ukjoiner

Hi there

Can anyone help me research Melbourne? We are initially attracted due to the climate and also I have a Cousin living in Hastings - Victoria.

The one thing we love more than anything about the UK is our countryside, walking and lots of camping so anywhere too flat would be a no go for us. We would like to live where it is scenic (or not too far away from), good for children, good schools, hopefully near(ish) the coast and not too killer hot. Also my hubby is a Joiner so somewhere up and coming development wise would be good. Middle of a city wouldn't appeal a great deal.

Do you think thats picky? It might sound a lot to ask for but I think we could be much more picky if we tried.

Does anyone have any suggestions as a good place to start looking. Looking on Google Earth is great but its hard to spot where its flat as opposed to hilly for starters! I am drawn to looking at the beaches - how shallow!

Thanks for any advice

Jenny

scrubbedexpat055

Hi Jenny,

Generally the west side is flat and unappealling if you like your "English" type of countryside.

Regarding the heat, if the wind comes from the North, it all gets pretty hot, but it doesn't normally last very long.

I suggest you have a look at Britvics website, as this is based around Melbourne area.

I am not sure where you will find all the elements that you want, plus you need to factor in how much you want to spend, on rent or buying.....

ukjoiner

Thanks very much,

I will have a look at the site you have suggested. I would be happy to compromise on mose things, afterall this is not the UK and thats what we want to get away from. However the outdoor lifestyle is REALLY important to us regards the camping & walking and that has to be in the picture when we choose.

Petals

My Mother lives in Hastings now. A lot of older people have moved there due to it being a sizeable shopping centre, has the train and its flat.

I live not far away in Somerville about 11 km, also on the train line.

Bittern, Hastings, Tyabb, Somerville, Baxter are all on the train line to Frankston and its the western side of the Mornington Peninsula. We have lived here over 30 years now. Would not live anywhere else. Everything we want.

The Mornington Peninsula has lots of walks and nice beaches, horse trails etc, wineries all that stuff and is not far from Phillip Island and South Gippsland which are lovely places to visit.

There still seems to be building going on over in Lyndhurst, Narre Warren, Cranbourne, Berwick and Pakenham so travel is ok from the Peninsula.

Mornington and Mount Martha are very popular with Brits and very nice houses etc. Also good support from other Brits in the area through the Britvic site.

Have a look at Realestate.com.au and Domain.com.au and look at the above suburbs and throw in South Frankston, Langwarrin, South Cranbourne.

I usually knock Cranbourne as I am not fond of the area but the other day I had to go over there and there are some very nice new estates in South Cranbourne being built which are undulating.

However we are Peninsula people.

Good luck. Try the other poms sites around too and you will find you a lot more information.

ukjoiner

Thanks very much!

furkew

We live in the Dandenong ranges, just past Ferntree Gully, and the whole area is fab if you like hills, cooler temperatures & shade (still gets warm, but can easily be 5 degrees cooler than the CBD) when it gets very hot. It can get a bit chilly in the winter, and snow is not unusual, and a few decent frosts each winter are normal as well.

Anywhere from Pakenham, up into the ranges (emerald/cockatoo/pakenham upper etc etc), close to Ferntree (Belgrave/Tecoma/Monbulk/Olinda etc) and up maybe as far as the Basin might even fall into the right category. Pakenham is much closer to the sea than the rest mentioned, but we are only about 50 mins beach, 45 mins CBD, and withing 15-20 minutes of plenty of larger towns if you need a "shopping centre" fix.

Friends of ours are in Lilydale, and that offers a bit of all sorts. Very close to the hills, Yarra valley, but very close to civilization for the work side of things.

Good schools all the way through the hills, and most bigger schools outside the ranges are accessible by school bus. Our son travels 35 minutes every day by bus to Ferntree. Costs about $35.00 per month.

One small down side of living in the hills. Bushfires. This year being especially scary. Not enough to make me want to move, thats for sure.

Here the view from our deck at the back of the house (and I think its pretty avarage compared to a lot of the views around here)

furkew

To give you a bit of an idea on houses around here, heres a link to houses in and around our area, between $300-$600k

You get quite a lot for your money as well up in the hills IMO.

http://www.realestate.com.au/cgi-bin...size=&p=10&o=d

The Crow

Agree with Furkew - definitely worth looking at the Dandenongs. We are in The Basin, which is just on the edge (50 mins by train into the CBD, 40 mins drive off-peak and 35 mins to the bay beaches). We have national park walking tracks from our house, but are only 5 mins from suburbia and all the facilities that offers (and a quick escape from bushfires..!)

Some more pics.... the last pic is of Lysterfield Lake (20 mins from us)

ukjoiner

Wow!!! That is sooooo spooky! Was looking at Ferntree gully last night and have just been chatting about the Dandenongs to a friend. Is this fate!!! Thanks Furkew and The Crow for the links and piccies etc. What a view out back eh?.........I am really excited now.

Jenny x

hevs

If you drive from "The Crows" house to mine (The Basin to Harkaway/ North Berwick) its beautiful country side, Hilly, green (well except for the summer) Lots of trees.
The Dandenongs are beautiful to, but for me it would seem a bit opressive in the winter (stunning though!)

The Crow

Just reminded me to take my Mum on that drive

Yes, I think I'd find it a bit chilly up the mountain in winter - but it's nice to pop up on a cold, misty day for a cuppa in a cafe/pub with a nice fire

ukjoiner

It sounds perfect for us. The scenery looks stunning. We are close to the Peak District at the moment. That is what I will have trouble giving up (apart from family) but the Dandenongs area looks fab.

What is the yearly climate like there?

sram466

what about places like Hampton Park, Narre Warren Sth ?
Does these places offer good schools for young children and and shopping malls within walking reach of elderly folks.

furkew

dont know exact figures, but because the Dandenongs are higher up, it doesnt get as warm as quickly, and cools down quicker in the late autumn/early spring. It varies where you are as well. Kallista, Olinda, Sassafras for example are higher than Emerald, Silvan, Monbulk etc and can get a few degrees colder. Here in Monbulk a rough guide : Winter nightime tend to be around 3-5 degrees, daytime 8-15 degrees. Summer nightime anything from 12-14 degrees at it lowest, but as high as 30 degrees on real hot spells. Daytime always just above 20 on cool days, we got as high as 45 this summer, but normal hot days are high 20's/low 30's

Rainfall here is quite a bit higher than the city as well, and we tend to find most rain falls at might, although we had our first rain last week since new year. I have a 24,000 ltr water tank, and it was filled in 10 days last November with a few decent downpours.

Sherro

just dont mistake the dandenongs with dandenong