Hoffmann Peels Move to Australia

Hi and G'day!

Everyone keeps asking how we are getting on and whether we have a date or not, so I thought I would start this blog and update it so you all can find out where we are with our visa application and also we can use this page to let you all know what we are doing when we arrive in Australia.


Visas
After sending off all the documents needed to apply for the visa we all went up to Cambridge to have our x-rays and medicals and they were sent off today. So we are hoping to get out at the end of the month in order for Alex to start his new job on the 1st December. We are calling the visa office tomorrow to speak with our contact there and hopefully we will know when our visa may be granted.

Moving our furniture
We are taking a container to Aus and once we get there we will find some temporary fully furnished accommodation and then find somewhere unfurnished to rent from Feb when our furniture and belongings arrive.

Schools
If the timing goes to plan, we will arrive in time to visit schools before they close for the summer/Christmas holidays. We want to see the schools in full flow and for Harvey especially to get a sense of what they can offer him before he chooses where he wants to go and restarts year 9 at the end of January.

Where?
We are moving to the Sunshine Coast which is 2 hours north of Brisbane. On the coast there are towns such as Noosa Heads and Maroochydore. Just inland you will find Landsborough and Nambour which are more industrial towns and then to the west there is a mountain range which runs north-south called the Blackhall Range which is where we are going to live. On the range there is a much slower pace of life and you get great views but you are also only 30 minutes from the beach. We are hoping to find a place in Montville or Mapleton, both places have photos and info on google which will give you an idea of where we will be.

Alex's job
Alex will be commuting to the office in Brisbane each day. It should take him around an hour and 3/4 hours which is made up of a 20-25 minute drive down off the range to Landsborough and then 1 hour 20 on an airconditioned train which goes past the beautiful Glasshouse Mountains. He is working for a large firm of architects and the contract is for two years.

That is probably enough for now.

Hopefully this won't become too addictive, but be a good source of info, pictures and news for everyone!

Ali