Where in Australia to live…

[Ollie2212]

Hi guys,

I’m currently living in Hobart, TAS after moving from the UK with my partner. We came here as she has family here so it made it easier to settle in and stay somewhere during the initial process. We are now looking to the future and at some point in the next 12 or so months, we would like to relocate to the mainland. 
 

I am aware that we are looking for may not exist but would appreciate and knowledge people have to offer!

Essentially what we are looking for, is Gold Coast vibes, but safer and less noisy. We want the warm weather, so potentially somewhere in Queensland. The idea of the ocean seems nice but we even somewhere like Sydney with its water ways is appealing (although far too expensive)

We both work in hospitality and would ideally like a location that allows us to use public transportation or even better, is in walking distance to a bustling city centre with bars, restaurants and hotels. We will be renting, and ideally something around $550 a week would be ideal, although for the right place, we could certainly stretch to 650/700 tops. The property is quite important to us, and we have always tended to put a decent chunk of our income into nice, modern apartments or houses to rent.

So to recap… we want to live in the city centre of Sydney, with the Gold Coast beaches and the Hobart prices!

like I said, I’m aware this won’t be possible, but if someone could work with us and help to get some ideas going, it’d be really appreciated!

[InnerVoice]

7 hours ago, Ollie2212 said:

Essentially what we are looking for, is Gold Coast vibes, but safer and less noisy. We want the warm weather, so potentially somewhere in Queensland. The idea of the ocean seems nice but we even somewhere like Sydney with its water ways is appealing (although far too expensive)

The closest to this is the Sunshine Coast. It's become very popular since covid so you won't rent a house for $550/week, but you should get an apartment for that. There isn't a huge amount of nightlife by a young person's standards as there tends to be an older/retired demographic, but there are a few lively spots in Noosa, Mooloolaba and Caloundra.

Cairns would better suit your budget although it's much hotter than S E Queensland, and not everyone's cup of tea. It does have quite a vibrant city centre and good nightlife, especially at the weekends. There's no beach in Cairns - only the man-made lagoon (which is actually rather nice, and free). The nearest beaches are the northern beaches, which are a 20-30 minute bus ride north of the city centre. Between November and May there are swimming enclosures due to the presence of marine stingers (the highly-venomous box jellyfish, and other nasties), but I wouldn't let that put you off - there are swimming pools everywhere. 

Cairns Lagoon...

[Marisawright]

Newcastle. Brilliant beaches, good nightlife, trendy cafes, property approximately half the price of Sydney, warm weather, on the doorstep of the wineries, only two hours from Sydney if you fancy a weekend in the big smoke. 

It used to be a dismal working class town and still has that reputation among Sydneysiders but it has totally changed. Lots of Sydney young people moving there. Parts of the city are still a bit grim but don't let that out you off. 

I like Hobart but you'll find Newcastle is much bigger and a lot more going on

Edited September 29, 2023 by Marisawright

[Ollie2212]

Thanks for the info guys! What do people feel about Brisbane? Seems to have a good nightlife, warm weather and close enough to take day trips to the gold coast? Also seeing some pretty nice modern apartments for around $600 in places like Woolloongabba, West End and South Brisbane, all which seem pretty close to the city centre therefore walkable to work?

[Marisawright]

7 hours ago, Ollie2212 said:

Thanks for the info guys! What do people feel about Brisbane? Seems to have a good nightlife, warm weather and close enough to take day trips to the gold coast? Also seeing some pretty nice modern apartments for around $600 in places like Woolloongabba, West End and South Brisbane, all which seem pretty close to the city centre therefore walkable to work?

It's not "warm", it's hot. I used to live in Sydney and while I liked visiting Brisbane, I found it far too hot and sticky in summer. 

