HELP: Moving to Australia. Which City?

[Syzygy]

Regarding moving to Australia: In reviewing what city to live, (outside of Sydney), what are the Pros & Cons of the 4 major cities:

- Melbourne
- Brisbane (Gold / Sunshine Coasts)
- Perth
- Adelaide (Adelaide Hills / Barossa Valley)

Context:
- Husband/Wife (staring a family soon).
- Self-employed (work from home).
- Likes: sunshine/breeze, natural/local food, beauty/nature, culture/orchestra.
- Dislikes: big city / crowds, high humidity/mosquitoes.
- Preference: House on 1+ acre scenic land / budget-friendly cost of living / airport nearby.
- Family-friendly: Raise family near ‘big city amenities’ / no need for ‘crazy night life’.

Which city is the best fit? Are there other suburbs/regions that I should consider?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Agent 86]

With all of your requirements ... maybe Perth? Although, I've never been there.

In Brisbane we have sunshine/breeze, natural/local food, beauty/nature, culture/orchestra with a smallish city and not many crowds. But, there is very high humidity and there can be a lot of mosquitoes (although flies are more common and annoying). I'm not sure you would find one acre near the Brisbane airport though.

Maybe the Gold Coast would be a better option, but I'm also not sure what land is available near the Gold Coast airport. And you would still have issues with the high humidity.

Melbourne is a great city, but it's a big city with crowds. It's also known for having four seasons in one day, so it may not provide the temperate climate you're after. It's also expensive.

I've only visited Adelaide once or twice, but it may fit a lot of your criteria. It's normally criticised for being too dull and for not attracting enough entertainment (e.g. culture/orchestra), but I'm not sure how accurate that is. It can get very hot in Adelaide, but it's more of a dry heat than a humid heat (at least in my limited experience).

 

[Syzygy]

With all of your requirements ... maybe Perth? Although, I've never been there.

In Brisbane we have sunshine/breeze, natural/local food, beauty/nature, culture/orchestra with a smallish city and not many crowds. But, there is very high humidity and there can be a lot of mosquitoes (although flies are more common and annoying). I'm not sure you would find one acre near the Brisbane airport though.

Maybe the Gold Coast would be a better option, but I'm also not sure what land is available near the Gold Coast airport. And you would still have issues with the high humidity.

Melbourne is a great city, but it's a big city with crowds. It's also known for having four seasons in one day, so it may not provide the temperate climate you're after. It's also expensive.

I've only visited Adelaide once or twice, but it may fit a lot of your criteria. It's normally criticised for being too dull and for not attracting enough entertainment (e.g. culture/orchestra), but I'm not sure how accurate that is. It can get very hot in Adelaide, but it's more of a dry heat than a humid heat (at least in my limited experience).

Thank you for the informative feedback!
What have you heard about Perth?
Outside of proximity to airport, what are your thoughts on the Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast hinterland?

Also, if you were to rank the smaller cities:

- Perth
- Adelaide (Adelaide Hills / Barossa Valley)
- Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast hinterland

…when considering weather, cost of living, people, food, nature, etc; any thoughts?

I greatly appreciate your kindness and support. Thanks again!

 

[Snickals]

Sunshine Coast and Gold coast are beautiful areas that are near Brisbane and also have a lot of theme parks...not as big/good as Disney though I live in QLD (about 4hrs north of Brisbane) and love it but you will find people from other states who also love where they live

Out of curiosity, what made you decide to move to Australia?

 

[AussieNSW]

Are you ruling out the whole of New South Wales that is the state Sydney is in or just the Sydney area. If not there is some fantastic places up North such as Port Macquarie, Foster, Port Stephens the list goes on or down south such as Ulladulla. If you go into Queensland you could consider the Noosa area or Maroochydore.

 

[Minniesgal]

We currently live in Brisbane but our HQ is in Perth and I visit there a lot. I like Brisbane a lot better than Perth

We find the weather a lot more temperate although Brisbane does get way more humid and it does get tropical storms it doesn't have as many summer days over 40c

We feel this side of the country there is more to visit outside your city. Brisbane we have the Gold Coast the Great Barrier Reef and New South Wales not too far. New Zealand and Fiji are reasonable flights and even Hawaii and the continental U.S. Is much more doable than from Perth.

