What was the reason you emigrated to OZ, and when did you arrive/ Have you any regrets? and would you move back? and where do you live?

I moved to Brisbane June 2003, mainly in search of a better lifestyle for the whole family especially our 2 daughters, Also TT was always working away around Europe, so it wasn't a proper family life for him or us. There are so many Job options here. I was very homesick for 3 years, but the women always are, but after a trip back to the Boro I realized it wasn't as good as I thought it was. I still miss the family but this is home now and I don't think I could ever go back and live in Britain. The girls are thriving in the Qld outdoor life, and love the sporting life here. The best thing we ever did was move to Sunny Brisbane  

Hi Littlelol, Good idea.
Here goes: Left the northeast in 87 to find work. Met Kiwi Karen in 97 in Jersey, got married whilst travelling in Sri Lanka. (got wedding photo's with me wearing a skirt and getting in touch with my feminine side!!). went to NZ in 98 but couldn't get work, went to Torquay, Devon. Our son was born in 99 and in 02 we decided to come out here cos more opportunities to have a better life! Daughter was born out here in 03. I went back 3 years ago for 2 weeks and as much as I miss the family I never intend going back!!!!

My family live in York , my wife(Fiona) has 2 brothers in Oz. My family drive my wife nuts. When Fi's mum died in Whitby 2004 we knew we would leave. Get away from my lot , get closer to her 2 brother's . Move away from York , kids indoor's all the time , fooking English weather. So Southern Hemisphere. Fi's brother's gave us a short list :  South island NZ - Nelson or Wanaka (couldn't live in a place with a name like that ........ the referees a Wanaka )  Hobart  or a little place called Bright. Brother 1 had spent 2 years in Bright paragliding/rock climbing and skiing and loved it. Used Yellow pages to send out 60 CV's to various Pharmacies and landed the job in Bright. We would never live back in England , went back Xmas 07 (watched Boro beat Arsenal !!) and hated it ( not the Boro match !)...........it takes 50 mins to get from one side of York to the other .....its only 3km across  AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ....  bloody dark, bloody windy, bloody cold ( I know it was December ) so bloody grim ...... shit the bed it was nice to land back at Melbourne airport    ..... the blue sky..........................

Bit of a long story this - so bear with me.

I decided to leave the UK in '96 after getting sick of being stuck in traffic on Marton road on the way to / from work. I got a job in Abu Dhabi where I met my now wife who's from Aberdeen and was working as a midwife there. Had a ball for three years and decided to try out Oz as I was still young enought to get a working holiday visa.

After a few weeks relaxing on Bondi beach I ended up getting a job on a project to expand the airport for the Olympics. After that we thought of staying and getting residency but thought it was too far from home as we planned on getting married / having a family so we looked for work closer to home.

Got a job in Singapore, and lasted a year (great place / expensive / was on a crap deal) before heading back to the UAE (Dubai) where we lived for six years and had our three kids. Had a great time there but decided it wasn't the best place to bring up a family (lack of things to do / sporting activities / live sports events / not real life - very false).

By this time our opinion of OZ had changed or at least the benefits outweighed the disadvantage of being so far from home and so we decided to return and I looked for jobs in either Brsbane or Perth (we thought Sydney was too big / impersonal and Melbourne too cold).

I landed a job with Leighton in Brisbane 18 months ago and the rest is history. We're currently renting a place in Clayfield on the North Side and hope to buy a place next year.I've no regrets allthough Julie still gets homesick and misses her family but I'm sure that will change as we build our own support network here.  

--Last edited by aussie smoggy on 2008-08-08 09:11:40 --

Like your story , one point ...  "Melbourne too cold " ...... UAE , Singapore , Abu Dhabi and Brizzy ...... have you gone soft ?  

Yes!

HI NIGEL BYTHWAY (ACKLAM LEGEND) DECIDED TO BRING MY WIFE AND KIDS AFTER YEARS OF TRYING TO PERSUADE FROM ME MAM AND SISTERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN PERTH FOR YEARS. AFTER 15 YEARS IN SOUTH BANK SMITHS DOCK AND OTHER FREEZING COLD JOBS DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO GIVE ME BODY A BREAK MY KIDS LOVE IT WE LOVE IT BEEN HERE NEARLY THREE YEARS BUT STILL MISS PARMOS THE CORONATION ,THE CLEVELAND AND THAT GREASY LITTLE BAS**** WHO SAT ON THE THREE WHEELER OUTSIDE MADDISON SELLING THE KEBABS YOU SWORE YOU WOULD NEVER TOUCH WHEN GOING IN BUT ALWAYS HAD THREE ON THE WAY OUT..... AH THOSE WERE THE DAYS

My story is about the same as everyone's on here - just got sick of the UK - the crap weather, the chavs, the work! I'd moved around in the UK - went to Uni in Liverpool, lived in Norwich for 8 years, had a year in Donny (just to get back North) and spent the last 5 years in Sheffield - so Oz just seemed like another step.... just a bit bigger that's all.

Arrived last weekend in April just in time for the Sunderland match - great timing!! But met up with Trev and the boys and haven't looked back! Miss the Boro team but not going to the match for some reason - prefer to watch in the Pig    - we used to go down to the Winning Post in Redcar about 12 on a Saturday (it would be raining, or snowing or blowing a gale outside) and we knew the football would be terrible (last few years of Robson and most of Mac's reign!). Only problem is that the Boro seem to have started playing fast, free flowing exciting football - maybe I was the jinx!!

Doubt I will go back to the UK but you never know - always wanted to try out the States for a few years so that might happen but just enjoying the sunshine at the moment!!

