scutterUK

Hi all.

I've been sat reading these forums for a while now, and it occured to me (i never said i was quick) that everyone seems to be moving to the capitals or down the coast somewhere.

I was just wondering if any of you have had thoughts about, or actually moved to a more rural location, or a larger property outside of the suburbs?

Has anyone ever thought that maybe to see the real australia, you need to leave everyone behind?

just wondered...

Leigh

brisnick

i've thought about rural, but then i wouldn't be able to find work in my field.

to be honest, i didn't spend long considering against it. my gf lived in emerald in central queensland (14000 pop) for a few months, and i must have spent around 5 or so weekends there. no way could i live somewhere like that. she left for the same reasons.

there's nothing to do! it would be almost as bad as living in perth.... (only kidding, i've never been there ). i like having a varied choice of pubs/restaurants, and activities to do.

cam_uk

i think you need to speak to arkon

NickyP

Hi there we are in NE Victoria about 3 hours from Melbourne. The place that we are living in calls itself a city but is really more what you would class as a large town in the UK. We have 4 kids all in kinder, school and high school and find the facilities here excellent, no shopping malls but what the hell we still have shops.
I have found it very friendly here if you join into the community then you are welcomed with open arms. It can at times feel a bit insular as many people here have never left the area apart from the odd holiday to Queensland or trip to Melbourne but it isn't that bad really. We are stuck here as Ian works locally and there are no opportunities for him elsewhere so we are happy to make a go of it.
I do miss the chance to go shopping in an airconditioned mall especially when the temperature is in the 40s and I miss the access to the city for the kids but neither of these things are really that bad.
I have good days and bad days here but I do think that we can make a go of this move and the good points of safety for kids and friendliness of the place far outweigh the bad points. Not sure if it will be the thing for us for ever but I would definatly say to others not to be put off by country locations as they have a lot to offer.
Nicky

scutterUK

now that's usually what puts people off. it's either the lack of work or the lack of life... understandably.

when i first moved out here i had an idea about moving to one of the larger inner towns/cities,.. apart from canberra! or even moving to a remote location just to get away from everything. i had ideas about what i could do for work and what i could do for fun, and pretty much had it all nailed.

when i moved out here i fell into a job with a friend and before i knew it i was working the 9-5 with a mortgages.

however, i believe i've probably found the best of both worlds. I live 30 mins from canberra's centre, and yet i have views of the mountains and no neighbours within shouting or rock throughing distance,... the nearest one is about 400m away, i think. Yes it does take me 30 mins to walk to the mailbox but apart from that it's all good.

now i can't say if you'd find this sort of lifestyle in any of the other cities as close as we are, but canberra can't be that unique can it?

i know i wouldn't live in suburbia again, or as long as i can keep out of it. the views, the quietness, the lack of people is just soooo appealing to me. yet i can understand why people wouldn't like it, although we're only 20 mins from civilization, and the local! life is different. people are different. You need to be aware of more than someone breaking in to your car every night. but it's all part of it.

i don't know why i posted this thread so feel free to just blurt out anything. i guess what i'm saying is there's more options than a lot of people see.

brisnick

well, if that idea makes a resurgence, please dont go to toowoomba!! :scared:

scutterUK

why not?

brisnick

i think i've bagged it enough on this forum over the last year or so (my gf lived there for a while) and i'm not going to anymore.

suffice to say it's not what i would call a desirable place to live. looks nice, pleasant, peaceful, with a large enough infrastructure, sleepy, but with places to go. but then there is the other side of toowoomba. the god squad, the inbreds, the people who have never left, the weirdos who stalk you, the weirdos in the parks, i could tell many many stories, but i won't.

damn, i ended up bagging it after all.

ok, the spotted cow is worth going to for a drink, and that is imho the only positive thing about toowoomba.

Simone

I think it might be a bit unique.

To find rural(like 1 acre blocks, ok, so that's semi rural!!) around Perth, you'd be at least 45 mins out of the city centre. And you'd be paying at least 500.000 for a normal style house.
If you're willing to travel an hour, 1.5 hours.... you might find something from 300.000 upwards... might I say.
(haven't had a good look at prices recently, but they've only gone up, so I think what I'm saying is generally right....

So yeah, we couldn't find anything for our maximum(250.000) within 1.5 hours of the city centre unfortunetly...

