Green Grass

I'm based in Scotland and we have proper winters.

On this forum, I've read people complaining about temperatures as low as 18C (an average summer temperature here) and often how cold it is in Melbourne in winter. The average temperature in Melbourne is 10 degrees warmer than Scotland throughout every season of the year.

I'm arriving in Melbourne early April and I'm keen to know just how cold it feels there in winter. I understand the average winter temperature is around 13-14 degrees. This isn't particularly cold to me but does it feel colder due to wind chill or is it due to poor or lack of heating systems in some homes? Are expats in Melbourne just used to warmer weather throughout the year and think 13 is cold when in Scotland, it would be an average spring or autumn day?

Cheers

roaringmouse

In Melbourne we have proper winters too, in that they're proper for Melbourne.

Outside during winter isn't normally too bad, it's the wind that can make it feel cold. Inside houses it's usually cold due to single glazing, lack of insulation, and the heating system normally found in houses here.

DC10

bcworld

What roaringmouse said.

It's not too bad outside but we freeze our t!ts off at home! Seriously.

Boobops

Haven't experienced Melbourne winter but we lived in NSW which is supposed to be warmer and I can honestly say I have never been so cold in all my life! Outside was warmer but when inside the house we were wrapped up with fur throws and extra layers. Lack of heating in Australian houses does make for a very cold winter inside and I hated it.

One of the things I love about being back in the UK is the central heating.

chris955

You live in the Cotswolds, it is fair to say I am very jealous

chris955

My wife says the coldest she has ever been was on a motorbike ride from Geelong to Ballarat many years ago, the wind chill was ridiculous.

Boobops

Actually I'm not in the Cotswolds now I'm in Marlborough which is very nice also. Still looking for property but can't find what I want!

chris955

Marlborough is nice, I know it quite well. We are coming back to Somerset this year when the house sells. Good luck with your search.

Boobops

Thanks. Hope your move goes well and you make a killing with the exchange rate.

chris955

Thanks. All going well we should come out of it OK.

Green Grass

So given housing is cold, particularly in winter and I'm guessing some days in spring and autumn too, why hasn't central heating, double glazing or home insulation become more normal. I appreciate you need good air con to avoid baking in summer but surely some element of heat retention measures would have been adopted by now. Is double glazing banned in Australia? It is everywhere in the UK...salesmen everywhere!

Buzzy--Bee

Hi mate,

Melbourne winters are cooler than much of Australia. Having said that, it never snows in Melbourne, and where we live near the sea we almost never get frost, although inland areas definitely would. The most protection I ever need to wear from the cold when I'm outside is a fleece, I don't need a puffy jacket, hat or gloves ever like I did in England. Temperatures - in winter it never goes below 3 degrees at night, and normally gets up to between 12 and 17 during the day, the odd day only makes it as high as 10. Winter days are often very sunny too, and it doesn't get dark until 5.15pm at the earliest, which makes a hell of a difference to how you feel.

What people have said about heating or the lack of it is true, however all modern houses come with central heating in various flavours and insulation, it's the older ones that might have no insulation and just one fire in one room!

Winter as described above is really only 3 months long here too.

Hope that helps

BB

bcworld

Actually we don't really need air con. You might consider having a unit in the bedroom and I estimate it might be needed on less than 5 days of the year. To add to that, I do live in an old building...and it stays cool inside when it's 35C outside...takes about 3 days of heat for it to get uncomfortable. This in itself implies insulation but it doesn't seem to do anything in winter!

Many new houses will provide a heating solution...they can also often be built in such a way that they do get ridiculously hot in summer making A/C mandatory. $$$$

I'd argue the period known as winter feels longer than 3 months but really it's not an impediment to doing anything...well maybe beaching/swimming...that and the water quality in the bay these days!

fish.01

I think it is because the threshold seems quite high before things become the norm. And until they become the norm and fitted to houses at build time and paid in the mortgage they are expensive and you can get by without them. Specially in older houses where in times past it would be unheard of. Similar to how the UK does not cope with a proper cold snap like Canada does...you can limp by without spending the extra cash even though it would be better if it was spent but Canadians have to...it seems "have to" must be the threshold.