We're coming !

[Becks1972]

:biggrin: Hi lovely people

 

I have been offered a job in Launceston and due to start late April/early May. We are a family of 4 ( me, OH, son aged 12 & daughter 6). We love exploring, good food & coffee and generally having a mooch around!

 

I am now looking for some advice on the following...if anyone can help please?

 

 

 

• We need to find short term (4-6 weeks) holiday let/unit/apartment centrally based in/to Launceston so we can explore and find a rental property. We have a budget of approx $450-$500 per week for this.
  

 

 

 

 

• Which areas should we be considering in terms of long term rentals? As I've mentioned we love our coffee & food and being close (ish) to parks, open spaces, coastline, cafes, schools, community facilities and generally feeling like part of something but neither do I want to be wall to wall people & traffic......can anyone please suggest some areas to look at ? I don't mind a 30 min or so drive to work & I will be based in Launceston CBD but am a community worker so will be driving a fair bit. Max budget approx $450/$500 per week....tops!
  

 

 

 

 

• Thirdly ( & the most important ) schools! Can anyone suggest any excellent primary & high Schools (state or Private) in any of the areas that you think might meet our needs please? My son (12) is a very bright lad so would like an environment that challenges him if possible.
  

 

 

 

 

• Finally, What malls/large shops are available in the area please? We will obviously need food shopping & some basics until out shipping container arrives. We currently live near a rather large & lovely retail park & am trying desperately to wean myself off 'just popping' there for a mooch around ( M&S, Next, Boots.....I could go on & on...mmmmm) in readiness for the inevitable withdrawal symptoms of retail therapy! It will do us good.....Shopping is not & should not be a hobby! :wacko:
  

 

 

Thank you in anticipation.....You were all so helpful last time I posted....I really appreciate it :biggrin:

 

Becks & family :biggrin:

[Guest Guest 47403]

Can't offer any answers to your questions Becks but just wanted to say congratulations!

[cass73]

Hi there congratulations on the job.

 

i can't really help much as we are in hobart, but before I came I spent a lot of time on the web looking at schools I narrowed it down to two that really stood out then looked at that area regarding housing, how close to shops work etc. we contacted both schools from the uk and told them our situation they were really helpful thy sent us their prospectives by email. You can not enrol until you have a perm address so this gave us time to look around them once we arrived. We had somewhere to live and my oldest boy started school after 3 weeks of arriving.

 

just do as much as you can from the uk arrange appointments etc and it will be fine and relatively straight forward.

 

cass

[deborah]

yeah, well done you

[Skani]

Hello Becks,

 

Re education: have a look at this list which will give you the names of some schools in the Launceston area, then you can obtain further information on each school at the Myschool website below.

 

http://bettereducation.com.au/school/Primary/tas/tas_top_primary_schools.aspx

http://bettereducation.com.au/school/secondary/tas/tas_top_secondary_schools.aspx

 

http://www.myschool.edu.au/SchoolSearch.aspx

 

I will get back to you on the other points you raise...brain a bit weary at the moment!

 

Vivien

 

PS: The central Launceston postcode is 7250 so the schools in that postcode or close to (eg 7248) will be the ones to look for.

Edited January 24, 2013 by Skani

[Sapphire]

:biggrin: Hi lovely people

 

I have been offered a job in Launceston and due to start late April/early May. We are a family of 4 ( me, OH, son aged 12 & daughter 6). We love exploring, good food & coffee and generally having a mooch around!

 

I am now looking for some advice on the following...if anyone can help please?

 

 

 

• We need to find short term (4-6 weeks) holiday let/unit/apartment centrally based in/to Launceston so we can explore and find a rental property. We have a budget of approx $450-$500 per week for this.

 

 

 

 

• Which areas should we be considering in terms of long term rentals? As I've mentioned we love our coffee & food and being close (ish) to parks, open spaces, coastline, cafes, schools, community facilities and generally feeling like part of something but neither do I want to be wall to wall people & traffic......can anyone please suggest some areas to look at ? I don't mind a 30 min or so drive to work & I will be based in Launceston CBD but am a community worker so will be driving a fair bit. Max budget approx $450/$500 per week....tops!