Hey Clipper, used to go in the Winning Post with my brother on the odd occassion I was back in Redcar.        
My parents owned the corner shop in Sandsend Road (the posh end of Dormo!). Me old girls now married to a cockney and living in country Victoria (still can't get away from her after all these years). My dad's now the caretaker at Rye Hill's school and spends most of his time in the workies drinking shite beer.
Me and the wife arrived the last weekend in April as well, dressed in singlets, shorts and thongs and wondering why everyone else was wearing 20 layers to keep warm!

Paul - I was brought up just off Roseberry Road (Cambrian Ave) - mate used to live on Huntcliffe Ave.... until we realised we had to get out of Redcar and I ended up in Sheffield and my mate ended up in Donny!

Must have spent Xmas Eve for the past 20 years in the workies - a tradition impossible to get out of!!

First weekend I was here I was wearing polo shirt (all I ever wear) and local at bus stop was wrapped up in leather jacket and a scarf!! Get a grip!!

So how old are you Paul - I'm 37 (the years fly by) and used to go Westfields a long time ago!!

Gella Acklam Legend- I seem to know your name and as I lived in Acklam for 18 years, just off Trimdon Avenue. I'll probably know you, but can't put a face to the name. I'm Trevor Harrington (welder). The only Acklam legend was The late Great Terry King who died the month before I moved to Brisbane. I used to drink in The Cora bar sometimes with Terry, Micky Postgate, Ged Richards, and The Coxons, Gary Mark and Paul, to name a few. And my local before I moved to Acklam was The Cleveland. I worked down Smiths Dock once on Night Shift in the middle of winter, God it was Horrible. What is your occupation? If you look in the photo section I'm the one on the right, eating a Parmo at The Brizzy Xmas Party

Trev - aren't you eating a Parmo in every photo   Only kidding!

See you at Pig tomorrow - C'mon Boro!!

HI TREV I WORKED AT SMITHS BETWEEN 1975 TILL 87 WHEN IT SHUT I WAS THE BURNERS SHOP STEWRD FOR THE LAST 3-4YEARS I DO KNOW OF YOU TREV MY MATE OVER HERE BERNIE GRAINGER OVER HERE IN PERTH PUT ME ON TO THIS SITE AND I TOLD HIM I KNEW A TREVOR H FROM MY SMITHS DAYS NICE TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN WE WERE NOT BUSSOM BUDDIES BUT THEN AGAIN IT WAS A BIG PLACE KNOW MOST OF THE NAMES YOU MENTION FROM THE CORA ESPEICIALLY GED RICHARDS WHO ALWAYS LIVED ROUND THE CORNER FROM ME IN HESELEDEN AVENUE WE LIVED THERE AND ON RUNSWICK I WAS BORN ON ULLSWATER AVENUE ON THE LAKES ESTATE DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ANY OF THE DOCK BOYS NOW? I USED TO LOVE THE CLEVELAND IN THE LATE SEVENTIES -EIGHTIES DO YOU REMEMBER GEORGE CARNEY SPUD TAYLOR FRANK BRADY ETC ETC NICE TO TALK TO YOU TREV TAKE CARE MATE

Wheres the photo section Trev?

Hey Clipper,
Dragged up in Stockton then moved to Redcar in 87. Stayed there working in the shop for a year then buggered off with a backpack and 300 quid to see the world. The mate I left with is now living in Portland, USA.
I'm 38 mate. My brother (Gary Conlin) went to Westfields and knows everyone in Redcar a lot better than me. Got a lad from Redcar called Peter Slingsby who sometimes comes to watch the matches, do you know him??

Hey TT, Do you know my uncle Alan Brown who used to live in Heythrop drive?

Acklam Legend- I didn't work at the dock until the mid 90's and I was only there for 3 months. I do know that there was another Trev Harrington a welder who worked there for years, unfortunatly for him he doesn;t have the same good looks as me and I think he was from Normanby area. You might know my cousin form the Dock Baby Haystack (Les Atkins welder) and a good mate of mine Mick Simpson Plater. If you go to Forum index then click onto the Boro Australian Supporters Club photo gallery section, there are a few good pictures from around Oz  

Paul- I can't say that I know your uncle but might know his face if I saw him

Bugger, he still owes me a tenner

HI TREV IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE OTHER TREV I KNEW THEN. MICK SIMPSON GOOD MATE OF MINE WE KEEP IN REGULAR CONTACT BIG GORMLESS GIT HE IS BUT VERY LOVABLE. DO YOU KNOW MO IAN MOHAN, CLARKIE AND ANY OF THE OTHER PLATERS. I CERTAINLY REMEMBER LES ATKINS STOCKY LITTLE FELLA. BUT CERTAINLY YOU ARE TALKING MY ERA WITH MICK SIMMO I COULD GET HOLD OF EMAILS FOR THEM IF YOU NEED EM. KEEP IN TOUCH TREV NICE TO GET IN TOUCH AND CHEW OVER OLD TIMES AND MATES NOW WE ARE HERE FOR LIFE WOULD LOVE TO GET OVER TO BRIZ AND SHARE A GAME WITH YA ONE DAY MIGHT EVEN START THE OFFICIAL PERTH SUPPORTERS CLUB OVER HERE TROUBLE IS IT IS SO ISOLATED BETWEEN SUBURBS GETTING ALL TOGETHER IN ONE CENTRAL PUB COULD PROVE A NIGHTMARE.  CMON BORO

Nigel- I still keep in touch with big Simo and Mo via emails. Which pub will you be watching the Sunderland v Boro game in? The Boat or The Whale and Ale? Saturday 20th Sept 7pm KO. If you let me know the address, I'll email all of our Perth Contacts, and just see who turns up