Famed for its aesthetically pleasing coasts and beaches, diverse wildlife, and the notorious “Outback” region, Australia is a nation that prides itself on playful irreverence, multiculturalism, and having a good time with sports, beer, and tasty local cuisine.
With its pleasant year-round climate and a great variety of attractions for tourists, there’s a reason why national hotspots like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane are so well-traveled.
Whether it be due to an exciting new work opportunity, or a simple relocation process, we hope you’re thrilled to move to this exciting continent. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be some hurdles and a lot of considerations to factor in during the planning process.
Here are some things to keep in mind regarding the move to the Outback so that you have a much smoother move.
1. Australia is Massive
Moving to Australia won’t be like starting a new life in a small state or country.
To put things into perspective, the distance from Perth to Canberra – two cities on opposite coasts – is less than the distance between Montreal, Canada, and London, England.
The climate and time zones across Australia are also impacted as a result; summer conditions can be happening in the north while a constant downpour of rainfall is taking place in the south, and vice versa.
The landmass also encompasses three separate time zones – those living on the east side of the continent get to enjoy New Year’s Day three hours before those on the west.
Thus, some serious logistics and planning are required when traveling the continent, as getting lost in the vast region isn’t quite a challenge.
If you’re planning to move to a city such as Sydney that’s urban area size engulfs the English capital and feel like you could use some help to get around, read these helpful Sydney guides from ZOOM Removals.
2. Know the Wildlife and Climate
There’s way more to Aussie wildlife than deadly spiders and unsuspecting kangaroos.
However, these creatures have a huge impact on locals.
While the latter is the continent’s bona fide icon, the damaging effects on the Australian ecosystem (joeys are regularly spotted tearing apart farmers’ pastures, and tend to have a preference for getting plowed by innocuous drivers on the road) mean that Australia has a complicated relationship with these bouncy creatures.
The good news is that while Australia has the reputation of being the home to the deadliest organisms on Planet Earth, it’s just a stereotype; most don’t come after people on sight. Stingrays have only ever killed two people – funnily enough, one of them was national hero Steve Irwin, and there only exist two species of deadly spiders.
On the other hand, the gargantuan summer heat is not something to take lightly.
When sun shines in Australia, it doesn’t hold back! Typical summer temperatures in some parts of the country can be scorching are can reach above 40°C, these are even forecast to get hotter as time goes on.
This means that sunburn can be a common occurrence. Both visitors and locals need to be very aware of the sun’s harmful UV rays, as the ozone layer over Australia is unusually thin.
This is why Australia has launched awareness campaigns such as Slip, Slop, Slap to help locals be more sun-smart.
3. Learn the Customs
In terms of cuisine, it’d be quite a task to find an Aussie who doesn’t eat meat; Australia commonly ranks atop the leaderboards in terms of meat consumed.
Barbecues, as a result, are a staple of Australian culture and are excellent events where you can get to know your new neighbors while watching football or rugby.
Aussie slang could also prove tricky to learn, as learning the slang could be comparable to learning an entirely new language. These helpful guides regarding these idioms can teach you how to employ interesting phrases like “on your bike or “fair dinkum”.
Other things to keep in mind are that Aussie humor is playfully facetious and that people walk on the left side of a two-way corridor.
Surprisingly, skiing is also an activity that can be done in the northern parts of the “Land Down Under,” truly highlighting the region’s diverse opportunities.
4. Impressive Quality of Life
Known globally for having high living standards (a notion reinforced by Australia’s no-nonsense handling of the pandemic), Australia ranks excellently in life expectancy and educational opportunities.
However, higher living standards equate to higher expenses, so you will need to prepare to manage your money once you arrive.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news for smokers, but this habit can become quite expensive in the Oz, as a pack will run you around $17. Similarly, healthcare is free for those who obtain permanent residence, and several convenient agreements with other countries such as England and New Zealand mean that even temporary visitors have access to the same benefits.
While living in the cities is an attractive lifestyle, routine trips to the Australian national parks are absolutely necessary. There are many aesthetically beautiful landmarks for your perusal, including:
- The Blue Mountains
- Boodjamulla
- Wilsons Promontory
Closing Thoughts
Making the move to the Land Down Under could be quite a refreshing change of scenery for those accustomed to American or European lifestyles.
With a culture that consists of facetious humor, tasty barbecues, complex slang, diverse wildlife, insane climate disparities, and an epic number of attractions, there is little not to like about Australia – just plenty to adjust to!
We hope this guide helps you transition to Aussie life easier. Don’t forget to research each region’s economy, weather, and culture to get the best sense of where to move to.
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