Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Hi folks,

I know the title to these kind of threads is usually 'Sydney or Melbourne, Perth or Melbourne etc. But I'm looking for opinions of the wise here......

I'm Irish, doing my first teaching year in the Midlands, UK. Currently in a secondary school, but am planning to switch to primary teaching at the end of the academic year. I have decided and reconsidered and decided and reconsidered moving to Oz around 1000 times....

My main reasons for wanting to move are lifestyle & weather. OH is just completing a HDip in Sports Mgmt, currently working 2 pt jobs, my job has long hours - as far as teaching jobs go (8-5.30) not including what gets brought home. When I'm coming in the door, he's leaving for his evening job, and he works weekends!So basically, while we are ok financially, quality of life is s*it at the moment.

We do not have kids/mortgage(serious stuff), I do however, have student loans to be repaid at home-€400 max. per month. I have been in contact with agencies in Mel, and they seemed fairly confident they could get me supply in primary if/when I go - ideally September, as I have read that term is best for relief work. I would be going over with limited funds, so would be on the job-hunt from day 1. If I cannot secure relief teaching, I will do any other job, no problem at all-I've got lots of bar/restaurant & retail work experience, and am a grafter.

So, my question is this...Do we take a leap of faith, so to speak, or would I be better of taking the 'safer' option and head to Cornwall? I've been looking at jobs there and doing my research, and while I have no doubt that quality of life could be improved there, and the Summer will be nice. It aint exactly Oz, is it?!

Also, any ideas how my OH would be fixed-work wise? His main area is football, but like me is not too fussy,if it pay's he'll do it. He was looking into fruit picking! Oh yeah, we will be on a WHV.

Sorry for the essay, any comment - however blunt/realistic will be appreciated :)

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Moving to Cornwall would be alot easier then moving to the other side of the world, Melbourne is a very large city , if your looking for a more laid back lifestyle then perhpas Cornwall would be better.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

and a lot less costly....

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Cornwall

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

don't go to melbourne for the weather, its very unpredictable

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Jobs in Cornwall can be tough to come by and housing can be expensive. We Have relatives down there in St Ives and their daughter left for Oz as job prospects were poor. That was 6 years ago.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Well i'm Irish too and i've lived in Plymouth so have experience of that part of England and Cornwall (the cornish are particular about that lol!).

Well, you are young, educated and have no children and no ties as such. I say come to Oz and give it a go. But my friends husband is a secondary school teacher and his hours seem to be like yours, so I wouldn't expect them to be shorter.

But teachers are in demand here and the aussies are sports nuts so i'd imagine your OH will land a job too.

As someone said don't go to Mel for the weather lol! It's blinking cold in winter and too changable. Great city though. And coming from Uk/Ireland you will find the summers warm in Melbourne.

I say come over on your WHV, have the craic, live a little before you get bogged down by kids and life (oh jesus someone hand me a glass of wine now!). You will know from your year here whether you want to stay or not and Cornwall will always be there too.

PS Loved Devon and Cornwall and would live there myself! But OH is Aussie and so we live here.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

I recall a poster being quite negative about the West Country.

The point I will make is that living on the outskirts of Melbourne can give you a sort of rural, West Country life, but within range of well paid jobs and city life too.

But I reckon Cornwall might do it.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

We chose between Cardiff and Brisbane when we came!! lol Obviously nothing alike!! :rofl:

Anyway just wanted to say that my eldest daughter is at uni doing primary education and she's just been told that out of all the students that finished last year only 9% actually got permanent jobs! They have been told to prepare to go rural if you want work!

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

I would agree with that. From what I've seen of Melbourne, admittedly that's not much, I like the look of the place.... but I said Cornwall and I'm sticking with that. I think my days of living in a big city are probably over with.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Just for those who don't know.

Absolutely not. They predict it well.

It changes from winter to summer.

