Guest Specialk Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 How do you decide on which part of Oz to move to?! I'm just at the planning stage but need to decide which area we would like to move to & have never been so just relying on google & you good people! My first choice was Perth because I have relatives there & they have given me some info. But then others saying the Gold Coast is good for families. So many different things read that I'm getting confused. I have 2 boys aged 6 & 11 so I'd like somewhere safe with lots for them to do, beaches not too far away & good schools. They're both outdoorsy & sporty. Anyone give me any info about areas that are good for bringing up kids please?? Thanks in advance x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack91 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 The only way you'll be able to tell is if you visit the country for yourself! There will be so many varying opinions on here that you'll be back to square one with you making the hard decision yourself. I realise this doesn't help I just wouldn't want your vision to be clouded by everyone here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumpkin Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 How do you decide on which part of Oz to move to?! I'm just at the planning stage but need to decide which area we would like to move to & have never been so just relying on google & you good people! My first choice was Perth because I have relatives there & they have given me some info. But then others saying the Gold Coast is good for families. So many different things read that I'm getting confused. I have 2 boys aged 6 & 11 so I'd like somewhere safe with lots for them to do, beaches not too far away & good schools. They're both outdoorsy & sporty. Anyone give me any info about areas that are good for bringing up kids please?? Thanks in advance x Where is the best place in UK for families? In Europe for families? If somebody asked you that you would probably think it an unanswerable question. Same here. Fact is families are living happily throughout Australia, most of the major cities are near beaches, children play sport everywhere and really there is no objective way to determine which is "best place for families". When deciding where to live, it is better to stick to fact based decision making. Like where are there more jobs, what climate do you prefer, what are housing costs like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Specialk Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Where is the best place in UK for families? In Europe for families? If somebody asked you that you would probably think it an unanswerable question. Same here. Fact is families are living happily throughout Australia, most of the major cities are near beaches, children play sport everywhere and really there is no objective way to determine which is "best place for families". When deciding where to live, it is better to stick to fact based decision making. Like where are there more jobs, what climate do you prefer, what are housing costs like? I see your point. Really I was just hoping that people with families living in certain areas of Oz could tell me about their experience. Thank you for your advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumpkin Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 I see your point. Really I was just hoping that people with families living in certain areas of Oz could tell me about their experience. Thank you for your advice. It just isn't objective. Most people will respond that where they live is "best place for families" because they chose there and are happy there. What is your occupation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 People are happy in all places. Heck, I can think of people who would say the tiny dust bowl town in the middle of nowhere is great. I would instead be guided by your occupation - some occupations find there are more jobs in some areas than others. I will tell you my experience of living where we do - Dawesville which is south of Perth. A day in the life of: Yesterday, we walked the dog on the stunning beach that was mainly empty save for a couple of surfers - it is winter now. Then along to the Dawesville Cut which is a man made river that connects a massive inlet called The Peel to the ocean. There we watched, as we normally do, the dolphins jumping about. After breakfast, we decided on a trip out so jumped in the car and drove the small drive to Harvey and walked around countryside that was so lush and green it looked like a set from the Hobbit. It was a perfect winters day - blue sky, warm sun and not hot, but comfortable to walk around in a t-shirt. Then onto Harvey Dam to have a walk and take in the views - amazing views across the water and taking in the state forests. After all the walking, it seemed only decent to pop into the brewery on the way home for lunch. Sat outside, over looking the olive groves - they sell there own olives as well - with a view that was more Tuscan. It was busy with families and many were making use of the free sports equipment on the grass around. A nice lunch, washed down with a glass of award winning tipple - scrumpy for me. Then home, a rest before taking the dog for a quick last walk of the day to view the progress on the house we are building - it has views across an amazing lake full of bird life and on an evening we will be able to sit and watch kangaroos coming to drink at the lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 When deciding where to live, it is better to stick to fact based decision making. Like where are there more jobs, what climate do you prefer, what are housing costs like? I agree totally. Employment will be a crucial factor...depending on how "in demand" your and/or your partner's job/s is/are. Seriously look at climate. Australia has 6 separate climate zones and some people find some very difficult or unpleasant to live in. And seriously look at your budget and housing costs. Some areas, such as Sydney, have eye wateringly high rents and mortgages. Maybe not a problem if you are earning a high income...but could be a real problem if not. This process will eliminate certain areas...and you can then start looking at family friendly areas within a few selected locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicF Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Sounds lovely @VERYSTORMY, bit different to my day with the kids. Just for contrast, my day yesterday was as follows: Put a load of washing in then went grocery shopping with the eldest kid while husband got youngest organised, hung out washing and put the next load in. Put shopping away then had a coffee and read a book for a bit. Hung the washing and put the next load in. Made sandwiches for the whole family for the week. Eldest son headed off in to the CBD on the bus for a tournament of the trading card game he plays. Read a book a bit more while youngest son played on PS3, had lunch then hung washing. After lunch dropped youngest son and husband at footy oval to watch a SANFL game. Came home and made biscuits and buns then put a chicken in the oven to roast. Relaxed for a bit until eldest son got home then prepared rest of things for with roast chicken. Youngest son and husband got home and we had dinner. Cleared up after dinner, brought washing in and put it away, did various other domestic jobs, got the kids off to bed and watched TV for an hour before going off to bed ourselves. Our day all took place in Adelaide but we could have been anywhere really, although I'm not sure I would be happy with the eldest going off on his own in to the centre of Sydney just yet. The best place for your family in Australia is the one that you can find work in and that is going to best suit you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 @NicF you made sandwiches for a whole week??