[InnerVoice]

7 hours ago, Ollie2212 said:

Thanks for the info guys! What do people feel about Brisbane? Seems to have a good nightlife, warm weather and close enough to take day trips to the gold coast? Also seeing some pretty nice modern apartments for around $600 in places like Woolloongabba, West End and South Brisbane, all which seem pretty close to the city centre therefore walkable to work?

I lived in Brisbane for many years, and yes it gets hot in the summer, but there's air-con for that - just as there's heating for winter. Brissie is slightly inland so it gets hotter than the coast during the summer and a little cooler during the winter, but I'd choose living in Brisbane over the Gold Coast any day of the week. It's a lot more cosmopolitan, multicultural, and if you haven't visited for a few years you'll be amazed at how much the city has advanced in terms amenities, entertainment, etc. It's no longer the 'big country town' it used to be.

[Nemesis]

18 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

I lived in Brisbane for many years, and yes it gets hot in the summer, but there's air-con for that - just as there's heating for winter. Brissie is slightly inland so it gets hotter than the coast during the summer and a little cooler during the winter, but I'd choose living in Brisbane over the Gold Coast any day of the week. It's a lot more cosmopolitan, multicultural, and if you haven't visited for a few years you'll be amazed at how much the city has advanced in terms amenities, entertainment, etc. It's no longer the 'big country town' it used to be.

I would add a caveat to this though, not every property in Brisbane has air con, and even fewer have heating. The more modern places do, but take care to check as there are older properties, especially rentals, which do not.

[Marisawright]

4 hours ago, Nemesis said:

I would add a caveat to this though, not every property in Brisbane has air con, and even fewer have heating. The more modern places do, but take care to check as there are older properties, especially rentals, which do not.

I would add another caveat -- air-conditioning is only helpful while you're indoors. If you're not an indoors kind of person it's useless! 

[Parley]

59 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

I would add another caveat -- air-conditioning is only helpful while you're indoors. If you're not an indoors kind of person it's useless! 

But in somewhere cold a coat is only helpful if you're wearing it.

[Tulip1]

36 minutes ago, Parley said:

But in somewhere cold a coat is only helpful if you're wearing it.

But it’s easy to put a coat on to make you more comfortable outside.  How do you make yourself comfortable in sticky hot weather. By dashing in and out air con buildings I’d imagine.   Really cold and really hot are equals I think.  Both unpleasant.  

[Marisawright]

3 hours ago, Parley said:

But in somewhere cold a coat is only helpful if you're wearing it.

But if you're somewhere hot and sticky and you're already wearing just shorts and a singlet, you can't get any cooler, even if you plan ahead. Whereas you can plan for cold weather with extra layers

[InnerVoice]

4 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I would add another caveat -- air-conditioning is only helpful while you're indoors. If you're not an indoors kind of person it's useless! 

I'm very much an outdoor person and the heat doesn't affect my lifestyle at all. Obviously we aren't running marathons at midday up here, but the hot weather has never stopped us doing the things we enjoy. The same can't be said of UK winter weather, which can affect transportation and people's moral. I haven't worn anything other than shorts and T-shirts for other a decade and that's comfortable enough throughout the day, but you feel it in the evening when the heat's still in the house. That's when the air-con goes on - just as you'd stick the central heating on in the UK when it's getting chilly.

I wouldn't dispute there are times in QLD when it just gets too hot, but those periods don't last long. As the saying goes about our weather, 'One day beautiful, perfect the next!'

[Toots]

39 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

But if you're somewhere hot and sticky and you're already wearing just shorts and a singlet, you can't get any cooler, even if you plan ahead. Whereas you can plan for cold weather with extra layers

Undoubtedly some people can tolerate, even enjoy hot/humid weather.  Others of us can't.  I am one of those people.  I get a bit on the cranky side when it gets over 25C.  I am very much an outdoors person and just find it tiring and uncomfortable to be active in that sort of weather.  When we were thinking of moving to Tasmania people said "Oh but it gets so cold there".  I suppose for folk who love heat they would find it too cold for them but I don't mind it at all.  Where we live it doesn't get THAT cold.  It's quite rare during winter to not have the temp in double digits during the day.  

