GunnersCandy

Hi I have been on & off this sites since 2009. I have spent what feels like hours and hours over the last few weeks scrolling through threads trying to find answers to all the questions I have spinning round my head. I have found snippets of information here and there but just thought I would try and put everything down in one go and get some answers! So I apologise in advance for the length of this post!

Just to give you a bit of background information my husband and I have talked about making the move to Oz since we first met (nearly 11 years ago!) in the meantime we bought our 1st house, got a dog, got another dog, sold that house, bought our 2nd house got married had our first daughter (who is now 5)in 2009 had the opportunity to go out to Perth where we had convinced our selves beforehand that it would be the right place for us, spent 3 weeks with my sister (she has been there for 7 years now) came back a little disheartened, renovated and extended our house and finally had our 2nd daughter who will be 1 in a couple of weeks.

We have now decided that we are definitely going to make the move but we just can not decided where to?! I know that so many people ask the exact same question and everyone has different needs and opinions etc I would just appreciate it if you could answer some of my questions so I can get as much information as possible to move forward with.

What I can tell you is that we are in our early 30's with 2 young daughters (as mentioned above) love the outdoors and especially the beach. My husband loves his cycling and has recently started competing in triathlons and loves going to music gigs (when he gets the opportunity), my eldest daughter is a member of our local gymnastics club, loves riding pony's and takes dance classes. I also enjoy dance and fitness classes and love shopping.

We currently have been thinking of moving to Adelaide, Melbourne, Central Coast, Gold Coast and we have not completely ruled out Perth.

We love the sun and can cope with the type of heat you get in Europe and the Caribbean but I did find it hard when I was in Dubai and Hong Kong with the type of heat they get! I can handle the cold (as long as it's not for too long a period) but not freezing and I hate the rain, by this I mean the all day every day, none stop rain that we get here in Wales lol

We would be applying for the subclass 190 visa as my husband is an electrician. I am a finance officer for a charity and once settled would look for part time work. We would want to live somewhere that is no more than 10 minutes drive to a beach, have local shops and amenities, good primary school and a nice community feel.
We are from a large town (in Welsh terms) so do not want to be in the bush or anywhere remote. On the other hand I would not enjoy living in the heart of a large city but would like to be able to access one within 45-60 minutes for more shopping and entertainment etc as we regularly visit Liverpool, Manchester and on occasions London.
I have yet to figure out exactly how much we would be able to afford rent wise as I'm not 100% sure what my husbands income would be but I'm going to say around $450 a week.

From the research I have done Adelaide sounds appealing in that it's not too big a city, has good weather and seems very affordable but is it similar to Perth in that there aren't many other towns etc that you can visit?

Melbourne - I don't know much about, I have heard that the weather isn't great! But is fantastic for gigs and entertainment etc.

Central Coast - seems vary appealing and the one I have done the most research on. I get the impression that it is quite laid back, has good weather, nice beaches and not far from either Sidney or Newcastle. My only concern is the cost of property and if there is much work about.

Gold Coast - Not sure if Brisbane would be my kind of place to live but maybe to have access to. Not sure if I would cope with the weather or if we would be able to afford property.

Finally Perth, I didn't dislike it at all I just had issues with the whole isolation factor! To fly anywhere else for holiday in Oz would cost a small fortune for family of 4. Would I get bored after a couple of years? My sister lives north of Perth in Brighton and it's known as little Britain. I just felt like we were still in the UK! It seemed very expensive. On the other hand my sister is there so would have her support. However she does have different lifestyle in that she is older, single and has no children. The beaches were gorgeous. We spent a lot of our time at Hillary's as it was a toddler friendly beach and did explore as much as possible.

Feel free to correct me on any of my statements as this is just what I have gathered from past threads etc apart from the bit about Perth that is just my perspective.

Would appreciate any form of feedback that you can give no matter how small. Particularly interested in hearing from anyone that has lived in more than one of these states and can compare.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Zen10

Hi Gunners - I see you're still hot on the case! It's good to know you're starting with visas and eligibility first and doing research into specific places. At the end of the day enjoying where one lives is so subjective it is hard for people to comment more generally, I should think.

Most of what you require, it seems to me, can be found in all the main Australian metropolitan areas (cycling, beaches, fitness, etc.). So I would think about factors that might be unique to each area, like employment opportunities, family support, tolerable climate, etc.

To sum up for you, as far as Adelaide is concerned - it is mocked by other Australians as being parochial, but we came from a very small town in England (one shop, two pubs) so for us it is a major metropolis. We live a few seconds from the beach at $250 a week (we can see the ocean from our front room), are 20 minutes from the CBD, and maybe 40 minutes from the hills and vineyards. Barossa Valley is an hour or so away as well, which is nice.

In the city we have all the usual array of theatres and galleries and museums, and also of course things like the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Clipsal 500, and so on if that's your thing.