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumpkin Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 @NicF you made sandwiches for a whole week??? I was wondering that too but didn't like to ask. Wont the corners curl up? :smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambethlad Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I would vote for Gold Coast. It has all those theme parks that kids love. It has a better climate. Gold Coast doesn't get the extreme summer heat like Perth and it has a warmer winter. Family holidays on the east coast are easier with cheaper airfares and shorter travel times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic1171 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Ive only lived on The Gold Coast so cant compare but my choice here to live was for the climate and proximity to theme parks for my son. If your kids are young theres heaps of parks and the beaches are beautiful. As someone else mentioned too we're quite central to other cities. Weve already been to Sydney, off to Cairns in Sept, flights relatively cheap. Within an hour driving distance of Brisbane or NSW, got the hinterland too which is beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn2002 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I too live on the Gold Coast. And yes it is a place you can have an outdoorsy lifestyle. The beach and Springbrook are on our doorstep. The climate is great. My kids love it. Reasons for coming here, well it's my OHs home town and his family are here, also it is commutable to Brisbane in a time similar to that of the old commute into London we had in the UK. Would we have chosen here if his family were not here ? Possibly not. But that would purely be due to the ease of getting employment. Having lived in Sydney, all be it over 10 yrs ago, I would have been quite happy to have gone there too. IMO, and as others have said, you really need to look at employment prospects and housing costs first. Then climate. Then find an area that looks suitable. I know of people who have emigrated without visiting Australia first, but I would have thought this would make it a exceptionally difficult decision, especially as you have children to consider. I would have thought you could get that outdoorsy lifestyle in most Australian cities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 @NicF you made sandwiches for a whole week??? I do that too - make 'em, freeze 'em, then each morning you just have to take one out throw in the bits that go with it (fruit etc) and the frozen sandwich (I tend to do French bread) is defrosted in time for lunch!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I do that too - make 'em, freeze 'em, then each morning you just have to take one out throw in the bits that go with it (fruit etc) and the frozen sandwich (I tend to do French bread) is defrosted in time for lunch!! What do you put in them? Don't the fillings go all soggy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicF Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 @@blossom79 yep, for the whole week and freeze rm until we need em. With four of us taking sandwiches every day it's much easier than doing them every day or the night before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicF Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 What do you put in them? Don't the fillings go all soggy? One child only eats Vegimite, the other only eats laughing cow cheese. Both freeze fine. The OH has ham and cheese which also seems to freeze and defrost perfectly happily. I vary depending on what I fancy at the deli, but it's usually something like chicken or sliced pork or beef. Obviously you couldn't put just anything in the sandwich - lettuce wouldn't freeze very well - but it makes getting things ready in the morning much easier and he's to keep the sandwich fresh until lunchtime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathy99 Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Like the others have said most places i would imagine are good for families etc, and agree you need to consider what weather climate you prefer. We are in sydney about a 45min drive from the cbd, on one income with two young children and do ok. Here's what we did yesterday: Up and packed a picnic, started out clouded so took a jumper with us. Chucked the kids scooters in the boot and set off. 30 mins later arrive at one of Australia's many amazing parks, blaxland riverside park. It was fab and so much for the kids to do, but the setting was nice to right next to the parramatta river, the sun was shining, the sky a brilliant blue and the kids were very happy (they're 5 & 7). We took a picnic along with many other families, then on the way home stopped at the steakhouse for tea! We didn't particularly want to live in sydney as our first choice, we were heading for perth as we have friends there but my husband got offered a job here so we thought why not, lets give it a go. I love the area we're in it's very suburbia, we've been here 6 months and already been away on holiday with our next door neighbours! And i meet another mum friend for coffee once a week, so slowly making friends. Before i came here i researched different areas, then i googled the best city/suburbs to live in which brought up a really good website with lots of reviews from people who lived there etc and tried to do it that way! :0) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 If you have friends and rellies in Perth it could make a heap of difference whether you settle and like it or not. You will have someone who knows where things are, help you out a bit. We love Perth and it's been great for our two boys. Eldest was 2 when we came, youngest born here. If yours like sport then Perth has everything on offer, a lot of it free. I can recommend joining a surf club, that should keep them out of mischief and give them plenty to do. Good place for all the family to make new friends too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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