Cygnet

Morning all, can any one give us any thoughts about the Cygnet area ? Seems to be some good value homes around that area. Main concerns are bush fires (got caught up in Black Saturday never want to go through that again) On the main land now but guess like most Poms so miss the English countryside and getting out and about. Not interested in city life at all thus the reason to look at Tassie.

Beautiful area. Was traditionally an orchard area - apples mostly - but, with the decline in the industry several decades ago, it became "hippie central". Lots of self sufficient small acreages but close enough to Hobart for some people to commute. I don't know if you saw the SBS program "Gourmet Farmer" but that was filmed at Cygnet. Very strong sense of community, farmers' market, annual folk festival which is very popular, 3 pubs and a couple of other very good cafe/restaurants.

There was another thread on the Tasmania forum by someone trying to choose between Woodbridge and Cygnet and you might find some more information there.

I don't think you'll be immune from bush fires anywhere except in deepest, darkest suburbia. However, the Huon Valley normally has good rainfall and a mild climate so it's not a bushfire hotspot.

Beautiful photo of Cygnet Bay posted yesterday on the Amazing Tasmania facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/AmazingTasmania

Thanks Skani sounds just like what we are after. been tossing up do we go back to the UK to retire or say put. Living 3 hours out of Melbourne on assignment till 2016 and the heat is killing us. Have a house in Qld but not really that keen on going back there either due to the humidity, and going back to the UK would be emotionally difficult as our kids are here. Been trying to find an "England" in Aus or as close to as possible and keep coming back to the idea of Tassie. Next step is another trip to have a really good look around, then look at selling the Qld house (once the market recovers)

Morning all, can any one give us any thoughts about the Cygnet area ? Seems to be some good value homes around that area. Main concerns are bush fires (got caught up in Black Saturday never want to go through that again) On the main land now but guess like most Poms so miss the English countryside and getting out and about. Not interested in city life at all thus the reason to look at Tassie.

Hello Tina,

We have been living in Cygnet for the past 6 weeks! We moved down here from the outer suburbs of Melbourne. Obviously we have only skimmed the surface of what there is going on here but I shall try and help as much as I can!! It is about 45 minutes south of Hobart - neither of us have started work yet ( we will be working in Hobart) but we have gone a few times and the journey is not too bad. ( plus there is a bus that goes from Cygnet to Hobart quite regularly too)

There is a free local paper that we got when we first moved ( it comes out weekly) and on one page there is a list of clubs and things that run most days. My husband has started life drawing classes and goes to aikido on a Friday too. There are plenty of yoga and meditation classes too if that's more your thing! To be perfectly honest I'm not much of a joiner in of things (I don't mind my own company and can potter quite happily or read a book!!), but I am sure you would find something of interest!

Cygnet itself has a few lovely places to eat and have coffee, there is an IGA supermarket, a newsagent and a pharmacy. There is also a doctor's surgery and 2 schools! About 10 minutes away is Huonville which is a bigger town with a Woolies and a bigger Mitre 10 or we tend to go to Kingston which has more of the things you may need.

we are only in a rented house at the moment ( there wasn't really a great choice of rentals when we were looking) but ultimately would like to get a few acres ( and as you say property is very good value round here!). The countryside and the views are lovely and we have found a lovely beach to walk the dog at Randalls Bay. The whole area reminds me of Scotland or the Lake District and is very green and lush!

any other questions please don't hesitate to ask, but I hope that info helps?

Good luck, Karen

P.s it is a much slower pace of life here but once you 'relax' into it, it is lovely!! I was in Melbourne for the weekend and I couldn't believe how busy it was!! Haha

Been trying to find an "England" in Aus or as close to as possible and keep coming back to the idea of Tassie.

It's certainly the closest climatically and "latitudinally" (if that's a word). By that I mean we have 4 distinct seasons, the long light summer evenings and cosy, fireside winter nights which PIOers often say they miss. People do describe it as the most "British" of the Australian states.