The weather ranges from 10/12 daytime average in winter, say 6/10 nighttime, and summer daytime usually around 25-35, clear sky practically every day. As I have said elsewhere, when the north wind blows in from the desert, temperatures here can go very high and remain elevated for many days on end, and that means hot nights as well. 37 degrees before breakfast is not unknown during this heatwaves and they can be exhausting. We usually get about three or four of these per summer, and they last a few days to a week each. I believe Perth has a very similar climate.

I know others will be along to talk to you about Central Coast and the other places you are interested in.

Bermudashorts

I would guess that your husband's occupation is fairly portable, so in that case I would say go with your gut instincts, what anybody else thinks is irrelevant. If you fancy Central Coast then go for it.

It has rained practically non stop in NSW since I moved here two years ago, to do with La Nina so I am told. Been nice the last few weeks though.

justcantwait

I know it wasnt on your list but the Sunshine coast is a very family friendly place to live, as i read all the things you were looking for, i thought that sounds just like here lol i would say just go with what you feel right with, if you feel pulled to the Central coast then give it a go

Anne marie x

brissybee

If a temperate climate, close to other areas, is important to make the move, I think, the OP will be limited to New South Wales.

Melbourne does get cold and wet more than Sydney (though I prefer Melbourne)... Adelaide is like Perth in that it's a long way from other centres (though I found the 8 hour or so drive to Melbourne from Adelaide is do-able) and the Gold Coast does get humid hot in Summer... though you can breathe properly at night if you have air conditioning or sleep in front of a fan with a wet flannel over your face.

Enjoy the Central Coast.

ozzieeagle

Melbourne will possibly make you miss the UK the least, especially long term.


Re the Weather IMO it's far harder to go out on a 40 degree day than it is in the pouring rain. The heat at that level is actually physically damaging.

Buzzy--Bee

Never a truer word said.


The weather in Melbourne may be more varied than other parts of Australia, but compared to even the warmer parts of the UK, it is a doddle. Summer lasts 6 months plus, winter is short and does have many sunny days, and most importantly for me, even in the depths of winter it is not dark until 5.15pm. In summer it's light until 9.30.

I thoroughly recommend Melbourne.

BB

moneypenny20

I'd disagree with that. In seven years I've probably put an air con unit on 20, if that. Certainly never felt humid at night. Far better climate than Brissie or Sunshine Coast (for me humidity wise). However Central Coast seems to be where the OP wants to be so I guess it's a moot point.

brissybee

I agree the sea breeze can make the Gold Coast more bearable in Summer compared with the hideous humidity of Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

However, I do remember living through a Summer on the Gold Coast (Broadbeach) where I didn't have air con and did actually sleep in front of a fan as described. Also had clothes going mouldy in the wardrobe from the damp/heat. (It would be fair to say the digs weren't posh. )

If someone doesn't like humidity I would never recommend Queensland (except maybe somewhere up a hill like Toowoomba.)

But you're right... if the OP goes for the NSW Central Coast it's a moot point.

Zen10

Anything above body temperature is going to be hard work, for obvious reasons, and that's 37! To give a realistic picture though Adelaide does not have that many days above 35, it's just that when they roll along in one go you know about it.

Still Game

I agree with one of the posters - trust your instinct. Choose a place that most appeals now and just go for it with a positive yet balanced outlook. As you know, it won't be a bed of roses but an adventure all the same. With Perth I do understand what you say, however there are lovely trips you can take down south to Margaret river, Albany and surrounds. Karri Valley is gorgeous in the winter months, hire a cabin with a crackling fire and go for long walks in the forest. in summer there are loads of outdoorsy things to do. Yes it's not an hours drive away, however you don't need to fly. Also visit north if WA to places like Coral Bay and visit gorges. we had plenty a family holiday camping here and there growing up in WA ans loved every moment, best memories if my childhood. I didn't fly til I was 22. Feel free to ask me other things about WA. Also lived in Darwin, Sydney and Ayers Rock too so ask away!

Zen10

While I think there is space in life for impulse, I don't think international moves should be based on gut feelings, which has been suggested here a couple of times. Moving internationally, especially with kids, is a serious business and success or failure can hinge on how much research is done. These days, with great facilities like this website, people are able to find out the answers to specific questions, and in this case the OP has asked about certain areas in particular, which I hope some are able to comment on. At the end of the day, the OP can trust her instinct, but only when her instinct has something to tell her, and that isn't going to happen until she knows some facts.

Still Game

With the gut instinct comment for me it was more once they had made the decision and were deciding on a location. I don't think anyone would advocate moving on a whim! :-)

bingobob777

Brisbane has the best weather of all the big cities, sod moving to Australia and it being cold for 5 months of the year.

moneypenny20

Indeed, move to Brissie and after a couple of years find yourself being cold for only 3 months of the year!