Queensland - NSW advice please!

Hi all, looking for some info please!

I've been living on the sunshine coast since December with partner, 4yo daughter and one on the way. Struggling to settle here, although it is beautiful I cannot deal with the humidity and also find the area quite expensive/overpriced. Thinking of a move further south at the end of the year before my daughter starts school next January. My partner is a landscape gardener and working for a company just now but hoping to start his own business soon (was self-employed in scotland) so would like to settle somewhere before he does that. I'm a mental health nurse (not working at the mo) but thinking of a change as feeling completely burned out by nursing, thinking of re-training possibly in another area of healthcare/alternative therapies or maybe just something totally different!

So thinking of a move to NSW (considered Melbourne but maybe too cold, and worried my partner might lose work days due to the weather - as was the case in the uk). We've loved Sydney in the past but no way can we afford to live there. And I do like the smaller town/community vibe thats on the sunny coast.

Can an anyone please give some ideas on any towns/areas in NSW that are great for young families but not too quiet, has access to hospitals/colleges etc. Budget around 370 for a 3-bed house. Any views on Illawarra region? Weather, schools etc...

Any advice or comments appreciated!

Thankyou lovelies :cute:

Port macquarie..south west rocks

If heat/humidity is a problem for you then you need to go a fair way down NSW coast before you find much difference I think. Also lots of areas on the north coast are quite seasonal which can be a pain economically.

I'd be tempted to say Illawarra or even slightly further south (Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven areas - although there are some more expensive towns) as it is noticeably cooler and less humid than, say, the mid North coast (around Forster/Taree) area and points north. I'd also consider looking around Newcastle/Port Stephens and the north end of the Central Coast - good community vibe going on, less seasonality, a whole lot cheaper than Sydney and enough weight of population to support business/employment opportunities.

Be careful. My impression is the that general cost of living is in most ways more expensive in NSW than in Qld (car insurance, rego, house prices etc). I think you'd struggle to get a decent place around Sydney/Illawarra/Newcastle on your budget. Maybe have a look at Port Macquarie, Nowra, Batemans Bay and see what you think. All decent towns close to the coast. Or what about inland - Orange is a great town.

Thanks for your replies folks, will go and do some more digging into these places...

Hi all, looking for some info please!

 

I've been living on the sunshine coast since December with partner, 4yo daughter and one on the way. Struggling to settle here, although it is beautiful I cannot deal with the humidity and also find the area quite expensive/overpriced. Thinking of a move further south at the end of the year before my daughter starts school next January. My partner is a landscape gardener and working for a company just now but hoping to start his own business soon (was self-employed in scotland) so would like to settle somewhere before he does that. I'm a mental health nurse (not working at the mo) but thinking of a change as feeling completely burned out by nursing, thinking of re-training possibly in another area of healthcare/alternative therapies or maybe just something totally different!

 

So thinking of a move to NSW (considered Melbourne but maybe too cold, and worried my partner might lose work days due to the weather - as was the case in the uk). We've loved Sydney in the past but no way can we afford to live there. And I do like the smaller town/community vibe thats on the sunny coast.

 

Can an anyone please give some ideas on any towns/areas in NSW that are great for young families but not too quiet, has access to hospitals/colleges etc. Budget around 370 for a 3-bed house. Any views on Illawarra region? Weather, schools etc...

 

Any advice or comments appreciated!

 

Thankyou lovelies :cute:

I would probably try Newcastle, Port Stephens and the surrounding areas. I think your budget could be a little bit tight but not too far off the mark for a small three bed, but to be honest if you find Sunshine Coast expensive, moving down the coastline into NSW might not help with that. I am not sure there would be a great difference in humidity either.

I don't think that Melbourne is cold, however again if Sunshine Coast is pushing the budget then Melbourne definitely will. Just for something completely different, but have you thought about Adelaide? I believe it has more of a dry heat there and the housing is much more affordable.

I would probably try Newcastle, Port Stephens and the surrounding areas. I think your budget could be a little bit tight but not too far off the mark for a small three bed, but to be honest if you find Sunshine Coast expensive, moving down the coastline into NSW might not help with that. I am not sure there would be a great difference in humidity either.

 

I don't think that Melbourne is cold, however again if Sunshine Coast is pushing the budget then Melbourne definitely will. Just for something completely different, but have you thought about Adelaide? I believe it has more of a dry heat there and the housing is much more affordable.

