verystormy

Hi guys. We are moving to WA this week from NSW and are seriously thinking about Mandurah as the housing looks nice and the costs less. However, i will need to make about 7 trips to the city a month for work. I know there is the train and i was wondering if anyone can tell me the cost of a truip to the city? Also, any general hints and tips on Mandurah would be great.

squeezzii

the journey by train from mandurah to perth takes 48 mins approx. the telephone no. of transperth is 13 62 13 they can give you advice on the cost of the trip and the frequency of the trains. the website is www.transperth.wa.gov.au that has other info too.
what other sort of info are you looking for?

melaniee

Mandurah is lovely and approx. twice per week to Perth would be ok but I would not want to be doing it much more than that to be honest as it gets tiring-mind you, depends if you mean Halls Head or Secret Harbour for example when you say Mandurah. I know of a reasonable amount of people that commute from Secret Harbour and they think it is ok.
Shout if you have any specifics but can't help too much on schools !

suzyt

hi i know this is no help at all i lived there when i was in my twenties, its lovely, watch the pelicans down on the foreshore they will have your fish and chips straight off your lap, there was also a seal there at one point, it got washed up in a storm. Good luck hope you love it.

BATS666

I guess it depends how you want to commute to Perth. The train is pretty slow as it stops a heck of alot on the way, but the 50 minute journey is about the same as a drive IF the roads are clear, i.e. not during the rush hour.
Prices are way cheaper than Perth, by and large. Lots of new housing if that's what rings your bell. Seascapes is the place to go if that's what you want ("new" Halls Head), but there are plenty of others. Right now prices are coming down in Mandurah and have been for about a year. $5-600K should buy you a near new 4 bed 2 bath house in Seascapes, prices will be lower further from the sea, try Meadow Springs, Lakelands. There are some areas that are not so nice, where the housing is older (Greenfields). If you have more money you can pick up a canal front 3 bed for under $1million when it was $1.3 million a year ago. There's a serious oversupply at the moment.
right now, i'd rent if I was you. prices haven't bottomed out yet.
the down side for us, having lived in cities for 25 years, is that M is a bit quiet. Few bars, restaurants etc. On a Thursday nite it looks like the place has closed after 8pm!!
I'd imagine it's a good place for families and ALOT of retirees. Not so good for couples who like good social facilities.