Hi All,
We are looking to move to Australia and have started the visa process.We are unsure of which area to move to and are torn between Brisbane and Melbourne.Brisbane because of its good weather and location(nearish to the Barrier reef).Also cost of living good.Melbourne because looks fab and has good hospitals(I am a nurse).I recently met an Aussie nurse who said Brisbane was really humid and may be too hot.Any advice would be great!

Depends what you class a good weather. If you like 2 seasons, a wet and a dry, tropical lushness and don't mind humidity then Q/L is great (i'm sure the Q/L ers will offer their opionions on that) Its also very pretty.

If you prefer 4 seasons (some say in one day, but thats crap, maybe 3!!) greeness for a good part of the year and the ability to swim, surf, dive, sunbake and ski then Victorias got it all. Its also very beautiful and has heaps to do all year round......

I can also vouch for good hospitals here in Melly as i have been to the Monash one (Clayton) everyday for 25 days (no counting or anything) and the level of care is fantastic, it is a public hospital but there are also private patients there. However i do not work in it and maybe would see a different perspective from that side of the fence

Between dentists & hospitals I think youve had your fill for the next 10 years Hevs.
Thank God were going out on Saturday night for some light relief although the way your luck is going just now I reckon the Bombers will get beat by a goal in the last second.

Sydney!

I agree. I can't say we get even 3 seasons in one day. You might get a change, and that happens in many countries. QLD is so stable most of the year that Melbourne seems like that, although we don't get the afternoon showers for days like QLD gets. I think the temperature thing is overstated. Melbourne has a 'mean' winter, it is different from many other parts of VIC, its only mean due to lack of hours of consistent sun - and rainfall but it is very short, just over 3 months. Autumn is fantastic and so is Summer, very liveable, and you get evening light which some people in every other australian capital would kill for. Spring can be a bit variable initially, but can also be pleasant. I also like a real wood fire!

Absolutely right. It stays warmer for longer in Brisbane but Melbourne gets hotter individual days. In my first summer here, humidity hasn't been a problem. In fact, with the exception of a handful of hot and humid days, the weather has been a pleasant surprise. I expected it to be stinking hot and wet for 3 months solid and it was nothing like.

As for answering the OP, it depends on what you're after. We visited Melbourne and Brisbane and Brisbane won hands down. The biggest factor was that Melbourne feels like a big city and Brisbane feels like a medium sized town. Not being a big city lover, that was a huge plus for Brisbane. People will tell you there's more culture in Melbourne but there's plenty of museums, theatres, etc here to keep you going. And then there's the Ekka

Melbourne

D D

Have you considered regional towns and cities or does it have to be a big city?

The reason I ask is because I'll be going out as a Mental Health nurse in the Autumn (all being well) and will hopefully be moving to North Queensland, where I will have the great Barrier Reef on my doorstep! Just thought I'd mention that as Brissie is hundreds of miles from the reef; you really need to be further North in Qld to have it close to home.

Of course if the idea of the tropics doesn't appeal there are many regional centres further South which are great too.

Brisbane

www.ourbrisbane.com.au

Hmmm we are in the same dilemma.

Torn between Mornington Peninsula and Bayside Brisbane. It will probably come down to jobs in the end and Melbourne wins hands down there in my profession, if the job websites are to be believed. Also Melbourne does have the mountains for skiing as well as the sea nearby.

BUT we love the sun, we love diving and snorkelling, for which Brisbane is of course better. And we both like areas near Brisbane, such as the Sunshine Coast and north NSW.

I have no idea how we're going to make up our minds, although a job offer in either place would make the decision for us....

Cheers

Buzzy

have to say brissy for us

hugs gee x

Thanks for your reply.It is a hard decision to make and I think where I get a job will decide it for us too.Good luck in your move!

Thanks for your reply.To be honest I think anywhere near the coast in QLD will be great.My husband is a keen diver so having the great Barrier reef on our doorstep will be ideal.It will ultimately come down to where I find work,so we will just have to wait and see.I will be relying on my migration agent to give us the best advice.Good luck with your move.

I would rely on this website more!!!!

Cheers

Buzzy