daddyofthree

I have just been doing some house research on Melbourne and found that Featherbrook, Point Cook victoria (West Melbourne I think!!) appeared to be quite nice and reasonably priced. Can anyone offer some advice on the area such as crime, schooling, job opportunities for teaching and travel access if work was a few miles out of the area.

Petals

Do not live over that way myself. Its a popular area lots of new housing and commutable to the city. Young families are moving out that way these days.

Crime same as any other city in the world there is no city that does not have crime these days.

Have a look at Realestate.com.au and also google earth street

grevillia

I can't answer all your questions, but for what it's worth:

I have 2 lots of friends who live in Pt Cook & visit often. One lot are very happy there. They live in a road with medium-sized houses, & lots of young families; it's a friendly, sociable & supportive environment. A family of Brits moved in next to my friends last year & were immediately welcomed & invited to kids' parties etc. The other friends I have there are a couple who live in a street full of really huge houses. It's less friendly, & the wife, who's pregnant feels isolated, so they're moving. So I reckon it depends on the street you choose, and it's worth a bit of careful 'sussing out' when buying.

Travel into the city is variable from there: you can get the train (zone 1) from Laverton, or drive in via the freeway. Both routes tend to get very busy at commuter time, as the the West has developed fast in terms of housing but the transport infrastructure hasn't caught up yet (sounds a familiar problem?). I would allow 35-45ish mins to drive in to the Melbourne CBD at rush hour but much less at other times. Travel to Geelong is an easy drive down the freeway (about 30 minutes?) or there's the train there, too.

There are lots of reasonable sized schools at Pt Cook, Werribee, Geelong, & closer into Melbourne too. Sorry I have no ideas re teaching jobs.

There's a new shopping center that's recently opened at Sanctuary Lakes very near Pt Cook; haven't been there myself.

The country park & beach at Pt Cook & the lovely long sandy beach at Altona are a few minutes drive, as are the Werribee Park Mansion & zoo. It's an easy drive (say 45-50 mins) to the start of the Great Ocean Road surf beaches from there too. So lots for kids of all ages!

I've seen/heard no evidence of a crime wave over that way, apart from the normal hoons, the odd burglary etc.

As the East of Melbourne gets more and more full and crowded, the 'smart money' is on the inner west for good capital return on house prices. At the mo places such as Pt Cook are affordable, but in the med/long term likely to rise.

Hope that helps, & good luck with your move!

G.

PS: you will almost certainly need a car (or 2) if you live in Pt Cook as the local bus transport is not that great.

ossigeno

Depends what your expectations are. A lot of the new suburbs remind me of Basildon or Milton Keynes.

West side is certainly cheaper than the east.

daddyofthree

Thanks, your advice has been very helpful. If anyone else can offer further advice or recommend any other nice areas in Melbourne where property is of good value we would be very grateful. We are looking at property for approx $400K (4 br) which is within 20k of the beach and is central to most things.

di90

I came accross this thread - I sat down with google maps and typed each one in. Seems like there are a few areas in the west that are not that good. Check it out yourself.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=552107

gsidhu

Hi - we've recently moved to Point Cook, just near the SL shopping centre, after living with our fams in South East. We've only been here a few weeks, but it seems very pleasant. It takes me 45 mins to the CBD in the morning from Hoppers Crossing station. Laverton is also an option and its in Zone 1.

You do need a car, tried the bus once and it took an age.

Not lived here long enough to find out about crime, there are the occasional
hoons though.

Neighbours, not sure they exist. There seems to be a good mix of people and cultures in the area, mostly young families i'd say.

The PC new shopping centre opens on Thursday, looks to have a decent selection of shops, though Hoppers and Werribee are close by so you dont have to go too far to get stuff.

Have a look at Taylors Lakes, Caroline Springs too, depends on your taste though, but we didnt want to move to the East side reminds me of Trainspotting, were as I prefer the Trueman show on the West Side.

But thats the great thing about Melbourne has something to suit everyones tastes

The Crow

Which area in the East reminds you of Trainspotting

Can't be here..

However, I agree that you can find a suburb/village to fit almost anyone's criteria Depends what you are looking for.

fraser

Loads of better areas in Melbourne than Point Cook, it's already getting over crowded, congestion on the roads isn't great. The schools aren't very good, it's windy a lot and has no soul. It is however a good location for getting into the city although the public transport can be a pig. As for Featherbrook no way would I consider living there for a while as it isn't even divided there yet and neither is the other new estate next to it and it's one big dust bowl there and will be for at least another 2 years. I'd recommend moving to and established estate other wise you wont be able to open your windows without the inside of your house turning red.

gsidhu

I went to the Dandendongs ranges once, is very nice there, we went to some restaurant(though it had closed down) up some mountain a few years back, and got to see some great views of Melbourne City.

I used to get the train from Danendong(living in Rowville at the time) and sometimes from boxhill, quite a few of the suburbs on route to the city gave me that feel, Richmond especially.

I agree with Fraser that there are better places than PC, but on price the west is hard to beat as opposed to buying in the east(20km circle). As work is mostly in the CBD for me, this was a key factor to moving there. I have also wanted to build a house rather than buy established. Not saying you cant
do this in the East, but I then its too far out suburbs like Cranbourne, Berwick, Lyndhurst for us.

I have to say i've only been living here a short-time so all my thoughts are mostly first impressions at the moment - no doubt I will be enlightened in the coming years.

daddyofthree

great advice, thanks. Is $400k sufficient to buy a nice 4br house in the west cook area?

fraser

Yes, it should be. Have a look on www.realestate.com.au