Perth or Melbourne?

[gaunty]

Hi All

Hoping we can get some advice. We were originally going for a Skilled Ind visa and going to Perth (1st choice with Victoria 2nd choice- I've got VETASSESS practical in June).

 

We are now thinking about State Spon. I'm a Plumber and have spent 2 months in WA but only a week in Melbourne 6 yrs ago so have no knowledge. However, we're now considering Victoria since they apparently process SS visas much quicker than WA and hoping to apply for our visa before 1st July. We've a young family (3yrs and 11 wks) and we're big on surfing and windsurfing and want to be out and about all year.

 

Any comments on the comparisions both good and bad between Perth and Meb suburbs close to the sea (not Port Phillip- flat water!?)?

 

Regards

 

Gaunty

[ali]

I've never been to Melbourne but live in Perth and believe from what people have told me they're like chalk and cheese. Perth is very quiet and laid back whilst Melbourne is very much a more vibrant city, busier etc.,

[Petals]

If you want close to the Ocean Beaches you would need t move down to the southern end of the Mornington Peninsula and on the other side of Melbourne to Jan Juc, Torquay, Bells Beach. These areas are ok if you actually work in the area but if you have to commute then they are a long way out.

 

We love Melbourne but as Ali has said cannot really compare the two as both are completely different.

 

Melbourne has four million people so is a large sprawling area and we live over a hundred kilometres from the airport for example.

 

Itgs seventy kilometres by road to the city from where we live. 47 as the crow flies which estate agents say which bears no resemblance to the commute.

 

Its generally cooler in Melbourne than Perth, although we do get hot spells and they are very hot. I have family living in Perth who live around the Rockingham area and love it there.

 

Personally we lived where my oh got a very good well paying job and it was lucky for us it turned out to be Melbourne, however if it had been somewhere else I would have liked it as having enough cash makes the world go round even though some say its not about cash.

[Maz]

Hi Gaunty

 

My OH is a plumber aswell and we moved to Melbourne nearly 6 months ago. Like you we were originally thinking of moving to Perth but when we looked into jobs there was definately more opportunities for plumbers in Melbourne so we got SS for Victoria, my OH got a job within a few weeks of getting here and got promoted a couple of months later. We know a couple of plumbers in perth who are struggling to get plumbing work and i think there is more work here bcos of the amount of new build houses going up in the west. I would maybe think of going to Geelong area, Oceans Grove is a beautiful beach and really popular for surfing etc and you should get work in Geelong area, or if not, theres definately an abundance of plumbing work in the Werribee area which is only about 45 mins from Werribee. Havent been to Perth so cant give any advice on there to be honest, it does look beautiful and very popular with brits but the lack of work put us off. Good luck with what you decide.

 

Maz

[Guest]

This is a big decision so I wouldn't base it on speed of processing. I live in Perth so I'm biased but I'd say Perth all the way and it is a perfect location for windsurfing.

 

The weather isn't as consistently good in Melbourne, it's got a much larger population and based on watching the news there seems to be much more anti social behaviour. Many people love it of course!

 

Jules

[gaunty]

Thanks everyone for all the good info. It's really hard trying to make a decision when you've got little to go on so it all helps. We spent 2 months in WA windsurfing 6 years ago and really liked Perth particularly the south West (Margaret River etc) but I know it probably will have changed (alot?) since we were there.

 

Melbourne was really great but I won't want to leave a cold London to end up in a cold(ish) city on the other side of the world.

 

Regards

 

Gaunty.:biggrin:

[Guest gary12]

We are in Melbourne, had thought of Perth but for us it felt too remote from the rest of Australia. The weather was also another factor, it's been hot here now since about November and will last a good while longer yet which sounds ideal but when you are not used to it, sometimes it's too much. Last winter my son only wore a light fleece a couple of times to school so it doesn't get "England cold" unless you head upto Lake Mountain, Buller etc for the snow and then it's flippin freezing!

 

I like the vibrant nature of the city, there are fantastic beaches lots of people kite surf around the bay. The water gets cold in the winter but you still see them out there in a wet suit...brr no thanks! As people have mentioned head towards Torquay and Bells beach ( they had surf championships there last year) or to the ocean beaches Mornington way.

 

I must say Perth does look stunning and there are lots of expats very happy there.

 

not helping much am I.

 

Best of luck

Michelle

[ali]

Thanks everyone for all the good info. It's really hard trying to make a decision when you've got little to go on so it all helps. We spent 2 months in WA windsurfing 6 years ago and really liked Perth particularly the south West (Margaret River etc) but I know it probably will have changed (alot?) since we were there.

 

Melbourne was really great but I won't want to leave a cold London to end up in a cold(ish) city on the other side of the world.

 

Regards

 

Gaunty.:biggrin:

 

The South West is still beautiful, it may have changed since you were last there, but it's still stunning.

[theonetruechris]

My two pennies worth.

Melbournes my vote, if you can afford to live where you want. However If you can get work I'd look at Geelong its got a nice feel to me not too big like melbourne and its near the ocean (so much nicer than the bay, port philip not summer) Also if you want the big city lights its not too far by road or rail.

I'm very much impressed by things to do in and around Melbourne - zoos, museums, galleries, sporting events, nice scenery out in the dandenongs etc. Also I think the weather here is more bearable to me (I don't enjoy temperatures 30 degrees and over) it still gets that hot but seems less of the time than elsewhere.

Oh and tassie is but a short trip on a ferry away.

[KD79UK]

if you want good weather pretty much all year round, very quiet life and beautiful beaches choose Perth.... if you want a lively, fun city with lots to do and people who are a bit more up to date, and travelling to get to a busy beach and dont mind cold weather choose melbourne!

[Guest Rob c]

I have been to both citys, Perth is lovely, but a bit too remote, and not as lively as Melbourne, depends what you want really, i can see the attraction of Perth, for Couples with kids, marraige and settling down ,and all that good stuff , and the weather would be generally better there.

Melbourne on the other hand, seems more arty farty,and creative, with a lot more soul and more people. Seems to be a lot more going on in Melbourne.

Surf ,im sure both places are just as good as each other on there days, with the proper swell and winds, from what i can make ,most people wear a 3/2 or a 4/3 in the winter months in Vic, so if your used to wearing a 5/3 with hood, gloves, boots, its nothing to complain about!!!, water temp in Vic seems to boob about in the double didgets all year round, so i wouldnt be put off, plus it probably less crowded on certain spots?

[gaunty]

Thanks for that info. Questions about water temp were going to be my next ! And yup, I am used to 5/3 steamer, hood, gloves and boots in winter and No, I do not want to move to the other side of the world and climb back into that amount of neoprene during the winter! I'd want to be able to get in the sea all year without having to resort to that.

 

Regards

Gaunty

[Guest Rob c]

Dont think you need all that, just a 3/2 or maybe a 4/3, no need for hoods, gloves, booties etc, take a look at magicseaweed.com, and click on Australia, to get current water temps in the selected areas, otherwise buy the Stormriders Guide to Australia you can get it on Amazon, dude dont be such a wuss, its easy to climb in and out of a wetsiut , i can do it in 2 mins , and remember peoples lives have been saved cus the were wearing a wetsuit, from shark bites!! tends to keep the mess alltogether!!, and can prevent jellyfish stings too, WA is super sharky along with sea snakes, a few sharks in Vic too, but i its more of a problem in WA, dont say u were not warned!!! , have surfed there dude!!, its not all fun in the sun, when a white pointer is sniffing you out , GULP!!!