Improved mental health, more sunshine and money, cheaper petrol, and “insanely cheap and healthy food” — the shift across the Tasman has been better than expected for Northland couple Brianna Dickson and her partner, Boston Welsh.

Just over a month after the pair left Whangārei and moved to Brisbane with their toddler Billy, the family are settling in well, eating like royalty and enjoying a better work-life balance.

“It’s going so well,” Dickson said.

“I can’t even put into words how great it’s been.

“First, it’s so cheap.

“While Woolworths and Coles are similar [in terms of pricing], they’ve got lots more competition in terms of smaller shops.

“If I go for a 15-minute drive to the fruit shop, which is insanely cheap, it’s 99¢ kg for kumara, you get two punnets of blueberries for $5, and two punnets of strawberries for $6. I got two rockmelons the other day for $3.

“I have never eaten healthier in my life.”

Dickson last spoke to the Northern Advocate in July, saying she and Welsh were leaving New Zealand for a better life and to escape the grinding cost-of-living crisis, including sky-high rents, food, and fuel prices.

At the time, Dickson and Welsh, both in their early 20s, had been struggling to make ends meet while trying to raise their young son.

Since moving to Queensland in late August they’ve been “way more comfortable”, Dickson said.

With Welsh making good money as a professional caulker, Dickson can be a full-time mum to Billy instead of going back to work, which she would have had to do if the couple stayed in Whangārei.

Though they are paying more rent than they did in New Zealand, they’re getting loads more bang for their buck.

They were paying $370 a week for a one-bedroom flat in Whangārei, and while they’re paying $620 in Brisbane, they get a five-bedroom house with two bathrooms and a big shed.

Their standard of living was “amazing”, Dickson said.

“Now we’re living comfortably. We’re not pay cheque to pay cheque any more and we’ve only been here a month.

“Mental health-wise it’s so uplifting.

“I can’t put into words how happy we are right now.

“I miss my family and friends back home, but it’s worth missing them.

“I don’t miss the place but I miss my friends and family. That was the hard bit, leaving everyone you know and have grown up with.”

New Zealanders have always moved to Australia, but because of numerous factors including high inflation over the past few years, the exodus has been considerably higher.

Paula Kalkhoven, director of Whangārei-based recruitment agency Direction Recruitment, said she had noticed an increase in people “of all ages” moving across the ditch, particularly in the past six months.

That Australia made it easier for Kiwis to get citizenship earlier this year had “absolutely” had an impact, Kalkhoven said.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced in April a new direct pathway to citizenship for eligible New Zealand citizens who have lived there for at least four years.

This means Kiwis living in Australia who qualify will now be able to vote, and access full housing and health and welfare supports.

“It’s a better economy over there, the wages are a hell of a lot more, and the price of housing is better,” Kalkoven said.

“The people I’ve spoken to who moved over are looking at all that.”

But Kalkoven said she had seen many New Zealanders moving back as well.

“We’ve seen people who have been on huge salaries moving back to Whangārei for family reasons.

“It’s not always greener over there either.

“It’s not all one sided, they are moving back.”

Dickson, who couldn’t afford to take Billy to the zoo in Auckland because fuel prices were so high, was looking forward to taking him to the zoo for his first birthday and exploring more of the Sunshine Coast.

“If anyone was on the edge of deciding, I would be telling them to do it,” she said.

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering health, food, lifestyle, business and animal welfare issues.