naomilondon

Hello Perth people,

We are a young family of 5 heading out in November, our children are 6, 20 months and 9 weeks at the moment. We are trying to choose a suburb but it is so difficult!!!!

We are looking for somewhere that is really family friendly with lots of parks, mother and baby/toddler groups, fairly close to the coast if possible. A must is a good primary school for our son, in the UK our 6 year old is very active with weekly tennis, rugby, swimming and football lessons so a suburb that has these activities so that he can continue them over there too. Also an easy commute to the CBD so close to a train station.

Finally and I know I am asking alot but the suburb needs to be affordable!!! People have recommended Duncraig and Mindarie but both seem to be really expensive. Ideally don't want to be spending more than $500 a week on a rental.

Any suggestions that people already living there could provide would be most welcome!

Thank you all in advance

Suem1964

Mandurah,aveley,Ellenbrook,Kingsley,woodvale,butle r,noranda,carnie,padbury.

Dorothy

Where will you be working? You don't want to rent in Mandurah if you're working in Joondalup.
Aveley, Ellenrbook, Noranda and Woodvale are not close to the coast. And the OP would be hard pressed to find a rental in most of those other suburbs big enough for her family under $500/wk. Honestly I think the OP is going to have to drop some items from her wish list and give us some idea of where they intend on working.

If they're going to be working SOR I would look at Rockingham area. There are some nice suburbs down that way a lot less expensive than NOR.

Japonica

Wellard, Baldivis, Secret Harbour...

eddie007

Shocko has THE best beach for small people....and english swimmers (stones) Waveless .... And shallowish.... Rental for under $500 very doable... Being an established burb plenty for youngsters to do.... Didnt have teenies when we got here, but there are plenty of groups advertised ....

Big draw back... Secondary education unless you go private.... Which is comparatively reasonable...

Also when it comes to buying... Unless you have a large chunk behind you (we certainly didnt when ours were tots) you wont have rented out of your financial grasp so to speak.....

Any house "this" side of the city centre is walkable to beach able.... Just....

Historically shocko has a very bad reputation as being a piss poor pommie shanty town..... But miliions has been invested in the infrastructure and people who we last here 10 years ago, let alone 15/20 dont recognise the place....



Having said all this... Not entirely sure we want cashed up poms discovering our little gem... driiving up house prices locally... So I'd recommend NOR ....

John Mc

We're in a holiday apartment in Rockingham at the minute, despite what some people say we've found it really nice. Seems to be plenty to do and the shopping centre has plenty in it if you like that kind of thing. The beach is lovely and my kids have loved playing in the sea, even if it is winter here

We're moving into our rental on Friday which is in Secret Harbour. Looks a lovely place but seems very quiet. Our kids will be going to Secret Harbour Primary which seems really good on first look. Will report back once they've been there for a while.

We went visiting some friends in Como yesterday and it is lovely up there too.

I guess a lot depends on where you have been living in the UK, to us we haven't found a bad place yet. But then we have only been here a week and driving round visiting places etc

naomilondon

Thanks all, my husband works in procurement for a printing company in the UK so is likely to be CBD based I would think. I am hopefully going to be staying home with the children for at least the first year or so.

Secret harbour was our first choice when we started trying to choose a suburb, I thought the commute was longer than 35mins into the city on the train though. How far is Warnbro station away from Secret Harbour and is that the closest place to get the train into the city? I was put off by people saying that the schools were not very good.

John Mc - please keep me updated would love to know your views on SH primary and how your children are settling in there.

Thanks Naomi

Chrissie Chop

I have heard good things about Roleystone.

naomilondon

Thanks will check it out too.

We have just been looking at Wattle Grove, is anyone on here there? Primary school looks excellent, would sacrifice my wish to be close to the coast though. Does have good schooling and is very close to the City. Anyone know how far to the coast it is?

Opinions and views of those in the know are most welcome!!

Thanks!

hoofie2002

The OP should bear in mind that there is apparently a real shortage of rentals at the moment and an advertised rate of $500 may turn out to be $600+ by the time it is taken.

Evelin

that is true.

Wattle Grove is fine, however very hot in summer, you won't get the sea breeze.

My suggestion would be as other mentioned above the Rockingham Shire. For me it would be Baldivis. Rentals shouldn't be a probblem, very close to the train station (if you get there early it's fine, otherwise Rockingham station will have enough parking when you arrive).

Baldivis has private and public schools, easy excess to the freeway, close to the ocean. And as Eddie07 said, for toddlers the beaches down there are the best along the coast, it's a bay and very safe, no big waves at all. Plus not many people are at the beaches and you def will find parking. From Warnbro station the train is about 35 minutes.

East of Baldivis is open countryside and plenty of horses. South it is not far to Mandurah, and 1.5 hrs to Bunbury if you want to see something different.

naomilondon

Baldivis houses do look nice as does the area from what I have seen so far, I am a bit uneasy that I can''t view the results of Makybe primary school as it is too new, the Baldivis and Settlers primary school both appear on the myschool website to be below the standard of average australian schools. Tranby College will not be a possibility due to costs with three children, possibly could consider for secondary education though.

Does anyone have children in Makybe? How are they doing?

What time does Warnbro station car park fill up? How far is it from Baldivis?

Thanks

naomilondon

Also concerning rentals, we are planning on a fully furnished rental for the first month, do you think this will be sufficient time to find a long term rental?

Do agents require payslips for proof of income, we probably won't apply for mu husbands job until we arrive as ideally would like him to be home with me while we try and find our feet in the first month or so.

jen85

My aunt lives in clarkson? she brought my cousins up there from a young age - never been so can't comment but she's happy...
Good luck!
Jen85

Japonica

I know someone with a son in Makybe and she likes it very much. She also volunteers there on a regular basis and so would have a good idea of the inner workings of the classroom.

Warnbro Station...ack. Apparently it's full by 7am (or earlier). I could be wrong. It's about 5-7 minutes' drive from Baldivis. I'm not sure how long on the bus.