Guest The Coops Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Hi Everyone! We are moving to Canberra this year Sept/Oct .....and are going to Canberra in March to have a look around at areas/schooling/rentals etc....Reccie trip! Is anyone like us going to Canberra? My husband is a Printer, his job was on the in demand list although we are finding it hard to find any sort of printing jobs! We have a 2 girls (8 and 3) and are looking at renting for at least a year...we have been finding this quite expensive....we need a couple of weeks accommodation (furnished) when we first move over and then can look around for rentals.....Can anyone suggest anything! We have been looking at areas like Amaroo/nicholls etc...Where are the best areas for good schooling? Any comments would be greatly appreciated! Thanks x:smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
restfamily Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Hi What are looking for in your move in terms of where you want to live? Why have you down selected Gungalin? Just wondering so I can offer some advice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Gungahlin is where the new houses are being built. Amaroo and Gold Ck schools serve the area you mentioned. Amaroo is a K - 10 school and Gold Ck is a K - 10 on a split campus but the primary school K -5 shares facilities with a catholic school on the same site. All depends on where you will be working and what you want from a home as to where you will want to live. Generally you get more bang for your buck the further out from the town centres you move. A grotty little 3 bed weatherboard on 1/4 acre block in Ainslie like mine will buy you a 4 bed ensuite with family room on a block half the size out in Harrison or Banks. Mind you, you will also likely be travelling half an hour to get to work from the outer suburbs. There are some suburbs to be avoided at all costs - will happily pm you with them if you want. A good resource for real estate is allhomes.com.au & allclassifieds.com.au - they also do rentals. Have a look then on Google earth to see what the place looks like on the ground. As for short term rentals - have a look at Australian Holiday Accommodation, All states, All regions otherwise, hotels get a bit costly for a few weeks' stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Coops Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Hi What are looking for in your move in terms of where you want to live? Why have you down selected Gungalin? Just wondering so I can offer some advice... Well we have been speaking to so many people we really have to get over there and have a drive around and look at different areas.....Someone said the schools in Amaroo were very good and it does seem like there are alot newer properties there too.... we are probably looking at renting a 3 x 1 and have been researching for the past few months at prices in different areas.....its mind boggling...we dont know if to buy or rent...?!? we've got to get jobs first! Whats your situation are you over there already? or in the process like us? Thanks for replying.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Coops Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Gungahlin is where the new houses are being built. Amaroo and Gold Ck schools serve the area you mentioned. Amaroo is a K - 10 school and Gold Ck is a K - 10 on a split campus but the primary school K -5 shares facilities with a catholic school on the same site. All depends on where you will be working and what you want from a home as to where you will want to live. Generally you get more bang for your buck the further out from the town centres you move. A grotty little 3 bed weatherboard on 1/4 acre block in Ainslie like mine will buy you a 4 bed ensuite with family room on a block half the size out in Harrison or Banks. Mind you, you will also likely be travelling half an hour to get to work from the outer suburbs. There are some suburbs to be avoided at all costs - will happily pm you with them if you want. A good resource for real estate is allhomes.com.au & allclassifieds.com.au - they also do rentals. Have a look then on Google earth to see what the place looks like on the ground. As for short term rentals - have a look at Australian Holiday Accommodation, All states, All regions otherwise, hotels get a bit costly for a few weeks' stay. Hi Quoll! Thanks for replying back to us....Some great info thanks....Where did you decide on? Did you buy or are you renting? Did you find it easy to get jobs etc? sorry to hound you with all these questions! knowledge is power so they say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Hi Quoll!Thanks for replying back to us....Some great info thanks....Where did you decide on? Did you buy or are you renting? Did you find it easy to get jobs etc? sorry to hound you with all these questions! knowledge is power so they say! No worries! I've been here nearly 29 years now so I have sort of got into the swing of the place. Recently quit after 25 years as a psych in the ed dept (happy to pm you about schools) and now work for a charity in Civic. None of us have ever had any trouble finding jobs - I got mine and I didnt even apply for it!!!! All depends on what you want to do though I guess. We own our home in Ainslie which is one of the inner northern suburbs - not one of your macmansion places but it is very handy to almost anywhere and DH can have his vegie garden. I walk to work in Civic and DH either rides his bike or walks. House prices are still on the way up I think as there is a huge demand but like everywhere else, they will probably stand still or go down in a while. Personally I dont see the benefit in paying someone else rent when I could be getting equity in my own home but that's just a personal POV. I am sure you will have a great time here, as far as Aussie cities goes I think it is one of the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Samfire Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Well we have been speaking to so many people we really have to get over there and have a drive around and look at different areas.....Someone said the schools in Amaroo were very good and it does seem like there are alot newer properties there too.... we are probably looking at renting a 3 x 1 and have been researching for the past few months at prices in different areas.....its mind boggling...we