Ms Squiggle Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 [h=2]Warrnambool - anyone there ?[/h] Hi Everyone, Doesn't seem a year since I was requesting advice re Bentleigh area … been here almost a year. My daughter settled really well into school/made friends etc really quickly .. she's lived a few places, London, Shanghai, back to UK then here so she seems to take it all in her stride, have to say I have not found it so easy compared to my other moves…. but just about getting a few friends ... but now my hubby has a job offer in Warrnambool. I don't want to rule it out immediately so thought I'd put the question out is there anyone there and whats it like ? I've had a look on the living in warrnambool websites etc and see it would be quite a big change from the suburbs of Melbourne…. I grew up near the Lake District/coast so I love the outdoors and nature as much as I love the big cities I've lived in too…. I know its a long long way from anywhere ... so can anyone offer any thoughts ? I saw on the finance.ninemsn.com.au some positives and negatives .. which I know you get everywhere … but there seemed to be a trend about the people being rude and the weather being awful ? schools ? kids activities ? My daughter does tennis/football (soccer), swimming … I love the opportunities around where we live for the kids sports/activites... mums … whats life like there ? hubbys - how is it for you ? any advise/thoughts most greatly received thank you ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianaussie Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've been there twice and quite like it. Some nice pubs in the centre and for a small city/big town seemed to have a good vibe. One negative - I think it would be one of the coldest coastal locations in Australia. I'd imagine the wind blowing from the southern ocean would go right through you. I think their nights are always quite cool as well, even in summer. Close to the great ocean road. And usually quite green! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Squiggle Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Thank you ! Think we'll go and have a look whilst we are in Lorne over the hold.. yes I'd read a few things about the weather .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianaussie Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 1 other small point - the area surrounding Warrnambool is the largest dairy farming region in Australia. Great if you like fresh milk, but a bit smelly if you want to live out of town! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisher1 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I'm based in the UK and visit my daughter in Sydney when I can. We were out there in 2009 and decided to take a trip to the great ocean road. We had left it rather late in the middle of the school summer holidays and had to take pot luck with accommodation - so we agreed to go to Warnambool, which I had previously never heard of. By a strange quirk, I heard just before our visit that a distant relative had migrated there in the mid eighteen hundreds and was buried in the churchyard there. (I'm in the middle of doing my family tree). How strange - I'm quite sure I probably have third and fourth cousins running round the place, as this guy had the usual squadrons of children. So anyway, my interest in the place was really sharpened by all this and I spent five nights there having a good stare. First day it was unusually hot - 43degrees! Everyone stayed indoors and went down to the sea en masse at about five pm. We ventured to the supermarket for essentials and found the people there very friendly. During the week we went to the dog racing track on the outskirts of town and were stared at by some small children who appeared to be fascinated by our English accents - I didn't get the impression there were many English people there, although my Brummie husband was approached by a porter at the station who had originally come from the midlands. He loved it there and was in the process of moving his parents out. The train journey from Melbourne took three or four hours ... cant remember exactly how long now, but think in terms of a whole morning rather than a whole day. Getting off the train in a really quiet area of town, it felt like the back of beyond, but the town was actually quite a busy little place - everything you needed for day to day living. Warnambool sits on a biggish bay and there was a fantastic, newish boardwalk running through the beach area from one side of the bay to the other ... a lovely walk of about an hour. Loads of people were out walking, jogging etc at all times of the day, but not so many as to make it feel overcrowded. One day we saw a wallaby peeping out from the sandhills at us. I liked it there. I grew up in a small town so it didn't feel too claustrophobic to me. I remember thinking that if you wanted to you could always go to Melbourne for a weekend to see a show or do some big store shopping - it didn't seem that far. I've looked at property there on the internet (idle curiosity) and it is much more affordable than in the big city hubs. There was a market during our last evening there and I got the impression that it was quite a vibrant local community if you lived there. Just my impressions, and this was five years ago ... but I'd certainly give it a visit. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 I have visited - it was pleasant enough for a small Australian town - pretty sand dunes and bay area, some shops and restaurants but you'd quickly get to know them. It is about four hours from Melbourne - so close enough to do major shopping trips when needed but not close enough for recreational purposes. The main issue with Warrnambool is that it is not near anywhere bigger, so what you see is what you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 I have met a couple of people who came from Warrnambool over the years. Both seemed to like it as a nice country town. They go there to watch the whales in June if I remember rightly. I have been there a couple of times but over 10 years ago now- remember that I liked it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Squiggle Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 Thank you to all for your comments, much appreciate you taking the time to respond ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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