And a cool, welcome, change often replaces a stinking hot day.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

My wife and I both come from Cornwall but lived in Plymouth for a number of years before moving to Perth so know the region well and both sets of parents still live in Cornwall. My memories of growing up in Cornwall was wonderful summers spent on the beach, going for walks to collect blackberries and sloes for home made wine, etc. Unfortunately the reality of living in that part of the world was that the recent summers have been pretty poor, the cost of housing is very expensive and the type of jobs I was looking for were none existent.
While you have the opportunity I would say, come to Oz but not necessarily Melbourne and look to get citizenship. You then have the option to try other places but will always have the opportunity to live in Oz.
Can't comment on Melbourne as have only ever travelled around WA and Sydney.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Cornwall, every day of the week.

Gorgeous green countryside, lovely beaches, closer to home. If I had the option it'd be a no-brainer.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Cornwall any day of the week.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Sorry, but I've lived in Melbourne for 18 years and have to agree with the above:thumbup: Cornwall every time. Oh, and don't get fooled by the weather. The summer's in Oz are not nice. Lying on a beach might be ok in 35plus degrees but going to work, doing the shopping and trying to live a normal life isn't. It's bloody awful.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

If you can't get approved for a visa then you have the choice of Cornwall or Cornwall.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

We could swap.You can have my visa for Aus/Melbourne and i'll move to Cornwall :thumbup:
Cornwall deffo i reckon.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Thanks so much for the reply's people! I must admit I'm kind of surprised that so many of you said Cornwall. I do take on board the whole 'changeable weather' factor in Mel, but all the same it would surely be better than UK? I'm convinced I have that SAD,'seasonal affective disorder' I think, the depression miserable weathers brings. lol. Honestly, I get up - look out the window, see the grey sky and just think 'not again':( Today the sun is shining, and I'm in great form! Up since 7.30, house cleaned already :thumbup:
In an ideal world, where I had no student loans to repay, I would be in Oz like a shot.
The bottom line though is that, they have to be paid back, so if I go to Australia, and for whatever reasons,cannot earn enough to send back €400 pmth, and live. I could end up having to back to Ireland, no money, no job-or prospect of one-things are still soooo bad there, and back living with my parents. That would be a nightmare - I'm definitely not a home-bird!:thumbdown:

Stuck in Blighty: I love this idea,PM me the details lol - I wish

WestVic, I wouldn't mind long hours, if it meant the evening's were bright/not lashing with rain and you could conceivably do something after work, even go for a nice walk, go sit outside a cafe with a book-not like para gliding or anything lol(the highlight of my evenings here are Corrie & Eastenders):) PS, You have the right idea, married to an Aussie, I might ditch my OH and look for one myself.lol :rofl:

77hill, coincidence you mention St.Ives, I have applied for two jobs there, It looks really nice, but needless to say I wouldn't be going there unless I had a job secured.

So considering the fact that I haven't really started saving yet, I need to get my ass in gear and decide if I can take the risk, I might talk to my bank and see if there is anything they can do with regard to freezing loans for 3/6 mths just so I wouldn't be under that pressure when I first arrive.

I'm 25, OH is 27, I know for a fact if I don't do this I will regret it. That kind of says it all, doesn't it? So what, if at the end of it I'm broke, I will have had a good time, decided If I want to settle there, and even possibly have a tan. lol

Susan:thumbsup:

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

I'd live in Cornwall like a shot if the we had work down there. Such a lucky place to be.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Moneypenny20: Good point, but actually the UK is my Oyster. lol.Wow that's depressing! Are visa's often denied? Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting to just stroll into the country, I know from reading so many posts on here, that it's a long slog, but I thought I'd stand a decent chance for a WHV. :fingerscrossed:

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

You'd get a WHV, as to whether you'd find work, a sponsor and a future is another matter.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

The main problem with the Cornwall option is work. There's not a lot about down there.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Not yet been to Melbourne but grew up in Cornwall and if I had a choice between Cornwall & Sydney i'd choose Sydney every time.

The problem with Cornwall is a lack of jobs then wet winters and traffic jams during summer. When you look at the house price to income ratio for Cornwall it is well above the UK average due to the number of Londoners buying second homes.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Spot on. Everyday life isn't that pleasant when you are permanently covered in sweat. On the beach, or in the pool/sea - yes.