It was 37 in Sydney this afternoon.  Here it was 20.  I know which temperature I prefer.  

[calNgary]

17 hours ago, Ollie2212 said:

Thanks for the info guys! What do people feel about Brisbane? Seems to have a good nightlife, warm weather and close enough to take day trips to the gold coast? Also seeing some pretty nice modern apartments for around $600 in places like Woolloongabba, West End and South Brisbane, all which seem pretty close to the city centre therefore walkable to work?

Brisbane is awesome, as is the Gold Coast... Its Australia it gets hot sometimes but you tend to find across the year you may have a dozen days that are that hot you can't do much.  QLD has such a variety of places and things to see and do it really is a lovely place.

Property wise i have always liked Bulimba in Brisbane and for the Gold Coast i would live Hinterland side (Canungra is a little fav of mine) not the beach side of the highway where its busy.

               Cal x

[Ollie2212]

15 minutes ago, calNgary said:

Brisbane is awesome, as is the Gold Coast... Its Australia it gets hot sometimes but you tend to find across the year you may have a dozen days that are that hot you can't do much.  QLD has such a variety of places and things to see and do it really is a lovely place.

Property wise i have always liked Bulimba in Brisbane and for the Gold Coast i would live Hinterland side (Canungra is a little fav of mine) not the beach side of the highway where its busy.

               Cal x

Hi Cal, 

 

thanks for the info! Brisbane really does seem to have a nice balance of what I’m looking for without being too expensive. 
 

I’m originally from Manchester, so anywhere you live that’s relatively central is fine. Looking at a map of Brisbane, I have no idea where the “centre” would be. Fortitude valley, kangaroo point and south Brisbane all seem to triangle around the word “Brisbane” when looking at google maps, which implies that’s where you’d want to be looking right?

 

Or is it a case of there being lots of “mini cities” within Brisbane? For example, Kangaroo point and St Lucia are over an hours walk from each other so I’d assume that one of those places is too far away from “the city centre”

 

I hope that makes sense!

[calNgary]

1 hour ago, Ollie2212 said:

Hi Cal, 

 

thanks for the info! Brisbane really does seem to have a nice balance of what I’m looking for without being too expensive. 
 

I’m originally from Manchester, so anywhere you live that’s relatively central is fine. Looking at a map of Brisbane, I have no idea where the “centre” would be. Fortitude valley, kangaroo point and south Brisbane all seem to triangle around the word “Brisbane” when looking at google maps, which implies that’s where you’d want to be looking right?

 

Or is it a case of there being lots of “mini cities” within Brisbane? For example, Kangaroo point and St Lucia are over an hours walk from each other so I’d assume that one of those places is too far away from “the city centre”

 

I hope that makes sense!

Hi 

 Yes there are lots of suburbs out of the city more popular for families. Mini satellite cities are being built all over and prices have risen lots too both in the city and outter suburbs. 4 or 5 years ago houses on my street were areound $450k upwards, now they are $800k upwards.

As an example Im on acerage, just under an hour from the city and an hour from Gold Coast beaches but we only tend to go to the city or the coast for a day/ night out every now and again as everything you need day to day, week to week is much closer. Have a look on Realestate.com for a guide to property costs so you can see what you get for your money.

           Cal x

Edited to add - what is it you do for work? That 'may' narrow down your search of areas, but dont believe all work is in the city, it isn;t.

[Nemesis]

5 hours ago, Toots said:

Undoubtedly some people can tolerate, even enjoy hot/humid weather.  Others of us can't.  I am one of those people.  I get a bit on the cranky side when it gets over 25C.  I am very much an outdoors person and just find it tiring and uncomfortable to be active in that sort of weather.  When we were thinking of moving to Tasmania people said "Oh but it gets so cold there".  I suppose for folk who love heat they would find it too cold for them but I don't mind it at all.  Where we live it doesn't get THAT cold.  It's quite rare during winter to not have the temp in double digits during the day.  

