Help - don't know where to live!!

lynnmarsh52 · 19-02-2008, 09:37 AM

Don't know what to do!!

We lived in Brisbane in 2006 for a year, but didn't like it so moved back to the UK - BIG MISTAKE!

We are now going to move back, but thought Perth would be a better bet. We weren't close to beach or anything like that in Brisbane, felt it was a bit too concrete. Humidity was a nightmare too - specially for the hubby seeing as he's a carpenter and was working outside on site in the heat most of the time. Thought Perth would be better, but now as I read different things on here I'm unsure what to do.

If we make a mistake going to Perth, my hubby will kill me

it took me months to persuade him to go back (it was me that wanted to come back to the UK in the first place, and me that wanted to originally move to Oz aswell - do you see where I'm going with this???!!!). He really will be seeing a solicitor for a divorce!

Alot of people are saying that Perth is too isolated and there are too many brits! Don't know whether that's a bad thing or a good thing. People who live there seem to say it is the place to be, but then people living in Brisbane say it's the place to be and we didn't like it. What if the same happens with Perth??

Second choice is definately the Sunshine Coast - gorgeous beaches, but what if the humidity is going to kill the hubby?? Is it worse to die from the weather or a lethal spider? Or a lethal snake? Or a croc? Or a jelly fish? GOD - I'M GOING TO TALK MYSELF OUT OF GOING ALTOGETHER IN A MINUTE!!!

Anyway, any advice would be much appreciated. Just want the same as everyone else - good schools, shops, beach, parks - all nearby.

HELP

Lynn xx

wattswalkaboutgang · 19-02-2008, 09:56 AM

Hi Lyn, It's such a hard decision especially if you haven't been there. We went to Perth on our 1st visit to Aus and although the beaches are lovely and the weather more like the med so you don't get the humitity. It's somewhere that you either love or not, for me i just found it so quiet and isolated everything seemed to close really early and there were not a lot of people about. I didn't feel like i could live there. The area that we went to was full of Brits and was a little stepford wives like, i just found it keep up with the jones' mentality somehow! No offence to anyone living in Perth by the way maybe it was just the part we saw. My OH is a carpenter/joiner and we are going to Brisbane possibly Gold coast. The Sunshine coast is beautiful we visited it last year so our choice would be between the two. Supose the best thing for you to do is go and have a look first really if thats possible for you, you cant really take other people opinions on something as important as this, it's got to be seen with your own eyes. Good luck to you both Alison x

calNgary · 19-02-2008, 10:29 AM

My god you sound confused,lol but at least you got your sense of humour!!! Perth and Brisbane are very different so it is a personal decision only you can make.Speak to someone from brissy and its better here ,speak to someone from perth and its great there,,Where in Brisbane were you? the city is very built up and i really wouldnt want to live there,we are 45 mins south and its lovely and green,spacious houses and not too far from anything,far from a concrete jungle.I have recently relocated a family from perth ,they had been there 18mth and just couldnt settle,they said Mandurah was beautiful but just too isolated for them and the kids.They were really surprised how cheap things seem to be here from food to houses but again areas differ greatly.Ali another moderator is in Perth and absolutely loving everything life throws at her,many people are moving there so it has got good points too,lol,,how long where you here? and how long have you been back?
Cal x

19-02-2008, 10:36 AM

Hi Lynn..WHOA! what a dilemma for you and as wwag has said nobody can really give you an opinion about what's right for you as it's personal choice, and you can only experience it for yourselves..i can only say that i love Perth and it would be mine and my OH only choice..i grew up there and have lived there with my own family..it suits us perfectly..i find it a beautifully clean city and the same with surrounding areas..there are gorgeous beaches and we always had plenty to do with the kids..they attended Primary and Secondary schools and achieved very well..it has a calm and quiet feel to it too, which is what suited us as well..have to say but it may not have the humidity of some parts of Aus, but it certainly has the heat to cope with!..so if you can't take a trip out to test the water there is still the risk that it wont be the best place for you..it's a hard one and i can see why it's something you'd like to be very sure about as you've done it before..all the best to you and hope you can make a decision you are happy with soon..
Pingpongor Tess

lynnmarsh52 · 19-02-2008, 10:44 AM

Thanx for your replies - YES, I am very confused. Where me and my hubby are concerned, I am ALWAYS right, and I don't want to get it wrong this time and give him the satisfaction! You know what men are like if they actually get something right for once

