New Life in Australia

Just do it! [Moving to Australia] has been the best decision I've ever made...Nothing has to be permanent so if you don't like it you can always go back. With thanks to Hoxton Wealth for sponsoring this episode. Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast   In this episode, Karen talks to expat Emma Norton Selzer who is Head of Australia for Hoxton Wealth. In the episode we cover:  How...

It's important to consider what you want from your Whitsunday Island cruise! Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast  In this solo episode, Karen talks about one of the best travel experiences in Australia - taking a cruise in the Whitsunday Islands! It can feel very overwhelming to choose a cruise as there are so many to choose from from day cruises to overnight and multiday cruises. Ka...

We were going to live our lives to the fullest. Even if it meant making mistakes along the way. Even if it meant trying to figure things out as we went along.  Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast In this solo episode, Karen talks about the topic of living a life of no regret. The episode covers:  The story that inspired this podcast topic. Tips to shift your mindset and move towards livin...

I believe everybody needs representation at the table.  With thanks to Davidson Property Advocates for sponsoring this episode.  Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast  In this episode, Karen talks to Tonya Davidson from Davidson Property Advocates.  We cover:  What is a buyer's advocate  How can a buyer's advocate help you The different suburbs and lifestyles on offer in and aroun...

We are trying to make the visa journey as stress-free as possible for our clients. With thanks to True Blue Migration Services for sponsoring this episode. Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast  In this episode, Karen talks to Joy and Maryanne from True Blue Migration Services all about visas for Australia.  We cover:  Who are True Blue Migration Services Best first steps for somebody consi...

You need to plan ahead and know how your assets will be treated in Australia. You need to have a financial plan!  With thanks to bdhSterling for sponsoring this episode. Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast  In this episode, Karen talks to Simon Harvey, Group Managing Directory of bdhSterling. We discuss:  Moving your pension to Australia Planning your long-term financial goals Thinking ab...

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 podc ast 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...

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 . I...

Whale watching really is one of the most incredible experiences in Australia!  Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast  In this episode, Karen talks about the amazing experience of going whale watching in Australia. The episode covers:  Will you get seasick and how to prepare What to pack for your day trip The importance of sunscreen Can you swim with whales? What level of ticket to buy and m...

When you connect with your 'why'  it helps you overcome challenges. It gives you a reason to keep going even when things are difficult and get challenging.  Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast In this episode, Karen talks about identifying your 'why'. Why do you want to move to Australia?  When you know why you are moving, it helps you stay connected to your dream and...

We thought we had more time but things changed very quickly. Information changes fast and sometimes you just need to trust your gut and travel back without all of the facts.  Welcome to the New Life in Australia podcast In this episode, Karen talks about her experience of losing her dad earlier this year. This episode covers tips to help you prepare for when the worst happens. Remember, you aren&a...

The New Life in Australia is back! With new episodes dropping every Thursday, you can expect more inspiration for creating your new life in Australia. The first episode of season two drops on Thursday 12th September 2024! Discover past episodes here. Support the show

It is just the most perfect time to start some new Christmas traditions for yourself. Your traditions from your home country probably came from family traditions. You do things in the way that everyone else in the family has always done them, and you’re following that process. But when you get here, you’re free to create your own brand new traditions…you can celebrate Christmas your way. Welcome t...

When you get out there and explore, it really just reminds you why you moved. So, especially if you’ve been feeling a bit homesick, there’s nothing more exhilarating and exciting than pulling into a really beautiful new beach and remembering that you actually get to live here! W henever I think to myself, I’m so lucky to live here, it’s so beautiful, I remind myself I’m not lucky. I just took acti...

We live in central Queensland, it's the Sunshine State. You know, it's very rare that we don't see the sun. It's warm. Even in wintertime for us, it was warm. And you know, paddle boarding - it's low impact. It's a good all round sport for any age group, any level of fitness. And it's great, not just for body fitness, but for the mind and the soul as well. Whethe...

It’s really difficult for your family to know what things are going to work for your new life in Australia and what is practical to give you as a Christmas gift for your final Christmas before you move. Help them out by giving them some ideas!   Welcome to episode 11 of the New Life in Australia podcast In this episode, Karen talks about considerations around Christmas gifting when you’re moving t...

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 dif...

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...

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 Aust...

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...

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 wou...

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 k...

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 sh...

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...

Did you know that Karen spent eight months backpacking searching for the world's best beaches, or that one of her favourite things about living in Queensland is never having to de-ice the car?  Welcome to the first episode of the New Life in Australia podcast!  In this introductory episode, you'll learn: Who is Karen Bleakley and what inspired this podcast What to expect from the New Lif...