Neon_Tepee

I don't know if the lifestyle will be better, as I've never lived in NW Brisbane, but I can certainly vouch for Port Stephens.

I live in Nelson Bay and work at Williamtown, the commute is very easy, never had any significant traffic, there is a lot of roundabouts on the road, but always free moving, most of the drive is through rural bush.

Nelson bay is a great place to live, very relaxed, hundreds of beaches, good pubs and restaurants. If you like the sea its a must, inside the bay is protected from waves, but outside has some great surf. Some great diving/snorkelling in the area as well as 4x4 beaches.

Yes its gets busy at xmas and easter, but the only downsides I've experienced from that is Parking in the town, and no tables at the pubs / restaurants.

Climate is great, always a sea breeze to take the edge of the sun.

As other have said Port Stephens is an area and there are other towns (Anna Bay, Fingal Bay) which are also really nice but a bit lacking in facilities for me (Not many pubs). Commute is the same for all places, one road in and out, 30 mins door to door.

Again not sure of the cost of Brisbane, but for me in Nelson Bay its 10% cheaper than West Sydney, but I think the other places (anna bay etc etc) are cheaper again.

I love it here, its a piece of paradise, get on Google images and check out the area.

rabble_rouser

I'll have to see it myself I think but I haven't got the energy for another exploration adventure just yet having recently moved home. I've turned down the job but said I may reconsider in a year. I'm liking it too much in Brisbane so far and feel that things may improve here. I think I'd have to have a significant wage increase to move considering the prices are close to Sydney.

Good to know about the traffic levels though. I hear Lemon Tree passage also is nice. Surrounding Hunter Valley not so great apparently. Looks expensive to buy as well.

Beoz

Wow. Where are you sourcing this information from?

A quick peek on domain shows me 4 bed, 5 year old, water views, 30 sec walk from the beach for $800,000 or so in some places in Port Stephens. Do you know what something like that would go for in Sydney?

For the same price I see a few just north of Brisbane city, old, 2 and 3 bedders. No views of course.

Where and how are you basing these assumptions?

Beoz

Sounds a bit contradictory?

rabble_rouser

As in improving even more work wise. I don't feel I've given it enough of a chance here. The idea was to slowly work my way up until I reach the Sunshine coast which is looking like a real possibility in a year or two at current work.

fish.01

Well it would depend where you chose to live in Brisbane of course.

Inner city family home might be $800k...you could get small new 4bed with pool in great suburb for that (older homes are dearer)...something like:

http://www.realestate.com.au/propert...rdon-120523273

or 2 acres 30 minutes out:

363 Mt Glorious Road Samford Valley Qld 4520 - House for Sale #121778354 - realestate.com.au

or 3 bed family home 25 minutes out could be $485,000.

http://www.realestate.com.au/propert...ills-121495526

Beoz

Exactly why I asked what they were making these comparisons on.

Go a few streets back from the beach at Port Stephens and your 4 bed house suddenly comes in at $450,000

95A Bagnall Beach Road, Corlette
http://www.domain.com.au/2011884120

As I said, the info you and I have dug up seems to contradict the posters research.

fish.01

Yeah, I have no knowledge of that just your brisbane example...my guess would be a small place like that is relatively cheap, but probably not as cheap as you might expect for such a small place...seems to be how these places work out whenever I look.

Beoz

Well you do a pay premium in Australia for beauty and water.

Considering its commutable to Newcastle, 30 mins from an airport which services Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and has all the amenities you need, its price point sounds fair to me in comparison to other parts of Australia.

fish.01

Yes I guess because those type of places don't meet my needs and also have relatively few jobs I always expect them to be cheaper than they are. I am a city boy at heart but understand the small town beach thing ticks most of the boxes for some people.

scrudu

Depends on where you're going to live. If you life in Newcastle, depending on the time you travel, you'd look at 30-40 mins to the Airport. There's not much out a Williamtown apart from the airport and RAF base. Traffic although we all complain about it is never as bad as any other Australian city. At most you'd be held up an extra few minutes on your route. Within Newcastle most places are classed as 15 minutes from place to place

If you can get Brisbane wages in Newcastle, that'd be nice! Salaries generally tend to be lower here. Not sure what your work will be, but do think about future jobs and not just the one you'd move for. I work in IT and it's much more difficult to find a role, never mind an interesting or suitable role than it would be in a major city. If you lose this job, or decide to move on, will you have options? This for me is the major downside of living in Newcastle.

We moved to Newcastle 5 years ago and love it. Lots to do, Hunter valley vineyards nearby, great choice of beaches, city being revived slowly and a feeling of optimism about the future. You could live north of the airport out towards Nelson bay area, which has some stunning spots (fingal bay, shoal bay, tomaree head), but also lots of holiday lets and retirement apartments/villages. Horses for courses.

Prices in Newcastle are NOWHERE on the scale of Sydney, and it's the main reason why people end up returning/moving to live here. If you're looking for a pay increase, stay in the city, you won't get it here. If you prefer the city life, you also may well be very bored in Newcastle. It's hugely improved since we moved here, but I am very glad we moved here in my 30's and not my 20's as it would have done my head in.

rabble_rouser

As far as I'm concerned the quieter the better. I've been trying to move into a smaller town. I'm in my mid thirties looking to wind down career wise or career change so I don't know if the other job at Newcastle is a step in a right direction for that.

I'm an ambitious man but after getting nowhere for so long its time to stop making the effort for little reward. I think a change is in order and I think Brisbane might help that change come about a bit quicker. I don't want to be stuck in this niche job down in Newcastle with fewer options to career change.

Bermudashorts

Newcastle / Port Stephens is a fair bit from Sydney and the prices are nothing like Sydney!!

I would have priced it below Brisbane too. We thought about moving to Brisbane at one point so I have some familiarity with the prices there and in fact I am always looking at house prices in different areas. We are thinking of buying a second home in Australia over the next X years and Newcastle / Port Stephens definitely one of the options. Brisbane definitely not (on cost).

We would have moved to Newcastle in a heart beat had We been so lucky as to have work available in our fields up there. Still if you are happy where you are, then no point moving either.

rabble_rouser

The offer came back with a 10% salary increase improvement. I'll be driving down on sunday to check the area out.

Beoz

Good luck. Oh BTW. You can fly from Brisbane.