Where would you live in Tasmania?

[Parley]

38 minutes ago, Skani said:

What a wimp!   Second day of summer in Hobart.    Mind you, we've already had two 30+ degree days in November.    At least it's never boring.

I'm sure it is bearable in Summer. But what about winter ?

I couldn't handle Canberra either.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Parley

[Wanderer Returns]

5 hours ago, Parley said:

Didn't realise Canberra was as expensive as Melbourne, at least based on median price.

Neither did I, but then it's the last major city in Australia I'd consider moving too, so I haven't been paying attention. I'm guessing the high prices are down to the number of well-paid government jobs, and a lack of affordable housing?

[Wanderer Returns]

12 hours ago, annagilda said:

One thing to be mindful of, is that if you end up going at all rural, access to health services as you age can be quite limited. Hobart and to a lesser extent Launceston have all the things you'd need, but don't move to the east or west coast and expect easy access to services.

That's a very good point as I'll be in my 60s by the time I get there, and could be falling apart by then!  

I quite like the look of Launceston - although it doesn't look like it gets very much rainfall.

[Wanderer Returns]

47 minutes ago, Skani said:

What a wimp!   Second day of summer in Hobart.    Mind you, we've already had two 30+ degree days in November.    At least it's never boring.

That's pretty. Does the snow ever get down to sea level?

[Bulya]

13 minutes ago, Parley said:

I'm sure it is bearable in Summer. But what about winter ?

I couldn't handle Canberra either.

All inland Australia is cold in winter.  It gets colder in outback Qld most winters than it does in Canberra...  

[Bulya]

12 minutes ago, Wanderer Returns said:

Neither did I, but then it's the last major city in Australia I'd consider moving too, so I haven't been paying attention. I'm guessing the high prices are down to the number of well-paid government jobs, and a lack of affordable housing?

Highest standard of living and lifestyle.  It was Australia’s best kept secret but not anymore  

[Skani]

5 hours ago, Wanderer Returns said:

That's pretty. Does the snow ever get down to sea level?

Occasionally.  The last time was August 2015:

 

[Skani]

6 hours ago, Parley said:

I'm sure it is bearable in Summer. But what about winter ?

I couldn't handle Canberra either.

Hobart's about 2 degrees colder (maximum and minmium ) than Melbourne in winter.  It has higher minimum temps. than Canberra from March through to November.  

[Dusty Plains]

18 minutes ago, Skani said:

Hobart's about 2 degrees colder (maximum and minmium ) than Melbourne in winter.  It has higher minimum temps. than Canberra from March through to November.  

Tasmania is as prone to bushfires as the rest of the Australian states. 

 

21 minutes ago, Skani said:

Hobart's about 2 degrees colder (maximum and minmium ) than Melbourne in winter.  It has higher minimum temps. than Canberra from March through to November.  

Bushfires in Tasmania in February 1967. 39 degrees C in Hobart.  In total, the fires claimed 62 lives in a single day. Property loss was also extensive with 1293 homes and over 1700 other buildings destroyed. The fires destroyed 80 bridges, 4800 sections of power lines, 1500 motor vehicles and over 100 other structures. It was estimated that at least 62,000 farm animals were killed. The total damage amounted to $40,000,000 in 1967 Australian dollar values. The resulting insurance payout was the then largest in Australian history.

So yes... during summer at least, Tasmania can be just as hot as some of the other state capitals.

[Toots]

13 hours ago, Dusty Plains said:

Tasmania is as prone to bushfires as the rest of the Australian states. 

 

Bushfires in Tasmania in February 1967. 39 degrees C in Hobart.  In total, the fires claimed 62 lives in a single day. Property loss was also extensive with 1293 homes and over 1700 other buildings destroyed. The fires destroyed 80 bridges, 4800 sections of power lines, 1500 motor vehicles and over 100 other structures. It was estimated that at least 62,000 farm animals were killed. The total damage amounted to $40,000,000 in 1967 Australian dollar values. The resulting insurance payout was the then largest in Australian history.

So yes... during summer at least, Tasmania can be just as hot as some of the other state capitals.

That was an absolutely horrendous year around the Hobart area.  

