piccolo

Redbacks are very small but lethal so they're the ones you don't want to meet. We've found a few in our garage but you just spray them. Few big ones like tiger spider in the garden but they're harmless and pretty to look at!

I'd be angling for PR now before you come out here. Financially you'd be a lot better off once you're here.

Sent you a PM.

eh excuse me Phil....smartass!! Annie, delighted to hear things are moving along finally for you and the family. It is hot hot hot here at the mo but hopefully it will die down soon. Agree with Phil about where to live, especially with that commute to Nannup. Drop us a line when you've settled a bit, best of luck with the big move!!

So you are Irish? Have an Irish passport? That is a little more tricky! As I have been finding out myself. If you are in Perth, you are entitled to free care as a public patient at the hospital. You just have to be quite insistent and tell them you are entitled to it under the RHCA with Ireland and produce your passport. I am having a nightmare because I'm in Bunbury and they have been very difficult to convince. They would be more used to Irish women on 457s in Perth or any of the cities.

If you have a British passport, go to a Medicare office and register with them. They will give you a medicare card, which you are entitled to as a British citizen. I'm not because I'm Irish. Once you have your medicare card, you can contact your local maternity hospital or go to a local GP to discuss maternity care options and go from there. Congrats on your pregnancy

Hi Charlotte, get onto Facebook and "like" Bunbury Buy and Sell and Bunbury Pre Loved if you're looking to buy furniture etc. It's great. As for coffee, let me get onto Fiona and see when she's free and we can organise something!

Hi Charlotte, Welcome! Mangles Street is lovely and v central. The Milligan House playgroup I mentioned in a previous post is on Mon and Thurs mornings at 9.30am. Maree is the girl who runs it, it's $3, she's lovely. Bring a couple of pieces of fruit with you just to contribute to the group snack. I go most Monday mornings, haven't been on the Thurs. I don't know of any other ones sorry as I just go to the Wed one. I'm sure we'll meet soon though! Aoife

Hi Stu....yes, I knew that you have to be a permanent resident to be entitled to the baby bonues, childcare rebate and child benefit. However, I'm talking specifically about maternity care, ie ante natal check ups, the actual birth and then post natal check ups. Have you been covered for all of that free of charge as a public patient? Did you have any hassle at the start of the pregnancy with regards to being a temp resident on a 457 and wanting free maternity care?

You'd probably get an older style house for $350 a week. We are paying $460 for a 4x2 big new house but it's our dream home and we love it so we broke the budget a little! Have a look at www.rent.com.au for a better idea. Bunbury and Mandurah are both lovely areas so it's hard to say which is better. Mandurah is closer to Perth obviously. Can't help you on the landscape gardening but it seems to be very much the done thing here to get a gardener out to do your garden. Maybe try googling businesses in each area and make some phone calls.

Unfortunately it does when it comes to Medicare as I can't have a Medicare card. I'm waiting to hear back from my local federal member and the operations manager of my local hospital, ridiculous really when lots of other Irish women have been treated free of charge on 457s.

Thanks Suzie, I'm actually the girl on Irish Families in Perth who is having this issue at the moment and I'm also the OP. I changed my username as no one knew I was pregnant yet and there are people on this site that know me personally!

I'm in Bunbury which is 2 hrs south. I've a 22 month old girl and one on the way next April. We are here 6 months from Ireland. We are enjoying it but it's a big adjustment! Sorry gotta run.

God love you, that doesn't sound like the aussie dream at all. You need to get outta there! Have you considered a home birth at all so you can be with your husband and son? Is that available in your area? Have you made any friends in the area that would take your son? is there a nice Mum of one of the kids in his school that would consider it? I have a feeling that everything will change for you once your husband gets another job. Is he any closer to that happening?

haha...I figured ye were alright. We're off to Perth this weekend and have friends down the following weekend so you might be waiting!!