Geelong

[Bookie40]

Hi,

We've been living in Highton for over a year. New to PIO.Anyone out there interested in meeting up??

Liz and co

[Rachel&Stu]

Hiya guys

Welcome to Poms In Oz!!

Can't take you up on the offer right now, but if the offer's still good next year, count us in!!

Cheers,
Rachel

[Bookie40]

C U then!!
Good luck with everything.

[preston lass]

Hi looking to be in Gelong by the end of the year,can you tell me ore about the area and schools for a 5 & 8 year old.
Cheers.

[sunnysa]

Hi - we moved here in 2005, living just behind Waurn Ponds Shops. Now that the house and garden are done, we need to get out and about more. I am from Hamilton and my hubbie is from Rotherham and we met in South Africa. Any suggestions would be greatfully received.

[sarah carter]

Originally Posted by Bookie40

Hi,

We've been living in Highton for over a year. New to PIO.Anyone out there interested in meeting up??

Liz and co

Hi, i am moving to that area end of May beginning of June. What are your family circumstances, kids, work etc. Would love to keep in touch and meet up.

[sunnysa]

Hi Sarah, hope all goes well with the house and your move over here. Have you got family here, or jobs lined up yet? Just wondering why you chose Geelong - good choice by the way! My hubby is a boilermaker here (plater/welder back home) and I do administration type work here. Just the two of us, lad lives and works away from home this year, but hopefully will be back at end of the year as he is doing a traineeship with my company. Other son is married and living in England/America. It can be a bit daunting all the upheaval, but well worth it. Any questions, fire away.

[sarah carter]

Hi, dont know why we really chose Geelong. It just kept popping up as if it was fate trying to tell us that's the place. I met a family living in Waurn Ponds in London last year. We are planning on your area or Grovedale/Highton somewhere like that. I have Sam (10) and Lilly (7) and i think they would like to go and visit Montpellier school for a look around. I think we may end up at the Big4 site until we can get a rental sorted. Do you have any other suggestions for accomodation when we get there? We will definitely want to sort a rental out asap. I'm a Nurse and hubby shopfitter by trade. Has his own business in DIY/property maintainance for last 5 years. Fitting kitchens, bathrooms etc. Neither of us have a job sorted yet. Would love to keep in touch :)

[sunnysa]

We started off in a rental in waurn ponds, it was a good choice. There is a lot to learn about houses before you go buying or building. We thought it was money well spent. We now live just on the grovedale side of waurn ponds. Since we moved here, they have built the geelong bypass which takes us straight into melbourne in an hour - excellent. They are in the process of building a 50m pool and recreation centre opposite waurn ponds shops. I love swimming so I am fair chuffed. We keep telling everyone that the council didn't need to do so much for us when we built our home, but we appreciate having them install the ring road and pool for our personal use!!!!!! We are off on holiday this morning to Port Douglas, can't wait. I will keep in touch. Wendy and David. I will have a think on any other temp accomodation choices.

[Bookie40]

Hi Sarah,
Good luck with the move.
There is also a caravan park Barwon Caravan & Tourist Park down the road from the Big4-opposite the park and river. I don't have any personal experience of it though.
Montpellier is a great school, I have been happy with it - there are quite a few families from the Uk there.There is also Highton Primary School which has an equally good reputation.
Highton is a good little shopping centre-supermarket,bakery,chemists real estate agents, coffee shops etc.Also a library.There are also shops, a big Kmart etc in the other direction in Belmont.
The libraries allow free internet access for an hour if you take id, found that invaluable when we first arrived( now work for the library!).
There is loads for the kids to do- the Geelong Aquatic Centre is near to Highton where they do swimming classes for all ages.Also my kids got involved in cubs/guides which are also local.If that is not their thing, there are lots of other options such as sport.
A bit off the topic but the governement has just announced a $25,000 package for each doctor's practice to employ a practice nurse-hopefully should be jobs created!
All the best
Liz