Jimmy Choo

We have been in Perth 10 years now and have been tallking about moving the whole family to Melbourne for a few years. When we mention this to people from Perth, all we get are negative reactions such as:

1. The weather is awful (this has been done to death);
2. It is an overpriced and overcrowded dump;
3. It is an ugly city compared to Perth
4. There is too much crime and graffitti
5. Traffic congestion is horrendous and the tolls are a pain
6. Unless you can afford to stay within the tram catchment forget it
7. There are no decent beaches
8. It is like little Asia
9. Great place to visit but couldn't live there
10.......

We have been in Melbourne as a familly for a recce on a number of occasions, and we never quite seen the issues raised above. I feel the decision to move to Melbourne will be an even bigger one than the move to Perth from the UK, and a lot of negative feedback tends to put you off, but we are still willing to give it a shot.

We would really like to hear from people who have made the move from Perth to Melbourne, and whether they found in Melbourne what they were looking for. Equally, it would be good to hear from those who have moved from Melbourne to Perth, and how they have found Perth in comparison.

sonlymewalter

Perth and Mellie are as different as chalk and cheese and some people will always defend where they live over anywhere else. If you've been to Melbourne and know the good, bad and ugly then accept it's like anywhere else and it's not perfect. The points you mention above are also said about Perth so each city has it's problem areas.

Personally Melbourne is not for me but I have family there who wouldn't live anywhere else and love it. I guess only you can decide.

Good luck whatever you decide mate

Bermudashorts

If Melbourne were that bad then there wouldn't be millions living happily there. I would really take no notice of stuff like this, if it looks like a nice place to you and you are up for a change then do what you want.

Petals

No place like it, all the things that people do not like I like and so do four million other people.

I have visited Perth, lovely place I have a lot of family living there as my Uncle migrated yonks ago with his five kids. However not for me.

I lived in Sydney for a few years as well and then moved to Melbourne and that was it. Not so visually pleasing as Perth, Brisbane or Sydney but I do not live on scenery. Its the life we have here that is great.

GarryP

Think of it like the comparison between London and Bath. If you were from Bath you might say very similar things about London - but you'd be missing out on all the advantages London has to offer.

Now think what someone from London would say about Bath...

Dorothy

Why do you care what other people think of where you live? Are they going to be forced to live with you in Melbourne?

Do what you want for you. If you and your family don't like it in Melbourne then either come back to Perth or move on somewhere else. Easy peasy.

KJCherokee

Whether Melbourne is an OK place to live depends on what is important for you e.g.

• If you get irritable when held up in rush hour traffic then don't move to Melbourne if you would have to drive into work in the CBD every day. If you think Perth is bad, you ain't seen nuthin yet!
• If you are a shopoholic then Melbourne leaves Perth for dead.
• Ditto if you love going to live theatre.
• If you like predictable weather then stay in Perth. "Four seasons in one day" is sometimes an understatement in Melbourne.
• If you like getting out into the country at weekends then Victoria has more variety within relatively short distances of the CBD than WA does.
• If surfing and other such activities are your thing then stay in Perth.

Just a few considerations, written by someone who has stayed (but not resided) in both cities at various times. Work out why you might want to move, list the pros and cons, and then get factual unbiased data (e.g. if you want to know about the weather look up the BoM statistics, don't just go on anecdotal reports from biassed BE posters like me). Personally I wouldn't move to Melbourne to work in a pink fit - but if I was retired with plenty of money I might consider it.

Grayling

From information I have recieved from this forum

Melbourne is an awful place but Perth is far far worse

michael_w

I think that list says more about Perth (and the prevailing mentality there) than it does about Melbourne.

Buzzy--Bee

I don't think anyone who has replied actually lives in Melbourne, although Petals comes pretty close.

So I'll answer because I do live here. Yes. Melbourne is a terrible place to live. It's full of people like ME who love it here. So stay in Perth where you'll be happily situated among people who don't love Melbourne.

BB

mulben

I lived in Hawthorn for six plus years , so I have done the reverse Mellie to Perf .
There is no massive difference - except Melbourne is massive compared to Perf. Everything else is how you make a go of it.
The only difference physically I have found is hay fever is 10 x worse in Melbourne - no hay fever - no probs.

sonlymewalter

How do you know the people who replied have never lived in Melbourne just because they don't live there now

Buzzy--Bee

I didn't say that people who replied have never lived in Melbourne!

BB

Wol

Read "The slap" and then you will learn either how awful *everyone* who lives in Melbourne is, or how an author who writes utter drivel in the worst book ever can pick up a prize for it .

koalakim

Ha ha The Slap...most disappointing series in history! Mind you didn't we all want to slap that kid! Watch Off Spring and Winners and Losers for fun tv series in Mellie.

