The six-year-old sat next to us is sweet for the first 10 hours of the flight- but she doesn’t sleep. At all. However, being awake for most of the 24 hours back to the UK gives me time for reflection on what we have done, who we have met, and all there has been to learn from our time in Australia.  

Firstly, I think of how thankful we are to the people who have welcomed us and made our expansion plans possible; Trade and Investment Queensland, The Australian British Chamber of Commerce, The British Consulate, the UK Department for International Trade, Brisbane Economic Development Agency, and our Australian Company Secretary and man-on-the-ground, Dan- he’s my hero.  

It’s hard not to draw comparisons between the UK and Australia, and the latter certainly has a lot to love, the weather for a start! Our trip saw highs of 35 degrees Celsius, (we definitely didn’t get sunburnt…) and returning to the cold, dark, UK, where temperatures are now dipping well below five degrees, is a bit of a shock to the system. We’ve loved experiencing Aussie working culture, where hard work is crucial, but days start and end early, and meetings are usually an opportunity to head out for coffee, lunch, dinner, or drinks. We’ve been impressed by commitments to sustainability both by the public and in business, going beyond empty green accreditations, with practices that see results- recycling bins on the streets, spending on public transport, budgets allowing for the use of clean energy, and the promise of a green Olympics for Brisbane 2032.  

Speaking of the sports festival, which was last down under in Sydney in 2000, it seems the fever is already setting in- everyone seems to be talking about it and considering the impact and potential benefits for local businesses, why not? It almost seems too perfect to have just been in-the-midst of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games as a suitable warm-up- we’ll be more than ready.  

Brisbane has a real sense of community about it, with big emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility and giving back, and I do find myself reminded of Birmingham, whilst Sydney has all the same bustle, glamour and tourist draws as our capital. On the sporting theme, and the apparently endless opportunities it offers to bring people together, we found watching world cup games at 5am serves as a healthy reminder of the challenges of working between two offices ten hours apart. Being lucky enough to attend the PGA Golf championships gives us a new sense of Aussie pride at seeing a local player take home the trophy.  

With commutes by ferry (who needs trains anyway?!), a thriving café culture, and a food scene to keep anyone happy (there’s something very pleasing about fresh produce all sourced locally, and twice the size of their British counterparts), we’ve been relieved and thrilled to find out just how liveable our new city will be, both for Liquid and Liquidites! 

Whilst we’re only just back, and the jet lag is still fairly raw, I’m already thinking about heading back for ‘The Big Move’ in February 2023- for the weather, for the challenge of something so new and exciting, and to apply everything we’ve been able to learn in our initial three-week recce (but mostly for the weather!).