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Why are so many off to Oz?

There's only one reason why most people buy a property in Australia – because they want to live there, and usually permanently. Every year some 80,000 Brits emigrate to Oz and a ready property market awaits us. So what's the pull of this far-distant former British colony?

Australia remains the number one choice for emigrating Brits and has been for many years. As well as its beach culture and varied climates, the main draw is the exchange rate that, like the US currency at the moment, doubles your money.

Where you decide to settle in this vast and diverse country is usually down to your profession, if you have one. Miners and mining engineers makes a beeline for Perth or Darwin; bankers pitch up in Sydney or Melbourne; and those with medical skills have richest pickings in the Northern Territories or Western Australia.

Those with family sponsors – or a particularly lucky job offer – might opt for the retirement hotspots of the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

The steady flow of Brits arriving in Oz sometimes seems overwhelming. One in every three new residents arriving in Perth is from the UK or Ireland, which is surprising, as it’s the world’s most isolated capital – but attractions include a booming economy, a handsome riverside downtown and easy access to both beaches and wine country.

House prices in Perth have rocketed over the past few years, now levelling out to an average of A$446,500. Popular investments are city apartments, top-end Swan River and Canning River homes or renovations in Seventies suburbs like Duncraig. Further south lie funky Fremantle or the wine country of Margaret River.

The main Brit hotspots

Sydney is a younger, cooler city, but pricey: despite a market dip, the average price is A$548,000. Areas range from the family-friendly western suburbs of Mount Druitt and Rooty Hill to inner city Paddington or Darlinghurst or beachside Bondi, Coogee or Manly.

Melbourne is known for it melting-pot culture, and best investment areas include hip Brunswick, laid-back St Kilda or older suburbs like Brighton.

Canberra, the seat of government, is functional but not without its charms. Beyond the carefully planned avenues, parks and public buildings, suburbs offering the classic Aussie good life include Ainslie, Reid and Turner.

A city and surf life beckons in Queensland’s capital of Brisbane (where the average price is a tempting A$313,000), or head south of the city to the Gold Coast or follow the road north for the Sunshine Coast. Property ranges from condos to traditional Queenslander homes, raised on stilts with large verandahs.

North Queensland’s Cairns and Townsville have more of a frontier-town feel, while Port Douglas, with its marina, is a popular haven for weekenders and retirees.

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