Dicko

After doing all sorts of research on Houses,(Prices, Types Sizes etc) Schools in the area, ability to commute to different areas, time to beach and everything there is to research :scared:

It look as if Berwick is the place for us (2+3 Kids)

Just thought I would ask all you lovely people who actually live there, and you would know exactly what it is like.

Maybe instead of doing the tourist thing when we were over in May (Sydney etc) we should have took time to go and see the place, but I thought 2 weeks holiday doesn't really tell you whether you will enjoy living somewhere (E.G. loved my Holiday in Zante a few years ago but couldn't imagine living there )

Anyway I digress you know what I mean anyway.

Come on feed me my hunger for info and give it to me warts and all :scared: :scared:

Bordy

Berwick is great, quite a few Ex pats living there now. In my 5 years here it has grown quite a bit but many lovely houses & quite a few schools there. Big shopping centre in Fountaingate & a good little pub in The Berwick Inn.
Its about 40 mins drive to the city I reckon or 1 hr & 40 mins in Peak time traffic

Only 30 mins from the Dandenongs & a couple of hours from the ski slopes in Winter.
In my opinion its definetly one of the better suburbs.

Mongrol

Perhaps its just me being Scottish but I find the difference there quite alarming.

melbournehelp

Berwick is a bit of a mixed bag, old quaint town centre , close by large housing developments.
Traditional old housing in berwick is very expensive but new house and land packages are cheaper.
Personally speaking i don't like the new housing estates..a bit plastic , boring rabbit warrens.
It is a bit of a hike to the beach.
Your two week visit should include a visit to as many suburbs as possible.Doing the City is great for a day or two, but you need to get a perspective on the different areas to live in.Remember you are doing recon for a future move , not with tourist goggles on.
Take some time to have a look at Mornington and the Mornington peninsula.Beach,bush and good freeway access

There is a good website to get an overview

www.bcl.com.au/melbourne

Cheers,

steve

HUP

We live just outside of Berwick in a little village. We love the area. If you are looking at properties the agents say go North of the freeway.

Our two kids have got on well (They are 6 and 9). They have both joined scouts and they have made lots of friends.

We are about a 40 minute drive from the beach, 25 minutes from the Dandenongs and an average of 50 minutes from the city. There are other really beautiful areas around too like Emerald, Healsville, etc etc. There are loads of shopping and entertainment amenities around us.

HUP

The downside is that Badgersmount currently resides there and his ute has bought down the property prices.

hevs

Whats with Berwick??:scared:

Suddenly everyones coming here, its gonna be the pom capital of melly soon

Berwick "village" is really lovely, one of the few "towns" to have a main street, with post office, bakeries, cafes (with tables outside) delis etc etc. The sprawl around Berwick isn't so pretty with huge housing estates popping up everywhere. Won't be long before we reach Officer and cranbourne

North of the freeway or "olde Berwick" ( ) is more sought after = more expensive.

I can get to the Telstra dome for me footy on a friday night in an hour and 1/2. off peak in 40 mins. Peak would be, well over this:scared: The M1 is shocking, like the M25, (peak) but narrower:scared:

For a decent beach its 35 mins, but there are "inlets" such as Tooradin in 15/20 mins.

The dandenongs are on our doorstep, where we live is actually refered to as "The Foothills" Its a 15 min drive to some STUNNING scenery. BUT please do not mistake this with the TOWN of DANDENONG, an altogether very different place:scared:


Any further questions just fire away, theres enough of us here to help

Bordy

WOW, For a second I thought that said PORN Capital.

johanne

You wish our Bill, you wish

HUP

No thats Ferntree Gully. Theres some really dodgy sorts round that way.

johanne

There is isnt there i can say that cos we havent moved into the new house yet, we are still in Kilsyth South....have to agree tho, Bill is a dodgy character
Hows things up your way today?

Bordy

Gee thanks Jo, love you to. I'm off to get my tax done soon, fingers crossed for a decent rebate.
Enjoy your dinner in our local Restaurant on Sat night by the way.

Badge

Righto as I've been dobbed in.

The city centre is a 40min drive (I've done it in 35min) off peak and a 1hr 20min drive to the city during peak. I don't use the CityLink express lanes as I'm a tight fisted (and still haven't got around to getting a e-tag). It would be more of a 1hr 10 otherwise.

Olde Berwick is cool. The only Australian suburb that reminds me of Pommyland. [DISCLAIMER I do NOT want to live in Pommyland. I am not homesick.] It has pubs, a pretty fair dinkum pommy style one, boutiques and cafes. Looks like Esher.

Ignore the new estates as some are awful. Stay North. Don't sway too far West either. (Stay East of Parkhill Drive). DUE North it is then. (Little bit East too) in the area flanking the Princes Hwy to the north.

My ute is now a grade-listed vehicle with cultural significance so values have gone up in my street.

BM

Flossybean

[QUOTE]Originally posted by hevs
Whats with Berwick??:scared:

Suddenly everyones coming here, its gonna be the pom capital of melly soon


Here goes first posting, so please be kind!

I thought it said PORN capital too!:scared:


We've also been checking our Berwick both online and when my hubby was over for his interview last month. I'm hoping to get over myself in a week or two to have a good old look around the area myself.

Being from the wild windy moors of Yorkshire I have this need to have a view from my windows, preferably not just someone's back yard.

Am I right in thinking that the north side of Berwick is a bit hillier, I'ts just that I saw a property advertised there and it seemed to have a good view over towards the Bay in the distance.

Also any views on good primary schools, both public and private for a six year old boy

booboo1

Hi Peeps

We are building on a "housing estate" in Berwick and it is a lovley place to be. May not suit all but we find it very apt for our needs.

I am now the Secretary for the " Berwick Springs Residents and Owners Asso." I highly reccommend living there.
It has a great community atmosphere with loads of stuff going on and social things planned each year. The Assoc. are very committed to creating and maintaining a clean and tidy place to live coupled with a thriving community spirit. We all do our bit.

The beach is only 20/25 mins away (HUP where do you go that takes you 40 mins)

Plenty of shops in the Village or just pop to fountain gate.

We did look around but quite honestly we found that Berwick and especially Berwick Springs was the place for us.

I think Berwick is a good point to settle as we are near to everything and everywhere we need and want.

There is loads going on here and my daughter has joined guides, horseriding and will soon be attending trampolining at Berwick lesiure ecntre. If you are int gyms, then there are loads to choose from.

Casey Arc has good gym facilities and great swimming and leisure pools.


The Booboos