New Life in Australia – Details, episodes & analysis

Perth is so family-friendly. Everything is built for families...the parks, the beaches, everything is centred around families. 

Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast

In this episode, Karen talks to Charles who runs E-Sterling Services, a relocation agency that helps you move to Perth in Western Australia. In the episode, we discuss: 

• What is Perth like as a city
• Which are the best suburbs
• The things a relocation can help you with
• Things to do in Perth
• Choosing schools in your new city
• And so much more!  

If you're heading to Perth, you're going to want to listen to this one but equally, it has a lot of general advice around moving to any city in Australia.

Resources: 

• Find E-Sterling Services in the Move to Australia Directory
• Check out the blog on Charles' website for lots of articles about Perth

Find the full show notes and transcript over at Smartstepstoaustralia.com/episode-19

Find all of the migration and relocation services you need in one handy place in the Move to Australia Directory. 

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Customers can book as far in advance as they like and lock in the prices for the future... Don't pay an arm and a leg to take things with you!

Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast 

SmartStepstoAustralia is an affiliate partner with Send My Bag and some of the links on this page are affiliate links. 

In this episode, Karen talks to Darren from the Partner's Team at Send My Bag. In the interview, we discuss: 

• What types of things you can you send to Australia with Send My Bag
• Why might you find it helpful to send a bag or box to Australia and how the service can relieve your stress
• What can't you send to Australia?
• How are bags tracked?
• How does packing and pick up work?
• What if you're travelling and want to arrive before your bag?
• And so much more. 

Don't forget to use this link to get 5% off your first order with Send My Bag!

Resources:

• Get 5% off your first order with Send My Bag when you click through THIS DISCOUNT LINK
• Read this blog post about Send My Bag's services
• Find Send My Bag's helpful videos on YouTube
• Read Send My Bag's guide to sending luggage to Australia

Find all of the show notes and the transcript over on SmartStepstoAustralia.com/episode-18

Find all of the migration and relocation services you need in one handy place in the Move to Australia Directory. 

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I see a lot of people in forums giving their list of outgoings, but one person's outgoings is so different to another person's outgoings. So I just wanted give you a different perspective on things...The truth of the matter is that you don't know the context of the figures that people are sharing online.

Welcome to episode 10 of the New Life in Australia 

This episode covers the different perspectives around whether Australia is more expensive or not and gives you some things to consider when comparing costs. 

Karen talks about: 

• The shifting exchange rates and how this makes it difficult to compare like for like
• House prices 
• Food shopping
• Salaries (and how your income will change over time)
• Lifestyle choices and values
• Energy bills and solar
• Disposable income
• Letting go of your old currency and thinking in Aussie dollars
• All that really matters when it comes to affordability

Additional resources

• Search for house prices on realestate.com.au and domain.com.au
• How much money do you need to move to Australia?
• What is the cost of living in Brisbane
  
  
• Save money on your move to Australia by exploring some of the special offers in the Move to Australia Directory

For the full show notes and transcript, visit: https://www.smartstepstoaustralia.com/episode-10

If you enjoyed listening, don’t forget to subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts! All positive reviews are really appreciated! 

Find all of the migration and relocation services you need in one handy place in the Move to Australia Directory. 

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When we first arrived in Australia, we were driving to the shops and we got stuck in a massive hailstorm. It was the biggest one that I've ever experienced.. We weren't on any of the the alert lists, and we weren't prepared for it.  It was an absolutely insane hailstorm. I've never seen hailstones as big as that! We were able to take cover quickly, but it spurred me into making more of an effort to find out how to be prepared for next time.

Welcome to episode 9 of the New Life in Australia podcast

In this episode, Karen shares six tips that will help prepare you for Australia's extreme conditions.

The episode covers:

• Karen's early experiences with various storms when she first arrived.
• Why it's important to know how to drain your pool if you have one.
• How to stay up to date with storm and bushfire alerts.
• How to prepare your home for storm season.
• How to make smart choices when it comes to choosing a home to rent or buy.
• A reminder of Australia's emergency number (which is different from the one you know from 'home')
• Staying sun safe and being aware of beach safety.
  
  

Additional resources

• Listen to episode #5 - 11 tips to stay sun safe in Australia
• Read the blog post: Living with extreme weather in Australia 

For the full show notes and transcript, visit: https://www.smartstepstoaustralia.com/episode-nine

If you enjoyed listening, don’t forget to subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts! All positive reviews would be really appreciated! 

Find all of the migration and relocation services you need in one handy place in the Move to Australia Directory. 

Support the show

It might be your first experience of things feeling opposite here in Australia. It was our first real experience of celebrating something that we were used to celebrating in cold weather in the UK while it was really hot weather in spring in Queensland. It’s a strange experience getting used to events being hot and sunny rather than being freezing cold!

Welcome to episode 8 of the New Life in Australia podcast

In this episode, Karen talks about  what to expect from Halloween in Austraila. The show covers: 

• How does trick or treating work in Australia?
• What are sweets known as in Australia?
• Where to get Halloween costumes in Australia
• What sort of events you can enjoy in Halloween Down Under
• How to avoid Halloween in Australia if you don’t want trick or treaters knocking on your door

Additional resources

• Find out more about Halloween in Australia in this blog post
• Share what you’re up to to celebrate Halloween in Australia by tagging Karen at @smartstepstoaus on Instagram and Facebook

For the full show notes and transcript, visit:  https://www.smartstepstoaustralia.com/episode-eight

If you enjoyed listening, don’t forget to subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts! All positive reviews would be really appreciated! 