The worst bushfires are usually in the south east of Tasmania.  There were some small ones in the midlands and on the east coast of Tasmania last year.  These are the hottest and driest areas.  Temps can reach close to 40C.  

 

[Toots]

14 hours ago, Skani said:

Occasionally.  The last time was August 2015:

 

 

Blackmans Bay near Hobart August 2015

 

[Toots]

14 hours ago, Dusty Plains said:

Tasmania is as prone to bushfires as the rest of the Australian states. 

 

Bushfires in Tasmania in February 1967. 39 degrees C in Hobart.  In total, the fires claimed 62 lives in a single day. Property loss was also extensive with 1293 homes and over 1700 other buildings destroyed. The fires destroyed 80 bridges, 4800 sections of power lines, 1500 motor vehicles and over 100 other structures. It was estimated that at least 62,000 farm animals were killed. The total damage amounted to $40,000,000 in 1967 Australian dollar values. The resulting insurance payout was the then largest in Australian history.

So yes... during summer at least, Tasmania can be just as hot as some of the other state capitals.

Yes SOME parts can be very hot.  It doesn't get that awful heat where we live.  Skani explained it to me.  The heat from the mainland cools down when it passes over the Bass Strait but as it passes over Tasmania the heat picks up again so when it reaches the south of the island it's a lot hotter than on the north coast.  It can be over 30C in the south and 20C in the north.  We also get more rain.

[Dusty Plains]

4 hours ago, Toots said:

Yes SOME parts can be very hot.  It doesn't get that awful heat where we live.  Skani explained it to me.  The heat from the mainland cools down when it passes over the Bass Strait but as it passes over Tasmania the heat picks up again so when it reaches the south of the island it's a lot hotter than on the north coast.  It can be over 30C in the south and 20C in the north.  We also get more rain.

Yes .. that should have been:

Hobart can be just as hot as other state capitals.

[Marisawright]

On 02/12/2020 at 12:50, Wanderer Returns said:

Neither did I, but then it's the last major city in Australia I'd consider moving too, so I haven't been paying attention. I'm guessing the high prices are down to the number of well-paid government jobs, and a lack of affordable housing?

I think it would have more to do with Canberra being a more compact city.   You can live in an outer suburb of Canberra and still be less than half an hour from the centre (outside rush hour!).  It would be interesting to compare house prices within the same distance of Melbourne's CBD.  I suspect the (much cheaper) prices in the outer suburbs of Melbourne pull the average down.

[Marisawright]

7 minutes ago, Dusty Plains said:

Yes .. that should have been:

Hobart can be just as hot as other state capitals.

....but no matter where you are in Hobart, you get the benefit of the sea breezes which really take the edge off.

[Bulya]

41 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

I think it would have more to do with Canberra being a more compact city.   You can live in an outer suburb of Canberra and still be less than half an hour from the centre (outside rush hour!).  It would be interesting to compare house prices within the same distance of Melbourne's CBD.  I suspect the (much cheaper) prices in the outer suburbs of Melbourne pull the average down.

Not sure you’d call a city that’s 40km from top to bottom ‘compact’ 

[Wanderer Returns]

7 hours ago, Toots said:

Yes SOME parts can be very hot.  It doesn't get that awful heat where we live.  Skani explained it to me.  The heat from the mainland cools down when it passes over the Bass Strait but as it passes over Tasmania the heat picks up again so when it reaches the south of the island it's a lot hotter than on the north coast.  It can be over 30C in the south and 20C in the north.  We also get more rain.

That sounds plausible (and encouraging), although whenever I see Hobart on the news it always seems to be 15C. In fact I just looked up the long-term forecast, and guess what?!

[Dusty Plains]

Possibly the Tasmanians may think its nuts but I actually liked Queenstown as a possible place to live, as retiree.  Its not necessarily pretty but the real estate is cheap and its close to lakes and mountains, with good highways / by ways heading North, South and East.  

[Toots]

6 minutes ago, Dusty Plains said:

Possibly the Tasmanians may think its nuts but I actually liked Queenstown as a possible place to live, as retiree.  Its not necessarily pretty but the real estate is cheap and its close to lakes and mountains, with good highways / by ways heading North, South and East.  

