leelie

Hi there, new to BE. We looking to move from London to Brisbane this summer. We have 2 girls, one 8 & the other 2 & a half.Looking for some advice on good, affordable areas to move to, taking into account we considering good state schools to look at for my 8yr old. I dont mind driving but not too far to commute to school & back. I believe from what Ive been told that the state schools are really good. Any advice on location within Brisbane will be great. Thanks.

jomac1290

Hi there
We are also moving this summer. Moved from UK to Ireland in 2008 now headed to Brisbane. Our girls are older 11,13,15yrs.

We have done loads of research and contacted schools via email but I think you really need to get a feel for an area first. So we have booked into hol accommodation for 4 weeks whilst we do a reccie. Got a good deal with Ashmore palms holiday village, maybe that's an option.

The school year is jan -dec so we figured we got a few weeks to sort an area and school out. Then they' ll tag onto the year they completed here from oct-dec before summer hols. Then they will start the new school year in Jan 2012.

Good luck.

Jo

leelie

Hi there & thanks for the reply. We originally from South Africa, so Im use to the school year running from Jan - Dec although my 8yr old started school in the UK, but wont make much of a difference to her. I hear what you saying & ironically was thinking the same thing really about where to settle. We will be in rented accomadation for the first month, so yes will be good to look at some schools during that time, then go into a more permanent space. If you have any idea on any nice areas to share then please let me know, will be good to get some opinions. I am going onto ourbrisbane.com which is very helpful too. All the best with your move & let me know how u get on. Thanks again.

helenjassim

[QUOTE=jomac1290;9326676]Hi there
We are also moving this summer. Moved from UK to Ireland in 2008 now headed to Brisbane. Our girls are older 11,13,15yrs.

We have done loads of research and contacted schools via email but I think you really need to get a feel for an area first. So we have booked into hol accommodation for 4 weeks whilst we do a reccie. Got a good deal with Ashmore palms holiday village, maybe that's an option.

The school year is jan -dec so we figured we got a few weeks to sort an area and school out. Then they' ll tag onto the year they completed here from oct-dec before summer hols. Then they will start the new school year in Jan 2012.

Good luck,

Hi there,

We arrived here in Dec, did a lot of research before arriving needed good schools for my girls who are 11 and 14 (we also have a 3 year old). Found a suburb called The Gap, close enough to Brisbane with a good state school. The area seems very nice, people very friendly and safe. Hope this helps a little.

Good luck

Helen

leelie

Helen, thank you for the help. I havent looked at The Gap as yet but will thanks. Yeh alot to think about esp the kids, good schools are important & I hear the state schools are really good. I plan to stay home with my 2 & half yr old for the first year. Really happy you all seem well settled. thats always a comfort, we still have that to look forward to. Chat soon then.

leelie

Wanted to know if anyone can help me with any additional costs I may not be taking into account, like basic running cost for a rented home, any other misc costs ? Telephone, broadband, weekly/monthly food bill. I realize this will be an est. cost but would give us a good indication of what to expect. I was looking at Bulimba as an area to move to, the state school looks good to, any ideas. Ideally looking for something not too far out of the city, not more than 15km maybe, but a suburb that is family orientated that we can all settle into. Looked at after scool care cost & must admit it more expensive than what we pay now in London, so take it this will be one of the costs that will put in dent into the monthly expenses. So much to consider, so any help on finances will be good. Thanks again

4500 Times

Hi

Not sure but would imagine about $500+ a week for rent alone in Bulimba.
Very nice area close to the river, but personally we prefer to live out in the suburbs were you get so much more for your money.

I know of a few houses in our suburbs that are fetching $450 a week, so expect to pay a lot more...

Juliecabs

Hi Leelie,

If you do a search for "Bulimba" and "cost of living in Brisbane", you should come up with some of the answers you are looking for.

Click on the "Search" button in pink at the top of the page.

I'm sure someone more helpful will be along to help you as soon as they wake up!

Julie. x

heldownunder

Hi
We are in manly our 6 yo is very settled in the state school- you do get far more house for your money away from the city. Manly has a small community feel and the advantages of living by the bay. Alot of the good state schools have very strict catchments.
Living costs
Electricity $100 pcm
Foxtel (sky) $70 pcm
Telephone/ broadband $50 pcm
Mobile $30 pcm
House insurance $70 pcm
Car insurance $40- 60 pcm
Food for four $800-1000 pcm
Extras medical insurance (dentist optician etc) $70 pcm
Petrol $1.30 - 1.50 per litre (its gone up)
All rough costs and can be economised on (we r not good at that)...

