ABOUT
Marine is 30 years old and originally from France. She has been living on Sydney’s Northern Beaches in Australia for the past 8 years and she is now Australian! She is a graphic designer and illustrator. She also owns a distillery with her partner. She loves surfing and is constantly inspired by the ocean, nature & going on adventures.
What's your background?
I grew up in Nantes, France and spent most of my life there. I started travelling from a very young age though and was always discovering new countries. I also lived in Ireland and in the US for exchange programs. I studied to become a journalist but ended up in a creative path and became a graphic designer & illustrator. After working in many companies in Australia, I now have my own business. I also own the Hang 10 Distillery with my fiancé, Deon. It’s called Hang 10 Distillery and we make spirits and beer from leftover bread! I speak French and English. I used to speak a bit of Spanish but forgot a lot of it unfortunately.
Why did you move to Australia?
I moved in September 2014 after spending a bit of time here on holidays. I first came to Australia in 2007 with my family on holidays and already fell in love with the country. After living in the US for a bit, I came back to France to finish my studies in Paris. But I didn’t want to continue and thought I’d try my luck in Australia with a working holiday visa and never left!
Moving to Australia
Why is Australia unique? Is life better there?
It’s a huge country with a lot of nature and a quality of life that’s quite good. I think my life is probably better here but it’s a very subjective thing to say as it depends so much on people’s circumstances. I’d say because I surf a lot, the quality of life I can have where I live here on the Northern Beaches is amazing so I have easy access to waves & also have good work opportunities. I also love the way of living here: very relaxed and no fuss.
Why do people say that Australia is a lucky country?
I think it’s probably because you can get a lot of opportunities here if you work hard for it. Not everybody would think it’s a lucky country but I think if you really want to make life happen for yourself here, you can probably do it. We’re also so lucky to have incredible nature here.
What surprised you about life there when you first arrived?
Probably the food! You have to re-learn everything about where to get good produce and what you like to eat. I used to miss some of the French food but not at all anymore. I also discovered so much Asian food here and it’s amazing.
Maybe also that you need a car to go pretty much everywhere as it’s hard to get around unless you leave near the CBD and work there.
Also how much more relaxed and positive life is here.
Maybe also that you need a car to go pretty much everywhere as it’s hard to get around unless you leave near the CBD and work there.
Also how much more relaxed and positive life is here.
What are the main differences between French people and Australians?
Haha that’s a hard question and I wouldn’t want to generalise and be cliché. But I’d say Australians are much more laid-back, relaxed and quite positive in general. French people can be a bit more negative about life or complain maybe. But French people also really know how to enjoy life and sit down for a meal and take their time. There are good and bad things on either side, it just comes down to how you see life 🙂
What should people consider before deciding to move to Australia?
First research your visa options. Unfortunately moving to Australia isn’t easy and has gotten harder in the past few years. Many do the Working Holiday Visa which is a great way to work and travel here. And many get to stay with sponsorship from a company or also studying. If you’re lucky and meet the love of your life here, you also can get a visa that way!
Do you need to speak English well to live in Australia?
You don’t have to speak English well straight away but you definitely need to learn well to keep living here and be comfortable. But many people from different backgrounds don’t speak fluently and still get around ok.
Living in Australia
What are your favorite things to do in Sydney specifically?
Definitely surfing haha! But if in Sydney centre specifically, it’s super nice to take a ferry to the city and walk around the harbour, the opera house & botanical gardens. It never disappoints!
Where are the best beaches?
Most tourists think Bondi beach is amazing, but the Northern Beaches have definitely the best beaches in Sydney. It’s just a bit further but worth the drive. Honestly, Australia has the most amazing beaches all around the country. Just depends if you want waves, crystal clear water, white sand, dunes, empty beaches… There are so many options!
What are the best islands?
There’s so much to discover, I couldn’t say there is one better than another one. The Whitsundays islands are amazing to discover though to see a bit of the reef and beautiful turquoise waters.
Where is the best area to live in, in Sydney?
If you ask me, I’d say the Northern Beaches as it’s beautiful, quiet and near the beach. But there are so many areas depending on what people like that it’s just personal preference. The inner west of Sydney is super fun and eclectic, the blue mountains are perfect for more nature and a mountain feel.
Which city is better, Melbourne or Sydney?
Haha, definitely Sydney! I like Melbourne for the restaurants, bars & museums. But it’s too European for me and I’d rather live in Europe rather than Melbourne. Sorry Melbourne!
What are some underrated places in Australia?
Probably South Australia. I’ve been only once but it’s so beautiful and if you get out to the country and coast, it’s incredible.
How did you learn how to surf?