Cornwall for me. The most beautiful part of England.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

I understand you are being realistic Moneypenny, but if I'm pro-active about it, register with all the agencies, send speculative CV's to schools, and apply for my teacher registration before I go, surely that would be half the battle. As I said earlier, if I can't get teaching, I will look for other jobs - I'm not picky. If it pays - I'll do it (within reason):thumbup:

Spottydog, I certainly agree with the drawbacks you have mentioned. My cousin is living in Sydney, he has citizenship, maybe he could sponsor me lol:thumbsup:
Don't jump down my throat about that one people...It's a joke :eek:

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Cornwall was always our plan B if things didn't work out here. Undoubtedly the best part of the UK, but the downsides which made it impossible for us were:
1) The lack of work and massive reliance on highly seasonal tourism related employment.
2) The piss-poor communications - the A30's a joke and the train is bloody expensive and bloody slow.
3) The cost of housing is unreal - all those Londoners with second homes - cottages in Mousehole and the like mean that people that actually want to live properly in Cornish towns cannot afford it. This then has the knock-on effect of gutting the town of all useful services (pub, post office, bank etc) because there's not enough population to sustain them.
4) The tourists. I genuinely pitied the poor bastards in places like Padstow who were under seige for six months of the year from the grockles. Such is the volume of traffic that it's virtually impossible to go about your day-to-day business in a timely fashion because of the coach parties and day trippers. But then, without tourism Cornwall would soon be about as populace as outback Australia.
5) Having to wear a steamer for nine months of the year when surfing takes a lot of the fun out of it. Plus the only time of the year when you can switch to a shorty, you're joined out the back by 500 grommits with the surf sense of lemmings.

Never been to Melbourne so couldn't comment. Good luck with whatever you decide - ultimately it's got bugger all to do with the logistics and everything to do with your gut feeling - so follow your heart and don't have any regrets.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

We're different, I would never lie on a beach in any temperature, and find working life fine - I am lucky to work in an AC office...! It's not 35 every day and for that I am thankful.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Cornwall received an official poverty status listing by the EU not so long ago. Nothing has changed in Cornwall but even poorer nations like Albania joined the EU which bumped them from the list.

It's one of those that is always on the bottom of the pile when it comes to government projects or assistance.

Job market is useless. There are no large companies or industry. Lot's of cheap seasonal holiday work.
A like for like job more often than not pays less in Cornwall for no other reason than they do.

Cost of living is high. "Everything has to be transported down here you know". Even a lot of the home grown products get shipped to the cities and back again. :rolleyes:

So you get less but pay more.

Cost of housing is high and exacerbated by holiday homes which in turn leaves large pockets of properties deserted in winter.

Summer can be gridlock on the roads due to holidaymakers.

Cornwall is a very beautiful county.
Rugged cliffs and sandy beaches to the North; quaint old smuggler and fishing villages to the South.

Weather in general is wet, windy and damp. Get a fine day and it's as good as anywhere in Europe but those days are infrequent.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Disagree - in my Blyton books, it was always gloriously hot, and all the chums were always brown as berries - in between addressing the local constabluary's backlist.

Dorset, anyone? Closer to the big smoke.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

I remember those days too.
Would go on and on............until I woke up.:lol:

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

have to agree with lots that has been said.
I'm cornish and now live in Plymouth but i'm looking to move to melbourne in the near future. going for a sightseeing trip next week to get a feel for the place.
Cornwall and devon are beautiful places but:
wages are very low average in plymouth is £16-£20000 a year if you can find decent work. its lower in cornwall less jobs available.crime rate is steadily growing due to lack of jobs.
House prices going through the roof. just had my house valued for sale 3 bed small terrace £150,000. and its not in a desirable area. add another £70,000+ for the same in a rural location. The house prices are still going up and have done so all through the current economic climate.
summer days can be wonderful but seem to be few an far between, winters now colder and wetter than i can remember, seen more snow this year than in the rest of my 41 years. seaside towns are like ghost towns from october to april and can be very depressing.
traffic in the summer is a nightmare gridlocking cornwall.
cost of living is comparable with bigger sities like liverpool and birmingham almost getting as bad as london.
Dont get ill down here, the health service is falling apart. The hospitals are in a very bad way (my wifes a nurse so i know) the care is awful. nearly lost my son earlier this year after a routine operation, thank god my wife was around to sort him out.
if you can cope with all of this then its a lovely place and can be very relaxing, just dont expect to much from all the lovely places we have down here come april they all get packed out and are slowly being ruined (just look at the damage that has been caused to Dartmoor!)
I love my home county and proud to be cornish but its not what it used to be.

i hope melbourne has what i'm looking for which is none of the above.Rural life in unspoilt surroundings, uncrowded lanscape with lots of peace and quiet. we shall see!!
good luck with your plans no matter what you decide.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Dont believe the bollocks about Melbournes weather being crap,changeable yes,crap NO WAY !
IMHO apart from the odd stinking hot day the climate here is excellent :thumbup:

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Mmmmm, so the tables have sort of turned. First it seemed Cornwall was getting the vote, but I'm glad of the comments from ppl who have actually lived there. I'm sure it is a beautiful place, but maybe the drawbacks just outweigh the benefits. Think I'll have to get the ball rolling soon, been toying with the idea for months, I just need to make up my mind and decide.

Thanks a million for your opinions. I'm sure I'll be back soon with more questions.

Hutch, I think your comment about gut feeling instead of logistics is spot on :thumbsup:

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

I think you made up your mind from the start..Melbourne!

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Yeah, and they were expecting everybody to come on and shout "MELBOURNE" and got a shock when it didn't happen.

Asked where we would prefer to live and many of us said Cornwall, but that's not to say we considered all the issues about jobs, housing, cost of living there etc... its just where we would prefer to live.

Just an afterthought.... I hadn't noticed Melbourne being particularly known for the cheapness of its housing stock.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

I only said Cornwall might do as I am low on my pro-UK quota and month-end is approaching!

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Have you considered Tasmania , l went for a holiday there once it is has some the best scenery and nicest countryside anywhere in Australia, but its cold in winter. If your looking for a quite rural place with great scenery its perfect and you can catch the ferry to Melbourne.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

Cornwall is beautiful, we try and get down there for weekends all the time and are going down there for a long weekend at Easter. I would love to live there but feel it has no job opportunities for us. It must be a tough decision for you as you are already living in an amazing place!

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

we lived in Cornwall for 3 years. and as its 6 hours away from my home town was a great test/experience before taking the plunge to Australia...infact the move to cornwall was harder in some respects.

why?
jobs, hard to find and low in pay
house, rents expensive and poor quality-we had an ideal looking rural stone cottage that was so cold and damp, didnt have proper heating and was spooky n haunted.
locals dont really want you there---you will get called an emmit
way way too busy in summer
bleak in winter
towns like redruth, cambourne, helston are dead (shops, take aways and pubs)

but saying all that, if i had to go back to live in the uk it would be cornwall or northumberland.

Re: Cornwall or Melbourne :)
 

My hubby and I are still considering a move from Melbourne to the UK (there's always a reason why we can't leave right now, but we are always thinking about it in preparation for when we can finally make the move). Devon was one of the places we thought would be a nice place to live as we could still enjoy some of the things we have come to love about Melbourne, such as being close to the coast. Does anyone know if Devon is likely to be as difficult as Cornwall when it comes to: -

A) Finding work
B) Wages
C) Housing costs
D) Being accepted by the locals and not being called "emmits" :)

I have looked at places like Torquay which look lovely but I can imagine would be a nightmare in the Summer months with so many tourists flocking to that area, so was wondering if maybe somewhere on the outskirts of Exeter would be a safer bet as far as finding work, but I really don't know which areas are considered to be the "good" part of Exeter as far as buying a house. Any help or advice would really be helpful as all of this MBTTUK lark can be so very confusing :)