Moving to Torquay

[SusieinOz]

Hello everyone,

We are about to make the move over to Oz next month. We are thinking of living in the following areas Torquay/Ocean Grove/Mount Duneed and the surrounds. Does anyone on this forum live in those places? We are moving from Luxembourg and we are a family of 4 (from Ireland). My husband can work from home so this is why we are looking at these areas in order to be by the beach. 

I am just wondering if anyone has any insights into living in these areas? What the internet connection is like around here? And most importantly for me..... Is it a place where we would be able to make friends? We are very social family and like to have bbqs etc and build up a community around us. I am worried that there might not be a good expat community there or that it will be hard to make friends.

Any thoughts or insights would be very welcome.

 

[Marisawright]

Torquay is a quiet seaside town popular with retired people. It gets very busy with day trippers in summer. 

May I ask why you’ve chosen Victoria if you are beach people? 

[Alan Collett]

I was in Torquay only this morning - I live in Highton, Geelong - a group of us swim from Cosy Corner every Saturday morning.

Torquay definitely isn't as quiet as it was, following the subdivisions at Armstrong Creek, etc .

Check house prices at realestate.com.au as a lot of people from Melbourne have headed to the areas you have mentioned, pushing prices up quite notably.

Best regards.

[SusieinOz]

11 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Torquay is a quiet seaside town popular with retired people. It gets very busy with day trippers in summer. 

May I ask why you’ve chosen Victoria if you are beach people? 

Hi Marisa,

 

No problem with the busy in summer part, are there also young families that live there? Just trying to get a feel for the community. We didnt choose Victoria, my husbands job is 'based' in Melbourne altho he can work from home so we can live anywhere. And we will be able to move to any part of Oz eventually, why, what is wrong with the Victorian beaches?

 

[SusieinOz]

38 minutes ago, Alan Collett said:

I was in Torquay only this morning - I live in Highton, Geelong - a group of us swim from Cosy Corner every Saturday morning.

Torquay definitely isn't as quiet as it was, following the subdivisions at Armstrong Creek, etc .

Check house prices at realestate.com.au as a lot of people from Melbourne have headed to the areas you have mentioned, pushing prices up quite notably.

Best regards.

Thanks Alan,

Nice to hear about the sea swimming club, they are very popular in Ireland too. Could be something to get involved in. We are looking at homes in Mt Duneed and Armstrong too actually but we wont be buying, we own a home in Ireland and our Visa is 4 years for now so its not something in the cards right now.

Many thanks for your reply

[Alan Collett]

2 minutes ago, SusieinOz said:

Thanks Alan,

Nice to hear about the sea swimming club, they are very popular in Ireland too. Could be something to get involved in. We are looking at homes in Mt Duneed and Armstrong too actually but we wont be buying, we own a home in Ireland and our Visa is 4 years for now so its not something in the cards right now.

Many thanks for your reply

No problem.  

If the children get involved with Nippers at one of the Surf Clubs you can build a network quickly - particularly over the spring and summer months.

I've heard about the sea swimming in Ireland - there's a group close to where my sister in law lives (Cork/Carrigaline), I believe.

Best regards.

[Marisawright]

24 minutes ago, SusieinOz said:

No problem with the busy in summer part, are there also young families that live there? Just trying to get a feel for the community. We didnt choose Victoria, my husbands job is 'based' in Melbourne altho he can work from home so we can live anywhere. And we will be able to move to any part of Oz eventually, why, what is wrong with the Victorian beaches?

It's getting better but I think with a small family, I would live in Geelong itself.  

As for the beaches - the coastal scenery in Victoria can be spectacular but the beaches are probably not what you think of as the typical Australian beach.   

The beach you see in programs like Home and Away or Wanted Down Under are East Coast beaches (NSW or Queensland).  The water stays warmer for longer and the weather is a lot more predictable.   Kids there will still be happily playing in the sea well into autumn.

While the Victorian coastline does get hot summers, it gets cold in winter - I moved to Melbourne a few years ago and had to go and buy woollen hats and gloves, warm coats, boots etc which I hadn't needed at all in Sydney for over 30 years. Personally, I enjoy the variety of the seasons instead of it being warm all year round, but it's not what a lot of migrants imagine

Remember there's nothing between Torquay and Antarctica except Tasmania - the water can be cold even on a hot day, and if there's bad weather, the coast is lashed (which can be spectacular to watch but frustrating if you wanted to swim).  Coming from Ireland you might not see that as an issue though.

https://www.seatemperature.org/australia-pacific/australia/

Edited April 9, 2022 by Marisawright

[SusieinOz]

22 minutes ago, Alan Collett said:

No problem.  

If the children get involved with Nippers at one of the Surf Clubs you can build a network quickly - particularly over the spring and summer months.

I've heard about the sea swimming in Ireland - there's a group close to where my sister in law lives (Cork/Carrigaline), I believe.

Best regards.

Im from Cork myself! Actually Im from Douglas which is the suburb right beside Carrigaline! Small world  

Yes the plan is to have the kids involved in lots of water activities, major reason for the move. Being in a land locked country is not for us.