dont know if to buy or rent...?!? we've got to get jobs first! quote] Hello The Coops! We are currently in the process of our Visa Application (State Sponsored) for Permanent Residency to Canberra, ACT and I was very interested to know how you have faired out with your move, since this last post? We are coming from Ireland - my husband is also a printer and has already been offered a job in writing in the Fyshwick area. Did your husband get a printing job? Can you survive on the income (without asking you personal specifics???). I would be very grateful to know how you got on with the renting situation when your first arrived and also with the schools. My son will be due to start High School and I have a 3.5yr old who will be starting primary school within a year of moving over (if we get our visa, fingers crossed!). I also heard that Amaroo school is meant to be excellent - did you move to Amaroo? Do you like it? We are considering the Inner North suburbs at present. My husband's starting salary is not great, but I am bringing a monthly income of approx. $1600 with me from home, so hopefully this will go a long way to cover rent/mortgage repayments. I would love to hear from you about your experiences. Thanks for the post - really useful to me as this is exactly the position we are in at the moment! Samfire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeW Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Hi,Good to know there's others going for the state sponsorship to ACT. I am in the process of filling in the forms to get my skills assessed by the Australian Computer Society. This will take a few weeks. Then we have to apply for the visa.My wife and I have spent hours researching houses - we'll be going with 2 kids (7yr old boy and 4 yr old girl). We're going to need a 4 bedroom house so relatives can come and stay. I just hope in the next year house prices in Canberra come down, and UK house prices stop coming down, otherwise it will be very tough.Will be good to hear how you all get on with your visa process! I feel very nervous at the moment and wandering if I'm doing the right thing. I'm currently working away (Mon-Fri)from my family in the UK, so the thought of being able to live and work in the same city sounds great. So I'm sure it will be a great move. Good luck,Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest paradisi Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 queanbeyan (in nsw just over the border) is probably the cheapest place to live first up - - and have a good look around as for printers - the Canberra times would be best bet, is AGPS still up and going in canberra or has it finally been closed and the worked farmed out to private printers? another place to look fro printers would be the mint there's housing of all sorts available throguhout the region - not just canberra. think within 60km - a long way for europeans but a normal days travel for many - this brings in the townships of Goulburn - large country town, Yass, smaller and the villages all over the place In canberra itself be aware there's a north south divide - both sides reckon they are the best and then the old tuggeranong belconnen rivalry the old town - Ainslie, Bruce, Oconnor are the nicest places to live but for Australia very expensive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dom and Elaine Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Great to hear so much about ACT! I'll be starting to apply for a 176 to ACT in the coming days as my job is one the skills in demand list. But we are finding it very diffcult to find out much about Canberra and ACT - most books and guides have huge amounts of information on Sydney and everywhere else, but next to nothing on ACT. Can anyone recommend any books, magazines or videos? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Squem Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Hi Dom and Elaine, Try www.liveincanberra.com.au you can register and they send you loads of information on Canberra! We got a big pack of stuff the other week which had stuff about jobs, houses, events and shopping!! (<---- my favourite thing) :-) You could also try www.canberratimes.com we used to get the paper delivered to the UK found it quite interesting but it can be costly! I hope that helps! Emma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Samfire Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Thanks for the suggestions regarding alternative areas to live in e.g. NSW nearby shires. I was just wondering though if anybody knows if you are allowed to reside outside the ACT borders if you have been sponsored by the ACT Government on the 176 visa? Initially, we heard rumour that you were not allowed to reside outside the ACT, even if you were working there. Any clarification on this would be helpful, as we have definitely noticed that you get more value for money on property over the border in NSW. Samfire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dom and Elaine Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 my understanding is that you must live in ACT for two years and work there for at least a year under a 176..... i guess they check by your postcode, but others might know better. we were thinking the same thing, live in NSW and work ACT, but i don't think you can on a 176. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taff Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I've lived in the ACT since I got out here seven years ago. Only lived in 2 suburbs, Cook and Aranda, but would highly recommend both. (Neither are cheap unfortunately.) Aranda primary has a great reputation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Squem Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I've lived in the ACT since I got out here seven years ago. Only lived in 2 suburbs, Cook and Aranda, but would highly recommend both. (Neither are cheap unfortunately.) Aranda primary has a great reputation. Hi Taff, What's the shopping and night life like in Canberra? I'm 21 and hoping to move there soon with my parents and sisters (19 and 16)! I've travelled around Australia in 06 but didnt visit canberra! I'm hoping there is a fair bit to do and explore! Done loads of research but it's always good to hear what people think who are actually living there! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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