Guest melbourne_expat Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 We moved to Beaumaris - great feel and good access to some of the best beaches in Melbourne. Pricewise, check-out www.realestate.com but don't waste time trying to organise a rental property from the UK - with a vacancy rate of about 1% in most areas the agents won't even consider your application unless you're in Melbourne (or have someone who can act on your behalf). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cheshire lass Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 We never did find out where the origional posters hubbys work is to be located as this would narrow the field a bit. Personally i have lived around the Geelong area most of my life with a few years in the Mountains near Healesville/Warburton. Overall i like to be near the sea as i feel funny when i go inland a fair way. After many years we have finally managed to get a house with a view of the sea so i am happy.We are near to the shops,schools and even though house prices have gone up last few years still quite affordable to UK prices. There is a big surge to at the moment in the Geelong area i read in the paper,there are houses going up everywhere. i go to Melb a couple of times a year if that. So i feel like a tourist too! i feel if you have made that big sacrifice to come here to get away from the Motorways and cramped streets,busy pavements with people passing you by with out a smile, WHY go back to all that in the City be it Mel or Sydney. Look at the regional areas first. At least most of you have made the first right decisionand picked Vic. I can't for the life of me wonder why some choose Perth/WA or Far North Queensland until they have been here a while and get over the cultural shock,adjust to the weather,light,colors of things are different here. The Bugs! the lingo,aussie humor, i could go on!!!. When you are ready you can then tackle the harder stuff, like the Bigger bugs,tropical conditions,hurricanes ,fires all sorts of things. I am still working up to it, i have been up to Cairns etc in the Winter for holidays, but i know it would kill me in the Summer months and i have been here for over 40 years. i wonder what the stats are for migrants staying there for a long time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jodielola Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 wow 40 years, obvious you love it. Its nice to hear from people like you. Tell me what you mean by the Culture shock? had a few people say that, how exactly?? oh and what is the weather like?? boring question i know, but i am hoping winters arnt quite like ours. I'm not quite sure the exact location to where my husbands work will be, but his work friends are in brighton, hampton and mitcham, so cant be too far from there. Oh and thanks for mentioning the 'Bugs'. Ha Ha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest treesea Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 just been reading your message regarding places to live and you sound like you know what your talking about. i found it really helpful. We are thinking of moving to melbourne as my husband has been offered a job. We have friends living in St Kilda, Brighton and Hampton, but wondered if you have any thoughts on: East Hampton? or Mitcham or Edithvale? Price wise, generally nice places to live and good schools etc. thankyou. All those seaside inner eastern suburbs are great places to live. Brighton is probably the pick, but Hampton and East Hampton, which are both a bit further out are pretty nice too. Edithvale is a bit far for me. Sandringham is lovely, and on the train line, which is a thing to consider if you have to go into the city. The thing is with trams, they are a nice way to travel, but they also take ages. Mitcham is more in the north central part of Melbourne. That wouldn't be my choice of places to live, though it too has some nice streets. The nicest place, imho, to live along the Whitehorse Road/Maroondah Highway road (going from west to east all the way out to Lilydale, approx 42 km from the city centre, from just north of the CBD; starts at Victoria Parade) is Kew, followed closely by North Balwyn. If I were moving back to Melbourne today, I would move to the St Kilda side, between St Kilda and Sandringham, and make sure I had a view of the sea and no more than a ten minute stroll to the waterfront. A sea breeze is the best antidote for the very hot 40C weather Melbourne can turn on in the summer. Winters can be bitter in Melbourne - not so much the temperature (8-12C during the day, around 5C at night) but the wind chill. Catch a wind straight off the Southern Ocean and it's a bone chiller. If you fancy the "saturday/sunday morning cafe, strolling around new age type shops, decent food" scene, then St Kilda is a good choice. Plus it has things like a good theatre on Acland Street and the cinema. It also has a fantastic light rail (the best way to travel in Melbourne imho, but rare) link to the CBD, so a tram, but goes on it's own dedicated light rail track, so avoids the rush hour traffic). That same tram stops at the South Melbourne market ( a nice, smaller version of the Queen Vic Market to the north of the city), so is a good route for getting cheap fruit and veges. Brighton Secondary College is quite good. Elwood College not quite so good but still okay. Sandringham College is a good school, but split across three separate campuses. Not sure what this would be like for going to school. I prefer a scondary school all on the one site. Something to keep in mind for state schools, there are two reasonably close to St Kilda, MacRobertson Girls and Melbourne Boys that are single sex and selective state schools. I wouldn't have sent my kids there, i.e. tried for a place, because I want them to have a co-ed education, but they are extremely good schools results wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 It all depends: Where you are working and how long you want to spend commuting to work and home again. How much you can afford, when you talk striking distance to the city and sea views you are talking serious money. So once you have had a look at the suburbs on realestate.com.au. domain.com.au and have a look at cracker.com.au you will have a better idea of what you want and where you would like to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cheshire lass Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 hi jody, can't explain culture shock very well, just lots of little things