lisas

We have been here for about 7 months and although we like Australia my Oh is finding it hard to settle here on the coast. He misses living near a city (we are from Manchester) He doesn't seem to want to move to Brisbane but we have been to Melbourne and did like it, but we have only been there on holiday.we are wondering if anybody else has moved form the GC to Melbourne or just any advice.

Thx Lisa.

Burkins

If I was in the same situation I would live somewhere else. You wanted to move to Oz for a reason and just because that reason isn't on the coast doesn't mean it not somewhere else within Oz (hope that makes sense!)

When I first moved in with my OH, I hated the area we lived in and we moved areas and I loved it from the first day. Keep trying.

It's still crap in the UK!

Grayling

It's not where I live.

posh10

go for it what have u got to lose. i have 2 friends who live there and absolutely love t. they go to the city when they want the town life and go to the beach when they want to relax. if u dont try u'l always wonder. don't be old and regret it.

Diane x

birdynumnum

No its not, itsa loverly

birdynumnum

May as well give it a bash whilst you're there, least you wont wonder

jad n rich

We moved the other way, melb to gc then sc.

I like melbourne, it has its challenges, traffic being one, climate can be quite hot in summer, we have done a stint in a bushfire year not great for asthma types or the nerves, plus my personal hate lots of flies in summer, stopped us doing a lot of outside stuff, winter can be like the UK, warmer but a bit drab, ( we lived there 6/7 years ago, last 2 winters were more dry, drought related). Large portion of the year was too cold for surfing.


Its advantages, more of a distinct change of seasons, there are times you really do get the boots/coats out, like that, quite a bit goes on in the city, events exhibitions etc, but bris has got better at that now too. I loved the housing near the city, the tree lined old houses within a hop to the city. My partners parents live in one of those old beach suburbs you know the ones - with the price tag

That I think is the major consideration of melb, if you want to enjoy its city bits, can you afford to live near them . ??? In the burbs, housing prices similar to qld, sans pool and probably a fair bit older, or the big new estates of the western/SE burbs. But the lovely city suburbs where you can just get out and enjoy it melbs city advantage, bloody expensive, and so much of its been subdivided tiny blocks with a other houses almost on your patio and your looking at the near million mark++, crazy prices. Rentings inner cities not great either people on here have been talking $600/700 if you can find one.

I'd live there again if I could have one of those city house, but for us the outer burbs defeated the point. Schoolings different from qld too if you have older kids, (pre the recent changes to age) say like mine 11 and 14 they go back a year and have one more year of schooling to do.

**All plus or minus points are personal opinion based on actually living there and half of this team being born and bred in from melbourne so before anyone starts melb V qld war. Question answered for no other reason than because it was what the OP asked.

Buzzy--Bee

OK here we go.

No Melbourne v QLD war.

Just my observations. My ones. Not proven fact or any crap.

Weatherwise - if I wanted warm weather always I would live in Melbourne for Spring, Summer and Autumn and QLD for winter. Melbourne is warm or hot in those 3 seasons, cooler (not cold) in winter. However I personally like the cooler winters.

Beaches - I love the Gold coast beaches. They piss on Brisbane's. However Melbourne's are also very beautiful, turquoise sea, golden sand and very accessible from the residential suburbs at almost every budget, distance from CBD depending.

City life - Melbourne has a city life as vibrant as London's, if not more so. Although I have worked in Manchester, I never socialised there so I can't comment on how Melbourne compares to Manchester.

We had the choice of anywhere in Oz, we knew Brisbane very well from having friends and family there, we reccied Brisbane and Melbourne and Melbourne won easy-peasy.

Buzzy

Sandra

Hi Lisa

What does the OH do? Can you get work easily if you move wherever? Are there any other factors dictating where you live?

I would stick my oar in here after only four weeks living in Brisbane and say move to Sydney

After only seven months I would stick it out a little longer and consider saving up and having a longer stint staying in each city if possible before making a more permanent move.

I understand the city thing about myself and knew when we moved here I would have to be Melbourne or Sydney. Best of luck in your decision.

Buzzy--Bee

Agreed.

If we had the money we would have considered Sydney. We researched it and decided we couldn't afford the type of house we would want in close enough proximity to the CBD.

Also in my job (IT comms project manager) the Hays salary survey indicated wages were higher in Melbourne.

Buzzy

lisas

Hi Sandra, he works in travel so job wise it should be easy to get one where ever. We always wanted to go to Sydney as we lived there when we did our Working Holiday but when we validated the visa in Sydney a few years ago we realized that we could not afford it, we also made life a little harder for ourselves by bringing across our 2 cats, so its a little harder to find rentals. Our own fault i know but we wouldn't be without them.

I think he just feels that the GC although it is really beautiful is a little quite, especially where we live at the moment. He is use to fast moving cities and a little less newness,(as he would call it). I am a teacher and have found it hard to get work here.
We just dont know with the cost of moving and then trying to find a new area, friends etc. and then will he then be happy there.

We still want to be near a beach and i dont want to upset anybody when i say this but he wants a little bit more culture. (please dont take this the wrong way, people who live on the GC) as we know its a lovely beautiful place. Its just how he feels.

Thx Lisa.

Buzzy--Bee

I would suggest that Melbourne would be the only place in Australia with culture and beach in close proximity to affordable property prices.

We live in a suburb called Mordialloc, we can walk to the beach and the train to the CBD is about 40 mins. The house 2 doors down is 2 years old, 3 bed 3 bath for sale around 500k.

There are plenty cheaper suburbs too a bit further out.

Buzzy

Sandra

We planned for Melbourne too after research but then company said they would transfer me (IT Development) and the work was in Sydney. So after all the planning we ended up going to Sydney which we had only ever spent 10hrs in (mostly in a pub).

It was a tough first two years because of the house prices etc. I am Upper North Shore an hour from Sydney CBD but was working in Chatswood so not so far to travel.

No regrets on moving to Sydney and I now consider myself a firm Sydneyite and would only consider Melbourne as a nice place to visit or work if they fly me back weekends

I am finding Brisbane small - just a personal opinion - and happy we have seen it now just so we can rule out a move here as a retirement place. I think I will need the Central Coast within an hours weekend drive to the big smoke in my retirement!

Sandra

I think Buzzy is right about Melbourne house prices and burbs near to City - but do not rule out Sydney completely - two areas come to mind if you can do smaller house, Hornsby and surrounds and the hills district. Both a further distance from the beach - but still doable.

I understand about the cats - in my case it is the kids I can't rid of to have more choice!

Other people on here might have better advice about inner city options - some lovely places.

Are you considering long term buying or renting. You could always board the cats for a couple of weeks as you look around? I think you should defintely give an intercity move a go before any final decision you both sound very employable and it could be another adventure as exciting as emigration all over again!!!!!!!!!

DunRoaminTheUK

What Beaches in Brisbane are you talking about? As far as I know 'Streets Beach' @ Southbank is ironically Brisbane's best beach (notwithstanding the amount of children's urine there must be in the pool).