Bridgeman Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 We came over to Australia on a Contributory Parent visa and as our kids may still be moving around for work we have been looking at somewhere to settle and we like the look and sound of Tasmania, particularly as property seems more affordable there. Just wondering if anyone out there can give any insight on what it's like for retirees (we are 63 and soon to be 65). In particular we wondered if there are any parents like us who came over on a parent visa and how they are finding it. Is there much going on for Seniors and is it affordable? There doesn't seem to be the same in the way of concessions with a Tasmania Seniors card as there is with a WA Seniors card. Any recommendations on best places to live for retirees. We love walking, scenery and greenery and it sounds like Tasmania might suit us, although we are aware that the weather is cooler there than the rest of Australia but that doesn't really bother us, as long as we don't get lots of snow and ice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runslikeafish Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 I can't really give you any specific advice on being a retiree here but what I can categorically say is that pretty much anywhere you live you will easy access to scenery and greenery to walk in. You can live bang in the centre of Hobart and within 5 minutes be bush walking. You won't get snow and ice unless you're on high ground really. There are very occasional bits of ice on some of the high roads near Hobart too but if you're not driving on them early in the morning it shouldn't be a problem. That said, there is snow around if you want some! Just go to Mount Field, Mount Wellington, Cradle Mountain or any one of a number of places in a mountainous region. There is a lot going on here in general with very regular festivals and events. They're not all to everyone's taste I imagine but there should be more than a few that anyone can enjoy. Feel free to ask any questions you can think of and I'll try my best to answer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgeman Posted June 14, 2013 Author Share Posted June 14, 2013 Thanks for your reply. Sounds like a walker's paradise. We would probably be looking to join a few clubs - I play bridge. We would like to have a good social life as well, particularly as the kids won't be close. We like eating out in pubs - (not too expensive!), walking of course and maybe involvement in some seniors clubs. I assume we would probably need to be near Hobart for this sort of thing as I imagine the rural areas are much quieter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runslikeafish Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Absolutely a walkers paradise! There are a couple of walking clubs around (here's one) which would probably kill two birds with one stone! Being near Hobart certainly means that you'll have access to way more in terms of any clubs and eating out opportunities than you do anywhere else in Tassie. That's not to say there aren't any elsewhere but Hobart has the highest concentration by a long way. A lot of Tassie is very rural. As I mentioned, even in the centre of Hobart you're really close to excellent walking tracks and not too far away from complete wilderness, it really is the best of both worlds as far as I'm concerned. Have you done a "recce" trip to Tassie? If you stayed in Hobart for a week say, with a hire car to get around the immediate surroundings, you'd get a better idea of what was around. If you could stay for 2 weeks you could go around the island (only scratch the surface obviously) in the other week and see what the rest of the state is like. If you came now you'd see how cold it gets! Or you could wait until summer and see that even though it's not Perth hot, it's still pretty nice in summer. If you're interested, have a look at my blog (link below) to see some of the things we've done in Hobart and Tassie. Posts start in Oct 2011, just before we moved here in Nov. Good luck with whatever you choose to do and do feel free to ask anything else that you think of! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgeman Posted June 14, 2013 Author Share Posted June 14, 2013 Thanks for your informative replies and the link. That looks interesting. We are planning a trip 'over East' at the beginning of next year, flying to Melbourne and seeing a few sights, including probably a week in Tasmania and ending up in Brisbane where we have more family. I am going to research places to visit in Tasmania and may have a few more questions after we have seen it for ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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