Defence Force Families

[SamiH]

I'm from Melbourne, we are hoping one day to move to Cairns, or somewhere up there maybe the tablelands...

I am not really keen on Darwin, I think maybe because it just seems so far away but I have heard some really good things, well I have actually only heard good things so far, except for some of the housing, but I am not sure if that has improved?
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hi everyone

I dont pop in nearly enough - but do read

DD - when we were in Darwin - we had THE MOST visitors EVER for some reason - it seemed like every month friends or family decided to come up - they never knew anyone who lived there before so had never thought of it as a holiday destination IYKWIM??? So yes, it is a long way away (I come from Melb area originally) - and it is remote, but we didn't find it all that bad .

We have just clocked up 6 years in Canberra, and I think I am about done - which sounds so dumb as things have been settled - I dunno, just a tired womans ramblings LOL We had no idea we would be here so long, ready for a new adventure for some silly reason .....

[AnyDream]

DD, it might be worth having a look at the Defence Special Needs Support Group's website and maybe chat to some of the reps from the Group to get an idea of what extra planning/challenges you might face from their perspective.

[Nat82]

Hi I just came across this thread and what a great idea! I have been a 'Navy wife' for about 18 months. I met DH in Cairns (I was on holidays there), but unfortunately it was the end of his posting and we moved to Canberra together where he went to the Defence College for a year. We then moved to Sydney for 2 years - but I spent the first 18 months hating it Now DH's posting has finished and we are moving back to Canberra. I think from now on most of his jobs will be in Canberra and Sydney, so I guess that is a good thing.

We are just waiting for our lease to end (RA house) so DH just comes home on the weekends which is difficult to get used to. Oh well, only 8 more weeks. I like Canberra (was born there) but I find it a very difficult place to meet people. Even when I was living down there, people who had been there for 10 - 15 years said the same thing.. Oh well, we'll see how it goes.

[SamiH]

Hi mum2BXX

I am in Canberra - we have a regular group from BB that meets once a month for coffee, a goss and often lunch as well.

Here is the thread ...

[Nat82]

Hi ladies,

SamiH, thanks for the link you posted a while ago, but I'm not moving to Canberra for a while now. DH is going over to the middle east for what was supposed to be 6 months. However, it got shortened to 5 months, 1 week - if he went for the whole 6 months he would be back the day before our baby's due date.

BUT apparently unless you have a 6 month deployment your not entitled to rent allowance etc. While DH is away I will move to Brisbane to be with my family (also booked a hospital and Ob there). I'm planning to move in with my Mum and sister for six months because they are both looking to move, so I won't need to move any furniture - just put it all in storage in Canberra. DH is going to try to be posted for 6 months, but instead of taking 2 weeks leave in the middle, take it at the end. So we'll see how that all goes.

DH is leaving in just under 4 weeks (on my birthday ) and the pre pack/removal will be a few days later. The unit we are in is RA so we will have to get cleaners in I think as I don't really want to be breathing in all the chemicals, nor on my hands and knees scrubbing. Some real estate agents are really impossible to please!

[rustygirl]

we've since found out that he'll be going to the ghan in March 10! So no move to Sydney for us. Instead I'm going to move to Adelaide while he's away. All my family are there so it will be much better than a posting to Sydney.

shauna83, his transfer to EDD was already finalised we've since found out. He found out on his PMKYS that he even had a march in date!!
Oh well, no complaints here!! Looking forward to Adel and ROCCL towards this time next yr!!!

Oh and I am with you all on the Homefind frustration!! When we moved to Brisbane I checked it about every 5 mins to see if there were anymore houses other than the ONE that had been there for the past week!!!

[Nat82]

Rustysgirl - I'm glad you will be going to Adelaide to be with your family. That's what I'm doing - well going to Brisbane to be with my family. We live in Sydney at the moment and I don't know anyone, so it would be horrible to be stuck here. My DH is going to the HQ's near Afghanistan - leaving on Tuesday (my birthday) and will be due back the day before our baby is due! We went to a function the other night and were sitting on a table with Nigel Coates (Navy Fleet Commander) and he told me to contact him if there was anything I needed while DH was away. I said "just make sure he is back in time for the baby!"

