Making the move Down Under isn’t as easy as it’s portrayed

A BRISBANE-based outreach worker from Tallaght has warned that making the move Down Under isn’t as easy as it’s portrayed on social media – and has set up a programme to help new arrivals.

Debra O’Brien, 30, is originally from Kilnamanagh and is a past pupil of St Paul’s Secondary School in Greenhills.

She made the move to Australia in February 2023, after experiencing burn out while working in the homeless sector, and because she wanted to travel – but it wasn’t as easy as she anticipated.

“I actually worked in a hostel in town and worked with homeless people, but I got really burnt out and decided I wanted to travel,” Debra told The Echo over the phone from Brisbane.

“I picked Australia, because when you see it on social media it looks like everyone is living the life over there.

“But when I moved to Australia it was so difficult, the struggle was unreal – I wasn’t prepared for how hard it was going to be.

“I had eight different jobs over a couple months, and worked in places like a factory, but a lot of people come over here on false pretences and forget they’re an immigrant here.”

Debra later secured a job as an outreach worker in the Irish Australian Support Association of QLD, and along with her colleague Fionnuala Murphy, she recently devised a programme to help Irish people moving to Oz.

Called Cuan Nua, meaning New Haven, the initiative aims to assist young Irish people who are either planning to or have already moved to the Queensland region of Australia.

It came about after Debra and her colleagues witnessed the difficulties new arrivals were experiencing, with issues varying from mental health to housing and employment.

“A lot of the problems people are having, you wouldn’t believe,” explained Debra, “and the amount of stress and mental health issues that come with travelling here and leaving your support network.

“I just thought there should be something in place for them, so we started this programme for backpackers in Queensland called Cuan Nua.”

The programme is primarily targeted at backpackers as Debra said that many Irish people who move to Australia on skilled visas, like teachers and nurses, tend to have employment and quickly gain networks.

Cuan Nua is also available for people who are on the cusp of moving to the area but haven’t done so yet, as Debra said it’s important for them to know what to expect before they arrive.

“We’re trying to get to people before they come,” she said.

“They don’t know how difficult it is until they get here so we’ve put this together to support them and give them the emotional encouragement they need.

“It is a really difficult thing that they’re doing, and we’re here if they need additional support.”

She added: “It’s so dangerous that they will see stuff on Instagram and they think coming here will be easy, but it’s not.

“It takes a while, and just because it’s not working for you now, that doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.”

Debra has advised anyone planning to make the move to research housing and employment opportunities in the area they plan to move to, and to transfer any qualifications they have.

“I just want to be honest with people,” added Debra.

“A lot of people will call us up for empathy and understanding.

“I always tell them that if they’re having a hard time, they should keep pushing through – it’s not an easy thing to do, but it’s all part of the experience.”

For more information and to participate in Cuan Nua, visit the Irish Australian Support Association of QLD website HERE.