Guest Taylor Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Just registered, new at all this so still trying to figure it all out. My husbands company have offered him a job in Newcastle so we are thinking of making the big move Down Under! We like the look Lake McQuarie, would be great to live near the water. Got 4 year old twin boys who would be starting school there. Interested in any advice anyone can offer. We should be going out end of Feb to get a feel for the place and then moving out permanently around June. Any suggestions on areas we should consider living? Looking for somewhere with plenty to do for 2 active boys, with good schools, and an easy commute into Newcastle CBD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaniaColin Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Hi and welcome to PIO, good luck with the move Tania X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WARDStoOZ Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Hi and welcome to PomsinOz and all the best with your plans! There are a few people on here who could help you with Newcastle I think so hopefully they'll be along soon to help you out...!!! :yes: Dan xx :smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WARDStoOZ Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Hi again, here are some previous threads that I thought you might find useful: http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/new-south-wales/39583-newcastle-nsw.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/new-south-wales/32817-newcastle.html Hope they help! Dan xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taylor Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Thanks for your help, those previous threads were really helpful. This is all so new so its good to know the opinions of others who are in a similar situation to us and those who have done the deed already :biggrin: Does anyone know if there is a large expat community in the Newcastle area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraggles Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 yes newcastle is nice great beaches and very good for familys all my family who live in oz live in newcastle most live in valentine right on the lake ,thinks its about 20 mins drive to newcastle from there but its a nice drive ,my wife is from newcastle so feel free to pm her all the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belinda Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 It's a great place. I lived there for 4 years and loved it. It has beaches, the biggest sea lake in oz and the Hunter Valley wine region. It has good shops and a very large selection of restaurants. It has lots of parks and amenities. It is more aussie than the cities but that does carry with it a bit of a small town issue/mentality, i.e. everyone seems to know each other or one removed. The reason why we moved away is because the job market is too small, so it's hard to get higher paid jobs there and because the house prices kept going up and we couldn't afford to buy there. (this was due to the Sydney market prices going up, about 6 years ago) It is hot and humid. The seasons seems to really consist of hot and hotter, thus there is an issue with skin cancer and asthma in the Hunter region. As part of what they call the eastern seaboard, there are also ticks and more insects than say Victoria. You get used to all of that though and have your house sprayed once a year and keeps them away. I only tell you this because as an English lady, when I first moved to Newcastle and saw cockroaches etc, it was hard, as we are not used to seeing them in the UK unless it's a dirty place. That isn't the case in oz; it's only because of the heat that you get more of these types of things. I saw a few lizards, not many and a few spiders. Have seen more snakes down here in Victoria than in Newey. The sun in Australia is nothing like in Spain or anywhere near the UK. The sun here is not very safe at all, especially for us pale skin Europeans. Australia has a hole in the o-zone layer and you don't go out sunbathing unless you want issues with your skin. Many people I knew in Newcastle had skin cancers removed as a common thing. You may already be aware of all of this, but a lot of English are not when they come out here. I did love it there though and loved seeing the odd humpback whale playing on the way to work. Warners Bay, by the lake is nice and Valentine.....a few areas around the lake are nice, i.e. Kilaben Bay, but are a wee drive from Newcastle centre, about half an hour or a bit more. Friends of mine got a very large property in Morisset, which has a pool etc and more value for money, but it takes nearly an hour to get into Newcastle from there and some think that some of those lake areas are a bit rough-ish. There are train stations out there too though. I lived near Dudley/Charlestown, 5 mins from the beach and it was very nice. There are large properties up the back of Kahibah and Whitebridge, worth checking out ! Even some suburbs as far out as Caves beach are nice. Hamilton and Merewether are nice town locations, can be expensive though. Stay clear of Wickham, Gateshead and Mayfield. All have a lot of council housing and a wee bit of a drug problem, thus higher cases of robbery etc. You have a bit of a divide, the beach side, or the lake side and people go for one or the other as a preference. Hope that helps ! If you have any questions, pls feel free to message me :spinny: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AMCD Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Well I have arrived in Newcastle with a few days and opinion so far is very good. People have been very welcoming so far. Beaches are fab, weather is fab although a bit hot for an Irish guy. It is more of a big town rather than your typical cosmopolitan city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaniaColin Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Well I have arrived in Newcastle with a few days and opinion so far is very good. People have been very welcoming so far. Beaches are fab, weather is fab