to and from the city.
You can always rent a car for those day trips or long weekends and re-assess later on if you need to buy a car.
There are speed cameras everywhere
If you do get a car , a word of warning there are cameras everywhere around Australia. Australia penalizes drivers heavily for speeding, driving with a phone and not wearing your seat belt.
The fines can be over 300 dollars and for breaking a red light as dear as 500 dollars.
Double Demerits on Public Holidays
Demerit points are penalty points. Be extra careful on long weekends, Christmas and Easter. The state imposes double points for offenses on these days.
If you receive 13 or more points you can be disqualified. A standard speeding demerit is 3 points and if you do that on a public holiday you’re nearly half way to losing your license.
Drive slow and allow yourself extra time.
- Aussies abbreviate everything, learn some lingo before moving to Australia.
“Arvo”, “servo”, “rego”, “bottle-o” and “ambo” are just a start to the Aussie slang. I love it, I can listen to it all day!
You’ll be surprised at what you pick up over the years. I visited home to find my family laughing at me. I sound like an Australian sometimes with their little sayings and expressions. “How ya going mate?, chucking a sickie today?”
- Hard Rubbish Day
Australia has a day every year where residents are allowed to place their unwanted large bulky items such as a fridge or washing machine etc out on the curb for collection by the local council.
This is a great opportunity to find some hidden gems if you’re a newbie to Australia and looking to furnish your place for free. My partner and I got our outdoor furniture on the side of the road basically brand new. Popped on some fresh cushions, gave it a wipe and it was good to go.
You can check the days it’s on, on your local council website.
- Australia is MASSIVE
It’s 32 times the size of the UK. So much of Australia is covered in red desert and inhabited. Only when you’re driving in the outback for hours can you truly begin to comprehend the sheer size of Australia.
The Aussies are used to driving long distances to go anywhere. In Ireland we can be on the opposite side of the country in 2 hours from Dublin to Galway. You can drive 20 hours in Australia and still be in the same state!
Australia is truly an amazing country with so much to see and do. These tips can give you some insight into life in Australia. Check out the 9 Essential you need to complete on your moving to Australia checklist. I wish you the best success on your Australian Journey. Leave a comment below with any questions or thoughts? What’s your favourite Aussie saying?