We have now bought a house for a bit less than that, 17km's from the city. Pascal works a bit past the city centre(subiaco), and it already takes him an hour minimum to get to work with public transport. That's bad enough!!

One day(like when Pascal starts his own design bureau or something...) we will live in the country!
My parents are about to move back(lived there when I was young) to Bridgetown, 350 km's south of Perth, 100km's south of Bunbury.
Town with about 4000 people, very lovely.


I'm suprised that so few choose to live in the country, but it's usually to do with work.
Read the website of the guy who did the post yesterday with the huge spider, says he lives 2 hours south of Perth. Can't figure out where he is, but the photo's showed it wasn't even in a small town, it was a farm!
And there's someone on here in Northam!

On the Dutch forum, there's someone moving to Alice Springs, and a guy who is the manager of a big hotel/pub thing in Coober Pedy!!!!! I think his family thought about moving there too, but I reckon they might have changed there minds, lol, and they're staying in Adelaide, and he flys down every few weeks for a week or so. I think he'll just be doing it for a year or so(or maybe won't even last that long, though you really never know) to get some money(he's earning very well, and accomodation and meals provided, and even the travel to Adelaide, and holidays!)

EDIT: Ha, think prices are even higher! (and I'm talking semi-rural)
http://www.realestate.com.au/cgi-bin...mi-Rural&o=def

Found one in High Wycombe(which I wouldn't call very rural, is a suburb of Perth, but has semi-rural bits I guess ):
15 km from city centre
2.5 acres, 3x2 house, stables, paddocks,
$ 850.000

Ahhhhhh, I want it!!!!!!!!!!!! One day, one day......

Fiona&malc

We live in Mildura which is VERY rural !!!!!! Its about a 7 hour drive north of melbourne. Weve been here a year now and im craving city life again, its more difficult to make friends in a country town (we've found) as here they arent used to anyone other than other aussies, so we arent as easily accepted as we might be in a city where people are more used to british etc. I miss all the dept stores and the exciting things that happen in cities (ie Commonwealth games) ok land and housing is cheper but electricity, gas and petrol are all more expensive and you have to travel hours to get to where you want to go, so yes all in all we do like it here, the kids love thier school, but given the opportunity, i would more to the city in a flash !!!!

ozzieeagle

I think you've done particuarly well adapting to life, up in Wang, My wife has family scattered around all over central victoria, with a large group of them around the Cheshunt area, just up from Wang in the King Valley. Beautiful part of the world.

When I first arrived in Aussie I spent the first few weeks up in Bendigo. I would call that transistion from Peckham South London, to Bendigo the biggest culture shock I've ever had in my life. I've had a couple of almost Agroaphopic episodes in the Country, where all I wanted to do is see hustle and bustle.

Like I said very brave, Must be great if you can adapt though.

Personally I'm looking forward to spending the latter years of my life, even further in than Coburg, Docklands would be fantastic. A Urban place in the Uk would be good as well.

Having said that I do own an escape up at Nagambi, backing right on the Goulburn River. My Caravan and annexe up there is a great way of getting away from it all, However having said that 1 week up there is enough for me, before I want to get back to the city.

ozzieeagle

Blimey :scared: :scared:


Wow you may qualify, as the Hottest temp enduring Bexpats, ever thought of that !!! In aussie at least, The only two places I've stayed for some time at that are more remote than Mildura, are Goondiwindi, Palmer River, north of Cairns, and Parkes.

How do you go when it's 47 ?

BadgeIsBack

Not many places in any capital city where you can do the best of both worlds, live semi-rural on a 1 acre block but we did it for not even 340k in SE Melbourne. We bought the smaller property in the street. Most are 400-600k+.

There are a few 1/4 acre blocks on the main through road and they are 350k ish.

cheers

ozzieeagle

You can do this in an arc right around Melbourne, From Riddells Creek, then on to Wallen, through to Beveridge, on to Kinglake, If I carried on in the same circle I reckon I would draw a line right through your place Badge (trouble is without looking at a map, I forget what's after Kinglake lol)

Fiona&malc

When its 47, it is awful !!! Not even the air conditioning can keep the house cool, you have to keep your bread in the fridge, the dog is knackered all the time and the kids are as cranky as sh*t !! its not pleasent when its as hot as that !!! But we are hoping to come down to melbourne in the next coupke of weeks to see the car show... WOW CIVILISATION AGAIN