It was 37 in Sydney this afternoon.  Here it was 20.  I know which temperature I prefer.  

The heat & humidity was the thing is disliked the most about Australia. However its only now I've been back in the UK for a few months that I've realised how much better I feel in a cooler climate. My health has improved a lot, and my mood is so much better, much less short tempered. I'm not stressed by being hot and sweaty after a 15 minute walk to thd bus stop, I can sit outside and relax without feeling hot and exhausted. 
i know people say there are only about 20 days a year when Brisbane is too hot but thats a very individual thing. I used to find 9 months of the year too hot! 
 

[Marisawright]

12 hours ago, calNgary said:

Brisbane is awesome, as is the Gold Coast... Its Australia it gets hot sometimes but you tend to find across the year you may have a dozen days that are that hot you can't do much. 

We've had this discussion many times before. Reaction to heat and humidity is such a personal thing. You obviously tolerate high humidity well. I'm more like Nemesis - winter in Queensland is gorgeous but the other 6 months is unlivable for me. 

It's very natural that the OP, being in Tasmania, is hankering for warm, sunny weather but they should be aware that moving to Queensland is a pretty extreme change

[InnerVoice]

How can I put this diplomatically? Most people tend to feel the heat more as they get older and start carrying a few extra pounds - not that I'm saying that applies to anyone above - but I've noticed it myself (gained about 10kg in the last 10 years). I see people from time to time who fit a certain demographic and think, oh dear, you really don't look happy!

From @Ollie2212 post it sounds like they are a youngish couple (I'm guessing in their 30s) and S E Queensland would be a great choice. They work in hospitality so they'll easily find work in the holiday state, and it doesn't sound like there's anything holding them back. If they don't like it they can always return to Tassie at a later date, or try somewhere further south. I thought Newcastle was an excellent suggestion, and one of the places we've been looking at for a future move.

[ramot]

53 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

We've had this discussion many times before. Reaction to heat and humidity is such a personal thing. You obviously tolerate high humidity well. I'm more like Nemesis - winter in Queensland is gorgeous but the other 6 months is unlivable for me. 

It's very natural that the OP, being in Tasmania, is hankering for warm, sunny weather but they should be aware that moving to Queensland is a pretty extreme change

The weather on the Sunshine Coast is absolutely glorious at the moment, clear blue skies, 25’ during the day,, nice breeze, down to 12’ at night, no humidity, and being enjoyed by the hundreds of all ages out and about over the long weekend. 

Yes it’s hot and humid for a maximum of 3 months over the height of summer, but amazingly those of who live here, cope fine.

Of course the climate doesn’t suit everyone, but I could claim that I will never live in UK again, because I hate the months and months of cold wet dark winters, too afraid to leave the house, because the pavements are covered in ice or snow, and black ice or snow on the roads making it dangerous to drive. 

So the answer is live where it suits you, and accept that people can be happy in a climate that doesn’t suit everyone.

i will add that I think that mostly people adjust to the climate where they live, a slightly lighthearted example was living for 10 years in Brunei, where the temperature varied between hot and hotter, or wet and wetter, before we left I remarked to someone that I didn’t think it was as hot as when I arrived!? I was assured oh yes it’s absolutely as hot, you’ve just lived here long enough to adjusted to it.

Edited October 1, 2023 by ramot

[Marisawright]

10 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

How can I put this diplomatically? Most people tend to feel the heat more as they get older and start carrying a few extra pounds - not that I'm saying that applies to anyone above - but I've noticed it myself (gained about 10kg in the last 10 years). I see people from time to time who fit a certain demographic and think, oh dear, you really don't look happy!

