Take a leap…

    …Your dream life awaits

    Start here!

    Smart Steps to Australia is a magazine-style blog and online community for families like yours who have big dreams of moving to Australia to enjoy the lifestyle and travel opportunities on offer.

    Join me in the Move to Australia community on Facebook now!

    Are you ready to start your family’s adventure, take some action and create the life of your dreams? Make sure you grab access to my FREE resource library here. This is packed with downloads that complement lots of the posts on this blog.

    Let me be your private cheering squad to make sure you take your dreams seriously.

    cuppa

    Pop the kettle on, make a brew and settle in for a read so I can walk you through what the site is all about and how I can support you on your adventures.

    What help does Smart Steps to Australia offer?

    SmartStepstoAustralia.com offers lots of support to help you move to Australia and thrive.

    Move to Australia Directory

    Advert for the Move to Australia Directory

    Moving to Australia is easier when you know the right people, and I created the Move to Australia Directory to help you find those people. Visit the Directory to discover the services to help you realise your relocation dreams. This is a new addition to the website and it is developing all the time so be sure to check back regularly to see which services have been added.

    Visit the Move to Australia Directory here. 

    Enjoy FREE support:

    I’ve got tonnes of free support to help you navigate this life-changing adventure. 

    Visit the Move to Australia Directory and start selecting services to help you relocate.
    Read the free migrationlifestyle and travel blog posts.
    Listen to the New Life in Australia podcast.
    Follow Karen on Instagram and Facebook.
    Join the free Facebook group.
    Sign up to get access to my FREE resource library.

    Ready to up-level and invest in your move?

    The Ultimate Emigration Checklist is a comprehensive list that helps you stay organised before, during and after your move.

    Check out the free blog content

    The SmartStepstoAustralia blog is broken down into three categories: Migration, Lifestyle and Travel.

    MIGRATION: Are you in the process of migrating to Australia?

    If you’re still in the process of making the move (or even in the early days of deciding if the move to Australia is right for you and your family) you can figure out if you need a migration agent, what insurance you might need, how to move your money over and decide whether to ship a few bags or prepare for the shippers in the migration area of the blog.

    Here are some quick links to my popular posts to get you started:

    Beginner’s guide: How to move to Australia

    Do you need to use a migration agent and how do you find a reliable one?

    How to transfer money to Australia

    Which English test is easier: the PTE or the IELTS?

    6 things to look for when choosing a bank in Australia

    Where to find short-term accommodation

    How to find a rental in Australia 

    View all migration blog posts

    Want to get organised? Get the Ultimate Emigration Checklist

    LIFESTYLE: Are you living in Australia?

    Have you moved to Australia already, or are you getting ready to move and want some inspiration about the lifestyle opportunities available? The lifestyle section is for you.

    Visit the Lifestyle section of the site here.

    Even if you’re moving from another English speaking country like the UK or US, Australia has so many differences. There are new brands, new shops, new habits to get into (sunscreen, hats, rash vests…), new skills to learn (do you know how to look after a swimming pool or what to consider when buying a house with air conditioning?) The pace of living is different – my kids rarely wear shoes and, if I’m being honest, they don’t often wear many clothes either! We don’t own coats anymore or boots. Everything has changed. In the most awesome way.

    I love writing in-depth buying guides to help you find products that make your new lifestyle easier. I also love how passionate Australians are about supporting Australian brands – and there are brands out there with some really inspiring stories to tell so I’m excited to be able to share some of these with you.

    Find out the best beach wagon with big wheels

    There are real, scientific reasons why you feel better when you visit the beach! 

    71 reasons why you should consider moving to Australia

    Visit the Lifestyle section of the site here

    TRAVEL: Do you want to explore Australia?

    Visit the Travel section of the site here

    It doesn’t matter if you’ve made the move to Australia yet or not – if you’re anything like me, you love dreaming about travel experiences. I love to travel and really enjoy sharing our travel adventures with you in the travel section. I’m a freelance travel writer for Australia and New Zealand magazine which means I get to take some amazing trips. I also keep up with travel news in Australia so I can share the latest Australia travel information with you.

    Skip right to these top posts:

    Things to do on the Gold Coast with kids

    Find out what to do in one of my favourite places in Queensland – Noosa

    If you’re yet to make the long flight to Australia, check out this post about the best children’s flight pillows for long haul travel

    and this post about surviving long-haul travel with kids!

    Be sure to check out my travel and migration articles that have appeared in Australia and New Zealand Magazine here.


    Visit the Travel section of the site here

    Who is behind the Smart Steps to Australia blog?

    Hi, I’m Karen Bleakley and I’m the founder and editor of Smart Steps to Australia.

    My husband, three kids and I moved to Brisbane in 2014 and life here is just as awesome as we’d hoped.

    Nobody can guarantee you’ll love it over here like I do. Nobody can guarantee jobs and houses and schools will be perfect – there are always compromises to be made wherever you live. It takes hard work to make it happen and to get settled. But I will be honest when I say I’m so thankful that we took action and decided to give it a go, otherwise I know we’d have spent our whole lives wondering if we’d made the right decision for our kids. We pushed ourselves to follow our dreams and ended up with a life that exceeds anything we could have imagined.

    You want to know the best part? Making the move to Australia is only the beginning of your new, exciting life. Because once you make the move, your comfort zone expands and you become more open to new opportunities, new friendships and new adventures. It all starts with a big dream and the willingness to give it a go.

    I really hope this site inspires you to follow your dreams and create your best life.

     

    Got more questions?

    Join me in the Move to Australia community on Facebook.