Thanks again

[SusieinOz]

18 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

It's getting better but I think with a small family, I would live in Geelong itself.  

As for the beaches - the coastal scenery in Victoria can be spectacular but the beaches are probably not what you think of as the typical Australian beach.   

The beach you see in programs like Home and Away or Wanted Down Under are East Coast beaches (NSW or Queensland).  The water stays warmer for longer and the weather is a lot more predictable.   Kids there will still be happily playing in the sea well into autumn.

While the Victorian coastline does get hot summers, it gets cold in winter - I moved to Melbourne a few years ago and had to go and buy woollen hats and gloves, warm coats, boots etc which I hadn't needed at all in Sydney for over 30 years. Personally, I enjoy the variety of the seasons instead of it being warm all year round, but it's not what a lot of migrants imagine

Remember there's nothing between Torquay and Antarctica except Tasmania - the water can be cold even on a hot day, and if there's bad weather, the coast is lashed (which can be spectacular to watch but frustrating if you wanted to swim).  Coming from Ireland you might not see that as an issue though.

https://www.seatemperature.org/australia-pacific/australia/

Hi Marisa,

The weather doesnt bother us in Victoria, Ive actually traveled quite extensively all up and down the East Coast. We are also looking at Geelong too so good to hear about it, im under the impression its too far from Torquay? 

Thats the thing, coming from Ireland the sea temp is no issue  and we are fully aware of the weather year round there. Altho it wouldnt bother me, my husband is from South Africa originally so he ultimately would like somewhere warmer but im not sure I would survive. Coming out of Luxembourg which has been in the minus degrees for 5 months, I have plenty of hats, scarves and boots for everyone lol. Theres more reason to live near the coast than swimming, i miss it here in Luxembourg so much. Hard being in a landlocked country, I just need to see the Ocean

[Alan Collett]

Is easy peasy to get to Torquay from Geelong, particularly if you live this side of town (Highton, Waurn Ponds, etc).

Takes me 20 to 25 minutes down the Surf Coast Highway.

Also, being in Highton means South Geelong station (free parking!) is 10 minutes away; into Melbourne (Southern Cross) by train in about an hour.

My office at 500 Collins St is a block from the station.

Works for me!

Best regards.

[Alan Collett]

PS.   If you need the warmth jump on a plane to Qld!  

A new airline (Bonza) is starting up and will fly from Avalon (again, 20 minutes from here in the car) to Maroochydore on the Sunny Coast very soon.

What's not to like?!  

[SusieinOz]

39 minutes ago, Alan Collett said:

Is easy peasy to get to Torquay from Geelong, particularly if you live this side of town (Highton, Waurn Ponds, etc).

Takes me 20 to 25 minutes down the Surf Coast Highway.

Also, being in Highton means South Geelong station (free parking!) is 10 minutes away; into Melbourne (Southern Cross) by train in about an hour.

My office at 500 Collins St is a block from the station.

Works for me!

Best regards.

You are really selling it to me Alan!!! Getting excited now. Thanks so much for all the info. I will take it all on board when looking at rentals.

Have a great weekend, Susie  

[Alan Collett]

1 hour ago, SusieinOz said:

You are really selling it to me Alan!!! Getting excited now. Thanks so much for all the info. I will take it all on board when looking at rentals.

Have a great weekend, Susie  

Will do!

On the ferry tomorrow morning from Queenscliff to Sorrento, then a cruisey 4km swim race down to Portsea on the outgoing tide (the Pier to Perignon) followed by lunch at the Portsea Hotel.

Onwards, Susie!

 

[Ausvisitor]

On 09/04/2022 at 20:45, Alan Collett said:

Is easy peasy to get to Torquay from Geelong, particularly if you live this side of town (Highton, Waurn Ponds, etc).

Takes me 20 to 25 minutes down the Surf Coast Highway.

Also, being in Highton means South Geelong station (free parking!) is 10 minutes away; into Melbourne (Southern Cross) by train in about an hour.

My office at 500 Collins St is a block from the station.

Works for me!

Best regards.

When I travel to Melbourne for work my office is just 10 doors down from yours, small world!

[Zed]

Hi there, 

We recently moved to Geelong after 10 years in Melbourne so we could get on the ladder and if I could live anywhere it would be Torquay or Ocean Grove....i don't have the money though. They are both coastal and beautiful. I'd say Torquay is more up market and becoming more hip each day. We are in Leopold which is a suburb between the Bellarine Peninsula and Geelong and is the best of both worlds for us as 10 mins to Geelong and 10 mins to Ocean Grove beach. I love the Bellarine, bike trails, wineries and beaches but in not really into Geelong, though smaller and less traffic to me all the areas are just suburbs. Although if you can afford around the river that too is lovely. One of my Irish friends lives in Newtown and that's a lovely suburb. 

We are a family of 4, originally from Leeds. Still trying to settle here and meet friends so if want to know anything else over a coffee give me a shout.