Countdown to Australia – Your To-Do List

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There’s so much to organise when moving to Australia — so I created a Countdown to Australia to guide you every step of the way.

It’s an incredibly exciting move, but the to-do list can also feel really overwhelming. There are so many things to organise, and it’s hard to know:

• what to do
• when to do it
• and what actually matters right now

Each email focuses on one task at a time, with exactly what you need to complete it quickly and with confidence. Whether it’s:

• organising your TFN
• setting up a bank account
• applying for Medicare
• understanding your visa rights
• or organising your move itself

This system guides you through every stage of your move — before you leave New Zealand and once you’re living in Australia.

No guessing. No missed steps. Just clear, practical guidance to help make your move easier, more organised, and far less stressful.

If you’re wondering whether you can trust the information on this website, take a moment to read some of my 5-star Google reviews. I’ve been helping Kiwis move to Australia for over 18 years, and I know the questions, challenges, and opportunities you’re likely to encounter along the way.

Join Countdown to Australia Now

To make this as helpful as possible, your tasks are timed based on how far away your move is. Simply enter your email and select your timeframe – you’ll be automatically placed into the right sequence.

From Research to Real Life in Australia

The Countdown to Australia system is designed to guide you through every stage of your move — from the early research phase right through to living in Australia.

At the beginning, the emails focus on helping you understand the big-picture topics that influence your move:

• jobs
• healthcare
• schools and childcare
• pensions
• visas
• property
• and what life in Australia is actually like

Then, as your move gets closer, the focus shifts from research to action.

You’ll begin working through the practical tasks that need to happen before you leave New Zealand:

• booking flights
• organising accommodation
• moving your belongings
• pet transport
• banking
• money transfers
• airport transport
• and more

Finally, once you arrive in Australia, the series guides you through setting up your new life:

• TFN
• Medicare
• phone + SIM
• utilities
• superannuation
• driver’s licence
• and settling into your new community

Everything is delivered step-by-step, at the right time based on your move date, so you always know what to do next.

Choose Your Countdown

The Countdown is broken down into easy-to-follow steps, but what really makes this system work is the timing.

To make this as helpful as possible, your tasks are scheduled based on how far away your move is.

Why You’ll Enter Your Move Date Later

The first stages of Countdown to Australia focus on helping you research, understand, and prepare for your move. As your move gets closer, the tasks become much more time-sensitive and action-based.

That’s why, once you reach the final month before your move, you’ll be asked to enter your exact move date so the remaining tasks can be timed properly around your departure and arrival in Australia.

Things like:

• bank accounts
• money transfers
• TFN
• and Medicare

They are most useful when completed at the right time.

This system is designed to make sure you receive the right information exactly when you need it most!

Simply enter your email and select how far away your move is — you’ll automatically be placed into the correct sequence.

Your Countdown Journey

6–3 Months Before You Move
🗓 Research and planning

Understand the big-picture topics that influence your move, including:

• Documents You’ll Need
• Searching for a Job
• School & Childcare Research
• Australia Health Care System
• Understand Australia Age Pension
• Book Your Flights
• Buying Property in Australia
• Know Your Visa Rights

3–1 Months Before You Move
📦 Booking and organising

Start taking action by:

• Book Temporary Accommodation
• Dealing With Your Possessions
• Organise Pet Transport
• and preparing for the final countdown

Final Month Countdown
✈️ Essential pre-departure tasks

Lock in the important practical things before you leave:

• Book a Job-Required Course
• Compare Money Transfer Options
• Open an Australian Bank Account
• Get to Know Local Public Transport
• Plan Airport Transfers
• Goodbye, New Zealand…

Living in Australia
🇦🇺 Setting up your new life

Once you arrive, I’ll guide you through:

• Apply for Your TFN
• Activate Your OZ Bank Account
• Your Phone Plan + SIM
• Register for myGov
• Apply for Medicare
• Connect Your Utilities
• Australian Drivers Licence
• Apply for the Australian Age Pension
• Set Up Your Superannuation
• Settle Into Life in Australia
• Mortgages & Buying Property
• and finally, Australian Citizenship

One Task at a Time

To make these tasks as easy as possible to complete, each email includes:

• Task description
• Who needs to complete the task
• Documents required
• Links to complete the task
• Helpful tips and recommendations
• Related content on my website
• Referral partner information (if applicable)
• What’s coming up next

The goal is simple:

• reduce overwhelm
• save you time
• help you feel organised and confident about your move

Editors note: I haven’t scheduled any tasks on “move day” because I know from personal experience that you’ll already have more than enough going on!

Having made the move from New Zealand to Australia myself, I understand just how busy, emotional, and exhausting those final travel days can be, so the goal of this system is to make everything before and after your move feel as organised and stress-free as possible.

The First Email

The first email helps you organise all the important documents you’ll need throughout your move. This includes both digital and physical documents, so you’re ready to complete tasks quickly as they come up.

Believe it or not, one of the most stressful parts of moving to Australia is all the forms, applications, and identity requirements involved in setting up your new life.

Because you’re new to Australia, you won’t yet have things locals use every day for identification:

• Medicare card
• Australian driver’s licence
• utility bill with your name on it
• Australian ID history

Getting organised early makes everything much easier later on and helps you complete tasks quickly as they come through.

Why I Created This

If you don’t know me, I’m JJ Smith, and I LOVE researching.

I like knowing I’m getting the best service at the best possible price, and I’ve spent years helping other New Zealanders do the same when moving to Australia.

Everything in this system has been researched (and re-researched), and along the way I’ve also improved the content across almost every post on this website.

So even if you don’t go through the full Countdown system, you can feel confident the information across this website is current, practical, and genuinely helpful.

Helping New Zealanders move to Australia is my job — and honestly, I love it.

Future Upgrades

Further down the track, I’d love to create customised countdowns for different situations:

• families
• retirees
• trades
• solo movers
• and more

For now, I’ve included a “Who needs to complete this task” section in each email so the system still works well for different people and situations.

I’d Love Your Feedback

This is a huge project, and while I’ve done my absolute best to think of everything, I’m sure there’ll still be things I can improve. So if you spot:

• an error
• a broken link
• a missing task
• or a service I should include

Please let me know.

The feedback from other Kiwis has always helped make this website better, and I genuinely appreciate every message.

Ready to Get Started?

Join Countdown to Australia today and start working through your move one step at a time.

• No guesswork
• No overwhelm
• Just practical help when you need it most

Choose your timeline below and get started now…