hey
just ploughing through this thread and loads of good info.
so where would you suggest we might start looking at living is we were to come over to melbourne? we have two dogs and a baby and love the beaches and cafe culture.
cheers
lily

With 2 dogs and a baby you'll likely need more space than inner city living might offer you. Where we live could well suit you, we have great beaches on our doorstep and the cafe culture is growing - there are a number of good coffee places in Mordialloc, Parkdale and Mentone. The best dog beaches are Mentone and Aspendale, Mordialloc beach itself bans dogs at all times and Parkdale beach is quite restrictive on when you can take a dog on it.

BB

oh thats fab thanks
could we get a rental for below $800 a week?
and what are the prices like for buying (once we have saved up a deposit again !!) ?? i have done a quick search and only get properties of $1.4+million !! ouch!!!
and i am a teacher are there any good school within 30mins drive for me to teach at?
and any ideas of home based childcare costs?
thanks again- it is so much easier when people can point you int he right direction

oh and how long is the commute into the center from tere? the timetables say 30mins ont he train? is that true?

I think I would wait and see when you get here. What do you teach, high school, primary school. High School shortages are maths and science. Primary school no shortages at all in desirable areas and those mentioned are desirable. Most teaching jobs are contract and not permanent positions now. Only get the permanent if you do the hard yards in the remote areas. My son did the hard yards and he is also maths and science so he has permanent position. My daughter does relief as she has not been able to get a contract since finishing uni 2 years ago. They are both high school teachers. A lot of the positions that are advertised are already filled but the schools have to go through the motions.

Chelsea Edithvale Seaford Frankston are all on the beach and further down you get Mount Eliza Mornington which are very popular with expats.

Also Point Cook on the western side of Melbourne is popular with Brits moving over these days as its closer to the CBD than the southern suburbs.

Good luck. For a start get your police check done for working with children as this takes a while and you need it to register as a teacher. In fact here in Aus you need a certificate to take out the rubbish

ok brill thanks for all of that.
i am a physics teacher and i think they are short of them everywhere in the world
would probably only want to work part time aswell or even do cover so lots of options and theres no rush for me to start work when we come over so thats a plus.
how long are the commutes into the cbd from those areas you mentioned?
thanks again

Yep physics they will have you no problem Unfortunately its the arts side that is over supplied

ok great- thanks
any ideas on salaries for teachers?
i have 3 years experience but 7 years related experience as a research physicist?
and do they take other qualificatiosn into account aswell? i have a phd?
i know NZ takes qualificatiosn and related work experience into consideration when they work out salaries- is it the same in oz?
cheers

and most of us frequent the MBBTUK forum, althought i would say am an 'inbetweener'.

Yes, 30 mins on the express, 40 mins on the stopper.

House prices - $400 a week for a 3 bed rental. Anything from $600k upwards for a 3 bed unit / house.

BB

Have a look at the Education site http://www.education.vic.gov.au/

Wages for teachers are not that fabulous however with your experience you may get a position at one of the private schools such as Scots College, Melbourne Grammar, Wesley. If you look up their web sites they usually have vacancies posted on them.

Also there is a site just for private school positions as well. Just have a google.

Then again you might like to get into research at the Baker or Walter Eliza Institutes.

ok brill thanks- will check thse out.

so double checking you can geta 3 bed rental in parkdale or nearby??
and buy for 600k in that area?
and its 30mins by train into cbd?

what about further down in mornington? rentals? house prices? rtrain ride in please?

again i have looked on roperty websotes but they all seem to be 1mill + houses :-( and i cant find rentals!!

thanks for all the help again
cheers
lily

Try here for Parkdale around 600k -

http://www.realestate.com.au/buy/wit...195%3b+/list-1

and try here for rentals -

http://www.realestate.com.au/rent/in...ic+3195/list-1

BB

In my view its not 30 mins to the city from Parkdale its longer and could be nearly an hour, also the trains are packed by the time they reach Parkdale. Thirty minutes from the city would see me living in Elwood, Brighton, maybe Caulfield on a good run.

I have lived in Elwood so know how long it takes, also lived in Caulfield so know how long that takes. Parkdale is a few stations up from Edithvale where we lived and I worked in the city at the time and it was at least an hours commute to work.

Trains this coming Monday morning -

Parkdale 7.32am arrives Flinders Street 8.03am duration 31 mins
Parkdale 7.40am arrives Flinders Street 8.11am duration 31 mins
Parkdale 7.48am arrives Flinders Street 8.18am duration 31 mins
Parkdale 7.57am arrives Flinders Street 8.28am duration 31 mins

BB