From @Ollie2212 post it sounds like they are a youngish couple (I'm guessing in their 30s) and S E Queensland would be a great choice. They work in hospitality so they'll easily find work in the holiday state, and it doesn't sound like there's anything holding them back. If they don't like it they can always return to Tassie at a later date, or try somewhere further south. I thought Newcastle was an excellent suggestion, and one of the places we've been looking at for a future move.

Thanks a lot, but I've found Queensland summers a trial since I was travelling up there for work in the 1990s weighing 55kg. Naturally you're not going to meet many people like me in Qld because we don't put the up with it for long, but it's narrow minded and rather rude to dismiss our existence.

[Marisawright]

5 minutes ago, ramot said:

So the answer is live where it suits you, and accept that people can be happy in a climate that doesn’t suit everyone.

Exactly. I don't see anyone saying otherwise. I don't understand why.when someone says Queensland weather doesn't suit them, it's taken as some kind of attack.

Of course, the weather suits some and not others. If it suits you it's a great  place to live.

I don't think that means people who it doesn't suit should be shouted down or told they have a problem. I think it's perfectly reasonable to point out, to someone coming from Tasmania, that the difference in temperature may be a bit more dramatic than they're expecting. If that doesn't worry them, fine. 

[Toots]

23 minutes ago, ramot said:

The weather on the Sunshine Coast is absolutely glorious at the moment, clear blue skies, 25’ during the day,, nice breeze, down to 12’ at night, no humidity, and being enjoyed by the hundreds of all ages out and about over the long weekend. 

Yes it’s hot and humid for a maximum of 3 months over the height of summer, but amazingly those of who live here, cope fine.

Of course the climate doesn’t suit everyone, but I could claim that I will never live in UK again, because I hate the months and months of cold wet dark winters, too afraid to leave the house, because the pavements are covered in ice or snow, and black ice or snow on the roads making it dangerous to drive. 

So the answer is live where it suits you, and accept that people can be happy in a climate that doesn’t suit everyone.

i will add that I think that mostly people adjust to the climate where they live, a slightly lighthearted example was living for 10 years in Brunei, where the temperature varied between hot and hotter, or wet and wetter, before we left I remarked to someone that I didn’t think it was as hot as when I arrived!? I was assured oh yes it’s absolutely as hot, you’ve just lived here long enough to adjusted to it.

A fair percentage of retirees here head off to Qld for the winters.  A neighbour has just returned.  They go every year and love it.  

Even when I lived in the UK I didn't like the few hot days.  The summer I worked in London was horrid.  Week after week of hot weather (1976).  It was lovely to get up to Mum's place in Scotland for the cooler weather there.  I admit, I am a wuss.  I have to state I have never been overweight so that has nothing to do with it.  I'm just a cooler climate type of person.

My sister adores hot weather and my brother who lived in Thailand for years never minded the heat and humidity.  He'd go out and play golf and tennis in Bangkok.  I'd be in the shade by a swimming pool.  

[InnerVoice]

10 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Exactly. I don't see anyone saying otherwise. I don't understand why.when someone says Queensland weather doesn't suit them, it's taken as some kind of attack.

Maybe because the discussion didn't start with 'the Queensland weather doesn't suit me', it started with Queensland is 'too hot' and/or 'too humid', so making a generalization based on one's own opinion. During the 6 months I lived in Melbourne I found the number of grey days rather depressing, although I never say to anyone don't go and live in Melbourne, the weather is terrible.

[Toots]

15 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

Maybe because the discussion didn't start with 'the Queensland weather doesn't suit me', it started with Queensland is 'too hot' and/or 'too humid', so making a generalization based on one's own opinion. During the 6 months I lived in Melbourne I found the number of grey days rather depressing, although I never say to anyone don't go and live in Melbourne, the weather is terrible.

I'm sure the OP is well aware of the different weathers and temps in Australia.  They just have to find a place that suits them.  Weather isn't the be all and end all though it is nice to be comfortable.