A new life in Perth

Drawing places, moving places

My work has always been about drawing places that hold meaning. Spaces that carry memories, transitions, and emotions. So it feels fitting that this year ends with us becoming part of a new place ourselves.

We are now officially Perthians.

Moving across the continent wasn’t just a logistical shift, it was an emotional one. One that asked us to let go, trust our gut, and expand in ways we didn’t fully anticipate.

Here’s what this move has looked like for us so far.

A lot of sunsets have been spend at the Scarborough Beach. Our son is obsessed with the skatepark.
by Harry Cunningham

The move

Moving across Australia with only a month to organise felt like ripping off a Band-Aid.

Everything had to happen fast. Saying goodbye to friends, finding moments to rest, and organising a life we had spent years building in Brisbane. It was a race, and somehow, everything fell into place.

We rented out our house, which we had just finished renovating. We loved how it turned out. We designed it for ourselves, and David built everything himself (except, of course, plumbing and electricity). Knowing that this place exists, waiting for us if things don’t work out in Perth, gives us a sense of safety.

We sold both our cars. Shipping them to WA would have cost around 2k each.

We held a garage sale that resulted in exactly one sale. Marketplace in North Brisbane felt dead, or full of scams, so we ended up taking more with us than planned. We paid for that later in removalist and container costs, but I’m still glad we did. Starting from scratch would have felt harder. Moving your furniture across Australia turns out to be expensive. 9.5k, to be exact.

And then suddenly, you start all over again.

Friends, connections, and our community in Brisbane had grown into a strong support network over 11 years. Letting that go was one of the hardest parts.

The best part was how you all helped us finance the move by ordering prints, originals and puzzles from me in my Big Art Sale. It helped us a lot, so thank you so much for your support.

Why Perth

So why did we do it?

How often does an opportunity come along to move across the country, explore a new place, do it with kids, and still have the security of a job?

David was offered an amazing position, and while many people planning another baby might choose to stay close to their community, we felt something different. There was a pull. An excitement about this change. Everyone we spoke to had only good things to say about Perth and encouraged us to go for it.

You only live once, right? And we really love sunsets and being close to beaches with the bluest water.

So we listened to our gut. I’m very into human design, and this decision felt deeply aligned for us. It wasn’t logical. It was a gut feeling that didn’t come from overthinking.

City Beach by Bella Foster

The secret

Here’s a little secret, for those who are interested in my story.

In the same week we found out Perth could become a possibility, we also found out I was pregnant. We were incredibly happy to continue our journey towards our rainbow baby. Maybe Perth was where this next little human wanted to grow up.

So we went on this journey while I was feeling everything. Nausea, exhaustion, and “expanding” suddenly took on a whole new meaning. Expanding not only physically, but emotionally and mentally too.

This move pushed us to our limits more than once.

For me, the biggest challenge was letting go of That Time That for the time being. Drawing has always been my reset, my meditation, and my way of processing big emotions. Saying goodbye to close friends, family, and the creative community wasn’t easy. There were many tears.

But it also reminded us how much love surrounds us, no matter where we are.

Having already made the big move from Germany years ago, this all felt familiar. I sometimes wish I still had the naivety of my 25-year-old self, who could jump without carrying so much sadness. But grief is part of letting go, and that’s okay, too.

Settling in

The first week in Perth was tough.

With such a short timeframe, we hadn’t been able to secure a place to live. It’s nearly impossible to apply without viewing properties, and Perth is very much in a rental crisis. Having a dog and a child doesn’t exactly put you at the top of the list.

Then, on a day when I had completely given up hope of finding something before Christmas, we walked into a house. It was mould-free, clean, and big enough for our growing family. We were approved on the spot. The real estate agent turned out to be the owner as well and was very selective with his choice.

When we first arrived, we had an unfortunate experience with mould in our first Airbnb, which made me quite sick. Thankfully, we recognised the signs quickly and moved on. The next day, we found a wonderful place close to Scarborough Beach. Mould, after all, does also exist in Perth, which we found out fairly quickly when looking for a new place to live.

Since then, we’ve been at the beach almost daily. We’re several shades more tanned, our days filled with sandcastle building and swimming in the ocean.

For the short time we’ve been here, we can already see why Perth feels like the right place for our family in this season. It offers space, security, and access to some of the most beautiful beaches, paired with a dry climate that Brisbane doesn’t have.

Finding olive trees with actual olives and fig trees growing fruit has been an unexpected joy. We even managed to find a place without fake grass. Green lawns are rare here, sand is much more likely, and honestly, that suits us just fine.

Making friends has been surprisingly easy. Perthians are incredibly friendly, and arriving as a family helped us connect quickly. We’ve already met people who have been generous with advice and local knowledge.

My son thinks trains can jump over that bridge.
Photo by Harry Cunningham

What this means for That Time That

This season looks a little different for my art practice.

I’ll be offering a limited number of custom illustrations each month until March, unless pregnancy decides otherwise. Markets are likely off the table for now, so if you’re after prints or original artworks, the website shop will be the best place to find them.

For now, I’m settling into this new place and slowly finding my rhythm again. Just like with drawing, it takes time to understand a place before you can truly capture it.