Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth or Melbourne??where would you chose??

[Sibble]

Dh has been offered a job in Oz so we are considering jumping the ditch from NZ. He has a choice of where to base himself. So where would you chose and why. Ds's are 8 and 3 so there's schools, kindy etc to consider. I have an absolute phobia of snakes (can't even look at picture in book!) so anywhere rural is out. I did live in Perth for a year many moons ago and loved it but that was pre-kids.

If our house sells for the valuation today we should arrive with $1m NZ to buy.

The only place I wouldn't go is Sydney, dh's evil ex lives there with ss. Being in the same country is going to be bad enough but couldn't do the same state .

[ninedragons]

I am an eight-generation Sydneysider, so while it pains me greatly to say it, Melbourne is VERY pleasant. I would die before admitting it to my father, but last time I was there I was looking around thinking gosh, I could live here.

It's a lot more villagey than Sydney, and there seems to be a wider variety of suburbs. In Sydney it's just city (Darlinghurst), beach, giant shopping centre (Chatswood) or one of very few villages proper (Newtown and Paddington are the only ones that spring to mind). There's a lot of blah filler suburbs in Sydney, but Melbourne seems somehow to have avoided this. You wouldn't be living in a mansion for that, but Melbourne seems to have a lot of Yummy Mummy suburbs and I'd think you'd have little trouble getting a renovated Victorian cottage in one of those.

I have heard of a lot of people moving to Adelaide and then moving away again because it's just a bit too isolated.

This ex must be a crazy bitch if you won't even consider Sydney!

[Sibble]

Melbourne is dh's preferred option. We've a few friends there. I'm more keen on Brisbane and have friends there too, although not as many. I think we'll get more for our money in Brisbane and the weather will be better. He likes the cosmopolitan feel to Melbourne and that it's quite European.

As for the ex. Until recently she said jump, he said how high . He didn't do exactly what she demanded before Christmas (they've been separated 14 year) and she threw the ultimate wobbly. SHe's just a controlling nasty b*ch. Can't say any more she's in Sydney and you may know her .

[chloeb2002]

I have lived in melbourne and adelaide and now we are based in brisbane.
1/ melbourne, was very cosmopolitan, a bit too much so for me. I have friends who live in mornington and love it but thats a bit further out. Not too sure about propert prices down there. I would sum melbourne up as being a little to like london for me? much smaller etc but i had the same feeling that i could be in any country in the world because of the large mix of people..
2/ Adelaide... where i went to watch teh floor boards warp.. sorry sa inans but didnt like it. Found most the locals really clicky.
3/ brisbane. been here since november and so far loving it. school is great, propery is getting more expensive but not too bad. Good climate, hot some days and cold nights now but really can live the outside life. we are out in the country and do get wildlife but no more than we had anywhere else.
hope that helps just my opinion...

[1dilemma]

Perth probably!
'though I do know several people who live Brisbane

[ninedragons]

Don't worry, I don't have any crazy friends and she sounds like a 24-carat loon.

Only been to Brisvegas once and that was years ago so I can't help you there.

Perth is lovely, but I have lots of family there so that may be distorting my judgment. Property is expensive though - I think it's heading for parity with Sydney.

I have heard from people who've lived in Adelaide that it's full of elderly South Africans pissed off about the dismantling of apartheid who came in search of a whiter place. But these were people who had left it, so by definition they were going to be harsh critics

[eidsvold]

Brisbane without a doubt BUT then I am biased

[Sibble]

Eidsvold spoke with a friend last night who said look at Fig Tree Pocket - close to CBD and nice. Is it a nice area?

[ninedragons]

Hang on, am I getting you confused with someone else, Sibble? Did your DH hand in his notice without consulting you, or is that another poster's husband?

[eidsvold]

yes - one of the nicer western suburbs. Do not have a lot of experience with that area but do know it looks good when I have driven through there.. did know some people that lived in the area - many many years ago.

[Sibble]

That's me ninedragons. So he's job hunting. There's not much going for his level here in NZ but he's had 2 very early offers in Oz. One of which means he can base himself anywhere, the other is in Melbourne. DS1 spent most of yesterday in tears (overheard me talking to the real estate guy about selling the house), bach sold this week, the bottom is dropping out of his little 8 year old world and it's sad. He's also got 3 interviews lined up here so we're waiting to see what the actual offers are and if they truly materialise in writing then will take it from there.

I know ghosty well who is in Melbourne and our 2 ds's are the same age so that's something and an old friend lives outside Brisbane which is where we've whittled it down to. It's like sticking a pin in a map though when you don't know any areas. We're going to see what happens this week then may do 2 long weekends, one in each and go from there.

The good thing is at least he is getting interest/offers, the sad thing is everything feels a bit knee jerk rather than a considered oooh lets go to Oz we love that area (although dh keeps saying he could live in Noosa!!). It would also probably mean he will have to go ahead while I stay with the boys, sell the house, arrange the move and wait while my NZ passport comes through.

Ho hum. At least it's a long weekend here so we're going to do anything but talk about and dwell on it.