Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
hi there,
my husband has a possibility of a new job in Melbourne, Australia which we are seriously considering for moving from London, uk. As this would be really a big move for us, we would like to ask someone that moved from UK about how's life there and if there are things which you miss....but can live without.. - Job / job market, how is it these days? - Internet.. is it fibre optic still not covered everywhere? - what about shopping? - Weather (we have heard that Melbourne's weather can change quite a lot, how's overall? Essentially we're looking for a place that is family friendly, where we can settle down and that will give a decent life. We're fed up of people in London that are rushing everywhere, as if they're doing a marathon! Is there that kind of feeling in Melbourne? - Food...can you find good organic food in Melbourne? we're really into that - Apartments (how's the apartments scene? again London is too expensive for the square meters you get! - A classic one...how's the deadly animals side of things? i mean.. we've been to Sydney and well, and while we were there there was a "shark alert", seemed more of a normal event though but we were a bit shocked. is Melbourne on the same level? spiders & co? In a way i think we are used to London where you have pretty much everything, even though the price you pay is your "time". that's something we're completely sick of, that it takes ages to go from one place to another and time seems just to fly..... that was quite a lot, thanks to everyone that can give some info, even just some points would be great! see ya Lorraine |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
hi there,
my husband has a possibility of a new job in Melbourne, Australia which we are seriously considering for moving from London, uk. As this would be really a big move for us, we would like to ask someone that moved from UK about how's life there and if there are things which you miss....but can live without..
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- Job / job market, how is it these days?
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- Internet.. is it fibre optic still not covered everywhere?
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- what about shopping?
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- Weather (we have heard that Melbourne's weather can change quite a lot, how's overall?
In winter it is a lot cooler and wetter than other Australian cities - this has the advantage that you can drive to go skiing for a day trip! Winter lasts around 3 months.
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
Essentially we're looking for a place that is family friendly, where we can settle down and that will give a decent life. We're fed up of people in London that are rushing everywhere, as if they're doing a marathon! Is there that kind of feeling in Melbourne?
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- Food...can you find good organic food in Melbourne? we're really into that
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- Apartments (how's the apartments scene? again London is too expensive for the square meters you get!
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- A classic one...how's the deadly animals side of things? i mean.. we've been to Sydney and well, and while we were there there was a "shark alert", seemed more of a normal event though but we were a bit shocked. is Melbourne on the same level? spiders & co?
I have never seen a snake in suburban Melbourne. We used to get redback spiders in our garden but I have not seen one for a few years.
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
In a way i think we are used to London where you have pretty much everything, even though the price you pay is your "time". that's something we're completely sick of, that it takes ages to go from one place to another and time seems just to fly.....
BB |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Originally Posted by Buzzy--Bee
(Post 11765593)
I think it's great.
Originally Posted by Buzzy--Bee
(Post 11765593)
It's like London + about 10 degrees.
Some summers experience very short spells of extreme heat, others it doesn't happen at all. I don't think I've experienced a 'non summer' in Melbourne like you might in the UK. January is the hottest month with average max a shade under 26C. I find winter a total breeze...as long as your house is properly heated and insulated which is often an issue here. |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- Job / job market, how is it these days?
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- Internet.. is it fibre optic still not covered everywhere?
Fibre of any useful form is few and far between. Hell, even getting ADSL is difficult in some spots. Generally the telcos are useless here.
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- what about shopping?
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- Weather (we have heard that Melbourne's weather can change quite a lot, how's overall?
However in general it's 7C warmer in Melbourne than it is in London - so the record low temp is -2.8C. It's more like the south of France than anywhere else, not that that stops aussies complaining about the cold.
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
Essentially we're looking for a place that is family friendly, where we can settle down and that will give a decent life. We're fed up of people in London that are rushing everywhere, as if they're doing a marathon! Is there that kind of feeling in Melbourne?
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- Food...can you find good organic food in Melbourne? we're really into that
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- Apartments (how's the apartments scene? again London is too expensive for the square meters you get!
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- A classic one...how's the deadly animals side of things? i mean.. we've been to Sydney and well, and while we were there there was a "shark alert", seemed more of a normal event though but we were a bit shocked. is Melbourne on the same level? spiders & co?