I was thinking about your bushfire comment. Apart from high up in the mountains the only place which is probably not at some risk is the far north west of the state, ie west from Stanley or Smithton. But the price they pay is a high rainfall.

Thanks Karen that is a great help. We lived for 3 years in Woodend and hour from Melbourne sold due to fire risk and have regreted it ever since and cant afford the prices there any more.

We are close to retirement in 2 years, so the question was do we go back to a house we own on the downs in Qld, leave family and return to the UK or go south. I think it is becoming very clear the ideal is Tassie best of both worlds, still with in a couple of hours flight to QLD but ability to live in country similar to the UK. Cygnet sounds perfect for what we wants. A quite lifestyle, lots of trees, grow our own food, run chooks, walks on the beach and with a bit of luck even some snow.

Hi Skani

Sure understand about bush fire risk and we would take that into consideration if we decide to buy. Woodend was beautiful BUT it had a state forest at the end of the street 2 houses away, there one only one road in or out and only wide enough for one vehicle in fact we use to carry wire cutters in the car just in case we got trapped so we could cut through fences (acceptable in a major fire) The 2009 blaze was heading for us before the wind changed, from one direction and a major blaze in Daylesford coming the other way. Knowing our road and properties on it had gone in the 1983 blaze we just decided it was not safe and got out. Now we would make sure access to leave is good and we are not slap bang on the edge or in the middle of a forest. Everything else we loved about woodend, the quiteness even sprinkles of snow, and great soil for growing veggies and fruit, but getting very hard to find something similar on the main land now that we can afford.

Cygnet is certainly lovely. If you want "the Good Life", some land and chooks etc there are loads of other places to choose from all around the Huon Valley as well as loads of other areas. You don't need to restrict yourself to Cygnet - although Cygnet would certainly give you that.

Are you able to visit and have a look around a few areas?

Cygnet is certainly lovely. If you want "the Good Life", some land and chooks etc there are loads of other places to choose from all around the Huon Valley as well as loads of other areas. You don't need to restrict yourself to Cygnet - although Cygnet would certainly give you that.

 

Are you able to visit and have a look around a few areas?

We are now looking at taking a trip to Tassie mid next year, could you list a few suburbs ? We are looking for rolling green hills not in or backing onto forest, nice like minded people (into chooks, growing own food, rather than into trail bikes and and that sort of thing) Thanks for your help

You'll be looking at rural areas, not suburbs.

I'd check out all the Huon Valley, "the Channel"...south of Hobart from Margate to where it joins the Huon Valley, around Launceston and up the Tamar Valley, west from Launceston to the Deloraine area, then along the northwest coast from Latrobe to west of Wynyard.

You'll be looking at rural areas, not suburbs.

I'd check out all the Huon Valley, "the Channel"...south of Hobart from Margate to where it joins the Huon Valley, around Launceston and up the Tamar Valley, west from Launceston to the Deloraine area, then along the northwest coast from Latrobe to west of Wynyard.

Thanks Skani that is a great help. Have got a big map and will start looking at towns on realestate.com.au

If you're on Facebook have a look for Amazing Tasmania. Today they've posted a fantastic picture of Cygnet Bay which may whet your appetite! I''m on my phone so I can't post it here at the moment but will try to later.

...and whilst you're on Facebook; like my page LiveandWorkAustralia!

Great minds! I tried to post a link but was unsuccessful. Will try again.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1459064_323838947754446_1138305894_n.jpg

Great minds! I tried to post a link but was unsuccessful. Will try again.

 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1459064_323838947754446_1138305894_n.jpg

Thanks Skani I had a look it looks beautiful

Just joined amazing Tasmania and cannot find this beautiful photo at all on 12th December 2013 which is date you posted. I would have loved to have shared it!

It's still there! :biggrin: Scroll down to 30th November 2013.

Here's another one - hope the link works.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1508010_331227663682241_2038151612_n.jpg

...and another of Cygnet

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1488295_328099223995085_323769596_n.jpg

The Amazing Tasmania page has some awesome photos!

