Tellyaddict

We have been in Melbourne for nearly 2 years but have not really settled. Although we have made some nice friends we still feel quite isolated and can't get used to the quietness of suburbia. I know that it is winter but it is like the world switches off at 6pm, walking to the milkbar the other night and there was not a soul around and everything was in darkness.

Rather than give up and go home we think maybe we would be better suited to Brisbane. Oldest boy has paid rugby since he was 4 but has had to revert to AFL as there are no local rugby teams. We miss the hustle and bustle of city living but can't afford to move any closer to the city than we are (about 45km). It is the little things that we miss like going to the coast for the day, I know we have a beach here but it is not a 'seaside'. Brisbane was our original choice but hubby got a job here.

I would appreciate any comments from people that have done the Melbourne to Brisbane move, good or bad. We are probably looking south of Brisbane as this is where most of the jobs seem to be for my hubby.

Thanks

moneypenny20

Can't really help but just wanted to point out that Brisbane is less 'seaside' than Melbourne.

bcworld

I've done the Brisbane to Melbourne move. You don't move to Brisbane for hustle & bustle. 45km is a long way out of Melbourne but on the same budget you'll still end up a long way out of Brisbane. Brisbane suburbia has an even more switched off feel in the evening because it gets dark early year round.

dave99

I have been thinking along similier lines recently but from the perspective of moving from perth to melbourne because I always here so many positive storys about melb.

today I made the mistake of looking at UK propertys and saw some lovely 4 bedroom houses I could get for the same prices as a shitty run down 2bed flat in perth. Made me feel homesick :P

Reading fan

Are you happy with Australia in general and want to stay ? Is it just missing a city/rugby/coast or a more general uneasiness ?

Sorry I can't answer your specific question but have a slightly different moving experience.

We moved from Uk to Adelaide to Uk to Brisbane to Adelaide and now we are back in the UK (for good) ! We knew as soon as we set foot in Brisbane it wasn't for us (only our experience) and as already stated you are probably not going to be able to afford to live much closer to the city than you already are. We stayed with friends in the suburbs and it was pretty dead every evening as well.

Sorry - i've just rambled not helped at all. Good luck

Could/have you go up to Bris on a holiday and have a look around ?

Tellyaddict

Thanks for the info. I was thinking trips to the Gold Coast and Dreamworld for the kids etc.

I think I am missing home and whilst Australia is a lovely country it is probably not for us although having said that I am nervous about going home. We must have had a good reason for coming here in the first place and I think I may have lost sight of that a little. I am kind of in a 60/40 situation at the moment, the kids have better prospects and opportunities here and that is what is keeping us here for now.

I have heard that all states are different and Brisbane sounded the most appealing which is why I thought of there. We are going to try and go over at Christmas for a week and have a look around.

We have visitors are coming out in January until April so I guess that will help us to decide whether we are just homesick for people or really want to go home.

ianandhelena

Come down to the forgotten state and look around here.
Hobart is a great place to live, not too crowded and property is good value, we have seasons unlike Brissie so it's dark in summer at 9pm just like the UK.
The locals here are lovely!

jad n rich

Melbournes great if you could afford to live 5klm from the city, 45klm I think you could be anywhere in OZ suburbia.

Beaches, one of the beaches often mentioned on here as a melbourne beach is 24klm from melb CBD, a similar distance from brisbane CBD you would get similar beaches ( not surf beaches ) in redcliffe, woody point etc. Melbourne hardly has a surf beach in the CBD either, plus if beaches are your thing, qld has the weather for them for far more of the year. From bris CBD you could be on the typical pommy dream beach, white sand, surf, dolphins in 45 mins - not rush hour, gold coast for eg. Sunshine coast is only slightly further.

Brisbanes crap weather time is the hot and humid bit for a couple of months, around feb,jan and sometimes december, rest of the year is probably perfect for most, not for me I like cold

Melbs crap weather is the winter for some, and the bush body invading FLIES in summer, big advantage of brisbane is you do not get the evil things

I would have thought house prices in bris were cheaper however 45klm out of melb your probably on a lower budger so maybe not.

You really need to see bris yourself, CBD bris does not have as much as CBD going on. But keep in mind your not going to see it at its weather best - dec could be hot and muggy, wet season is summer not winter, winter is usually stunning.

We moved from melb to bris for partners work. Know both well, but neither on is 'better', it really depends on what you want.

Centurion

Brisbane is dull. I am reconsidering options after 5 years here. The cbd closes basically at night other than some nightclubs. We went through south bank at 10pm the other night. Not one other person to be seen and everything closed.

But, I cant loose sight of the fact that the UK is what it is and I would not move back there if you paid me. Perhaps it is the migrants quandary of the wanderlust.

La Vida loca

mmmmm... I think got to the Uk on holiday......

Can you elaborate on what you want to happen after 6pm?

robertnhelen

Hi Nik n Aid,

For starters where abouts in Langwarrin are you? (just been informed your son goes to school with our daughter)

As has been pointed out many times on here living where you would like to have a holiday rarely works out, we love Gold Coast and Sunshine coast too but can't see us wanting to or being able to live there.

As you can see we live in Langwarrin and love the fact that we have the best of all worlds, City, Country and beaches, yes beaches, sheltered on one side and surf on the other, if you want "Seaside" then you're looking at holiday resorts, just like you would be in the UK.

If your son is in to Rugby I thought there was a couple of clubs around, Seaford I think for one, I will enquire if you want.

We enjoy winter for the rest!, from Melbourne Cup weekend to Easter we are full on all the time.

We have a big circle of friends here in Langwarrin from all nationalities and never have a dull moment, just let us know if you would like to get together etc.

All the best, Rob, Helen & Caitlain.

hantsfamily1

I live an hour south of Brisbane on the Gold Coast, 5 minutes to the beach, half an hour from the mountains and loads to do.

Bernieboy

I prefer beruit to brisbane.

hantsfamily1

On this cold winters day my eldest son is sunbathing in the front garden and last sunday when it reached 26 degrees we went to tropical fruit world.

Pollyana

Surely the pickled onions are better here?!! And the scintillating company, nice and peaceful right now, my voice has departed westwards again