Okay, Melbourne isn't quite a bad a picture as everyone paints. The problem with Mellie especially the city is that it doesn't have a wow factor feature...and it does need the sun to make it look attractive because of all the old buildings which are quite dark say unlike Brighton (UK) where all the buildings are white and look good even on a dark day in winter. My first view of the city was on a dark rainy day and then on the next visit it was sunny and looked like a different place.

Melbourne is a city has to be discovered, you have to do some work to get to know it.

* It has a big town feel for a sprawling metro area. Everyone seems to know everyone here and is very friendly.
* The lane ways, arty quirkiness, coffee shops, tiny hole in the wall bars are what makes and gives Melbourne it's character and appeal but you have to put some work in to suss it all out
* CBD is easier to navigate than Sydney, less sprawling but then compared to Perth is huge
* Yes, you will have to get used to mad drivers, traffic and hook turns...I've still not done one after 4 years, I just drive around the block. I loath traffic lights now, there are so many of them and drive me crazy!
* Some suburbs are old and not that attractive, so if you move here pick your area carefully. I've been to Perth but not around too many suburbs but it does all look much newer than Mellie. To be honest if I had to live in some of the burbs I'd rather move back to Brighton! There are lots of new estates on the edge of the city but you'll have a longer commute. There are a lot of older victorian houses closer in and a lot of 70's housing around.

* The beaches.....bay beaches aren't as stunning as Perth and of course you have the benefit of the Indian Ocean, never forget my first sighting of that lovely turquoise sea! Some of the bay beaches are fine, shallow and safe for kiddies. Some in trendy areas like Middle Park and Port Melbourne are very busy on Sundays with cafes, dog walking, runners etc. The best beaches are in areas like Torquay and Anglesea but probably too far to commute. Our Mornington Peninsula beaches are also lovely (like the Med), Rosebud and Rye have very shallow beaches whilst the ocean beaches are great for surfing but not swimming. We have vineyards, countryside and the beaches - best of VIC . If you want bush countryside then the norther suburbs of Diamond Creek and Eltham may suit. Otherwise an up and coming area is Bacchus Marsh which isn't a too long a commute to the city but is close to mountain (big hill) type countryside - The Grampians and is Gt Ocean Rd side.

* Like any metro area there is crime, the city on a Sat night can get quite lively! However, I've read that certain burbs in Perth are also just as bad. Some areas are just worse than others like everywhere. Yes, there is graffiti but really that is the only vandalism but then it's also treated as an art form here and some of it is excellent!

* Yes, property prices have gone up in the last 5/6 years - even some burbs in the last couple of years have almost doubled. However, Perth doesn't have that cheaper housing so you may not find a huge difference depending on the places you are looking. There are huge McMansions out Taylors Lakes way (reminded me of Perth!) and they are around $500-600K. Just do lots of research on Real Estate to get a feel for property available and prices.

* Yes, there are some areas that are like Asia but there are also areas that are like little Britain, I spotted less Aussie accents in Perth than anywhere else I've been! The thing to remember with Melbourne is that because of all the different culture here is what has made the city. Without the Italians we wouldn't have the best coffee in the country, without the Asians we wouldn't have great food - we'd all still be eating boring British 50's food which I understand was much the case here up until the last 20 years or so. And of course you don't have to live in those areas! There are a lot of nationalities in the city but a lot of them are overseas students.

* and lastly the weather! Well I've been here 4.5 years and we've had better weather than the east coast which continually seems to be lashed with mega storms since we arrived. The weather is more changeable which means we don't often get a run of over 40 days, the Melburnians were all going crazy when we had that a few years ago! The summer before last was perfect days of around late 20's and sun, last summer wasn't great but then we can all blame La Nina for that! Winter isn't as cold as the UK but like everywhere in Oz it's the crap heating and insulation that makes it cold indoors. I did most of the winter here this year and it was quite a good one, warm sunny days with grotty bits in-between. Today is going to be lovely! So with Melbourne you do have to just take what the weather throws at you, we get our fair share of heavy rain and storms but equally when it gets hot you know it isn't going to be roasting for too long plus it's a dry heat which like WA is much more pleasant than humidity.

If you are thinking of moving over, can you not come over for a couple of weeks and see for yourself? Hire a car, drive around the suburbs see what you think, no one on here can answer for you as we're not you!

I was disappointed to becoming to Melbourne, it was probably the last place we would have live in Oz but it's okay but you have to pick your spot carefully. If it still doesn't suit then move on!