Shouldnt show photos like that you will have to many people moving there and we need to keep it a "secret" LOL

That's a good point!

Just found this thread. Damn it, just as I was thinking I was getting closer to knowing where we are going to move (ie suburbs of Hobart) I go and read this about wonderful Cygnet! ?

Cygnet is such a special place. It just has a unique vibe about it - great sense of community, and interest in the environment and self-sufficiency etc. And on top of all that it is stunning beautiful. I second Skani's tip to watch the Gourmet Farmer series. If you don't know, it's about a food critic from Sydney who moves to Cygnet for a totally different lifestyle. It really is a great advert for Cygnet, and Tasmania in general really. Good luck with your decision, Tina.

Karen, it sounds like you've settled in really well. I am envious! ? Just wondering whether you know much about the schools in the area? Cygnet Primary seems good, not so sure about the high school though. And how are you finding the commute? We thought it might be just a bit too far for us, although it depends what you're used to really. Cygnet is a great place. I think if we didn't have to worry about schools or commuting etc that would be our first choice. Still haven't ruled it out... I wish I could rule some places out, it would make the decision-making a lot easier! ?

There's no escaping that Cygnet is pretty far from Hobart. I know people that commute from near Cygnet and they're fine with it but if you're planning on working in Hobart I wouldn't move there.

That said; if I wasn't working in Hobart then it'd be a great place to live. Although my wife would disagree - too far out for her.

One of the (many!) great things about Tassie is that you can live smack bang in the centre of Hobart and be in the bush within 10-15 minutes. I probably know 20 people who have chickens (chooks ) and most of those live in the suburbs. I suppose my point is you can have "the good life lite" without living in Cygnet. Also if it's wilderness or country views you're after you won't have to go far to get them wherever you are.

Good luck

Hi Tastastic, Well we have been in Cygnet now for nearly 6 months and we are still enjoying it!! Our wee boy goes to Cygnet Primary school ( he is 9) and has settled in really well. The school encourages parents to get involved - i help out in his class a couple of times a week and have joined the parents association. I like that I know what's going on at school!! The school is very community orientated and is not too big which I also like! I'm not sure about high school ( huonville is the closest), but I have a few more years before worrying about that!! Though saying that our daughter decided when we got here to go back to school ( she is in year 12 at Hobart College) and she is thriving!! She is the one doing the commute every day on the bus and it's not getting her down at all!! Hubby and I are both nurses so he has just been going to Hobart about 3 days a week though outside of peak hours. It takes him about 45 minutes to get to Hobart (tho at night he has to watch out for the local wildlife!!)

I agree with Runslikeafish and that you could get a similar lifestyle - though maybe not quite as cheaply! - nearer to Hobart. We tend not to go up to Hobart much anyway. We can get most of what we need in Kingston (tho not a cinema which I do miss!). The people we have met in Cygnet are very friendly and I like it when I'm walking down the road and people say hello to me!! I have become very good at baking bread and making jams and chutney!! Lol

hope that helps a bit and if you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask!!

Karen

p.s I also had a look round Woodbridge School and I thought that had a lovely vibe!!

Hi Karen! Thanks for your reply. I really appreciate everyone's input with this. It's so hard when you're so far away (couldn't be any further!). It sounds like you've settled in really well. So nice that your kids are happy too. Cygnet school does seem to have a lovely, nurturing approach to education (I've been in touch with the Head and I receive all the newsletters too!). There really is something special about the community there isn't there? Mind you, I think Tasmania as a whole is pretty special (shhhh, don't tell everyone on the other states' boards! ?).

Glad to hear that you liked Woodbridge school too. From what I've read it does seem like another happy little school.

Maybe my problem is that there are just so many nice places to choose from?! I think I might have to decide on the specific area we're going to live in once we're actually there. I was hoping to be able to narrow it down a bit beforehand but I'm going round in circles and I'm not getting any work done! ?