Well I've had my first real dealings with DHA. We lived in one DHA house for 6 weeks but the other houses have been RA. We found a place on Homefind in Brisbane and DH had lots of trouble contacting the lady we were supposed to be dealing with. I made him keep calling her and just as I did, because it turns out that he needs to sign the lease even though I'm Power of Attorney and he is just about to leave the country and then spend 3 weeks touring Afghanistan!!

[DaintreeDream]

...DD - when we were in Darwin - we had THE MOST visitors EVER for some reason - it seemed like every month friends or family decided to come up - they never knew anyone who lived there before so had never thought of it as a holiday destination IYKWIM??? So yes, it is a long way away (I come from Melb area originally) - and it is remote, but we didn't find it all that bad ...

Funny you say that, when I told my Mum it was a possible location for posting she got a bit excited that she would have an excuse to visit there again, she has been there once before to my cousins wedding who was posted there at the time, she loved it!

Marydean - Thankyou for that link, it had some great information on there and they do offer some services that I may require, like removal of the gap for early intervention, I was a bit worried about having to go back onto a waiting list. Also assistance in getting equipment, but hopefully DD won't need that by the time we move, we are trying our hardest to get her feeding orally by the time our baby comes. I think I may contact them, the only other major thing I am concerned about is having to fly into a major city for specialist appointments, I am not sure if they can help there... thanks again .

[alioops]

DD, you may be interested to know that Townsville is the pediatric medical hub for NQ. If you were to transfer here then there are specialists here. And I am dying to meet you

[New Dawn]

sounds to me like you have almost made up your mind Dee, remember if you do move to townsville, you better drop in to Mackay on your way though...

for me the best thing about the defence was the moving when ever we wanted a change BHL would just tell his CO ( boss) and look at postings and bingo we would be moving within 6mth... I think thats why we now dont ever feel settled once I have been somewhere for 12mth I get very ichy feet, but now will have to learn to just live with the ich...

been Ex Army I would think they would love to have your DH back, did he stay on in the reserves, as that would make things easier... there are loads of speical needs kids in the defence, I know they do have a big suport network for them, and I know it makes you entilted to a better home than what your ranked... with in some areas is a huge bonis...

As far as I know when someone wants to join with children then the whole family must go in so that they can make sure that you know what you are getting into... which I am sure you do.. but its never hard most people know what they want to hear so if you tell them what they need to hear they are normally happy with that...

As the old saying goes if we wanted the boys to have a wife we would have issued them one was told this by a very old salty sea dog once... in other words they want to make sure that if you DH is deployed you will cope, without having to ring them every 5 sec about little things... Sad to say I knew many of wives who ruined some carees do you always ringing up and getting their DH's sent home coz they couldnt cope on their own...

[DaintreeDream]

That is great to know Ali, could you imagine if I ended up in Townsville, when we met up we would have 5 little girls under 4!

Yeah Tali, my mind is almost made up, DH really wants to do this. I think if I find some things to do with the girls to be able to get out of the house and meet a couple of nice people then I will be fine.
He was in inactive reserves, they have already disharged him from the army in order for him to enter the airforce, the process has started, we are just discussing before he sends in the final paperwork really.

I am really aware of everything that we would getting ourselves into, that is why I am being overly cautious about my decision, if we didn't have young kids then the decision would be sooo much easier. I think my problem is I think to much and that I am too over cautious! I think I need to stop thinking and just jump (so to speak).

Maybe this is where everyone should tell me to be quiet, its not such a big deal and just do it .

[alioops]

Just do it Dee

[AnyDream]

Darling it's a very big deal. You keep having that conversation until you're sure it's right for your family. Just remember there's not anything you can do that you can't undo, if it's really a disaster he can always discharge again, kwim?

[New Dawn]

Just checking to see how things are going Daintree dreaming, have you guys come to any decions yet ?