I first learnt in France but very briefly. Then when I arrived in Australia, I bought a car and a board and went surfing as much as I could. It took me a long time to learn, I had a few lessons but also met a good group of surfer friends and progressed by practising. I had to get out of my comfort zone and just surf as much as I could and learn from other surfers that were better than me. I also went on a few surf trips in Indonesia and that helped massively too.
How to find a job in Sydney?
You can apply through LinkedIn or Seek. It’s also good to reach out to companies directly if you know you have the right skills for them. It’s good to get here and network as well. But definitely use those websites.
Do you feel safe as a woman?
Yes definitely. Much safer than in France that’s for sure. But I also live in an area where it’s pretty good. Not everywhere in Australia is safe but Sydney is very safe. But obviously you have to use common sense, like everywhere else.
Can you tell us something else about Australia that we might not know?
The coffee here is, I’d say, the best in the world. Whenever I travel overseas, I miss the coffee here. It’s just amazing haha.
What are the biggest challenges that Australia faces today?
Probably climate change and preserving wildlife. Although we have amazing nature, Australia is quite behind on transitioning to better environment solutions to preserve our oceans and land. We also faced a lot of issues with fires, drought, floods and will continue to in the future. I think general awareness helps a lot and mostly it needs to come down to Australians and the government to help.
How to find an apartment?
If you want to share, Flatmates.com.au and local Facebook groups are good. I think there are other websites too. If you want to rent directly, you need to get directly on real estate websites in the area you want to and do inspections. It’s not easy but if you have a good application with all the information needed and proof that you can pay for it (your job pay slip or proof of income), you’ll be fine! Rent can vary a lot in all areas of Sydney and if it’s out of Sydney as well. Just best to look in the area you want and see the medium price there.
Are there any experiences there that you are particularly proud of or that surprised you?
I think I’m pretty proud of how I integrated into Australian life, most of my friends forget that I’m French sometimes haha. At first I was also surprised how much driving we can do here in one day. It’s not a big deal to drive for 5-7-9 hours in a day if you need to go to a specific destination. But it’s so normal now.
How did you get set up? (phone plan, bank ..)
Super easy, you just go to the bank , phone shop etc and get set up there with your passport. Just research ahead the best plans, what suits you and make a list of places to go.
Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance?
You need travel and medical insurance for most visas yes – same you just need to research what suits best. Then, depending on which visa you have or if your employer has some benefits, sometimes you can switch to Medicare (which is similar system as in France) and also have a private health fund to help with other costs.
How can French people immigrate to Australia? In terms of visas etc.
The best thing to do is research visa options on the government website as there are so many different circumstances. But most young people do the Working Holiday Visa to start with.
Final Thoughts
What did you bring with you?
I just came with one suitcase of clothes and essentials like passport, laptop, phone, etc. I quickly learnt that material possessions are really not that important when you move countries. I kind of started over again really!
Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.
Again surfing haha. But also bushiking, swimming, road trips, freediving… So many options!
Was it easy making friends and meeting people; did you mainly socialize with other expats?
Fairly easy yes but it also depends on how open you are. I was conscious to not hang around French people too much so I could expand my horizons. I don’t consider myself an expat here, more as an immigrant to another country. But now I barely have any French friends haha! Sydney is super multi-cultural though so I have friends from so many different countries. The main thing I learnt though is that you need to make friends with people that you know will stay in Australia as otherwise you’ll lose friends all the time when they move back home or to another country. Still happens to me many times and it’s always sad but it’s also the way it is.
What has been the hardest aspect of living in Australia?
Personally, I didn’t realise it until Covid and we couldn’t travel but I’d say the distance can be hard. I never really missed France but I do wish sometimes that I could jump more easily on a plane that’s not a 24-hour ride. Saying that, I love that we are so close to Asia and the pacific and still have amazing travel opportunities.
Can you tell me something about local culture that people might not know?
Many people think Australia is “young” and there isn’t much culture because it was colonised not that long ago. But it’s not, it’s one of the oldest countries in the world and it belongs to the traditional owners of the land that have been here since time immortal. I think Australia has a lot to do to catch up and help First Nations people here. I hope that new expats and tourists discover the beautiful Australian culture, story and nature and pay their respects to the elders, past, present and emerging. There’s so much more to Australia than recent history.
What are your plans for the future? Are you working on anything particular?
Right now, we’re super busy with working hard to open our distillery and we also have a new house we’re setting up. And we’re getting married this year too so it’s definitely a big year for us! Other than that, just planning to enjoy life in Australia and surf endless waves forever!
Thank you so much Marine for sharing your journey towards Australian citizenship! It was good to have an overview of all your life events since our study abroad in the US! I love following your entrepreneurial projects!
