Melbourne outer suburbs

[Die Krugers]

Hi Everyone

My husband is in the running for a position as a service technician in Australia, servicing Australia, Fiji and New Zealand. He can live anywhere in any one of these countries. We are considering Melbourne, due to its liveability index and everything else we’ve read so far as well as its proximity to the other countries, plus hubby has been there before (for a week) and liked it. We would like a more laid back suburb, we are not bothered with big city life so Sydney is not for us (and Brisbane too hot and humid, Perth too far away from Fiji and NZ), but if I need something I would still like to be able to have nice variety should I go into the city, which Melbourne can give us. So are there any suburbs more towards the outskirts of Melbourne which is quieter and more laid back with good schools, hopefully good private schools, but still a good area to live, because I have heard that the further you go outwards the suburbs deteriorate. I would think that you might get more house and outdoor space for your dollar further out because we don’t need to live close to the city for work. If we are about an hour from the airport, that will be fine too, but not much more because hubby will be flying a lot. I’ve heard the houses in the East side are better areas, but looking on the real estate website they start from $700,000 upwards, is that expensive in Ozzie terms as well, because to me it really seems a lot, I can’t imagine paying off $5 000 per month to own a home. We are almost 40, with two smaller kids (7y and 4y), so paying off over 30 years is a long time (we’ll be 70!!), so it should be about $5,000 over 20 years. Gee whiz that’s a lot! You would have to earn more than $12 000 per month probably to afford that, or am I wrong?

How is Yarra Valley? I love mountains!

If you could choose, not bound by work regarding where to live, where would you stay in Oz? We live in Cape Town at the moment with a lot of sunshine, will Melbourne become depressing with the cloudiness and rain and cold at all? I would love to live where there is warm sea water, but I’ve heard that the sea water temperatures are quite cold in Melbourne, I hope there are other nice ways to enjoy the outdoors, I really look forward to our family spending time sightseeing nature, hiking, swimming and enjoying the outdoors.

Thanks

Tania

[Garrick]

Hi there, climate wise, the southern half of Australia ie influenced by the cold ocean currents. The basically move in over SA and into VIC for the most part. The closest you'll get to CT is going to be the SE corner of Aus...but that is miles from anything.

When looking at outer suburbs look for ones that you can access the VLine with. We live on the fringe of Melbourne and I take the Vline to work.

-G

[HansaPlease]

Hey Garrick, were do you guys live? I thought you were in Point Cook for some reason.

Die Krugers, if I were not bound by working in the city, I think we would still live where we do, maybe a little further out on some land. We're in Greensborough but would take Eltham, Reaearch, Kangaroo Ground, Plenty, even Diamond Creek, etc any day.

Nice, Hilly territory with lots of trees, birds and wildlife. Plenty to do, Yarra Valley wineries on your doorstep. Good schools, public and private. We get to work in the city in an hour door to door and I also fly a fair bit and it takes me 25 minutes to the Airport at 5am, maybe half an hour any other time of day.

Happy to answer questions if you have any.

[Mara]

Have a look at Sunbury in the North West, be prepared though, Hansa will tell you it is no good...

We have lived here for nearly ten years, we love it. Housing is affordable, either to rent or buy, enough shops for your everyday needs, huge shopping centers near by, good government schools, good private schools, churches, you name it we have it.

Best of all is, we are about 15 minutes from the airport and 45 minutes by train to the city.

[HansaPlease]

Have a look at Sunbury in the North West, be prepared though, Hansa will tell you it is no good...

Agge nee man, when did I ever say that? I actually think it's a good option if you're not dependant on working in the city and you need to be close to the Airport.

[Mara]

Yeah right Hansa, love that smile, it says it all!

[HansaPlease]

No I'm serious, I don't think I've ever had a bad word to say about Sunbury... (...except when poking fun at you)

[Garrick]

Hey Garrick, were do you guys live? I thought you were in Point Cook for some reason.

We used to rent in Point Cook - were there for around 2 years. We built our own house out in Eynesbury. Beautiful out here watching the kangaroos in the grassland across the road. Actually had a joey get into our yard somehow - only way I can think of was it jimmied the simply latch on the gate (2.5m high fence).

I drive around 12 minutes to the station and catch the express VLine to the city. Then tram it to work. Leave at around 05H55 and arrive at around 07H15.

-G

[Sunnyskies]

I think you will find the outer Eastern Suburbs too far out if your husband is constantly travelling - now Sibella may have a different point of view, as they are quite far out and her husband travels a far bit.

GordonV may have something to say about Sunbury.

I would suggest you also consider Geelong (pronounced Ja-long (ja as in jam). It is on the Western Ring road which is quick to get to Tullamarine airport, it is close to Avalon airport (which flies a number of cheaper flights out oc Melbourne), it is close to Torquay which is well known for its surf beaches (as Bells beach is just around the corner from it), it has good private and public schools, you can catch the train into Melbourne easily (about a 40 minute ride). I'm not biased as I don't live there ?. Also price of housing is more reasonable. Only downside is that it has a greater proportion of industry and is likely to be affected by the closing of the carious car manufacturers in Melbourne.

