libbye

You are right of course. Would that amount be for stamp duty?

Unfortunately $300000 if we're lucky. I have to say though after sifting through a lot of the posts I don't think it's for us although I know one has to make up their own mind but it's a bit far to come and find out it's not what we're comfortable with.

Anyone live in Freemantle or nice suburb they can recommend for an elderly couple. We're exploring every avenue before we make a decision whether to return to Aus from France. One member of our family lives in Cairns but that's way too hot and humid for us and the other in Melbourne where we lived for 50 odd years. I was there last November and have to say I don't think I'd want to live there again. I visited Perth as had a daughter living there who has since moved but unfortunately didn't get to see Freemantle which I would have liked to do. Obviously coming from France where real estate is exceedingly cheap we won't have a lot to spend so maybe renting might be the way we have to go. Anyway that decision comes later. Many thanks

Thank you for asking. Quite lonely actually but we're used to that now. Phone calls to our two girls in Aus brightened our day. One lives in Cairns and the weather sounded fantastic although she said it was too humid. In the Morbihan we escaped the snow which descended on many parts of France and the uk. We have a reasonable climate where we are and it's known as the golden triangle. Whatever they means! Not far from the sea which makes a big difference I think. We've passed the longest day so now it's onwards and upwards to spring. Looking forward to end of March when one daughter arrives from Aus for 3 weeks. Any plans to travel next year? Never been to NZ but it does look a beautiful country. So diverse. Do you have family there? What was the weather like?

Doesn't sound too warm for a summer. Is this normal? Did you all have a good Christmas?

That's very nice of you Sammy1. We are still very uncertain as to which way we're going to go and as old age creeps on the more we dither! We were keen on Tasmania but have changed our minds about there as the cost to move our belongings from France would be prohibitive plus my youngest daughter is hellbent on living in Ballarat. Been there done that! We vaguely remember passing through Hamilton to the Grampians and it certainly has beautiful countryside.At least then our very small family wouldn't be too far away. If I message you via pm perhaps you would be kind enough to pass my address on and perhaps communicate with them direct if they don't mind. Not urgent but would be good to get first hand info,. Is this ok?

No snow for Christmas then

Oops I think the cold has affected my brain. We sold in 2004 but the price is correct. Crazy prices. The house was nothing special except it was in Mt Eliza and very close to shops and transport. More than I can say where we are now in France!!! Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it??

Anyone any experience of living in the western district in or around Hamilton please?

We lived in Mt Eliza for 3 years sold our house in 2015 and moved back to France. House sold for $535000 recently sold again $980000. Think we might have made the wrong decision somehow!!!

sounds perfect. frosty and cold here this morning but sun should come out later. looks like the uk might have a white christmas. Slightly warmer here in the Morbihan France. Just hope it's nice when my daughter arrives from Aus in March.

Everyone here wants a white Christmas. I'd rather the sun was shining but then we're never satisfied are we!!!

Well at least you don't get bored! What's the forecast for Christmas?

What a difference in temps. Incredible. Never known anything like that. Melbourne used to have and probably still does 4 seasons in a day but what you're describing is totally bizarre. Have to say I prefer the cooler days. Not a great fan of heat. One of my daughters lives in Cairns and loves it but not for us. Humidity at times would be unbearable.

Are we talking about summer???? It's warmer here!

We've had snow in certain parts of France. Not to bad where we live but it's so dark in the mornings. Don't like it at all.

wow that's hot for Tassie isn't it? Sounds great. What car did you buy? Are cars much more expensive there than the mainland?

Thank you for replies. Very interesting. We faced the same dilemma 50 odd years when we emigrated from uk to Aus so nothings changed! We landed in Sydney and my then husband was a mechanical engineer, couldn't find work in the uk but landed a job within two days the pay being twice what it had been previously. I had one child, hated it from the word go, people not particularly friendly, little or no culture, 6 o'clock closing was in force and it was soooooo hot! I had never been anywhere else in the world and really hardly knew my own country so it was a real shock. I was 25 and pregnant. Knew not a soul and couldn't really understand what the hell people were saying!!! lol Actually still can't at times. However, life goes on and you manage although I felt very lonely. We moved from Sydney to Melbourne and that's where we spent the rest of our time. My children have settled and Australia is their home and they love it. They are, of course, grown up now and my eldest is 56. I didn't miss my family, only my dad, but funnily enough what I did miss was the greenery. Oh how my soul longed for it. Now back in europe for 12 years we are once again at the crossroads and my husband in particular is finding it very hard to come to terms with the fact we should return. Not because we expect our children to fuss around us and if we land in Tas that won't be easy anyway plus it isn't fair to drop back in their lives and accept us as if we've never been away. Many reasons but time will tell. If you have a close family I would truly think very hard about making the move. Australia is different but there are opportunities if you are prepared to work hard and play hard too. Children thrive and love the outdoor life. They seem to make friends very easily. For mum and dad it's different. Be prepared to feel lonely and isolated but join in, something I chose not to do, participate in anything and everything until you find your niche. Give it time and if after a certain period you're still not content then it obviously hasn't been the utopia you'd dreamed of. In the meantime relax and enjoy what you have now. It's a changing world and nothing stands still.

I've probably come into this topic too late but as we're at the opposite end of returning I just wondered why so many want to return or has this already been covered?

I'm not surprised you have such a facility. Australia is very good about such information and necessarily so. I'll never forget the time when we first arrived in Aus 50 odd years ago and took our little daughter to a spot which we knew nothing about only to find out the next day when my husband went to work and mentioned where we'd been how lucky we were. Can't remember the place now but it was in NSW not far from Neutral Bay. Someone had recently had their leg bitten off by a big beastie! Needless to say we never went there again!

Gosh that's incredible. Will certainly have a read. Wouldn't have thought Tasmania would have had a similar temp to Provence. We live and learn. Thank you Skani. Very interesting.

Looks absolutely beautiful Reminds me of Provence where there are lavender fields aplenty. It must be a good temperature for it though in Tassie.

Are the beaches in Tas generally safe to swim?

These pictures are truly magnificent. What an island! Can someone enlighten me as to where the fields of lavender are pls?