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markuk20 · 05-05-2008, 02:05 AM

Hi Quoll,

Thanks for all that detail on schools etc really helpful!

I take your point about finding the right accomadation before you can really look at schools etc,the basic requirement is being in right catchment area of the school you want to got to as is the same here .

Just let me know what schools or areas you think we should avoid if at all possible not wishing to upset anyone else who be living in those suburbs.

We hope to be in Canberra by end of Oct/Nov this year all being well and we have no pressure to sell our house here as Debbies sister will look after it for us for a couple of years until we think we have made the right choice to live in Aus/Canberra.

There are also 2 other couples with children we met at a meal we had in London with the ACT goverment so we are all in a similar sitaution and plan to come out at about the same time-so I reckon in about 5 years time they will need to make ACT bigger to fit in all the POMS say about WA size should do it!

I was told to avoid comming around Xmas as the rental properties are in very short supply and I was given the name of a property agent by the goverment who can sort out our rental requirements as we are skilled migrants we can't meet the usual rental criteria such as driving licence and referees etc.
A four bed with a garden may be single floor accomadation (no stairs for the Kids)and you guessed it a pool but I don't think we can expect that in ACT as only a few properties have pools from what I can see and it has to be fenced off with the children so I reckon we can forget that one for the time being.
Budget wise I reckon between $500-600 P/W would get you someting nice in a good area.

For the few ideal jobs for me I have seen they fall between the $80000-$90000 range which would be about right on cost of living side -I read a recent article saying that ACT salaries had steadily been climbing to try and attract more people interstate it has one of the worst skills shortages in Australia and all states have similar issues.

I would love to be able to cycle to work that really appeals to me and Canberra seems well geared towards cyclists- I don't know what the average cycle to work time might be but even in ACT some places must be too far out to cycle into the City or CBD in a reasonable timescale.
The weather may also play a part in this during the winter time although only heavy rain or snow are real problems for cyclists and there isn't too much of that in ACT it just gets colder.

The beach information is really good and I think the kids will like the seaside thing so anywhere sounds good although I know Jervis bay is really pretty and has the Whale watching with excellent diving and my eldest Amy has recently started Scuba diving lessons.
So if we drove from Canberra what would be the nearest beach to us you said it takes around 90 minutes or so ?
Also I know that it takes about 3 hrs from Canberra to Sydney by car along a pretty boring motorway or highway but could you drive to sydney via a more scenic costal route or would that just take too long?

Many thanks

Regards Mark.

05-05-2008, 02:05 AM	#12 (permalink)
markuk20 Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Essex England Posts: 15	Hi Quoll, Thanks for all that detail on schools etc really helpful! I take your point about finding the right accomadation before you can really look at schools etc,the basic requirement is being in right catchment area of the school you want to got to as is the same here . Just let me know what schools or areas you think we should avoid if at all possible not wishing to upset anyone else who be living in those suburbs. We hope to be in Canberra by end of Oct/Nov this year all being well and we have no pressure to sell our house here as Debbies sister will look after it for us for a couple of years until we think we have made the right choice to live in Aus/Canberra. There are also 2 other couples with children we met at a meal we had in London with the ACT goverment so we are all in a similar sitaution and plan to come out at about the same time-so I reckon in about 5 years time they will need to make ACT bigger to fit in all the POMS say about WA size should do it! I was told to avoid comming around Xmas as the rental properties are in very short supply and I was given the name of a property agent by the goverment who can sort out our rental requirements as we are skilled migrants we can't meet the usual rental criteria such as driving licence and referees etc. A four bed with a garden may be single floor accomadation (no stairs for the Kids)and you guessed it a pool but I don't think we can expect that in ACT as only a few properties have pools from what I can see and it has to be fenced off with the children so I reckon we can forget that one for the time being. Budget wise I reckon between $500-600 P/W would get you someting nice in a good area. For the few ideal jobs for me I have seen they fall between the $80000-$90000 range which would be about right on cost of living side -I read a recent article saying that ACT salaries had steadily been climbing to try and attract more people interstate it has one of the worst skills shortages in Australia and all states have similar issues. I would love to be able to cycle to work that really appeals to me and Canberra seems well geared towards cyclists- I don't know what the average cycle to work time might be but even in ACT some places must be too far out to cycle into the City or CBD in a reasonable timescale. The weather may also play a part in this during the winter time although only heavy rain or snow are real problems for cyclists and there isn't too much of that in ACT it just gets colder. The beach information is really good and I think the kids will like the seaside thing so anywhere sounds good although I know Jervis bay is really pretty and has the Whale watching with excellent diving and my eldest Amy has recently started Scuba diving lessons. So if we drove from Canberra what would be the nearest beach to us you said it takes around 90 minutes or so ? Also I know that it takes about 3 hrs from Canberra to Sydney by car along a pretty boring motorway or highway but could you drive to sydney via a more scenic costal route or would that just take too long? Many thanks Regards Mark.