A year after emigrating, a tax consultant from Hartford is thriving in Sydney.

WITH a steady flow of people moving to Australia from England and vice versa Cambridge-based Andrew Webster believed it would make sense to open an office down under.

A year on, and the company is celebrating the success of its new branch. The tax, legal, accounting and financial planning firm, which is celebrating 20 years in business this year, set up the new branch in Sydney with senior tax consultant Joanne Lamberth, who lived in Hartford.

Joanne, 38, who transferred from the Cambridge office to Australia with her family, said that, apart from missing her family and friends in the UK, she had no regrets about the move.

Joanne’s knowledge of moving continents put her in the perfect place to offer advice on how best to cope with the differences between the UK and Australian tax rules.

The move also suited her Australian husband, Mark, who was keen to return home.

“We visited several times and saw all the great cities, but I really loved Sydney,” she said.

“The weather is a great draw – being able to be outside most of the year, especially when you have children, is fantastic.”

Although there were many teething problems including simple things such as knowing where to look for essentials to buy in shops, Joanne believes it was the right move for her and for the company.

“We identified this gap in the market last year, and by setting up our Australian base we have ensured that both businesses and individuals travelling from Australia to the UK, or vice versa, are offered the best overall financial advice possible,” she said.

She agrees, however, with people who say that the most stressful experience in life is moving house. “Moving continents is like that, times a thousand,” she said.

But she says the worst is behind them and the family, including her two sons Jamie, five, and Matthew, seven, have settled into their new surrounding and no longer miss their home in Hartford so much.