To live in Eltham or Cheltenham and commute time to Hawthorn

[Gaz1]

Hi All

Making the big move in September with family. 3 kids under 7 so any recommendations for the plane journey greatly appreciated! .

This forum has been a great help even if it has sent me on an emotional rollercoaster!

I've read posts that make me think OMG what have I done, and others that make me think best decision ever. I guess we will have to wait and see and accept that it will be what we make it.

I will be working in Hawthorn and my Wife is down for a reccie next week to look at potential places to live. From reading this forum and depending on choices of "sea or not sea" we are thinking of the extremes of Beaumaris/Cheltenham in the South or Eltham in the North.

I wondered could anyone advise what commuting times from Eltham to Hawthorn or Beaumaris/Cheltenham to Hawthorn would be. Tinternet suggests 40 minutes but is this realistic. Aim would be to be in work by 8:00am

Also any views on Eltham and Beaumaris/Cheltenham would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Gaz

[ashmalog]

40 mins with traffic is realistic if it doesn't rain!! Sounds silly but if that happens you can double the time. ( most Aussies don't seem to know how to drive in wet weather!) Cheltenham gets extremely heavy on traffic most times of the day. Not sure about eltham. Good schools in Cheltenham and of course closer to the beaches. Enjoy the reckie.

[theonetruechris]

Sleeping tablets (for you then it doesn't matter about the others).

The wife works in richmond and has commuted from highett and watsonia so similar to the one you're considering. I'd say its easier on the eastern than the nepean. Also unless you really want to use the beach regularly - you'll end up paying top dollar for digs for no good reason.
40 minutes sounds about right at that time of day for both commutes - is it worth looking at trams look on metlinks journey planning site Home - Metlink - Your guide to public transport in Melbourne and Victoria
If you fancy the hills look at warrandyte and donvale as this are within easy access of the eastern (before it turns into a toll road at ringwood)
A word of warning there are a lot of trees out this way and they do have bush fires probably not a massive risk but a risk nonetheless.
For what its worth I hate the urban sprawl (it goes on for mile and miles and miles........) and like to be as on the edge of it as I can. It suits some not others

[sunnyday]

Hi Gaz Welcome to PIO!! I can't help with the area but this thread has some great tips for flying with kids. Good Luck x

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/transp...ng-infant.html

[byrned]

Hi I lived near, I was in Templestowe lower which was just up williamson's road, anyway Eltham is a lovely place to live, feels very country, good shopping and supermarkets, restraurants and just up williamsons road, into doncaster you have a big shopping centre called westfield shopping town, last year they extended it and spent millions on it, I would think it is probably the best shopping centre now in melbourne, Eltham has the river yarra running through it and my husband and son spent many an happy hour cayaking along it, good off road bike trails which run for miles, if you and your kids are into that, good schools, train link into the city I would say probably about 30 to 40mins and into flinders st station, very family orientated place to live, it is certainly an area for your and family to explore, and it takes about 15 mins drive and you can be on the eastern freeway which you can pick up from doncaster if you want to drive to hawthorn, probably coming off at Chandler highway not sure how long it would take you though, but you could always give your self dummy runs, not sure about the other area though.

[gary12]

I live in Eltham, I can't tell you about the commute other than by train into the city it's about 45 minutes give or take. It depends what you like, we lived in rural warwickshire in the UK and like the 'green' feel that Eltham has to it. To us it's suburbia I have spoken to others who thinks it's too rural..what suits one. I have to say Warrandyte is lovely, that is where we spent our first 11 months and my son still goes to school there but for us, having landed the day before black saturday the bushfire risk it too great. Eltham is the compromise. It has several schools depending on which end you are. One end of Eltham is pretty built up the other greener. The schools
Research Primary School

Eltham Primary School I Primary Schools and Education I Eltham, Melbourne Vic

Eltham North Primary School | Growing, Discovering, Creating Together

there is also a lovely little school at Kangaroo Ground which if I hadn't got my child into Warrandyte would be my first choice Kangaroo Ground Primary School

There are lots of childcare places and kinders, I use neither so can't comment but there is usually one close to the school. There are lots of parks, cycle tracks a good sports centre / swimming pool, skate parks etc
The 'town centre' has a lovely selection of 'big name' supermarkets and smaller independant retailers, restaurants, take aways (including an excellent curry house, Ginger Garlic).

We happily commute to the beach and can be there along the Eastlink in about 45 minutes. There are closer beaches but as they are nearer to the city actually take longer to get to.