 

 

 

 

• Thirdly ( & the most important ) schools! Can anyone suggest any excellent primary & high Schools (state or Private) in any of the areas that you think might meet our needs please? My son (12) is a very bright lad so would like an environment that challenges him if possible.

 

 

 

 

• Finally, What malls/large shops are available in the area please? We will obviously need food shopping & some basics until out shipping container arrives. We currently live near a rather large & lovely retail park & am trying desperately to wean myself off 'just popping' there for a mooch around ( M&S, Next, Boots.....I could go on & on...mmmmm) in readiness for the inevitable withdrawal symptoms of retail therapy! It will do us good.....Shopping is not & should not be a hobby! :wacko:

 

 

Thank you in anticipation.....You were all so helpful last time I posted....I really appreciate it :biggrin:

 

Becks & family :biggrin:

 

 

 

In terms of short term rental you will struggle, theres really not many.And they tend to be extremely expensive,for the short term furnished lets.Rare as hens teeth though.

You will probably find you will have to book into a motel ,until you get a long term rental,theres plenty of long term around,but just choose your area carefully.

Shopping,,,,well there is a town, it has a small myer department store, and there are lots of other shops, but nothing like you will of been used to.Its ok, but nothing to get excited about.

There are areas that you need to avoid at all costs,I can give you a list of good and bad if you want to PM me.

Schools tend to be reasonable in the good areas,and again, you will need to research schools very well

We are in Launceston, and know it and its surrounds very well, so if you need any further advice let me, know, and I will be only too happy to help.

[Becks1972]

Thanks everyone for your input :biggrin:

[Tuosist]

As Sapphire said, no major malls, you have to save up for a trip to Melbourne for that!

Hobart is also an option for shopping.

 

Schools - I would recommend Scotch Oakburn College if you had a bright lad. Well resourced private high school.

http://www.soc.tas.edu.au/

 

City Living: South Launceston and Newstead

Country Living close to Launceston with decent cafes and weekend market: Evandale (small village)

 

Cafe: Elaia. http://www.elaia.com.au

http://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g255344-d724540-Reviews-Elaia-Launceston_Tasmania.html

[Becks1972]

Thank you everyone (again!) for your help:biggrin:

 

I have continued my research and am a bit concerned at some of the info I have found, so am hoping yet again your experience can help me iron out these worries.

 

It seems that there is a high unemployment rate across tassie and have read several recent newspaper articles about the increasing crime rate. Could anyone expand on this please?

 

Undoubtedly it looks like a beautiful state but I need more than beauty to raise my family so am really hoping for some insider info on the day to day living in launceston & surrounding areas. Also my job will involve community/home visiting (as I do now in the UK) and therefore will have little say over where I visit & where I don't.

Thanks again folks....I really appreciate it & if you haven't already guessed I'm finding the whole migration thing really really stressful :frown:

[Guest Guest 47403]

Thank you everyone (again!) for your help:biggrin:

 

I have continued my research and am a bit concerned at some of the info I have found, so am hoping yet again your experience can help me iron out these worries.

 

It seems that there is a high unemployment rate across tassie and have read several recent newspaper articles about the increasing crime rate. Could anyone expand on this please?

 

Undoubtedly it looks like a beautiful state but I need more than beauty to raise my family so am really hoping for some insider info on the day to day living in launceston & surrounding areas. Also my job will involve community/home visiting (as I do now in the UK) and therefore will have little say over where I visit & where I don't.

Thanks again folks....I really appreciate it & if you haven't already guessed I'm finding the whole migration thing really really stressful :frown:

 

Hi Becks

 

Not sure where you read about the rising crime rate I recently read about the falling crime rate?

 

As for unemployment Tasmania does have the highest unemployment rate of all the states which is understandable considering the lack of big business, however it's still not on the scale of UK unemployment and all those recent (last couple of years) people who have moved that post on PIO seem to have found employment.

 

Launceston was recently voted the best city in Australia to bring up children so can't be that bad.

 

Your extremely lucky to have the opportunity to move to Tasmania. But please do your research and all you can do is draw your own conclusion.

