sausagesizzle

Hello

I haven't posted on here much but do read the forums with interest from time to time.

We came back from oz nearly 18 months ago. I was the main pusher for coming back, I had a lot of emotional pressure from family in the uk going on and when I had my second child the pressure was on for us to come back.

So we came back but I've been very unsettled back here in the uk and miss Australia heaps. I'd forgotten how grim and cold winter can be and with two children to look after it can be very grim when you're stuck indoors a lot. I also miss lots of other things which I took for granted when I lived there.

I would like to go back but my OH is undecided at the moment and is weighing it all up. We rented in a nice part of Brighton, near the coast in Melbourne but could never afford to buy there. If we did go back, would we have to move out to the suburbs to be able to afford anything in our budget of 450kaus?

My OH says it wouldn't be the same living in the suburbs, we wouldn't have the beach on our doorstep, there wouldn't be the pavement cafe lifestyle that we miss( shallow I know!) and he doesn't think it would be the life that we remember in oz.

What's it like living in the suburbs in Melbourne?

Are there any pingpongers out there who moved back to the suburbs?

Can anyone recommend any suburbs near the beach which are affordable for families?

Many thanks, I hope there are some people out there who can help me!
sausagesizzle

jad n rich

Think you OH has got it spot on there.

Melbourne is great if you can live in the fabby bits near the city, which is 'the Melbourne' people talk about. PIL house is in one of those bits, very expensive and as you say who can afford it ( they bought it decades ago ).

Yes I could live there, but the suburbs IMO they are pretty grim, especially when viewed in the sort of weather that you say bugs you now.

I guess its a bit like sydney, people think of harbour view and opera houses then move to paramatta or bankstown

I also like some of the countryside a hour or so from melb, however the bush fire risk always put me off ( after seeing a school with a steel lined hall) and that fear was pretty much confirmed this year. Others deal with that risk but it wasnt for me.

Peepster

Not necessarily, you could still stay Bayside but you'd just need to be further down. You can buy a perfectly decent 3 bed house in Mentone for that price, ok so it's not going to be a luxury home but the land size is quite generous down there so re-development could be an option if you buy smart and are prepared to live modestly for a bit. Go on, get yourselves back here

BadgeIsBack

Basically. A tale of two cities like many Australian Capital Cities..

Living out might be sterile once you've got past any bush fire areas. Berwick is a good place in the SE. Other suburbs nearby shockingly boring and pedestrian.

kkwall36

We came across for the dream life.......house near the beach.......walks on the sand........possibly a boat or jetski etc etc.

It was very fast that we became aware that our budget wouldn't stretch that far! We now live in the suburbs, Melbourne North East, Rossana about 30 minutes from the nearest beach. We are beside parkland and can bike into the city on the yarra trail, and walk in the countryside nearby every weekend and at night in the summer.

We still go to the beach every weekend in the summer, and occasionally at other times, but do spend more time in the parks, having barbies etc.

It would be really nice to have a beach house to use in the summer months, but must admit that I really enjoy my life in the suburbs. I work in the city and travel in with the family from time to time to take in a show etc.

So in summary the suburbs arn't all bad, and life here is a bit of a compromise, but one that I am fairly comfortable with.
(Unless I win the lotto, then I'll be moving down to Brighton!)

Geelong Gent

Which beach can you get to within 30 mins? What route do you take from Rossana

Geelong Gent

Are you in Melbourne? $450k is only going to get you "land" in beachside Seaford now.

OzSheila

Is it South Melb or Port Melb? Ok not the most glam of beaches but serves the purpose - was there was Sunday with dog and son for a spot of fishing. Def 30 mins or sometimes a bit less - down Burke Road, Eastern f'way, Hoddle St and across the Domain.

kkwall36

Okay...maybe 30 mins is pushing it...40mins to St Kilda.....or 50 - 60 to Mentone

Peepster

Yes, I live in Brighton. Have a look at the property prices for Mentone, I think you'll be surprised.

Geelong Gent

I think the agents are quite shall we say liberal with "Mentone"

But agree for the price its got land but definitely not beach side of the neapean.

sr71

Well I'm a bit more positive about suburban living, and having traveled widely it is the same pretty much anywhere in the world - a few nice suburbs in every city and the rest you have to compromise.

We live in Point Cook, but I'm in the city every day for work and at weekends spend most of our time in Prahran, St Kilda or other inner city suburbs, doing our shopping , enjoying the restaurants and cafes etc.

So we have a 20-30 minute drive back home, but then I spent 1 hour+ driving from Richmond to South Yarra on Saturday.

What i specifically like about living where I do :

- No traffic, I'm at the brand new spacious supermarket or gym within minutes.
- No parking problems, i lived in South Yarra for years and amassed thousands of dollars or parking tickets, as well as spending 10 minutes every evening looking for a parking space, usually in the next street. (And had my car broken into twice)
- Specifically for Point Cook, I can be in Geelong and the south coast beaches (real ones, not the crappy Port Phillip ones) within 45-60 minutes.
- New, large houses.

For what it's worth i think Brighton is a boring place and I wouldn't live there even if I could afford it.

Geelong Gent

Brighton is not my cuppa of tea but would not be as harsh on calling it boring.

Good points on point cook and South Yarra.

Peepster

Phew, thats a relief

fraser

Point Cook is near the beach and it is dull, dull, dull and soulless.

I agree in a way with sr71 that it's handy for a lot of very good places which is why we moved here, but to be honest we'd rather have a further drive to places and nicer surroundings, live and learn eh.

Oh and after 4 years we still don't know where we want to go and until we're 100% certain or as near as possible in the wild west we shall remain.