We were living north of the city in Chermside for nearly a year. It was pretty good being close to everything - we had a water park at the end of our road, a westfield shopping centre (huge) at the end of our road, a doctors round the corner, school round the corner, lots of stuff around, but just busy roads and traffic lights everywhere you look! It was about a half hour drive to the beach, which was too far for me. I wanted to get on bikes after work/school and ride 5/10 mins to the water. Perhaps I just want to much. Am I aiming too high and striving for a "perfect, dream life" that doesn't exist?????

Or perhaps I'm just a winging pom!!!!

Mandurah was actually the area that we were looking at. And like you say, it does look beautiful, but I don't think I want to be that isolated (especially as I don't drive!!). Perhaps we should just move to somewhere that we are familiar with - ie sunshine coast, and then perhaps if we don't seem to settle there, we could try Perth for a holiday and see how that is.

It seemed soooooo much easier the first time round!!

Lynn(37), Marsh(34), Tate(9) xx

calNgary · 19-02-2008, 10:54 AM

If you dont we to be far from the beach and dont like the conrete jungle feel id seriously consider the sunshine coast,its not half as built up as the gold coast and is still slightly cheaper for property.If its still out of your price range look inland ,after all a trip to the beach is a trip to the beach!!Must agree on the city,I travelled from south on the centenary highway last weekend stopping at different places ,the nearest id want to go is sinnamon park,it really closed in and looked tatty after that.
If you do decide on perth id seriously find a short term let for 3 or 4 weeks and have a good look around at areas,the wrong place can make all the differernce,a few km's can mean alot,im sure Ali and Mrs Braveheart wouldnt mind you bending their ear on areas,they both love the place!!
good luck its a tough en!!
Cal x

billy braveheart · 19-02-2008, 11:03 AM

where does everyone get this thing about perth being isolated?
its a great city,
isolated from what exactly?????
we have everythin we need in perth ,sure it may be a bit further from the other oz cities,but we dont want to be in other oz cities, but is the uk not isolated its an island the same as oz,cant understand people that say that,people in perth dont commute to sydney for work they dont commute to brissie or any other part of oz to work! so how is it isolated ,
so if you live in for eg london your isolated from the midlands,have a perspective on the place its only further away than the other cities are together
billy

calNgary · 19-02-2008, 11:13 AM

The impression they gave me was it was too isolated socially for them or the kids(teens),sports clubs,after school things were at least 30 mins from them and i think the kids wanted a livelier place to be.For us Perth is too isolated from other citys etc but that isnt a bad point its just how we felt,like Ali has family here i have rellys in Perth it is just a personal choice for each of us.

Cal x

melpaul · 19-02-2008, 11:17 AM

hi sorry to hear how your felling but i am feeling the same dont know where to live in the begining we were going to melbourne as we have a good friend there the more we have been looking we now would realy like to go to brisbane gold coast dont now why as never been to aus but my heart says bris my head melbourne because i feel more secure going some where i know my oh can get a job straight away because of friends support
big decision
good luck mel

lynnmarsh52 · 19-02-2008, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billy braveheart

where does everyone get this thing about perth being isolated?
its a great city,
isolated from what exactly?????
we have everythin we need in perth ,sure it may be a bit further from the other oz cities,but we dont want to be in other oz cities, but is the uk not isolated its an island the same as oz,cant understand people that say that,people in perth dont commute to sydney for work they dont commute to brissie or any other part of oz to work! so how is it isolated ,
so if you live in for eg london your isolated from the midlands,have a perspective on the place its only further away than the other cities are together
billy

Thanx Billy, I think you've made my mind up to try Perth! I suppose if you have everything you need realatively close by, you could be on an island the size of coconut in the middle of the pacific, but you couldn't say it was isolated if you have everything you need and want!

I will be keeping an open mind though, but one thing I know for sure is that I will not be rushing back to the UK again!!! If Perth is not for us, then that is fair enough, we fly to another state in Oz and try something else.

It's really good to get different opinions on different places from different people. Thank you ALL!!!