 

I'm sure some of the locals will be along soon to put your mind at ease.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Guest 47403

[Strick]

Yes, Tasmania has the highest unemployment in Australia and it's only slightly lower than the UK's rate.

 

There is not much in the way of business opportunities in Tasmania and if you're a high flying entrepreneur, or a venture capitalist, I'd advise you to look elsewhere.

 

However, what you have to bear in mind is that Tasmania is, by and large, a subsidised la-la land with a huge public sector. Someone joked to me recently that 50% of the Tassie population are on Centrelink benefits and the other half is gainfully employed administering the benefits to the first half! This is an exaggeration, but not too wide of the mark. :wink:

 

If Tasmania was an independent country no doubt we'd have gone bust years ago and would be chancing our luck approaching Angela Merkel for a bail out but, thankfully, we can rely on rich states like WA and NSW to subsidise our coveted Tasmanian lifestyles and the good times roll on. To be honest, nobody really does any work and everyone I know sits around on the dole going from one barbecue to another drinking Sauvignon Blanc and grilling Salmon. The Salmon industry being the only one left that actually turns a profit down here.

 

Luckily, you seem to work in the public/voluntary sector and there are still loads of jobs available in those areas, though they tend to be on temporary contracts and many are casual. However, the pay rates are good compared to the UK. The most coveted public sector jobs are with the state government, where even dinner ladies are on £30,0000 a year. I'd advise you to google: state government, Tasmania, jobs and check it out.

 

PS. There is bugger all crime down here. Hobart is probably the safest city I've visited. I know of 2 people in West Hobart who never lock their back doors when they go out to work! Blokes might have to be a bit careful around one or two dodgy pubs in the outer suburbs at night, but basically the city centre is very safe.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Strick

[violethaze]

Here is some actual data on unemployment that I gathered one day recently. All stats are recent.

 

Australia's UR (Dec-12), 5.4%

The unemployment rate for Tasmania, AUS 7.3%.

Hobart's unemployment rate is 5.9%

 

Unemployment rate of Busselton, AUS is ... unable to obtain figures (however, WA rate has "skyrocketed" from 4 to 4.6% (while nationally there has been a drop from 5.4 to 5.2%)

Unemployment rate (avg) in Melbourne is 5.3%

unemployment rate for Sydney (avg across regions) is 3% to 3.8% depending on how far out into the suburbs you go

Sunshine Coast UR is 6.7%.

Wide Bay-Burnett is a whopping 8.2%.

Wollongong is 7.8%,#.

Newcastle is 5.3%

Perth is 3.9%.

Darwin is lumped into NT and the UR for there is 3.8%.

WA's rate has increased due to a number of mining operations shutting down

 

and, as a comparison... in NZ....

Unemployment rate in NZ is at its highest for 13 years.

Unemployment in Nelson, NZ also rose in the last year, however at 5% it is still lower than the national average of 7.3%.

Unemployment rate of Tauranga, NZ is 7.0%

 

http://www.deewr.gov.au/lmip/default.aspx?LMIP/LFR/Tas

Edited January 30, 2013 by violethaze

[Sapphire]

Probably best to read local newspapers, and gather as much info yourself Becks.What one person sees, another may disagree with, so its difficult to make desicons based on what people think.You need to look at hard evidence,and make up your mind.

I agree with some comments and totaly disagree with other comments. We find the crime rate very high, lots of alcohol related crime and drug crime,a fair few arson attacks,and we have had several murders up this end as well.Hobart does have its fair share of issues, as well.

Im not saying its any worse or any better than the UK, but dont ever think it doesant happen here, becasue it does.

Im sure you have read the Examiner on line (Launceston area) and theres the Mercury(which will cover the Hobart end).

Research, research, research is the key, because everyone will of had different experinces, and only you can deceide if its a better life for you all, or are you walking out of the frying pan, etc,etc.

Good Luck with it all.

[Skani]

Only this month Launceston has been declared Australia's most family-friendly city, using a number of criteria including unemployment and crime rates. You can see the report here.