As for the plane journey, I always take the kids PJ's to help settle them down. My other top tip is a blow up beach ball, keep it in your hand luggage and then everytime you are waiting around blow it up find a corner and let them run, kick, jump about, even in Heathrow we managed to find a quiet corner to play and because it's only light it is hard to kick with any force, hopefully not knocking any fellow passengers out! My other tip is to never board first. I get mega organised with everything I need for take off in one bag then walk the kids about until we are almost last to get on, everything but the one bag in the over head, seatbelts on and good to go. This can save you anything upto another 45 minutes or so trying to keep them quiet.

Best of luck, if there is anything I can help your wife with let me know, as it is now school holidays she will be unable to see schools 'working' but you can still get a feel for an area. And tell her to pack her thermals, it's flippin freezing here at the moment!

kind regards
Michelle

[gary12]

thinking about it, I think my husband is on a course in Hawthorn at the moment, it is obviously school holiday but I think it took him about 45 minutes this morning, he was in by 8am.

regards
Michelle

[Gaz1]

Hi all

Thank you very much for all your replies so far, all have helped and are really appreciated. We were edging towards Eltham or surrounding areas and your posts are confirming our intial thoughts.


Michelle & Byrned, really good and helpful posts, good to know there are some other POMS in the area. Our preferences would also be for a "green area" as we currently live on the edge of a town near Milton Keynes... close to MK but not too close.

A commute of 40 - 45mins is the most I want to do. I often travel from Milton Keynes to Rugby in Warwickshire which takes about 45 mins and is a fairly comfortable commute time. Enough to wind down before I get home without being wound up by travelling too long.

Maggie is staying in Hawthorn for a week and will have a car, she is planning on checking on the North East area from Ivanhoe out to Eltham and after reading your post I'll recommend she extend the reckie to Warrandyte.

I suspect sorting out school is going to be the most difficult thing after deciding where to live.


Thanks again

Gary

[gary12]

What a small world, we used to live in Stockton just a few miles from Rugby you may know it. Do get your wife to look at Warrandyte, but please be aware of the fire risk. I don't want to be a scare monger. It really is a beautiful place but you have to be aware that there are risks in the area, that you may have to leave your home on certain days of the year including overnight which doesn't sound much but when you know no one and have nowhere to go to it's not nice, we know we have done it. It has a nice community, every year they have a festival in March, the main street is closed off, they have a big market and bands playing and the children have the best fun on a waterslide organised by the scouts (just don't tell health and safety about it!! lol)

Best of luck
Michelle

[evelynyap]

I live in Eltham, I can't tell you about the commute other than by train into the city it's about 45 minutes give or take. It depends what you like, we lived in rural warwickshire in the UK and like the 'green' feel that Eltham has to it. To us it's suburbia I have spoken to others who thinks it's too rural..what suits one. I have to say Warrandyte is lovely, that is where we spent our first 11 months and my son still goes to school there but for us, having landed the day before black saturday the bushfire risk it too great. Eltham is the compromise. It has several schools depending on which end you are. One end of Eltham is pretty built up the other greener. The schools
Research Primary School

Eltham Primary School I Primary Schools and Education I Eltham, Melbourne Vic

Eltham North Primary School | Growing, Discovering, Creating Together

there is also a lovely little school at Kangaroo Ground which if I hadn't got my child into Warrandyte would be my first choice Kangaroo Ground Primary School

There are lots of childcare places and kinders, I use neither so can't comment but there is usually one close to the school. There are lots of parks, cycle tracks a good sports centre / swimming pool, skate parks etc
The 'town centre' has a lovely selection of 'big name' supermarkets and smaller independant retailers, restaurants, take aways (including an excellent curry house, Ginger Garlic).

We happily commute to the beach and can be there along the Eastlink in about 45 minutes. There are closer beaches but as they are nearer to the city actually take longer to get to.

As for the plane journey, I always take the kids PJ's to help settle them down. My other top tip is a blow up beach ball, keep it in your hand luggage and then everytime you are waiting around blow it up find a corner and let them run, kick, jump about, even in Heathrow we managed to find a quiet corner to play and because it's only light it is hard to kick with any force, hopefully not knocking any fellow passengers out! My other tip is to never board first. I get mega organised with everything I need for take off in one bag then walk the kids about until we are almost last to get on, everything but the one bag in the over head, seatbelts on and good to go. This can save you anything upto another 45 minutes or so trying to keep them quiet.

Best of luck, if there is anything I can help your wife with let me know, as it is now school holidays she will be unable to see schools 'working' but you can still get a feel for an area. And tell her to pack her thermals, it's flippin freezing here at the moment!

kind regards
Michelle

can i know whether eltham north primary school is a private school or state government school. we are malaysian who will migrate to melbourne in jan2011. i had visited the school website and we really love the school who also provides a very good learning support group for the special needs and allow these children to integrate into mainstream.
hope someone can tell me more about tis school.
thanks!