Peepster

Hi there, I moved from Notting Hill (well, more like North Ken if I'm being honest) and love it in Melbourne. You've got quite a difficult wish list if you want to be by the beach and don't want a big commute though. Check out the suburbs within Bayside council and Port Phillip council and parts of Stonnington - so basically start at Port Melbourne and follow the suburbs down till you find one you can afford/like. Also include South Melbourne, Prahran/Windsor, South Yarra. There are other inner city suburbs with a great vibe like others have mentioned (Fitzroy, Brunswick etc) but they are further away from the beach.

daryllee

Thanks for all this info everyone....just want to get off to a good start and not change area to area and uproot from school, we are a small family with 1 child of six - so will check these areas out. We won't need to get a house that's massive and not in Millionaires row of an area (if you know what I mean - it isn't us).
Sounds like schools are everywhere and hope shopping malls abound for good shopping to keep my wife happy and for me to get my coffee fix!

sincerely: Daryl Lee

mohogony

Yes your right $2million, l'm a few years behind, they keep going up alot as theres no recession in OZ the economy keeps booming.

scotty9000

I can recommend North Melbourne suburb and North Melbourne Primary on Errol St.

daryllee

Thanks, Is that school just called 'North Melbourne Primary' (will look up on web and make contact), my child is very excited about and pacifically asking for a nearby pool and the wife wants a big shopping mall...so will have a look.
I will be going to work at The Age Newspaper - so hope it won't be far to travel everyday.

Sincerely: Daryl Lee

scotty9000

Yep
Arden St has a nice open air pool (not open all year round tho)
CBD is 20 min walk
20 min walk to the Age (well done - it is the only decent paper in Oz)

Petals

North Melbourne is popular with the medical fraternity my friend's son has an apartment there because he can walk to the hospitals. Not that expensive either at the time he purchased it. Of course doctors get doctors rates at the Bank you know.

daryllee

I'm a Graphic Designer/ Art Director and I suppose an arty area with book shops, galleries and coffee shops nearby would be good (along the lines of Paddington in Sydney) - so do I require a different area for that than this one please? - and can be affordable to a normal person (and not a millionaire).

many, many thanks Daryl

koalakim

Hi there

We lived in Sth Yarra and Brighton when we first arrived and did find it great for the city. We were just around the corner from Chapel Street in Sth Yarra and that was great for general mooching around the shops and some great cafes.

I like the area around Port Melbourne, Albert Park, Middle Park and St Kilda as it's great having the beach front. We originally wanted St Kilda as we're from Brighton in the UK and it very much reminded us of the atmosphere of Brighton's North Lanes.

However, we ended up missing countryside so headed off down to Mornington which is probably too sleepy for city people! I find it a bit sleepy sometimes but felt that the city suburbs were too hemmed in even though they are nice leafy burbs!

If you are looking for excellent schools then I think my friend said there was one in Caufield - I can find out which one if you want.

Good luck with moving over - I'm a photographer/designer so know where you are coming from! However, I think you'll find most of Mellie is pretty arty and coffee shops are most important ones here!

KK

daryllee

Thanks, the info on school/s you mention would be appreciated....very much.
The school is really important in the area to move to, don't want to switch around to another school and unsettle my 6 yr old - the move over is enough. Is that area close to the CBD also?
Daryl

koalakim

Caufield isn't too far - you could live in Elsternwick, Malvern although I'm not sure how the catchment areas work over here - not having kids myself!

I'm seeing my friend today or tomorrow so I'll ask.

You might also get some more insight into schools if you put a post on the Britvics forum.

Cheers

KK

koalakim

Hi Daryl

The school is Caulfield Grammar School and caters from prep to Yr. 12. They have 2 campuses inc St. Leonards in Brighton) and run a programme that is internationally recognised should you think about returning to the UK.

Both of the schools are co-educational and private so extra to budget for but my friend did her research as she was quite adamant about which school her girls went to. They decided not to settle in the city so they now go to another good school down the Peninsula.

Hope this helps!

KK

ozzieeagle

I assume the OP realises that the nickname he uses is associated with Chocolate here.... Just in case ?

Hmmm maybe not !!

Aussies are going to love your name At least no one will forget it !

http://www.dlea.com.au/

koalakim

He might find he has a Rocky Road though....

daryllee

Hey, that's why I left Australia ages and ages ago (my mum named me Daryl Lee, and my other brother is Bruce Lee - He lives in Canada).....so hence the reason for leaving Oz in the first place. She wasn't really with it on the name front!
Really appreciate the help and contact everyone - will look at Britvic forum.

Best Daryl