It's a lot prettier than it used to be.  I also like the town and as you say it's close to some lovely scenery.  On one of the days we went during summer I was surprised how hot it was there.  At least 10C hotter than Devonport.

[Skani]

2 hours ago, Wanderer Returns said:

That sounds plausible (and encouraging), although whenever I see Hobart on the news it always seems to be 15C. In fact I just looked up the long-term forecast, and guess what?!

I don't know where that forecast comes from.  The official Bureau of Meteorology forecast for daily max. temps starting tomorrow (Friday) is:  20, 22, 19, 17, 18, 20, 20 (Thursday 10th) - they don't dare predict further out than that.     So that's up to 6 deg. warmer than your forecast.  The long term average for December in Hobart is 20.4  (though the last few years have certainly been warmer than that).

What I personally like about Hobart's "hot" spells - because I don't do heat  - is that they only last for a day or two.  We don't get weeks of the unrelenting heat which the mainland can experience in summer.  And it's very rare to have an  uncomfortably warm night so you can at least get a refreshing sleep.

[Dusty Plains]

55 minutes ago, Toots said:

It's a lot prettier than it used to be.  I also like the town and as you say it's close to some lovely scenery.  On one of the days we went during summer I was surprised how hot it was there.  At least 10C hotter than Devonport.

Queenstown has a fascinating quirkiness. Only a few years ago we came up the Lyell Hwy from Hobart, then down the 99 bends into Queenstown. What a wonderful road trip that was.  Queenstown and subsequently Strahan,  was the perfect return to civilisation after travelling through the magnificent western areas of Tasmania. 

Our plan is to bring our vehicle, and this time,  our caravan, over to Tasmania for Tassie Adventure No 2, for at least 3 months in 2022 and tour, once again, but also to check out the real estate.

Mrs Dusty is only half convinced, but I am working on that. Following my heart surgery this year the cardiologist told me I was good for another 20 years or so if I followed a healthy life style. Similarly, and as a constant on PIO, is the family factor. I have grandchildren in SW-WA, grandchildren in Sydney, and direct family at the Gold Coast who have been there for 30 years.

The equation therefore is that primarily we are not going to sit around and wait for the extended family across Australia to visit us, but if we go to Tassie they just might make the effort as it would be a novelty for them. We could either live in Tas. or have a holiday house there, ( Queenstown, Strahan, Sheffield etc although there is not much happening at Strahan) which could be difficult, but an adventure nonetheless.

It sure beats heading up to the Gold Coast, or driving to Perth to see the grandchildren.

     

   

 

[Wanderer Returns]

Queenstown looks beautiful (at least from above) - I imagine winters there being fairly brutal though!

[Skani]

12 minutes ago, Wanderer Returns said:

Queenstown looks beautiful (at least from above) - I imagine winters there being fairly brutal though!

It's not a particularly cold Tasmanian spot but it does rain a lot - something like 4 to 5 times Hobart's rainfall.  

[Wanderer Returns]

56 minutes ago, Skani said:

I don't know where that forecast comes from.  The official Bureau of Meteorology forecast for daily max. temps starting tomorrow (Friday) is:  20, 22, 19, 17, 18, 20, 20 (Thursday 10th) - they don't dare predict further out than that.     So that's up to 6 deg. warmer than your forecast.  The long term average for December in Hobart is 20.4  (though the last few years have certainly been warmer than that).

What I personally like about Hobart's "hot" spells - because I don't do heat  - is that they only last for a day or two.  We don't get weeks of the unrelenting heat which the mainland can experience in summer.  And it's very rare to have an  uncomfortably warm night so you can at least get a refreshing sleep.

My forecast came from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (yr.no), who consistently produce one of the most accurate weather forecasts - even here in Australia - and should you use it, you will be surprised. As you have stated, those figures from the BOM are the daily maximum temperatures, whereas the ones I posted are the average over a 24-hour period, reflecting more accurately the temperature you'll be experiencing for most of the day.

[Skani]

32 minutes ago, Wanderer Returns said:

 whereas the ones I posted are the average over a 24-hour period, reflecting more accurately the temperature you'll be experiencing for most of the day.

Good luck with that:  they won't have factored in the wind chill factor.          What are the 2 figures (e.g. 12 - 18) directly under the date?