that you take for granted without even knowing,you will find it different than what you know and are used too. i encounter it when i go back to UK,even my speech sometimes i see a funny look come over someones face and i know i have said a word or phrase they haven't understood. in regards the weather,the past few days have been very hot,not humid or windy just hot and sunny. when it goes over 27 too hot for me to go out unless i really have too! Today though it has been just nice,not sure what temp it was probably 21 with a bit of breeze. i went out for the day as it was my day off. i drove to my daughters place 1 half hours each way,about 300k, you get used to driving long distances here,as the roads are good,not too much traffic compared to uk. i think it would have taken all day to drive that distance in uk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cheshire lass Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Also forgot to mention those suburbs in Melb are some of the most exclusive $$ you could look at.Go for it if you have the $ they are very nice leafy subs with large houses,not far to the bay. i am across the bay from Melb,we can see the skyline,thats about as close as i want to be! It took us many years to get enough to get a house with a nice sea view. this was 8 years ago and 2 years later there was a big price increase in value. We would not be able to buy what we have now at todays prices. But there are still houses round here that have some good views for a reasonable amount. our local Agent here is Keanes and abbeyrealestate.com.au to give you a feel for the prices.We are half hour out from Geelong,where there is a train station that some catch to Melb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jodielola Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 oh thankyou, you have been really helpful. what sort of temperature are the winters like? Is it pretty similiar to the uk?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jodielola Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Lots of info, thankyou, will have a look at the places you have mention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Good luck Selbies with your trip. Lilydale and Ferntree Gully are a little way out of the city, as I live not far from these places. They are both on a train line/and some buses, but depends on whether you need to commute to the city or not? From Lilydale on the train it is about 50 mins to an hour, it is the end of one of the eastern suburb lines. Both suburbs have older areas and some new estates. I walk around the Lilydale Lake quite a lot and there are quite a few fairly recently built estates out there. The outer east is nearer the Dandenong Ranges (Hills) rather than close to bayside beaches, which are about a 40 minute drive (Mornington/Frankston/Mt. Martha/Rosebud etc). You could check out places like Doncaster,East Doncaster, Ringwood/Ringwood North, Vermont, Blackburn, Eltham, Greensborough, St. Helena, etc. Warrandyte is busy, nice to live but served by buses. They are gettable to the city, very pleasant to live and while Eltham and Greensborough are on the train line as opposed to bus services in Doncaster, there is a 'transport hub' at Box Hill where buses meet up with trains to the city. It is best to get a car and drive the distance and look around at the environment. These suburbs are part of the inner and outer eastern suburbs. As Melbourne is set out pretty much in a grid you can drive up one major road, turn left or right and go back down the other one to head back into the inner city. Of course because it sprawls a long way across all directions, you would have to also drive out the other way towards Geelong (right on the beach if that's what you'd like. (Point Cook, Werribee in that direction) which form part of the western suburbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Sorry, that was meant to read Warrandtye is "bushy" not busy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE SELBIES Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Thanks for that ,olly, we will check out all those places when were there, i am a plasterer to trade so hopefully wont have to commute to city,for work. we have 2 kids as well one 9 and the other 5, so schools will be important to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lemondrop Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Hi Zoe...australia is a great choice and the kids will love you for it!! As for somewhere to live, you really need to decide what kind of lifestyle you are looking for. There is loads going on all the time in the city for families and there are some lovely parks. Melbourne is really easy to get around but you will need $$$ to live there are the houses and blocks tend to be smaller. We live in Frankston South on a 1 acre block, 4 bedroom house, pool and only 5 minutes to a great beach but we are about 1 hour from the city and 1-1.5 hours from the airport. If you don't want the beach (?!?!) why not look at country Victoria..places like ballarat and bendigo are big towns with good facilities. Good Luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Bendigo and Ballarat are nice regional towns (Ballarat can get very chilly in Winter) but my son who lives in Bendigo says that some trades up there are being cautious hiring due to the financial crisis. My son is currently digging the vines at the vineyards up there to eliminate bugs, due to his company being fairly quiet. Berwick is a good place, quite a way out from the inner suburbs and beach suburbs (they are big dollars to live in some places). Mitcham is okay, there are some lovely parts of Mitcham, it's part of the eastern suburban belt (in the middle). Also Wantirna/Wantirna South, Knox, Vermont. As I have said also Doncaster, Templestowe and Eltham are great too, good schools. Some pricey parts. I was out at Warrandtye the other week and ran into an English couple who hadn't been there long, but said they loved it, relaxing and bushy/rural without being too far out of the city and also on the train line. If you jump on realestate.com.au you will get a feel for the prices of places. Also if you get onto the Connex (Victoria) website they will probably have a trainline map of Melbourne (hopefully they can organise that because they can't organise much else on the train system this week - "the trains are late due to the heat" - oh please give me a break). Best thing to get a feel is to grab a car from the city or wherever you are staying, get