Find all of the migration and relocation services you need in one handy place in the Move to Australia Directory. 

Support the show

We had access to a car and a 4-bedroom home with pool for three and a half months. We reckon we saved $25 to $27,000 by housesitting in those first few months...We didn't have to pay any bills or anything like that. So basically, apart from putting petrol in the car and paying for our phone access, there was nothing else. 

Welcome to episode seven of the New Life in Australia podcast

In this episode, Karen chats with Tracy Collins from Tracy's Travels in Time and host of the UK Travel Planning Podcast and the Global Travel Planning Podcast all about her experience housesitting. 

The episode we talk about

• How Tracy began house-sitting
• How Tracy and Doug saved $25-27k on their arrival to Australia by organising a 3-month house sit which came with a car and bills
• How Tracy still regularly house sits in Australia and around the world
• How to craft a winning profile on the house-sitting website

Additional resources

• Feeling inspired and keen to try housesitting for yourself? Find out more here in this blog post
• Listen to episode #3 where Tracy talked about moving to Mackay and then relocating to Brisbane. 

For the full show notes and transcript, visit:  https://www.smartstepstoaustralia.com/episode-seven/

If you enjoyed listening, don’t forget to subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts! All positive reviews would be really appreciated! 

Find all of the migration and relocation services you need in one handy place in the Move to Australia Directory. 

Support the show

It breaks my heart every time I receive a message from somebody who has lost money because the migration company they chose blocked them, went under or didn't even exist in the first place! It's really expensive to set up a new life over here, and you really want to make sure that the services you are booking and paying for are going to deliver the value that you need because it just would be awful to pay the money out and then lose that money and not get the service that you were expecting.

Welcome to episode six of the New Life in Australia podcast

In this episode, Karen shares her tips around doing your due diligence before paying for any migration or relocation services so you can avoid making expensive mistakes. 

It's unfortunately too common for Karen to receive emails from readers who've had problems with their migration services and have lost large chunks of money in the process . While it's not possible to guarantee you a problem-free move, you can do your research and minimise risks, and make sure the companies you're choosing are equipped to resolve any issues that arise. 

After listening, you can also download a PDF version of the list in the additional resources below so you can refer to it again and again. 

Addional resources:

• Get the downloadable version of the list >> You can sign up and download the full list of 15 tips here
• Visit the Move to Australia Directory here
• Join Karen's free Move to Australia Facebook group

For the full show notes and transcript, visit:  https://www.smartstepstoaustralia.com/episode-six/

If you enjoyed listening, don't forget to subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts! All positive reviews would be really appreciated. 

Find all of the migration and relocation services you need in one handy place in the Move to Australia Directory. 

Support the show

Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. It's essential to respect the sun and begin with healthy habits from day one. 

Welcome to episode five of the New Life in Australia podcast

In this episode, Karen is sharing 11 tips to stay sun safe in Australia. Being safe in the sun is something you need to build into your life from the day you arrive. If you're moving with kids, get them into these habits from the day you arrive too and it all becomes second nature very quickly. 

Additional resources

• Read Karen's sunscreen review article here
• Read a round-up of beach shelter options here
• Find out about the CoolCabana sunshade here

For the full show notes and transcript, visit:  https://www.smartstepstoaustralia.com/episode-five/

If you enjoyed listening, don't forget to subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts! All positive reviews would be really appreciated! 

Find all of the migration and relocation services you need in one handy place in the Move to Australia Directory. 

Support the show

When you leave all of your friends and family behind, it's totally natural and normal to feel homesick! You can still love where you live and enjoy the adventure while missing what you've left behind - both of those feelings can exist together. 

Welcome to episode four of the New Life in Australia podcast

In this week's episode, Karen is talking all about homesickness and ways to shift those feelings. It's not about avoiding feeling that way, it's about doing things to move your energy and attention as what you focus on grows. 

If you've been feeling homesick, you aren't alone. It's something we all feel at times and there are lots of ways you can process these emotions rather than trying to block them. 

Additional resources

If you'd like more tips for overcoming homesickness, you can read this blog post.


Find the full show notes at:  https://www.smartstepstoaustralia.com/episode-four/

If you enjoyed listening, don’t forget to subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts! All positive reviews would be really appreciated! 

Find all of the migration and relocation services you need in one handy place in the Move to Australia Directory. 

Support the show

What would happen if you moved across the work to a city in Australia and then discovered it wasn't for you? That's exactly what today's guest experienced...

Welcome to episode three of the New Life in Australia podcast 

In today's episode, Karen chats with Tracy Collins from the UK Travel Planning website and podcast to learn all about her move to Mackay in Queensland from the UK, and her resettlement to Brisbane a few months later. 

In this episode, we talk about: 

• The experience of moving to Australia and then relocating to a different city
• How feeling homesick is normal
• The mindset needed to make a successful move
• Why communication with your partner is so important
• Why your decisions can change in line with what you want - it doesn't need to be forever and nothing is fixed
• How Tracy and Doug plan to spend their future retirement in Australia
• Why Brisbane is the best place to live in Australia according to Tracy!
  
  

For the full show notes and transcript, visit:   https://www.smartstepstoaustralia.com/episode-three/

If you enjoyed listening, don't forget to subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts! All positive reviews would be really appreciated! 

Find all of the migration and relocation services you need in one handy place in the Move to Australia Directory. 

Support the show