Emigrating to Australia

I presume you have done the research wrt pensions and somewhere to live also healthcare costs. Making new friends might well be the least of your problems

What an adventure. Understand entirely your reasons fir going. 7 years is a long time to wait, What do your children think? Are they enthusiastic?
Do they live reasonably close to each other, where will you live? What is the weather like where you plan to go. I know we moan about our lack of sunshine but heat over 40 degrees is very hard to deal with.
Is there any chance of holding onto your home here and giving Australia 6 months say in order to give you an opportunity to return if you aren’t happy. What are the pension issues? Dont think you will benefit from any raises in pension there,
My only experience is getting as far as Australia house when we were first married 50 plus years ago. We decided against as my mum was so upset.

Although we no longer have family living abroad (our son and family returned home from the far east last year) I would say go for it. Like yourselves we are both only children, in our 70s with no cousins or other immediate family so would have jumped at the move. I am sure you will have extensively done your homework and weighed up the pros and cons. As an aside just after we moved into our house 40 years ago our neighbours who were in their 70s upped sticks and moved to Tasmania to be with their only son. Good luck with your decision. I envy you

My friend who lived on Rhodes arranged for herDad to move out there and live with them. He was nearly 90 then. He loved it and loved being part of a family again . He lived there happily for another 7 years before he passed away.

I say, go for it!

I'd be off like a shot particularly as your children and grandchildren live there.
Good luck, I hope you're happy and content no matter what you decide.

I agree it is a big step but also an adventure.

LadyGracie

I'd be off like a shot particularly as your children and grandchildren live there.
Good luck, I hope you're happy and content no matter what you decide.

I agree it is a big step but also an adventure.

I agree, family is everything.A new lifestyle and you’ll soon make friends, Aussies are very friendly.Sunshine!

Go for it!
In your situation, with few ties here, it is possible the best choice.

My df here in Scotland sold her house in the South of England and moved here to be near both DC and DGC, similar ages to yours.
Her DH already had Alzheimers Disease so she was his carer. This was about 12 years ago.

She's now in her late 80s and widowed but has fitted in perfectly and her only regret is not doing the move sooner.

Ofcourse your move is much further but I am pretty sure you won't regret it.

I have a daughter and GC in Oz, and also a son and GC who live locally.

If I had no other ties here, we might have thought seriously about it, i.e. if daughter was our only child, but to be absolutely honest, England is home. I don’t know if I would like to live there permanently, family or not.

However, I wish the OP all the best, her circumstances are rather different.

I have one DS and family in NZ but with 3DC here and other family and friends I will have to stick to my long distance relationship -although I have considered moving there.
The Kiwis have just flown home after several weeks here so I am sad.

If in your situation CamPAnn I would leap at the chance!

I'm not sure to be honest. Could you talk this through with a professional?

Do it....you regret what you don't do in life....you must have wanted it to have applied 7 years ago...you are only getting older ....when one of you dies that will leave the other without family nearby.....wishing you luck and happiness

I left the UK for Canada to live near family 12 years ago. I have no regrets.
I have one AC and friends in the UK and fly over once a year to visit them. The same AC visits me here once a year. Most UK friends (all in their late 70's) have finished with long haul flights nowadays. Bear in mind your travel insurance costs if you fly back and forth. Your State Pension will be fixed. I joined several groups and and made friends easily. It took me a couple of years to tune into the culture which I love. It's great to experience living in another country.Some things will be strange at first and it's a learning curve.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

How fabulous CamPAnn
I hope you'll update gransnet on how your progress.

DH and I are so envious.

Pressed too soon.

I hope you'll update gransnet on your progress

I’d go - like a shot. You’ve done all the paperwork and waited 7 years. You’re bound to have doubts, but you’re almost there. Go!! My 2nd DD has been in Oz for the past 21 years & has 4 children. If I didn’t have 2 DDs & their families in the UK I’d be off too. 🇦🇺

My Dad did it at the age of 80. He loved it from the minute he arrived and wished he had come sooner when he was younger and Mum was alive. We found him a home in a retirement village walking distance from our house and he fitted in beautifully, making many new friends. He loved the warmer weathers d was o Dr the moon to see such a lot of his great grandchildren and grandchildren, some of whom he had never met before. You go girl , is all I can say !

Many thanks for your kind and helpful comments. I think we have decided to take the plunge, despite the eye watering £45k cost. It should be a great adventure!

A wise decision CamPAnn and exciting for you. I am sure your family will be over the moon.

My friend (now nearly 73) emigrated 5 years ago to be with her daughter and family. It was the best decision she has ever made. Absolutely loves being there with her family, has made lots of new friends and the weather is a bonus

CamPAnn, many congratulations, i know what a huge decision this is, almost making the same choice myself recently, but when the final hard decision had to be made, I was not as brave as you, but then, I am a few years older and I am very attached to my very extensive family here in the UK.

Go for it! Sunshine makes you live longer, the winters here are now very long, damp and grey. You will love your new life!!!!!

Wishing you so much luck, it’ll be massive and an adventure but those family times!!

Last minute nerves .. really understandable.. I'd go like a shot, you can have facetime calls with your old friends but having family around you is the most wonderful thing.. Enjoy