a map, and drive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cheshire lass Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Don't forget my neck of the woods! Lovely Geelong,gateway to the Ocean Road. plenty of houses going up look up Waurn Ponds,Wandana Heights and Highton areas. Good schools shops and for young families Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the dougans Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 hi we are heading to frankston or frankston south or seaford all in mornington peninsula near the beach lots to do and seeminly good schooling esp frankston high. good luck. we have been recomended frankston for our price range and no peple who have been tere and love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 hi we are heading to frankston or frankston south or seaford all in mornington peninsula near the beach lots to do and seeminly good schooling esp frankston high. good luck. we have been recomended frankston for our price range and no peple who have been tere and love it Hi Dougans, Frankston/Frankston South as is Mornington/Mt. Martha, Mt. Eliza. Mornington main street is more 'village' (what we call a village anyway!) like than Frankston main street. Seaford is further up the beach road, not as far down as Frankston. Karingal High in Frankston is not too bad I hear, a lot better than it used to be. I see on your profile that you are a youth worker? I am a Community Welfare Worker, and I used to have PLENTY of work in Bayside (of which Frankston is a part). If you get onto the Bayside council website they often advertise positions on there. Google "Bayside Council Melbourne Victoria Australia" and it should come up with the homepage. Must be hard to leave Scotland though.....one of my favourite places in the whole planet!!!!!! My daughter thought the grass was sooooooo green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the dougans Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 thanks for your help do you no any companies that would sponcer as my mum also a youth worker and was elderly care worker and she desperate for sponcer so she can come with us i will probably look for a job when i get there as would need to get kids settled first but need to try get oh a job he is a carpenter before we leave it hard though when you cant have proper interview thanks for your help do you no if seaford is a nioce area to live as some people now putting me off frankston as seaford has reasonable priced houses many thanks for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Sorry, not too sure about the sponsorship, someone else may be able to help you with that on this forum. The beachside suburb of Seaford is good, lovely beach and I remember having some nice fish and chips from one shop too. (even better if you eat them on the beach at night out of the heat of the day!) Not sure about what the schools are like there, but there is a train station there, so would be easy to get down a bit further to the Peninsula schools. With Frankston, it depends where abouts you are - my nephew lives on the Lakewood Estate and doesn't have any problems. I don't say there aren't problems with kids hanging around the main street getting up to mischief, but there are pubs etc down in the main street and it is absolute beachfront, so kids tend to congregate down there. Not all parts of Frankston are bad though, and there are plenty of facilities down on the Peninsula. Mornington is better and further down to Mt. Martha/Mt Eliza etc is lovely. Schools not too bad and private schools are Peninsula Grammar and Toorak College, also Padua College (Catholic). Good luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the dougans Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 thanks very much good advice i will check out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Hi Dougans, Just a thought. I was at work today and came across some business to do with Bayside (where Frankston etc is) and there website is www.bayside.vic.gov.au so you could check it out if you want, there is a youth section there. Hope this helps. Cheers Olly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the dougans Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 thanks very much i will check website out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 thanks for your help do you no any companies that would sponcer as my mum also a youth worker and was elderly care worker and she desperate for sponcer so she can come with us i will probably look for a job when i get there as would need to get kids settled first but need to try get oh a job he is a carpenter before we leave it hard though when you cant have proper interview thanks for your help do you no if seaford is a nioce area to live as some people now putting me off frankston as seaford has reasonable priced houses many thanks for your help Have you spoke with Emma at Nextstep Australia www.nextstepaustralia.com they can help with sponsorship and they may be able to get some interviews lined up for your OH once you arrive. Kate:wubclub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Lass Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I would just like to stand up for Tereesa and thank her for taking the time to write a very helpful post. And because she describes the dominant nationalities of certain suburbs it does not make her rascist, bloody hell. Its a shame that we cant help one another out without labels being thrown at us. My hubby is from Melbourne, we have spent a bit of time there, and from the suburbs that i know of that Tereesa describes, she is spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itskaren Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I would just like to stand up for Tereesa and thank her for taking the time to write a very helpful post. And because she describes the dominant nationalities of certain suburbs it does not make her rascist, bloody hell.Its a shame that we cant help one another out without labels being thrown at us. My hubby is from Melbourne, we have spent a bit of time there, and from the suburbs that i know of that Tereesa describes, she is spot on. I agree with you 100%. I was slated on PIO for just mentioning 'muslims'. I asked the question 'Do you think I am racist just because I mentioned the word 'muslims?'. The reply was 'yes'. It's no wonder there is such friction in this world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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