Landing Smooth in Australia: Your First-90-Day Family Blueprint

Howdy from the other side of the equator! I’m Julia—serial relocator, spreadsheet tragic, and mother of two highly energetic koala enthusiasts (ages 4 and 8). After touch-downs in three countries over the past decade, our most recent leap to Australia taught me more than any glossy expat brochure ever could. Below is the exact 90-day road map I wish someone had handed me on the plane. It’s equal parts practical checklist and emotional parachute—because let’s be honest, the first three months with kids can feel like a sprint carried out in slow motion.

Why 90 Days?

Ninety days is the sweet spot between panic and paralysis. It’s long enough to tick the serious boxes—healthcare, housing, school—yet short enough that decisions still feel urgent (which, if you’re like me, is the only way anything gets done). My timeline is broken into overlapping “missions” rather than rigid weeks, because life with children rarely obeys calendar invites.

Mission 1: Pre-Departure Paperwork (T-60 to T-0)

“Do your future self a favour: over-prepare documents, under-pack stress.”

1.1 Visas & Entry Requirements

Australia’s visa alphabet soup (Subclass 482, 190, 500, 801…) can overwhelm. The broad strokes:

• Working parents often arrive on a Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS 482).
• Permanent residency pathways (189, 190) carry extra perks—think unlimited Medicare—so apply early if eligible.
• Kids need individual visas; newborns born offshore still require a grant letter.

Insider tip: printed visa grant notices are no longer mandatory at immigration, but several downstream organizations—especially schools—still ask for hard copies.

1.2 Document Packets

I kept four brightly coloured folders in my carry-on:

1. Identity: passports, birth certificates, marriage certificate (many Aussie forms want proof of parental relationship).
2. Health: immunization records with official translation, full dental x-rays (my son’s global collection now rivals Pokémon).
3. Education: latest school reports, teacher references, learning support plans.
4. Finance & Housing: bank statements, employer contracts, previous landlord references.

Also scan everything to an encrypted cloud folder plus a USB. Ranger motto: “Two is one. One is none.”

1.3 Shipping & Insurance

Your belongings will bounce across oceans for 8–12 weeks. Study up on sea versus air freight via our nerd-level guide on choosing international moving companies you can trust. Because Australia is strict on bio-security, declare:

• Wooden toys (hello, Montessori parents).
• Hiking gear with any soil residue.
• Holiday decorations made of pinecones—ask me how I know…

For health cover, Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) or Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is mandatory unless you’re already a permanent resident. Buy a policy that starts the day you set foot in Australia.

Mission 2: School Enrollment & Childcare (T-15 to T+30)

Landing during the academic year? Relax—Australian schools enrol year-round, though places in “in-demand” catchments resemble front-row Taylor Swift tickets.

2.1 Understanding the System

• Kindergarten (a.k.a. “Kindy”): Age 4-5, part of primary school.
• Primary School: Prep/Kindy through Year 6.
• High School: Year 7-12.
• Public schools rely on catchment boundaries; private and Catholic schools accept out-of-area students but charge between AUD 4 000–25 000 per year.

2.2 Paperwork Checklist

For immunizations, ensure dates follow day/month/year format or your GP may mark them “not valid,” sending you on an unwanted needle tour.

2.3 Securing a Spot Before You Have an Address

Because rentals may take weeks, email principals explaining your move. Many accept a letter from your future employer plus a temporary Airbnb address, granting conditional enrolment you can finalise once your lease is signed.

2.4 Childcare & After-School Care

Childcare wait-lists can stretch 12 months in major cities. Apply the minute you have an estimated suburb. Government rebates (Child Care Subsidy) kick in only after you receive a TFN (tax file number) and meet residency rules, so budget full fees for 6–8 weeks.

Fees snapshot (Sydney CBD, 2023):
• Long-day care: AUD 170–220/day
• Family day care: AUD 120–140/day
• Vacation care: AUD 70–90/day

Pro Tip: Smaller regional towns have better availability and lower costs—one reason we traded inner-city buzz for beach-adjacent calm.

Mission 3: Medicare, Doctors & Banking (T-1 to T+30)

The day after arrival, I caffeinated my jet-lagged husband, bribed the kids with muffins, and tackled bureaucracy.

3.1 Applying for Medicare

Who qualifies?
• Permanent residents
• Some temporary visa holders from countries with Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (UK, NZ, Sweden, etc.)

Steps:

1. Download the “Medicare Enrolment” form (MS004).
2. Visit a Services Australia centre in person with passports, visas, and proofs of address.
3. Receive a print-out with your Medicare number; physical cards arrive by mail ~3 weeks later.