Hope that helps Helen
Childcare $60 per day but if permenant you can get 50% back but not on a 457)

Kim67

Bulimba is a nice area. If you want a nice family area with a good state school, the general rule of thumb is live within a 6km radius (as the crow flies) of the city. Good luck.

DadAgain

I can heartily recommend The Gap as a great family area. Its conveniently close to the City (25 minutes by bus, 15 minutes drive offpeak, 40 minutes drive peak!)


The Gap State School is a great place with a strong community and is good at handling differing needs of students (extension for G&T kids, extra assitance for those with learning difficulties etc etc.) and manages to do this without kids feeling singled out.

We know of a few families who have moved their kids in to The Gap State School from other schools specifically because of its reputation for handling G&T kids (Thats 'gifted and Talented' by the way - not 'Gin and Tonic' ). It seems word is spreading through the educational psychologists in the NW Brisbane area and its picking up steam - This might be important to you if your kids are naturally 'ahead' because of their UK educational background and could suffer from classroom boredum if not carefully managed.

I dont know so much about other parts of the school - but it has a very active music program with ensembles that play and compete all over the place and sport teams who seem to compete succesfully in inter-school competitions all the time.

'heldownunder's costs in previous post seem reasonable to me - but I'd strip out the Foxtel (not needed and its rubbish anyway - learn to use your internet conection to source all your entertainment needs and you'll be much better off)
....and remember that a 3 bedroom house is going to cost upwards of ~$400-500 a week rental.

Kim67

Oh please, tell me you're joking! Do you honestly think that starting in the British system somehow makes you Gifted and Talented and that all those educated in Australia are behind them. In the very early years an Australian child may not be as capable in the classroom, that's because our kids begin school a couple of years later, but by the time they're about eight, they're all on a level playing field.

bingobob777

I arrived in Brisbane 7 weeks ago, wife 5 year old and 2 year old arrived end of March.

I looked at several suburbs, in particular The Gap, Bulimba, Ascot and Ashgrove. We ended up in The Gap, but I would have happily moved to any, it was just the best rental available at the time was in The Gap.

I'll be honest with you though, I wish we'd ended up in Bulimba. Closer to city, ability to go for a meal, coffee etc without having to drive.

Don't get me wrong, The Gap is nice, the school looks like it will be great and there is nothing bad about it, I even love the house. Our house is in a quiet cul de sac off Kaloma Road (see map) and TBH it's just too quiet and isolated. It's a mile from The Gap Village and access to facilities, walking anywhere isn't an option.

At night it's pitch black and silent by 8pm, in the morning you get wakened at 5am by flocks of screeching birds.

Even though it's only 10km from the CBD it just feels too rural for me, time will tell if my view changes, I am on a 15 month lease after all

so.................

For good schools, nice areas etc and more of a suburban feel go for Ascot or Bulimba (New Farm is also really nice, not sure of schools there).

For same things but more rural go for The Gap or Chapel Hill.

jad n rich

He has a fair point. My kids in Grade 7 (age 12) were not caught up, let alone by age 8. That was also the opinioin of my bro who is a UK Maths and IT teacher, head of dept so I guess he knows he gear

We have exchange students next door, from Norway and Germany and my kids have exchange student mates from Singapore and Japan and all of them find the highschool work a complete breeze. We are talking Grade 12 and Grade 10.

I now look at it as 'different' not better worse etc. OK if you stay in the same system, complete nightmare if you go overseas/interstate.

Back in primary my kids went to a state primary for a while which at the peak of immigration was getting 6/7 new kids per class mostly from the UK each year. I cannot remember one kid who didnt quickly get whipped up a grade, or had the parents searching for a G&T school Most parents would openly admit they were at first amazed at how great their kids were doing then shock at how easy the school was.

Different for sure.

Kim67

My kids went from the Australian system to IB/PYP and British and they were fine. The five year old even started Year 1 in the PYP system having never done any formal education here and was at the same level as the kids from everywhere else very quickly. They've just come back from the British system and are doing fine, no better, no worse than they were before.

I don't understand your first paragraph as I'm not sure whether you're talking about your kids going from the UK to Aus, or visa versa.