[Sibella]

We live in the Outer East so near the Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges, Warrandyte and the Yarra River and we love it here.

My husband commutes and it takes about 40 mins on the train from Croydon Station, he doesn't mind as he works on the train and it's about the same commute we had in the UK.

There are nice areas and not so nice areas around here, it's difficult to explain but most suburbs have beautiful streets and some which aren't that beautiful.

The house we are renting is very spacious, four bedrooms with a pool. We are looking at buying now but finding it incredibly difficult as there is not stock available especially where we are living now in Croydon Hills probably because there are great private schools around here - Yarra Valley Grammar, Luther College, Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School - all within walking distance. It's also beautiful with lots of parks and reserves with lakes within walking distance.

We are unfortunately being picky and looking for a four bedroomed house which makes it difficult as the houses around here are mostly older 3 bedroomed houses but many people are extending and renovating. We are now looking at Chirnside Park which has some beautiful houses for much better value than the areas closer to the city but is only about 7 minutes drive from where we are now!

The areas around here you can look at is Ringwood North, Croydon North, Wonga Park, Warranwood, some bits of Croydon, some bits of Mooroolbark, Ringwood and Chirnside Park. There is also a new estate called the Range in Croydon where you can buy new built houses, most of the estate has been sold but there are still some left.

But if your husband will be flying a lot Sunbury or Eltham way might be better as the airport is an hour's drive from us, not a problem for us even though my husband goes overseas a few times a year.

The weather to me is very similar to Cape Town actually (I lived there for a year and my inlaws live there). Except that there is no wind.

You get some rainy days but in summer it can get very hot - 40 degrees! We swam often this summer.

Winter is cold but also you get lots of sunny days, unlike the UK where the sun didn't come out the whole winter!

The sea water around the bay in Melbourne is lovely and warm but keep in mind there are no waves, my kids love it because they can swim and it's safe for my toddler.

But the Mornington Peninsula which is around an hour's drive from us have beaches with waves and the water is still much warmer than Cape Town!!

But your best bet is to get here and drive around and see what suits you best.

[Garrick]

In all honesty, I would not advise anyone to move to Geelong and/or buy a house there. With so many manufacturing jobs being lost there, it's gonna be a not-so-happy place one of these days.

I really hope the government sorts it out, but when the industries around which a town was built stop, the town generally fades away.

-G

[Mara]

I agree with Garrick about avoiding Geelong, especially if you need to get to the airport often. The ring road is known as the most dangerous road in Victoria for accidents. The problem is also, when there is an accident you could be sitting there for hours, waiting for them to clear it up.

[Sunnyskies]

The Ring Road carries 142000 cars a day and is being upgraded. You can get caught in a very nasty traffic jam anywhere in Melbourne. Sometimes it takes me half an hour to get over the Monash as a result of the level crossings that the State can't seem to get over themselves to replace with over or under passes. You can also get stuck in nasty traffic on the Eastern Freeway trying to get to the airport - I've learnt a number of back routes to bypass the freeway and have leant to catch the 7am flight as it forces me to get on the road early.

Yes, Geelong is going to go through some tough times but if you aren't going to work in manufacturing it will offer good value in housing. In reality Victoria as a whole is going to go through some tough times and many of us are probably already feeling the pinch.

I know many Aussies whose roots are in Geelong and surrounds and I don't hear them saying run for the hills, quite the contrary.

Anyway, I agree with Sibella. Hard to decide when you haven't seen the area. We are in the East and love it, but if circumstance didn't keep us here I would consider one of the coastal areas between Geelong and Torquay.it just seems more coastal while still being within easy reach of the city.

[Die Krugers]

Thanks everyone! How is the area of Doreen? It seems to have a good primary school, does anyone know if there is a high school that is good? How are the flies in the outer areas like where Sibella lives? Is this a problem in Doreen as well - the flies?

[Sibella]

Flies are the same as in the inner suburbs I suspect! Remember even though we are supposedly in the Outer East we are still only 30 mins drive away from the city center, around 30km. We don't have a lot of flies just over a few weeks in January when it was really hot I noticed them.

Also when we go to the Yarra Valley sometimes or somewhere more rural like the Dandenong Ranges there are more flies. But they are small little quick (and annoying) flies so not too disgusting, must admit I swallowed one while on a walk one evening and I'm still alive.

And all they houses are fitted with flyscreens so you rarely have flies inside your house.

We looked at Doreen just after we arrived but decided against it. It just seemed a bit far away from everything. Also I have an Aussie friend whose husband built them a house there but she didn't enjoy living there at all and ended up moving back to the Croydon area for schools etc. but it may just be because that is what she was used to.

[Nev]

So far we have spent a year here in Heidelberg Heights, and no flies at all, bit closer in though

The flies are normally as a result of horses or cattle, so as you head further out they can become a problem