although a bit hot for an Irish guy. It is more of a big town rather than your typical cosmopolitan city. So pleased things are looking good for you, keep us updated Tania X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taylor Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Congratulations on your move. I would be interested to hear how you get on and how you settle in. Where abouts are you living? We may be following in your footsteps in a few months time so I want to know what to expect so I would appreciate if you could keep me updated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taylor Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 THanks, there was a lot of really useful information there. Obviously, with having 2 small boys, we want to avoid any 'rougher' areas with the plague and your advice on where to avoid is invaluable. Not too keen on the flies and tics, although with being from Scotland you think I'd be used to that with the midgies in summer!! The thought of big spiders (and any beasties actually) especially freaks me out as it does most people but it's a fact that I will encounter them so I have to learn to be brave Thanks for the information about the sun, I didn't realise just how damaging the sun can be, I tend to cover the boys in sun cream at the slightest glimmer of sunshine but that doesn't happen very often here :L Hope you are enjoying life in Victoria and thanks for the reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belinda Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Enjoy !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeorgetownGirl Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Hi Taylor, I recently returned from spending a year living in Newcastle and am itching to get back out there! It is a lovely town and has some wonderful natural beauty spots located in and around the area so there is always somewhere of interest to go and relax, or take part in other leisure activities. The areas I liked the most (in terms of living) were Merewether (which as someone else mentioned, is a bit more expensive) and Georgetown. The latter was infact were I myself stayed and it is a small community, located in the suburbs of the town. It is quiet, and a fairly safe and clean area to bring up children. There is a local shopping village that has a supermarket, post office, bank, school and so on. Plus there are buses and trains nearby which go into the CBD. Don't know how often places come up to buy/rent however, as people tend not to move out once they have moved in!!! Warner's Bay is another area I would agree is nice, roughly a 20 minute drive in little traffic. Have you found anywhere to live yet? Be interested to know how it all goes as Newcastle is somewhere very special to me :-) All the best - enjoy your trip out in Feb - am very envious! :-) GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AMCD Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 HI all, 10 days down here and all good so far. Nice place, not really a city. Gots fab beaches and everyone I have come across has been really friendly. Finding it difficult to find accommodation alright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandramcd Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Hi there, We arrived in Newcastle from Edinburgh on the 23rd Dec. We spent 5 weeks in a rental in Wickham and after a lot of deliberation, and house-hunting, are now in New Lambton Heights! We live next door to a wonderful Infant School for Joe and Meg, and my big 2 get the bus from the end of the road to the Public School in New Lambton. We had originally looked at Warners Bay and Eleebana which are lovely (especially the school in Eleebana) but are very happy where we are. My husband works at the uni so is also able to get the bus from the end of the road! It has been very hot and humid, there are a few bugs around, but other than that we actually feel that we could call Newcastle home. This is a great website to get info from people, I also did a lot of google-mapping, and used sites like Domain and realestate.com, youtube etc. Feel free to pm me to ask questions, I'd be happy to help. Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alexandsuze Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Hi Taylor, I grew up in Newcastle and after spending ten years living all over the place, my husband (who is English) and I moved back here about two years ago. That's because it is one of the best places in the world to live. We also have twin boys! So I know what you mean about active boys! There is a great twins club in Newcastle that you can join, and Lake Macquarie is a great spot to move if you have active little boys. We are in the Valentine/Eleebana area, it is right near the lake, the schools are great and there are lots of local sports clubs and activities for kids. The parks are beautiful and the people are lovely. It is a very friendly and safe area. My husband works in the Newcastle CBD and it is about a 20 minute drive to work. Please feel free to ask any other questions about the area, I'm sure you will love it once you get here in Feb to check it out. Goodluck with the move and if you want to make some new friends once you get here, send me a message and I can show you where to get good coffee. :-) Cheers, Suze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlom Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Hi AMCD we are considering Newcastle for sometime at the end of the year. We are an Irish family, what town in Ireland would you compare it to in size? thanks Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taylor Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 That's fantastic news that you seem to be settling in so well. It's worrying wondering how the kids will cope but I think the reality is that they adapt better than the adults !! I've been looking on domain and real estate to get a feel for the type of accommodation that is available to rent and for the most part, the houses look really nice, although a lot of Newcastle seems to be on a hill !! Unfortunately our company has