Hi thanks for the advice! It's really surprised me how expensive the sunny coast is - we currently pay 375 for a small 2-bed, decent 3 beds start around 410, but I've just been staying with a mate in Melbourne who is paying 320 for a big newish 3-bed in a pretty decent suburb! Adelaide was originally on the cards but think it is pretty risky for jobs at the mo, so we decided against it for that reason.

Lots to think about now

I can understand why the Sunshine Coast would be expensive for renting. We had the same situation looking at places in the UK - if you're in an area that gets lots of holiday visitors, landlords can make a lot more money by renting to the holidaymakers. That means there's less available to rent to ordinary mortals, and therefore the rents go up.

I would second the idea of Newcastle. He would be able to accept jobs in Sydney as well - not something he'd want to do every day, but it's only a couple of hours' drive so do-able for the occasional contract, especially if you live south of Newcastle. Then you've got the Hunter Valley with all its wineries and hotels - they must need landscaping!

Wollongong is the other obvious centre. Again, it's only a couple of hours' drive up to Sydney for the occasional job - but the whole coast between Wollongong and Sydney has become very expensive for housing.

It is still humid in Newcastle but I always felt it was much more manageable than Queensland.

If you really hate humidity I would not discount Melbourne.

It is probably the least humid capital city on the mainland.

And I wouldn't assume you would lose any more working days than anywhere more northerly.

Sydney probably gets just as much rain if not more than Melbourne.

If you really hate humidity I would not discount Melbourne.

It is probably the least humid capital city on the mainland.

.

I did notice she's looking for a smaller place though, not a big city. I like a lot of the smaller Victorian cities but I don't know enough about job prospects in any of them.

I live in newcastle and i can tell you its just as humid as gold coast. Humidity is a big thing across the east coast. If you dont like the humidity maybe try adelade.

Newcastle is a good place to live however. Rentals vary majorly. If yoyour looking to live within 10 minute drive to a beach expect to pay over $450 pw for a 2 bed house and $500 for a 3 bed. The further out you go the cheaper the rentals obviously. There are plenty of beaches surrounding newcastle. Hunter valley wine yards within a 30 minute drive. Central coast no more than an hour drive.

Be warned with port macquarie. Very isolated and a 4 hour drive to sydney. Nice area with some nice holiday spots but with a small population your husband may struggle for work. The hunter valley has a population of over 1million. Manning valley has a population of around 50.000.. Newcastle is still growing. Your husband should find work easily here.

Thanks guys, have never really considered newcastle but will maybe look into it now. I visited years ago for a couple of days but that was different circumstances. I've lived in Sydney throughout the seasons so I know I can cope better with the weather in that area - loved it in fact! Nice to have daylight saving again too. Gets very dark up here! Definitely looking at the regional towns - its amazing how some priorities change from what you thought was most important while still in the UK. And I thought I knew Oz pretty well. No matter how much research you do before, things can be very different when you're on the ground living it. No regrets making the move though Thanks

Thanks guys, have never really considered newcastle but will maybe look into it now. I visited years ago for a couple of days but that was different circumstances. I've lived in Sydney throughout the seasons so I know I can cope better with the weather in that area - loved it in fact! Nice to have daylight saving again too. Gets very dark up here! Definitely looking at the regional towns - its amazing how some priorities change from what you thought was most important while still in the UK. And I thought I knew Oz pretty well. No matter how much research you do before, things can be very different when you're on the ground living it. No regrets making the move though Thanks

Newcastle city centre can seem pretty depressing if you go to the wrong area - but there are areas that are quite trendy now, and of course it's a great beach. I've often mentioned here that I used to work with a couple of men who commuted all the way from Newcastle to Sydney every day: very tough, but they did it because they felt Newcastle was a much better place to bring up kids, so they weren't willing to move their family. There are also lots of nice places just outside Newcastle too - a lot of people commute from the Port Stephens area, for instance (not so good if your hubby might want to do the occasional job in Sydney, as it's that much further away).

I agree with you about the humidity. Sydney is humid too, but not for so long or so often. That little bit of a change does make a difference IMO - at least it did to me.

We moved to Shellharbour area a few weeks ago and love it. Not humid and plenty for the kids. There are lots of expensive areas but also some really lovely cheaper areas.

Good luck x