Melbourne Suburb????
 

Hello members,

I need some advice on where to live. My wife has a job offer in Melbourne CBD and I might have something in Castlemaine (121km Northwest of Melbourne). We're thinking of living somewhere in between so none of us will have to travel too far.

Does anyone know which is a nice place to settle down? From the map, I see Sunbury, Gisborne, Riddell, Macedon, Woodend, Kyneton.

We're in our early 30s, with no children. I prefer a bigger city, not some place that's rural or in a country. And maybe with lots of shopping malls, good restaurants and things to do.

Thanks in advance.
Mike :thumbup:

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Stick to the burbs close to city or you'll feel like you've retired then....
others'll be along to give good advice but I'd deffo stay innerish

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Thanks, birdy. Is it really that bad once I'm far away from the city? I haven't had the chance to travel much in Australia. But I realize that people like to stay close to the metro areas.

Mike :unsure:

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

pm'd you

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Elsternwick, Caulfield, Port Melboune, South Yarra, Middlepark, Brighton, Sandringham, Hampton.

All great areas - and within a decent communtable distance to CBD & sea :)

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Cas, nice for his wife but I think that would be a commute from hell to Castlemaine.

Mike, any chance you could get a job in Melbourne? As Cas suggests these suburbs would be better suited to you and wife. Elsternwick is very nice and well known for its coffee cafes, and restaurants).

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

anybody else, please!!!

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

You should have a look on here for some answers, http://z7.invisionfree.com/BritVics/...php?act=SC&c=1

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Whoops...didn't read that correctly :o

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

mike

When i was looking at Mebourne i used this guide to look at area's, someone else posted it on here a while back. Might help might not.

Cheers

AndyD

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Hi all,

Thanks for your response. What about Melton? I see a lot of new houses being built there. It's still a long commute for me but Melbourne is only 40km away.

What about Gisborne??


Thanks a lot,
Mike :zzz:

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Mike have a look at the link I provided, there are many people on there from the areas you are talking about that can give you precise information.

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

I know I read you opening post incorrectly...but - another bit of advice.
Don't look at distance ...consider which roads you'll both be driving on...esp into the CBD - a long, long commute time is not good every day.

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

The fringe areas can be very bland. We occasionally shop in them and it can be quite depressing.

Having said that, most people who choose outer Melbourne do because they want acreage and a unique lifestyle - unless you aspire to this, I would stay within 15k -20 tops. One thing or the other.

There was an article on Domain which explained why so many Australians don't want to be too far from the city.

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

It's been said before....sorry, but you cant have jobs in these two different areas AND the lifestyle that you are wanting. The commute to CBD from Macedon isnt bad, nor Sunbury...but I've no idea as to how long it would take to get to Castlemaine from there....too long by my reckoning.. NOne of the towns you have listed are at all happening.....Sunbury & Gisbourne may have the shopping malls though?

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Ozzidoc;

castlemain is about 1 & 1/2 hours drive to the city

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Thanks...I was referring (not at all clearly) to the commute from Macedon :)

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Hi

I currently live in Sunbury and work in the city. It's quite an easy commute both by train or car (compared to the UK) 30-40mins. Any journey north from here would be really easy, I would expect Castlemaine would take approx 45mins to 1hr from Sunbury.

It is correct, we moved here to have a bit of land, just under 2 acres, but we have a better social life than most of my colleagues who live in the city. All of our friends are in their 30's, some with kids some without, a mix of Brits, Aussies, Kiwis and Irish, we always have some kind of get together every weekend.

There are some good restaurants in the area and at local vineyards, as the city is only 30-40 mins by car or train, it's no problem to go there for a night out.

Sunbury & Gisborne have very much a small town type atmosphere, Sunbury is bigger (population over 35,000) with a small shopping centre, aquatic centre, 5 screen cinema. The next largest shopping centre is Watergardens, which is more than adequate as a large indoor mall and is about 15 mins by car or 10 mins on the train.

Please feel free to pm me if you want any more information on the local area, we have been here for about 2.5 years now and are thoroughly enjoying life in Oz.

Good Luck
AJ

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

I live and work in South Melbourne, but I spend a lot of time (more than I'd like!) driving or getting the train up and down to Bendigo for work. The trains are very good indeed (my husband works in the Rialto, and a few people there live out in Kyneton etc and get the train into Southern Cross - great for the CBD jobs). From recollection, my laptop battery usually runs out around Castlemaine, which puts it at around an hour by train from the CBD.

If you want to live in the city, it's not entirely impossible to get somewhere on that trainline and for just one of you to have the long commute, I shouldn't think.

Alternatively, find somewhere to rent in one of the town's you're thinking of, and try it out for 6 months.

However, I'd definitely recommend the train. The drive into town on a morning is shocking - I see the queues as I head the other way and it does not look like my idea of fun at all.

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Hi members,

Thank you for the input. I'm thinking of getting a place in Sunbury or Melton. But will drive up there and take a look first. I'm sure I'll miss the city life.

I almost took a job offer in Toowoomba (2 hours West of Brisbane). I stayed there for a week and decided the place was too rural/country for me. Has anyone been there and can compare the place? I hate to be shocked like that again. :eek:


Mike

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Hi

Melton is a cheaper area than Sunbury, but there is usually a reason for that. I'm not sure what it's like to live there, I only know of people who used to live in Melton and have moved to Sunbury to 'upgrade'.

The best thing is to go and have a look around to get a feel for the place.

Good Luck
AJ

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Dont move to Melton, trust me. It's about the cheapest part of Melbourne and for damn good reason. It's overspill city with lots of teenage problems.

Woodend, Gisborne, or better still Macedon, Kyneton is a fairly good option if your going to travel in by train.

Macedon is a prime location. It's mountain country though, but one of the prettiest places over this side of town.

Actually come to think of it, check out how long the train journey is from Castlemaine, whether you can afford to travel in by train from there. Reason being it's quite a nice town, you'll be able to buy fantastic property there, and far more affordable than the other options.

BTW its pretty damn difficult to get a job in Castlemaine, you wouldn't be going to the piggery there by any chance ?

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Hi all,

No, I'm not going to the piggery in Castlemaine :lol: There's a large pump company there called Flowserve. I'm a Hydraulic/Pump Design Engineer and a lot of these jobs are based in manufacturing plants far away from the metro areas.

Unlike most people who live in the suburbs and travel to the city to work, I have to live near the city and travel out to my job. My wife does research work in biotech companies and universities so her opportunities are in the CBD area... difficult balance for us :(


-Mike

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Hi again,

I forgot to ask if there's an express train from Sunbury to Castlemaine. The VLine (Bendigo train) has too many stops in between.


Thanks,
Mike

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Nope, it doesn't always stop at all the stations in between though so I guess that is a partial express :p

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Only reason I asked, is thats where my Aussie BiL started, beleive it or not, he is the one of the foremost Pig Inseminators in Aussie. Runs a Huge station in Qland now.

Re: Melbourne Suburb????
 

Swine:lol: sorry bad joke