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
In a way i think we are used to London where you have pretty much everything, even though the price you pay is your "time". that's something we're completely sick of, that it takes ages to go from one place to another and time seems just to fly.....
|
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Some good points there. Would add, don't budget on the property prices on RE websites. . IME of at least 20 auctions of houses, things go for between 150,000 and 300,000 over the guide price. This was in the under 1klm to city ring. one or two were only 70,000 over, stamp duty will add about 40K on a 700,000 home.
Weather. Plenty of nice days. Plenty of mad weather too, extreme heat very low temps at night in winter.The major factor summer or winter is the winds. In winter they can shave up to 10C off the temps, so that 12 day is suddenly very cold and in summer, the heat comes in like a furnace with aeroplane jets, its ferocious. But none of this is every day, it can be 12 or 15 or 25 and quite normal, but its has some totally mad weather quite often too. Its not a bad place to live at all, much to enjoy, like a large UK city entertainmet wise, but not like London or New York. More Sydney, Vancouver like. |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Will you be on a temporary visa? That imposes a layer of problems that a permanent visa is less likely to - getting employment as a temp dependent can be harder, if it all goes pear shaped you have 90 days to leave or find another sponsor, you aren't entitled to some benefits, medical coverage can be more problematic in a few situations.
Fewer holiday entitlements in Aus (20 days the norm) and working days just as long with commutes potentially just as long so if you live in the burbs as most do its just the same except the trains aren't as frequent as the Tube. If you stand on Flinders St station in winter you will need your winter thermals! It's a nice enough place if you fancy an adventure and it would like to think it is up there with the world cities but it lacks that certain "something" that makes the others great. |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Originally Posted by GarryP
(Post 11765639)
The key point that tends not to get across is the speed with which changes can happen. I've seen it drop 15-20C in 20 mins, easy, as the wind changes direction and a front crosses the place.
http://www.baywx.com.au/WWW/melbtemp20610151823.png |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Originally Posted by lorraine.81
(Post 11765428)
- A classic one...how's the deadly animals side of things? i mean.. we've been to Sydney and well, and while we were there there was a "shark alert", seemed more of a normal event though but we were a bit shocked. is Melbourne on the same level? spiders & co?
What's more of a concern is the harmless critters, namely the huntsman spider...non venomous but could probably cause you to crash the car! Very funny incident this morning. I was waiting in a queue of traffic to turn left onto a major road...any the only time you can pull out is when a pedestrian has triggered the crossing to get to the tram stop in the middle of the road. We waited, and waited, and waited, and waited and finally...someone pressed the button. Then we waited ages for the traffic lights to change. Just as our queue of traffic started moving the old man driving the car in front opened the door and got out...well I was annoyed! Then I saw he was trying to flick a giant huntsman off his car! First it ran over the windscreen, he was trying to flick it off but couldn't keep up...then it ran across the roof...but the poor guy, he'd left his door open...so it ran straight back inside the car! :rofl: I could tell he was freaking out but his only choice was abandon the car or get back in and drive off, which fortunately he did. Poor guy! :lol: |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Originally Posted by GarryP
(Post 11765792)
eg, from today (get the image whilst it's hot, it will probably change)
http://www.baywx.com.au/WWW/melbt2_yest.png |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Not too many shark attacks down there. Most seem to be non fatal so far. :fingerscrossed:
Shark Attack Data: Victoria, Australia |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Originally Posted by GarryP
(Post 11766540)
|
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Originally Posted by Alfresco
(Post 11766556)
Not too many shark attacks down there. Most seem to be non fatal so far. :fingerscrossed:
Shark Attack Data: Victoria, Australia BB |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Originally Posted by Buzzy--Bee
(Post 11766614)
In fact the last fatal one listed was Prime Minister Harold Holt, and we all know that he was actually abducted by a Russian Submarine.
BB |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
Originally Posted by Buzzy--Bee
(Post 11766614)
In fact the last fatal one listed was Prime Minister Harold Holt, and we all know that he was actually abducted by a Russian Submarine.
BB
Originally Posted by bcworld
(Post 11766618)
...and then they named a swimming pool after him!
...as in "going down Dead Harry's to do a few laps after work?" BB |
Re: Moving to Melbourne from London... some questions...
One point I would add to all the excellent observations is to take account of the fluctuating exchange rate. Clothes, salaries, property etc (for those with £stg taking them from London to Melbourne) have become 21% cheaper in the last 12 months due to the strengthening of the £/weakening of the $ (which has pro tempore halted and slightly reversed with the recent RBA no change to cash rate announcement).
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