FluffyTheCampfireSlayer

Bump!

Buzzy--Bee

Gees mate you won't listen will you .

Nothing much to add to what others have said, I'm not clear entirely on what your reasons are for moving, but we chose Melbourne over Brisbane for - better beaches, better weather and better job opportunities. (Note "better" to one person may not be to another, but all the above are better for us).

Also in my limited experience, the traffic is actually better here than in Brisbane, I found trying to commute from Ipswich to Brisbane in rush hour much much worse than I have ever found any traffic here. But I haven't done enough regular commuting in Brisbane to have a valid opinion.

Buzzy

FluffyTheCampfireSlayer

Thanks Buzzy. Did read your reccie reports, very informative!

I am bumping away though in the hope that someone not on over the weekend may see this and be able to add their perspective. The more the merrier and will certainly help us make our decision.

scrum

We checked out Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and unanimously voted for Melbourne.

I found Brissie to be a bit Stepford Wives ish if you know what I mean. Everything was perfect - too perfect. Also not an awful lot to do IMO

Melbourne on the other hand has everything we could possibly want. The weather isn't perfect all the time which is a nice relief to be honest. The cafes, beaches etc are fantastic and the night life is great.

Shopping here is brilliant. I have relatives who come from Sydney twice a year just to shop here. Victoria Market is a must, as are the Dandenongs, Phillip Island is good if you have kids and Ballarat is definitely worth a visit.

We live in Lyndhurst - about 35 km from the city. It takes an hour to travel by train or 30 mins to drive off peak. If you ride a motor bike it only takes 40 mins in rush hour.

My brother is planing on moving from here to Brissie to "retire" - I think that says it all.

To those of you who love Brissie - good on ya. It just wasn't as right as Melbourne for us.

If you do come down for a weekend etc then get in touch and we can meet up if you like.

Trish

FluffyTheCampfireSlayer

Thanx for your input Trish - will be sure to let you know when we visit!

Kapri

All the best people go to Melbourne Rob

As you probably know - we have been set on Melbourne for the past few years.
Recently I had a huge wobble about whether I was doing the right thing and started researching Brisbane and GC.
Happily we are now back to our original plan of Mornington Peninsula. It just seems to have everything we are looking for - a beautiful place in very close proximity to a buzzing city.
My biggest wobble tbh was the weather but all the Melburnians on here assure me that the weather is great most of the time. It's warmer and sunnier than the UK anyway
I have accepted that the winters can get cold and thats's ok. I shall look forward to changing into boots, jumpers and coats etc and having a log fire. I guess it will also make me appreciate summer all the more when it comes.

Buzzy--Bee

I can assure you that you are most unlikely to need any of the above very much except for trips to the ski fields.

Buzzy

wmoore

I needed a coat the whole time last time I was in Melbourne Mind you I've been wearing one here lately too.

Nu-Shooz

I've been told by so many people to move to Melbourne rather than Brisbane or Sydney. We are planning a mini trip over to Melly before we return to UK, it's a must i hear.

Go for it Fluffy

wmoore

Rush 'hour' traffic can be bad but of course you picked just about the worst route here!

Peak traffic trundles by reasonably well I find, unless there is an accident or roadwork hold-ups, then the whole damn city grinds to a halt.

Kapri

I wouldn't count on it

I sat on a sunny beach in Florida with a cardi on much to T's amusement

Even a slight breeze makes me feel cold

Mr Anderson

Come and see

dont listen to anyone else except your own instincts

To see diversity please hire a car and sat nav(about $5 a day extra for ease and speed)

And visit(by just driving through, all can be done in a day if you wish)

Richmond
Fitzroy
Carlton
Brunswick for their cafe/student lively buzzing areas scence

Kew
Toorak
South Yarra
Malvern
Armadale for their poshness verging on yuppiness but still reall great places and from trams on streets to leafy bits

Elwood
Elsternwick
St Kilda for the diversity of areas withing a few minutes of each other. I especially like elwood. A tree lined leafy village next to the beach and lots of cafes and eateies with a young and older population, its lovely but mucho mazoolas

Then the middle bits like
south melbourne
port melbourne
middle park all classy areas with old cottages all made nice and great street cafe scene


Then try the other side of the bridge on to

Seddon
Yarraville (pretty next to each other) great young trendy areas, batrs cafes 12 minute in to city, mix of industrial, river and leafy

and on to williamstown. (look at the beach here and the waterside cafes, as well as the botanic gardens)

then 18 minutes on to point cook where you can build a new 4/5 bed 2bath house with double garage all fitted out , landscaped and ready to move in for under 400k. 20 minutes from cbd(drive) and 15 mins on the motorbike!

I moved from NSW to mel 5 montrhs ago

Love it, love it love it.

Think of spains weather and you got it. No humidity and a nice crisp breeze with warm sun.

Ive had about 4 days in jan where it was over 40 and riding home tonight at 8pm on the motorbike, i felt my first bit of cold.

Horrible weather.

In NSW i was humid hot, sticky and melted at traffic lights on the bike.

On extensive reccies to bris i realised that its a real small town, and brunswick street is like a back alley in melbourne.

Melbourne has so much to offer people with a bit of joi de vivre.
It has so much to offer everyone.
It is not a fantastic skyline city, nor does it havethe landmark buildings such as syd.

Ive been to newcastle,bris,and sydney loads of times for extended periods.

Melbourne wins hands down.

It has a young trendy vibe in the city, fantastic shopping. Culture, and lots of events like the tennis, comedy festivals, grand prix, moto gp at phillip island and beaches, ski slopes 3 hours away driving and bars bars bars

Brunswick streeet, fortitude valley.......... vibrant and dodgy, dont make me laugh!

3 bars long either side and then an empty street, i nearly choked on my own laughter when told that was it.

You could go into a different bar every nigh of the week ni the city and not get through them in a year.

Come and see tho, make your own mind up.

I host a friday night CBD drinks night once a month. If you are around about that time, come and join us in a traditional decent boozer. It sells pints, yes, pints and styays open past 9pm!

all the best

al.

Mr Anderson

Agree with you on every point there mate. Exactly why we chose Melbourne

Hope to meet you soon

Look at the above post, this tells you more.

I run a meet once a month in the CBD , generally called Melbourne CBD drinks

Keep a look out if you fancy hooking up or pm me.

Al

FluffyTheCampfireSlayer

Thanks for that Al!!

It is good for us to hear other people's opinions - we know that only we can decide in the long run but we are slowly formulating a good idea of what Melbourne has that Brisbane doesn't, and vice versa. We are planning a trip down for a long weekend soon and will be checking out a lot fo the places mentioned.

Keep em coming...........

sonlymewalter

Everyone has a right to their opinion and it's great to get different perspectives. The balance of posters on here are skewed to melbourne [for obvious reasons] so I'm going to add from the "Brissy" camp

Melbourne to me is like Manchester. It's got excellent nightlife, cafe culture and shopping. The downside is the bloody miserable depressing winter weather and the old and scruffy feel of the city. Yes it has sunny weather in summer but I'm afraid the miserable winter weather does not [IMHO] make up for it. It's dank, dark depressing and bloody freezing. Hats, coats and scarves are a must. Of course some people love the weather changes so there's no right or wrong.

Nowhere is utopia. I'm not saying Brisbane is better than Melbourne. No same place would suit everyone. But for us the Brisbane sunny, all year round blue sky means Brisbane for us anytime. No amount of night life, cafes or shops would compensate for depressing winter weather.

Sorry Melbournians. I know you guys love your city as much as I love mine - and that's the way the mop flops as they say

If the good outweighs the bad, then go for it Fluffy. What have you got to lose