postponed us going out there which we are really disappointed about but they assure us that it will happen in the next few months !! Is it easy enough to get the kids enrolled at local schools or is it quite a lengthy process? What kind of 'bugs' have you encountered so far? I rather stupidly had a look at the types of spiders I might come across when we eventually get out there and I haven't slept since !!! I must admit that I hate any sort of beastie so that thought rather terrifies me but I'm sure there are many more like me !! Well let me know how you get on as the weeks go by, it'll be really interesting to hear how you and your family settle in. Thanks again for the advice :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taylor Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Wow, how old are your twin boys? How cool, it's great to hear that there's a twins club in Newcastle, that will be a good opportunity for the boys to make some new friends. You sound like you have it sussed, you've got just what we are looking for ... a house near the lake, good local schools, parks, plenty of family outdoor activities, 20 minute drive to work, sounds amazing !! Hey I might take you up on your offer of a coffee, I do like a good latte but unfortunately it won't be in February as our trip has been postponed but hopefully it's just a minor setback and we'll be on our way over there very soon :-) Thanks again for all the help and advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KAS Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Hi,We moved to Eleebanna last month and it'sone of the most beautiful arears outside Newcastle.We have 2 boys just started school (aged 4 and 10) Eleebanna is a good school and both my boys have made grat frinds and the teachers have looked after them well considering that they have had such a big move.If you need any more info just let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taylor Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 So glad to hear your kids have settled well in their new schools and have adjusted well to live in Eleebana. It is one of the areas that looks like a great place to live and is definitely one we are considering. Where did you move to Oz from and how long ago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Hi I moved to Newcastle from london just over 3 months ago. We have no settled in Kotara south and I have to say I love it here. Warners bay was too quiet for us and where we origanly thought we would head Merewether wasnt so child friendly. So here we are in the burbs and loving it. My 4 young boys have settled really well with 3 of them going to the local primary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandramcd Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 That's fantastic news that you seem to be settling in so well. It's worrying wondering how the kids will cope but I think the reality is that they adapt better than the adults !! I've been looking on domain and real estate to get a feel for the type of accommodation that is available to rent and for the most part, the houses look really nice, although a lot of Newcastle seems to be on a hill !! Unfortunately our company has postponed us going out there which we are really disappointed about but they assure us that it will happen in the next few months !! Is it easy enough to get the kids enrolled at local schools or is it quite a lengthy process? What kind of 'bugs' have you encountered so far? I rather stupidly had a look at the types of spiders I might come across when we eventually get out there and I haven't slept since !!! I must admit that I hate any sort of beastie so that thought rather terrifies me but I'm sure there are many more like me !! Well let me know how you get on as the weeks go by, it'll be really interesting to hear how you and your family settle in. Thanks again for the advice :-) Hi there, Yes, Newcastle is very hilly! I had never driven an automatic car before but now I'd be scared to drive anything else here! We were lucky to be put up for up to 6 weeks so that we spent that time driving around and exploring the different suburbs, seeing where the shops, parks etc were. Ultimately, for us, it was down to where we were able to get a house. My husband is still a little sad we couldn't get one in Eleebana! We found the whole registration at the schools really easy - we basically rocked up on the first day of term which was an INSET day, filled in the paperwork (we needed our passports with proof of residency and something to prove our address), got some second-hand uniforms at the uniform shop to do for the next day and that was it! The kids have settled really well and made friends, the work varies from "soo easy" to "haven't done that before" and I think it will take a while to get used to doing things a bit differently but that 's what you'd expect. I tend to be the kind of person to research things to death but that has definately worked in our favour. The internet can be a marvellous thing! Make sure when you are looking at Domain that you use the street-view option so that you see what might be next door... Good luck with your plans, I hope the wait is not too frustrating. Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest26110 Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Hi AMCD we are considering Newcastle for sometime at the end of the year. We are an Irish family, what town in Ireland would you compare it to in size? thanks Karl I only know northern Ireland, imo Newcastle is about the same size as Londonderry.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KAS Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 :SLEEP:Hi,I'm new to this site and it's so nice to hear that other families are going through the same thing,we have been here since Jan 09 and both my boys love it Jordan (10) Elliot (4)we live in Eleebana just outside Warnerd Bay and I too find it a bit quite.If you fancy meeting up for a coffee just let me know and we can compare notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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