Moving from New Zealand to Australia is exciting, but there’s a lot more to organise than simply booking your flights and packing your bags.

Where are you going to live? What happens with tax? Do you need an Australian bank account before you arrive? What about your KiwiSaver, NZ property, superannuation, Medicare, schools, jobs, your driver’s licence and moving your belongings?

The list gets big very quickly!

That’s where Moving to Australia can help.

Created by Kiwi JJ Smith, Moving to Australia has been helping New Zealanders plan their move across the ditch for over 18 years.

JJ originally created the website after moving her own family from Auckland to Australia in 2008. What started as a way of sharing everything she had learnt during her own move has grown into a comprehensive resource dedicated specifically to New Zealanders moving to Australia.

Everything in One Place

One of the biggest benefits of Moving to Australia is that the information is written specifically for Kiwis.

There is a huge amount of information online about moving to Australia, but finding out what actually applies to New Zealand citizens can be confusing.

Moving to Australia brings that information together in one place, covering topics including:

• Australian tax and getting a Tax File Number (TFN)
• Australian bank accounts
• transferring money between New Zealand and Australia
• KiwiSaver and Australian superannuation
• buying, selling or keeping property
• finding work in Australia
• Australian visas and the rights of New Zealand citizens
• Medicare and healthcare
• schools and childcare
• moving your belongings
• pet transport
• Australian driver’s licences
• renting and buying property
• pensions and government support
• and the everyday practicalities of setting yourself up in Australia.

Importantly, Moving to Australia doesn't try to replace professional financial, tax, legal or immigration advice. Instead, it helps you understand the issues you need to think about, the questions you should be asking and when you may need specialist advice.

Countdown to Australia

One of the newest features of the website is Countdown to Australia, a free step-by-step email series designed to take some of the stress out of organising your move.

Rather than handing you one enormous moving checklist, the Countdown works from your expected move date and sends you the tasks you need to complete at the right time.

In the early stages, it helps you research things like jobs, healthcare, schools, pensions, visas and property.

As moving day gets closer, it moves into practical tasks such as flights, accommodation, banking, money transfers, moving your belongings and pet transport.

Then, once you're in Australia, it helps you work through those important first jobs, including applying for your TFN and Medicare, organising your phone and utilities, understanding superannuation and changing your driver's licence.

The idea is simple: you don't need to know everything at once. You just need to know what you need to do next.

Real Experience – and Real Questions

Another thing that makes Moving to Australia different is the experience behind it.

JJ has been answering questions from New Zealanders moving to Australia for more than 18 years. Those questions have helped shape the website and highlight the things people genuinely get confused about or caught out by.

The information is continually researched and updated, but it's written in plain English rather than government speak.

Because moving countries is complicated enough already!

Planning Your Finances Before You Move

One area where doing your homework before leaving New Zealand can make a particularly big difference is your finances.

Your move can have implications for your tax residency, investments, KiwiSaver, property, income and other financial arrangements in both New Zealand and Australia.

Everyone's circumstances are different, which is why it's important to get professional advice specific to your situation rather than relying solely on general information online.

Moving to Australia can help you understand the broader moving process and identify some of the financial questions you may need to consider. We can then help you work through the accounting and tax implications that apply specifically to you.

Make Your Move Easier

If you're thinking about moving to Australia, whether that's six months away, six weeks away or you've already arrived, Moving to Australia is a great place to start.

The more you can organise and understand before you move, the easier those first few weeks in Australia are likely to be.

Visit Moving to Australia to start researching your move and sign up for the free Countdown to Australia to help keep everything on track.