Mom Hack: Use the interim number to register at your local GP immediately—popular practices book out weeks ahead.

3.2 Finding Doctors & Dentists

• GPs: bulk-billing (no out-of-pocket) clinics exist but may not accept new patients. Expect AUD 70–90 gap fee otherwise.
• Paediatric dentists cost a kidney. Many families fly back to their home country for major work; others use the school dental service in public schools.

Keep a “sick-day go-bag” stocked with Panadol, antihistamines, and that miracle cream Australians swear by—Lucas’ Papaw Ointment.

3.3 Opening a Bank Account

The “Big Four” (CBA, Westpac, NAB, ANZ) let you open online up to 12 months pre-arrival—but you must verify identity in person before withdrawals.

The mythical 100-Point ID Check includes:

• Passport (70 points)
• Australian driver licence (40 points)
• Medicare card (25 points)

Since newcomers lack local points, banks accept: lease agreements, utility bills, or employer letters in combination.

We chose CBA’s “Smart Access” account because it offers fee-free banking for the first 12 months—the exact window new arrivals need.

3.4 Transferring Money

Watch exchange rates like a hawk. TransferWise (now Wise) saved us AUD 1 600 on our first AUD 50 000 move compared with our old-school bank. Bigger sums? Negotiate a “priority rate” over the phone; providers will budge to win your business.

Mission 4: Finding a Rental—Fast (T+7 to T+45)

Australia’s rental market isn’t for the faint-hearted. Open inspections can feel like speed-dating crossed with an auction. Here’s how we won on the third try.

4.1 Decode the Listings

• Furnished = maybe a fridge, maybe not.
• Bond = security deposit, legally capped at 4 weeks’ rent (most states).
• PW = per week (prices look cheaper until you multiply by 52 and divide by 12).

4.2 The Application Pack

Agents use platforms like 1form or Snug. Pre-upload:

• Passport & visa
• Employer contract + three latest payslips (get HR to issue early)
• Bank statements
• Previous landlord reference (yes, even overseas—add a WhatsApp number)
• Personal cover letter introducing your family and how you’ll care for the property (I attach a photo of our thriving fiddle-leaf fig—visual proof we keep things alive).

4.3 Temporary Accommodation Strategy

We booked 30 days of Airbnb in the suburb we wanted to live to establish routine. Yes, it cost more—but lining up school drop-offs, grocery runs, and commute practice drives informed our final choice.

4.4 Lease Terms & Negotiation

Standard leases run 6 or 12 months. I found agents surprisingly open to 9-month terms when properties sat vacant for weeks. Offer to pay several months upfront if your credit history is thin; just confirm it won’t breach local tenancy laws.

4.5 Condition Reports

Videotape everything before moving in—skirting boards, blinds, tiny carpet stains. When our exit inspection flagged a “mystery dent,” I flicked the timestamped video showing it was pre-existing, saving our AUD 2 200 bond.

Mission 5: Weeks 8–12—Settling In Like a Local

By now, you’ll know which park has shade at 4 pm and the Bunnings sausage-sizzle schedule (Saturdays, gold coin donation). A few final tasks cement long-term comfort:

1. Apply for NSW/QLD/VIC driver licence (within 3 months of arrival).
2. Enrol kids in extracurriculars—swimming is non-negotiable in this beach-mad nation.
3. Taste-test supermarket loyalty apps. Woolies’ Everyday Rewards funded our first camping trip. I compare down-under grocery quirks to my Paris days here: first grocery run in France: budget & etiquette tips. Spoiler: Australians bag their own groceries too—just without the Gallic side-eye.

Building Community

• Join the local Facebook “Mums & Bubs” group.
• Attend school P&C (Parents & Citizens) meetings—free biscuits, priceless intel.
• Try “parkrun” Saturday mornings; my kids collect finish tokens like trophies.

Final Thoughts From One Relocation Mom to Another

Moving continents with children is both marathon and magic show—you’ll juggle, sprint, and pull documents out of thin air. But Australia rewards daring families with sunshine-soaked weekends, wildlife cameos, and a school system that generally believes recess should be outdoors (amen!).

If you’re already on step 3 of this blueprint, high five! Still staring at the visa form? Pour another coffee; you’ve got this.

When you’re ready for a customised timeline—complete with suburb-level rent data, school rankings, and visa reminders—BorderPilot can generate it in under two minutes. Start your free relocation plan and land smooth, the first time.