A Brand New Start in Tassie from Sydney

I've always had a love of Tassie and after a 10 year relationship breakdown I have decided to make the move.

I've only been to hobart a couple of years ago and everything felt right and i knew I could live there. I'm selling my life on eBay and filling my car with my clothes and very little else and driving to melbourne and jumping the ferry to Tassie.

I have a very modest web and graphic design business that will get me by so I'm not too concerned about an income for a little while but I'm a little anxious about where to go...... I know no one yet some how it seems like the right thing to do.

Thinking of doing an air BnB for a week or so until I can find somewhere more permanent.

I'm from Dublin, early 40's, healthy and social so I thought it was now or never before I'm over the hill.

Has anybody made a similar move and rocked up to Tassie with nothing but a boot full of clothes and a sense that its meant to be? or am I just a man man?

Hoping to hit Tassie in very early June so any pearls of wisdom or advice would be so much appreciated.

I was on this forum yonks ago but I can't remember my login details but I was asking questions back then about Tassie and there was a beautiful lady called Siam Susie in Launceston who offered some great advice when I was thinking of moving a few years back so this has been in the bake of my mind for a very long time.

Good luck with the move. Sounds like a perfect adventure!

 

Has anybody made a similar move and rocked up to Tassie with nothing but a boot full of clothes and a sense that its meant to be? or am I just a man man?

 

 

Oh yes...it's a story I've heard quite frequently. In fact my grandsons' stepmother tells a similar story. She grew up in Sydney, had a good job there...but said "Hobart just sang to me". So she moved down, knowing no one...although she was able to transfer within her (travel) company. It seems to be particularly common with artistic people...Hobart is reputed to have more artists per capita than anywhere else in Australia. When Brian Ritchie (of Violent Femmes fame) was asked why he moved here 8 years ago, he said "the quality of the light". :cute:

What sort of interests/hobbies do you have...and what sort of living accommodation/budget will you be looking for?

How exciting! Tassie's such a special place. We love it. It sounds like you're going to love living here too. I don't know Launceston too well but I would heartily recommend Hobart! It's such a liveable city. There are quite a few really nice suburbs. What kind of area would you like to live in? Hopefully everything will fall into place and the move with go smoothly. Good luck!

I've always had a love of Tassie and after a 10 year relationship breakdown I have decided to make the move.

 

I've only been to hobart a couple of years ago and everything felt right and i knew I could live there. I'm selling my life on eBay and filling my car with my clothes and very little else and driving to melbourne and jumping the ferry to Tassie.

 

I have a very modest web and graphic design business that will get me by so I'm not too concerned about an income for a little while but I'm a little anxious about where to go...... I know no one yet some how it seems like the right thing to do.

 

Thinking of doing an air BnB for a week or so until I can find somewhere more permanent.

 

I'm from Dublin, early 40's, healthy and social so I thought it was now or never before I'm over the hill.

 

Has anybody made a similar move and rocked up to Tassie with nothing but a boot full of clothes and a sense that its meant to be? or am I just a man man?

 

Hoping to hit Tassie in very early June so any pearls of wisdom or advice would be so much appreciated.

 

I was on this forum yonks ago but I can't remember my login details but I was asking questions back then about Tassie and there was a beautiful lady called Siam Susie in Launceston who offered some great advice when I was thinking of moving a few years back so this has been in the bake of my mind for a very long time.

Good luck to you!!

I hankered after living in Tasmania for years and wish we had been brave enough to make the move long ago but we waited until we retired. We are on the north coast and love it here.

Thanks for all your replies everyone. Its much appreciated.

I think Hobart will be the first place to go until I figure everything out. I'm a pretty keen swimmer (not a great swimmer but a keen one) so I was looking up places to swim and the Aquatic Centre gets some pretty bad feedback about overuse of chemicals. Are there any Ocean pools in Hobart? - couldn't see anything. I also like Cycling and hiking so I'm sure there will be plenty for me to do. In terms of budget for accommodation I was hoping to pay no more than around $250 per week for a house share. I have toyed with living slightly further out and living on my own but I don't think that would be very healthy in the long run. I'm not looking to latch onto people and I quite like my own company but I don't want to be a hermit either. I made need to hire some desk space with broadband so If anyone has any pointers that would be great.

I love fresh, good quality food and I gather there's no shortage of artisan produce in Cygnet and the surrounds so very much looking forward to checking that out.

I'm a pretty keen swimmer (not a great swimmer but a keen one) so I was looking up places to swim and the Aquatic Centre gets some pretty bad feedback about overuse of chemicals.

I must admit I've not noticed it although I've been going there about twice a week since it opened in 1998. I've certainly swum in more obviously chemicalised pools. Or maybe I'm just losing my sense of smell in my old age. :rolleyes: I definitely haven't had any skin or eye problems (even though I don't wear goggles). When it first opened they were incorporating some non chemical method of sterilisation...but not sure if that is still the case.

Are there any Ocean pools in Hobart?

Yes..it's called the River Derwent and Storm Bay. :wink: No public saltwater pools that I know of.

I also like Cycling and hiking

Well...you'll be in your element! :laugh: Lots of riders and walkers around here. This website gives you details of all 89 tracks for walking and riding in the Greater Hobart area.

http://www.greaterhobarttrails.com.au/tracks/

When looking for accommodation, South Hobart might be a good place to start. In one direction there's access into the CBD along the Hobart Rivulet track by bike or walking, in the other you have walking tracks and bike trails on to the mountain virtually at your back door. Lots of share houses and young professionals in that area.

I love fresh, good quality food and I gather there's no shortage of artisan produce in Cygnet and the surrounds

That's true - but you don't have to go that far. Every Sunday there's a Farmer's Market in central Hobart where you can buy direct from the producers:

http://farmgatemarket.com.au/

Also every Saturday at the Salamanca Market:

http://www.hobartcity.com.au/Hobart/Hobart_Events/Salamanca_Market

Also the Hill Street Grocer (in a number of locations in the Hobart area) is very good for quality, fresh, local (where possible) produce:

http://hillstreetgrocer.com/

Ditto a number of stores called Salamanca Fresh:

http://www.salamancafresh.com.au/

I made need to hire some desk space with broadband so If anyone has any pointers that would be great.

I know only of these 2 places - I have no idea how suitable their prices are for you:

http://www.instantoffices.com/en/au/available-office-space/hobart/bathurst-street-23718

http://hobartcorporatecentre.com.au/

Sensation Info - that's all gold. The

I'll sift through it all. Thanks for the links for the office space. Might be a bit more than I need, I certainly won't need a conference room. I might have to stick an ad on the dreaded Gumtree and see what turns up.

Sorry for a the questions but what's the crossing like on the ferry? I hear it can be a bit hairy?. Its a long time since I tested my sea legs. 12 hours seems an awfully long time.

It depends entirely on the weather. If there's a big high pressure system sitting over Bass Strait it can be very smooth. If there's a low pressure system with big swells and winds coming in from the west, that's when it gets hairy.

Here's another link I meant to add: Cycling South's website with more information on cycling in this area....including planned rides and groups (may be useful for meeting locals.:smile:)

http://www.cyclingsouth.org/