verystormy

I cant comment on the schools in Mandurah but we have been there for two years and can comment on the town and suburbs.

Mandurah has some black spots and there is no denying it. But heck, Freo can be as rough as any other docks town. Some of the most expensive areas in Perth are notorious for certain crimes. Mt Lawley has had significant issues with knives, others have plenty of other crime problems.

From my experience those who post negatives about Mandurah have never been. It isnt paradice, but it is a nice place to live and a lot more affordable than suburbs in Perth.

I rent a new 3 story house in a small complex of 30 with access to a great pool, spa and cabana and 40m from one of the best beaches in the met area for $300 a week. I would struggle to get an appartment in a crap area of Perth for that.

I personaly cant understand why people move here and go to live in somewhere like Success or a lot of other Perth suburbs. Its not a city known for its great culture and things going on. Its nick name is Dullsville, i wouldnt see the point unless i was walking distance to a good beach.

gobbyjock

The Senior College and Mandurah High School are now one school.

Condor of Bermuda

I'm an Aussie, grew up in Safety Bay (just south of Rockingham) and now live in Mandurah. I'm 60 years old.

By some quirk of my wife's family history she has a cousin who moved out from Birmingham 5 years ago and now lives here in Mandurah. They love it. Her husband got citizenship a few months ago. The family history meant that cousin C got hers before leaving UK.

Their kids go to Freddie Irwin High School. http://www.frederickirwin.wa.edu.au/

Private, don't know what the fees are, but it is very good.

Now as far as an Aussie lifestyle goes, Mandurah is the ONLY PLACE in all of Western Australia with an inland waterway right at its back door (Peel Estuary). Look at it on Google Earth. Your kids will love it. Crabbing, boating, picnicking, all on a waterway about 6 feet deep. Cruise up the Murray River to the Ravenswood pub for a Sunday countery (meal). Bliss.

The ocean beaches are excellent. Mandurah foreshore is a great place for families during the day. I do advise tho, that after midnight Mandurah, like anywhere, has issues. But all normal people are tucked up in bed.

The train now goes straight from Mandurah, through Perth, all the way to Clarkson. 45 minutes to Perth, 130kph.

Halls Head has some nice areas. Avoid Greenfields and surrounds. Lakelands is a bit isolated just yet.

4000 square metre bush blocks at Pleasant Grove, just between Mandurah and Port Bouvard. Kangaroos in your backyard there.

Port Bouvard is a canal development. Very nice and more affordable than the canals in Mandurah.

There should be plenty of work available for a person in the building industry.

Out of those three places you mention, Mandurah would be my recommendation.

eddie007

what an excellent, well balanced post... Tend to agree woth you, even if I'm down the road and very happy in Rocko...

Little Lisa 1971

Thanks, that sounds really good. Halls Head looks lovely and if I can get the children in a good High School we will be very happy.

Our main priority is getting the children into a good school, Australia is mine and my Husbands dream and I really don't want to risk our childrens educational future on our dream.......they have to come first.

I'll try to get in touch with Mandurah Catholic College and get some information off them.

Little Lisa 1971

Thank you Condor of Bermuda for a fab reply, we've certainly got a lot to think of. Mandurah was our first choice, then after reading different comments we were swinging more towards Fremantle! I think we definately need to have a good look around Mandurah on our recci, If we can get a nice house in a nice area with a good High School we'll have everything we wanted and no mortgage which means we'll have the lifestyle we're coming for.

Thanks to everyone, this is a brilliant thread and I hope anyone moving to Perth is getting as much out of this thread as me

Condor of Bermuda

Lisa do you have an approximate arrival date yet?

Vegemite Kids

V.true, the crabbing is great fun. Sunblock is a must though as I found out to my cost one weekend.

I've heard the canal developement in Mandurah have major mozzie problems. Is that true or just another urban legend by ignorant Perthites?

HelenTD

Is algae still a problem? I'd also heard that crab numbers are down. Or as you say, just envy from the big smoke dwellers?

Cheetah7

Don't forget that Weebie is the type of person that let's his/her shallow wanky friends dictate as to where he lives and has freely admitted that those wanky shallow 'friends' would disown him/her if he lived in the 'wrong' area, and this doesn't just speak volumes about the shite company he keeps but also about the snob he is himself. Perhaps Weebie should stay on a compound where only his type are allowed to live and the can all dig their own exceedingly shallow graves together.

eddie007

You're home??? Did you have a fantastic time? When you going to join us plebs down south?????

Condor of Bermuda

Plenty of crabs in the Estuary. We went out on Australia Day and got our quota.

Crab sandwiches in front of the cricket......

Mozzies are out and about at the moment but I saw the helicopter spraying this week so that should settle them down. They are actually more of an issue in some bushy suburbs near the estuary shore than on the canals.

Algae hasn't been an issue for years, since the Dawesville Cut was built.

gobbyjock

We`ve done well with the crabbing this year on the estuary too and had no probs with mossies either when we`ve been down there. Mind you a friend at work who lives on acreage in Baldivis came in yesterday looking like a dot to dot puzzle, so if they like you`re blood it doesn`t matter where you live.

verystormy

Have a look at one of the best kept secret suburbs in Mandurah - Southport, Dawesville. It is the south side of the cut against the ocean. The houses are in effect built on the Cut golf course so feels very green. Nice suburb, though VERY quiet. Mainly proffessionals who live there. The best bit though is the beach. Great surf club there and for those with kids it provides great fun every weekend.

Little Lisa 1971

We don't have a date yet, I'm trying to arrange our recci around our Daughters exams and assessments! It may be our recci will have to wait till December then move out for good in July 2012 once our Daughter has sat her final GCSE exams. Hopefully I will then get both children into a High School for the end of the Australian school year so they can make friends before Aus Schools break up for Summer.

It's hard to know whats best, come out asap or wait till our 15yr old sits all her GCSE's in 2012.!!

We could visit in Aug 2011 during our school summer holiday.......what is the weather like that time of year? It seems a shame to come all the way to Aus during your Winter!