fillinghams

Moving out to Aus next year, we have lived there before in North Queensland, loved the weather, if not the town, and people.

We are going back and are torn between the Gold Coast and Melbourne.

Do we go for the razzle and dazzle that you get with the Gold Coast, with its theme parks and tourist focus, or do we go for the more European Melbourne.

Any thoughts anyone?

Any one lived in both and decided on one or none?
Thanks

Geelong Gent

HAve a search under poster Buzzy--Bee he did an extensive post on his reccie of Brisbane and Melbourne. His comments will give further food for thought.

Your main consideration at the moment will be jobs

fillinghams

Thanks, work should be ok, im a nurse and my wife is a social worker.

Keep the opinions coming please

MartinLuther

Surely it depends on what you want? I would go for Melbourne but that's because I'm not interested in the razzle and dazzle.

moneypenny20

I'd go for Gold Coast but then I don't do the razzle dazzle either.

MartinLuther

But then you have to live with Brits who laugh at Australians all the time for doing the same stuff that other Brits do in the UK. (Or is that the Sunshine Coast? )

sammyg

Since when was brissie the same as the gold coast

Agreed though jobs-wise, gold coast will be tougher to find employment (and prob lower wages)

Life on the gold coast is completely different to brissie - i wouldn't live in brissie if you paid me!!!

bigAPE

We visited the Gold Coast last year, while living in Melbourne, and I'm pretty sure that if you stepped back from Surfers and some of the more tourist areas you would find a much quieter urban experience. At least that's what we thought.

I know it sounds odd, but we didn't actually like the beaches on the Gold Coast. They were all way too long and bland. Coming from Cornwall we prefer some personality to a beach, lots of smaller sandy beaches each with their own specific personality. This is why we like Melbourne.

GC seems to be a rather sleepy area with some great weather, while Melbourne is the "events capital" of Australia with constant music, dance, theatre, clubs, restaurants, bars, sport, beaches, snow, skiing and what Australians call "heritage". It's certainly all that and interesting weather with very hot summers and colder Winters (although at least 10'C higher than the UK all the time), but, we couldn't think of living anywhere else right now.

All in all the two are totally different places to live. It really depends on what you're after. I would certainly suggest you visit both on a Reccie, or once you arrive, before you make a final decision.

Good luck

Al

moneypenny20

No idea but I don't know many Brits here. Most people I know are Aussie or Kiwi

Petals

So different its just what you like. I do not like the Queensland climate so its no contest for me, Melbourne is the place for me to be. Too plastic for me in Queensland needs a bit of grot.

humpy

We too considered Gold Coast and Melbourne whilst in England, we chose the gold coast as my wife got offered sponsorship by Queensland Health. We have been to the gold coast before on 2 previous visits and my wife was a bit put off as she considered the Gold Coast to be all touristy surfers. Well, its not, we live in Mudgeeraba and couldn't of found a nicer place, we are 5 minutes from the hinterland, 10 minutes to a very nice beach in Burleigh, a bit further and your at Currumbin or Tallebudgera Creek beaches which are glorious on a nice sunny day. These beaches are probably not visited on reccie visits but they are a must, nothing like the beaches in the more commercialised areas. The hustle and bustle of surfers is only 15-20 minutes away if thats what you want, theme parks are about the same drive from us. There is plenty to do and see on the gold coast and we love it.

Geelong Gent

You need to read his thread I believe he investigated all areas.

But in fact isnt it all the same past coffs harbour

Geelong Gent

Oh you poor thing

moneypenny20

Oh they're not all bad