blackcat

If I remember correctly (I did it quite a few years ago now) you can do it as many times as you need to. And I don't think there's any cost, it's all part of your citizenship fee. If you check the citizenship details online it will tell you in case it has changed since I did it. They send you a pack (free, when I did it) which includes the book that includes all the info you need to learn. Like Ali said, dates, State flowers, etc it's quite interesting stuff to learn, not hard

Ali, that is something I hadn't thought of, do you return to UK on British passport? or travel on Australian passport? I'm guessing that you can only travel on one passport during one journey? I revised the book a lot before I sat my citizenship test but I found it really interesting! And then I found the test very easy, did it in about 10 minutes :-)

Hello wallywombat I just arrived in Perth from Brisbane about 4 weeks ago, and I love Brisbane but came here to study! For me a major downside of Brisbane is the lack of beaches, true the Sunny Coast and GC have great beaches, but Brisbane, being quite a lot bigger and more populated than Perth, and with roads even worse than Perth's, made getting to the beach a major expedition. The humidity in summer can be a bit much if you're not used to it but I think you acclimatise quite quickly, for me really it was just the beaches, or lack of. I don't like the GC, it's ok to go down there for the day, or as you say live up on Tambo and visit the beaches, the further south the quieter, the nearer Surfers, no thanks.. The Sunny Coast is quaint but perhaps a little slow, very family oriented, great beaches. The best thing about Brissy is the access to everything, including the hinterland which is stunning! So much to see and do!! Enjoy!!

I booked the cheapest short-term let I could find through ozhouserental.com (pet friendly house) very comfortable fully furnished house, whilst I waited for my furniture etc to arrive from interstate. It was $480/week plus $30/week for electricity and about 50 km south of Perth (Rockingham area) but Perth very easy to get to from here if you need to esp. by train, I go up daily to just south of the river by either train or car, easy. I've now find a unit to rent which is a lot cheaper but for a 3 bed house $480 is not bad esp. for a short term let which are usually much more expensive. So what you're looking to pay sounds very good, even if it is further out and shared facilities, it's only until you find something suitable for longer term.

*Australian Citizen* and *Australian Passport holder* - Me :-)

Hi sorry too to hijack, just moved over from east coast and looking for part-time agency work, i'm a psych nurse, haven't seen any recent ads for agencies, any recent ads for psych nursing at all, getting pretty desperate to find some work!! Currently SoR but only in a short-term let which I can't afford for much longer, and can't find a place to live without a job! :-( Many thanks :-)

Hi ali, ok thanks for that. Do you know which are the biggest hospitals for mental health beds?

Hi all, I'm a mental health nurse moving over to Perth to study in January, and so will not be looking to take up a full-time post. I've approached a couple of nursing agencies but not sure whether getting onto the casual pool of a particular hospital may be a better move? At least being casual pool you don't have to drive all over the city for work.. Any other mental health nurses out there with any ideas? Are there any hospitals that use agency/casual nurses a lot or not? Don't know yet where I'll be based, matter of finding somewhere I can afford, the studying is near Canning Vale. Thanks all, very much appreciated :-)

I'm moving to Perth from Brissy in January, and I keep reading about these 'Rental Packs'... I've lived in Aus for 8 years and I have no clue what they are! Could someone please explain?! Thanks :-)

Hello helenhope Sorry to hear that you've not really been enjoying life in Brissy.. I was interested to read your post as I am moving from Bris to Perth too! I've not been having the same issues re. kids as I will be moving on my own. I've been here about 4 years and have enjoyed it but feel like a change and as I've said elsewhere here I miss the beaches that Brissy doesn't have. I think Perth may feel a bit more like home too (full of English and Irish!). Anyway, good luck with your move :-)

Hi Akasully2, Well, I think you're in for a treat! I'd say Perth's beaches are at least as good as Qld's. But have the additional benefit of being close enough to Perth to be enjoyed... The Sunny Coast is great but, depending on your occupation, doesn't really offer sufficient employment opportunities, and the GC is not to everyone's taste, great beaches but wouldn't want to live there

Chardy, yes! The lagoon is awesome!

Hi and thanks for the welcomes :-) Brisbane doesn't technically have any beaches at all... I live close to the city and the closest beach is Redcliffe which is nice enough but nothing special, and is Moreton Bay region, just outside greater Brisbane area. The Sunshine Coast is great (just north of Brisbane up to Noosa) lovely beaches and little towns, and Gold Coast, great surfing and swimming beaches, the best ones are south of Surfers which is a good 2 hours drive south of Bris down the Pacific motorway which can be a hideous drive. There's plenty but only for a day out. A lot of people do live on the GC for the lifestyle and commute into Bris but it's a long drive and the Pac motorway is like a carpark in rushhour. The GC is also not for everyone, but that's another story..

Hi everyone I'm moving over to Perth from Brissy probably in Jan '14 and am a MH nurse. I just work as an RN on a casual pool at a forensic hospital here in Brisbane (previously CNS in Sydney and G grade in UK before I migrated to Aus) but happy to stay on the casual pool as I'm studying.. I've heard from Perth nurses that there is plenty of casual work in MH including forensics, is this correct? Hope so, kinda banking on it..!

Hello Portlaunay Yes I have, although many years ago. Expect it's grown quite a bit since then. Lovely city, beautiful beaches, something Brissy sadly lacks...