On a reccy in Melbourne

KazzE · 02-02-2008, 12:21 PM

Hi everyone,
here we are in Melbourne to validate our visas and to do a bit of a reccy so that when we sell the house and can finally make the move we can hit the ground running!

Not sure if I liked the flight we came on, 6 hours to Dubai, 2 hrs at airport, then another 6, 7 can't remember, to Singapore, 1hour stop! (did not know we were stopping let alone getting off in Singapore!) then another 9hrs to Melbourne. The journey was broken up and we got to walk around the airports but it meant we had less time to try and sleep. And we arrived at 1:30 in the morning got to bed around 4am and then up at 8am to start the day.

RAIN the first day,

now the kids believe me that it is not always very hot and full of flies in Melbourne, thier last/only visit was over Christmas a couple of years ago.

We have been looking at houses, went and looked at some display homes/villages at Maribong and Caroline Springs - not impressed, they were closed! the outsides were all a bit sqare for my taste, I like the frilly houses, houses with dresses as we call them, more traditional.

Today we went to a display village past Doreen, more impressed with these, nice layouts, open plan 'family' kitchen/dining/sitting rooms plus study, plus private sitting room, plus rumpus/cinema room, plus out door eating area, 3 or 4 bedrooms, the main bedrooms had ensuites and huge walk in robes the other bedroom were off a corridor sharing the bathroom. Prices started at $140000 - for the house then you need to buy land but still within our budget.

Next week we will be pestering people about job opportunities and the kids will be checking out the Uni's

We are also going to check out areas a bit further out from CBD, but where we end up will depend on where we end up with jobs and whether or not we need to take the kids into account for getting to Uni.

Would be great to meet up with anyone who is already in Melbourne.

We are looking forward to the Chinese New Year Celebrations next weekend, I was here a couple of years ago and they were great, Dragon boat racing, Chinese market along the Yarra etc

Jet lag kicking in, need to sleep now

Karen

racht · 02-02-2008, 01:18 PM

Hi there - we are hoping to move to Melbourne by the end of the year - weve been looking around Doreen area too - do you know what the commute is like to CBD? I believe its about 30 mins.

How long r u out there for? Hope you have a great time. Keep us all posted as to how u r getting on...

KazzE · 02-02-2008, 11:52 PM

Hi racht
it looks like a nice area, up and coming according to my rellies

you would need to drive to a station, paring is free or drive all the way in to the city is about an 35mins

this is a great site for working out how far things are

www.whereis.com

we are only here for 2 weeks so trying to make the most of it

will keep you posted:)

Karen

Ruby Okim · 03-02-2008, 04:51 AM

Hi Karen,

Whereabouts are you staying? OH and I are coming over next week for a recce around CNY. Thanks for the info on things that are happening around then - it'll be great to be able to see the dragonboating and eat some yu sheng in Chinatown (have heard that the dim sum there is really good).

Let me know if you might be about for a coffee - it'll be lovely to meet a fellow PIOer!

KazzE · 04-02-2008, 08:22 AM

Hi Ruby

we are staying with my sis and family in Essendon, about 10mins from the airport

we leave on 12th (unless I change the flights to a day or two later, which I may do)

PM me a moblile if you will have one with you and we can try and meet up somewhere central

we plan to be in the city on Saturday, probably into the eve

Karen

KazzE · 04-02-2008, 08:31 AM

Yesterday, Sunday, we drove to Mornington, had lunch at Patterson Lakes and then popped in to see a work collegue/friend who moved over last August in Frankston South

Really nice, but a bit too laid back and far from the city for my old kids, 18 and 22

they have all settled really well, both working in similar jobs to UK and teens 12 and 14 loving school

more soon.....................................

FREDF · 04-02-2008, 11:14 AM

Hi

We to are looking at Melbourne at the moment. Like a lot of people we are all set to go apart from selling Houses!!!!! It looks like we may have to do a validation holiday in May at this rate.

Can anyone tell me how long you have to be there to validate - can it be a quick fly in fly out or do you have to be in the country for a certain amount of time.

Also my partner's 16 year is on his visa - will she need to go to validate her visa as well or just the main holder of the visa.

Thanks

Helen

The Broughtons · 04-02-2008, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FREDF

Hi

We to are looking at Melbourne at the moment. Like a lot of people we are all set to go apart from selling Houses!!!!! It looks like we may have to do a validation holiday in May at this rate.

Can anyone tell me how long you have to be there to validate - can it be a quick fly in fly out or do you have to be in the country for a certain amount of time.

Also my partner's 16 year is on his visa - will she need to go to validate her visa as well or just the main holder of the visa.

Thanks

Helen

Helen,

In order to validate your vsa you could simply fly to Australia, go through and get your passport stamped and turn round, get on another flight and go back to the UK!
The main visa holder must enter the country before anyone else can if you were considering going at different times but everyone needs to enter and have their passports stamped before the end of the validation period.
Felicity

FREDF · 04-02-2008, 10:13 PM

Hi Felicity

Thanks very much for the information. It looks like my partner and his daughter score a holiday in May if we dont sell the house by then. Damn.

We are looking hard at Mornington to settle I cant remember ever being there before but grew up in Geelong and had relatives in Seaford so might have been there in the dim and distant past.

Anyway thanks again for the help

regards

Helen

KazzE · 09-02-2008, 10:46 AM

Hi

yep just go through passport control then turn round and get on the next plane back if ya want- lotsa money tho,

I threatned to do this to my DD who is digging her heals in about make the move permanently

We drove down to Geelong and then stopped at Point Cook, Hoppers Crossing and Laverton - Wyndam (?) Waters has lots of new build going on and not too far from CBD
we were offered some land here for about $140 for 750m2 but we have not followed it up as I did not trust the guy, a friend of mine is selling it and needs a quick sale kinda thing - and we have not sold our house so cannot raise the cash

I liked it down that way but I have heard it can be a bit of a slow drive into the city, but the public transport seems pretty good

we went to our first auction today, a very small 2/3 bed house on a 10m by 30m plot - it needed pulling down and starting again, in Coburg, close to train, tram and city link. It was in a lovely street.

It was hilarious - the auctioneer had to start with a 'vendors bid' of $410,000 and nobody, nobody would offer any more, so it ended up being 'bought in' which I think meant that people could put bids in and the highest would have the opportunity to purchase.

And then we went to eat at one of our favourites Smokin Joe's in Mt Alexander Road

We are going to the Chinese New Year Celebrations in the city tomorrow