 

http://www.suncorpgroup.com.au/sites/default/files/pdf/news/Media%20Release_Family%20Friendly_NATIONAL.pdf

 

Local newspapers in slow news times and the state's Opposition party often focus on crime rates but the last official statistics I saw showed crime reduced in most categories. (Unless I have missed something lately?)

 

The unemployment rate has risen lately but it does vary between regions. Ironically, Tasmania's economy is suffering somewhat from the high Australian dollar (which has been driven in large part by the mining boom in other states). This is because it has a large international export trade, but the money coming back into Tasmania is reduced because of the exchange rate.

[Skani]

Just to add a personal note: I have lived in Tasmania for a total of 53 years and have never felt unsafe here. The only crime I have ever personally experienced was an (unsuccessful) attempted house break in by a school kid - in 1987 - in Wynyard. Offender caught and charged. But I don't go wandering the streets late at night and I don't go to drinking sessions with people of dubious repute.:wink:

Most of the serious personal attacks are the result of either domestic violence or heavy drinking sessions with friends/acquaintances.

[Sapphire]

There was an article in this weeks examiner saying that drug and alcohol related crime was up by something like 58%,we dont go out at all at night,so we dont mix with drunks. Thats why we dont go out, because we dont like to mix with the drunks, or be involved in fights.

If the OP, puts in a search on google for crime stats in Tasmania, there is another mercury article, which, says that Public Order Offences are a major problem for this state.So it hapenning out there, I guess, its just down to whether you hear about it or not.

We obviously watch the news and read the local papers.They are the 2 best ways for the OP to find out what is going on. I think there may be a link to WIN television nightly news, so that may be a useful tool for the OP, as well as reading the Examiner online.

But the best thing the OP can do is research herself and find out what is going on and how it may affect her, and whether it bothers her, if theres crime or not.

Like I have previously said, everyone has thier own opinion, of whether crime is bad or not, and everyone has thier own opinion on life in whatever state/country they live.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Sapphire
added text

[Sapphire]

Just a quick note OP, I just went onto the Examiner newspaper website, and there is a search bar.I put in 3 seperate searches , ARSON, MURDER, and CRIME.

There is a fair bit of reading on each search, numerous articles in each catergory, but the one I thought would give you plenty of information, was in the CRIME search.Its an article from 29th December 2012, 'It was a year of Murder,Drugs and Shootings in Northern Tasmania"

Only the major things will usually be published.The crimes classed as petty, ie;burgleries,theft, car crime etc,, dont seem to get much press and dont usually seem to get much of a mention, but Im sure they still greatly affect thier victims.

But theres still a fair few articles to allow you to research your worries.

[Skani]

Thats why we dont go out, because we dont like to mix with the drunks, or be involved in fights.

 

I can't speak for Launceston but we certainly go out at night in Hobart to restaurants, theatre and concerts and have never had any trouble with drunks or fights. But we don't hang around night clubs in the wee hours of the morning or wander the streets those hours either. My 20 year old niece does socialise a lot in Launceston (lives in Evandale) and hasn't had any trouble, but it may be a case of knowing where and when to go. I shall ask her for her tips next time I see her.

[deborah]

Hobart seems safe at night especially around salamanca, i wouldn't go near the bus mall though!

[Guest Guest 47403]

I think you just have to look at the news websites for Tasmania to see it doesn't have crime anywhere near the levels seen in the UK.

[wolvesaussie]

I always say that to people if they talk about crime. take a look at the age web site and quite often u see major stories on minor things. for instance school boy stabbed in arm is big at the moment. something like that in UK would hardly be worth a mention as happens so often.

[Strick]

Agreed, the child on child killings that happen all the time in London was the most sickening thing about living in the capital.

 

In Tasmania, the local media report every punch up that goes on outside every rough pub - and there are plenty of those - giving the impression of more crime.

 

Tasmania is a very safe place.

[runslikeafish]

Just to reiterate what a couple of others have said: I can only speak for Hobart but I feel safer there at night than I did even in Cornwall. We're often out in Salamanca of an evening and I've never seen any trouble there.

 

There is crime around of course but in my (limited admittedly) experience it tends to be centered around particular areas. I certainly wouldn't say there's a problem with antisocial behavior - quite the opposite in my experience.