The only downside to Briabane for is is no real international schools which is an issue as we will only be here 3 years and the kids will have to fit in again elsewhere.

 

[Agent 86]

Outside of proximity to airport, what are your thoughts on the Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast hinterland?

Also, if you were to rank the smaller cities:

- Perth
- Adelaide (Adelaide Hills / Barossa Valley)
- Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast hinterland

…when considering weather, cost of living, people, food, nature, etc; any thoughts?

I think Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast both have some very nice areas. But, I've only ever visited them on weekends away. I couldn't really comment on living in either area.

As for rankings, I would be inclined to put Adelaide first. But, as mentioned, I've never even been to Perth and I've only visited Adelaide twice.

Would it be possible for you to "holiday" in Australia for a few weeks, visiting your short-listed cities before you choose somewhere to settle down? Also, depending upon what you do, you may need to keep in mind finding work in your fields if self-employment proves to be challenging in Australia.

 

[aussie shaz]

I think Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast would be your best bet. I think the only downfall to them is the humidity.
Adelaide might be OK, but it hasn't got a lot of activities/culture etc. It also gets weather similar to Melbourne. Can get pretty cold or really, really hot.
Perth is just too far away from anything, especially travelling to the US. The only benefit of Perth is cheap holidays to Bali LOL.

 

[Zosha]

I've lived in Adelaide, on the Sunshine Coast and also in Melbourne. Sunshine Coast can be humid so might not suit your weather preference. It is beautiful though and would meet your requirement on crowds/city etc. And it's only an hour drive to Brisbane where you have easy airport access and a bit more "culture". The Sunshine Coast hinterland is absolutely gorgeous and not super expensive compared to places like Sydney. A nice place to raise a family.
Adelaide can get very hot but not humid. The Adelaide Hills are nice with lots of pretty little towns. 30-45mins drive to the CBD down the freeway and easy to get to the airport. Adelaide can be quiet though apart from certain times of the year - like Mad March when there is festivals galore. It's relatively cheap to buy here and isn't a big bustling city. Out of Adelaide and Sunny Coast, I'd go Sunny Coast!

 

[beejai]

If you lived on the Gold Coast you could try looking at currumbin valley, Tallebudgera valley or maybe even Byron bay (though is probably 45 mins from Coolangatta airport).
There's also beautiful areas such as beechmont, mount nathan , Canungra, tamborine mountain, although are little bit further away.

 

[Syzygy]

Thank you everyone for your generous feedback and kindness. After tallying everyone’s input, it seems that Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast are the top recommendations. If you were to rank between the two, which would you prefer? And, why?

Also, outside of Perth being remote from other cities; what are your thoughts of Perth itself?

Of the two quieter cities, (outside of geographic location), would you prefer Perth or Adelaide?

Thanks again!

 

[bswift]

I think Adelaide fits your requirements best.

It does get hot in summer but it is a dry heat, whereas up north in Queensland it will definitely be more humid.

I have heard that Adelaide isn't great for employment opportunities but if you have your own business I guess that's not an issue.

Adelaide would be cheaper to live in, the average price for a 2bed home in the CBD (I know that's not what you're after but it's the easiest comparison) is AUD$585,000 in Adelaide compared to AUD$856,000 in Perth.

I personally couldn't live in Adelaide myself (I'm a Melbourne girl through and through) but it does have a lovely charm to it. It's easy to get around with barely any traffic, and you've got both lovely beaches and beautiful bushland very close-by.

As aussie shaz mentioned, you may feel a bit isolated in Perth whereas Adelaide is more central.

 

[zanzibar138]

Unfortunately you are going to struggle to find anywhere in Australia that suits all of your requirements. I think Perth could be a good fit though. Do be aware that the isolation can be an issue not just for you wanting to go anywhere, but also for people coming to Australia. Therefore, Perth doesn't get the same variety of theatre, concerts etc that the rest of the country does. Having said that, it has really improved in the last few years in that way, and is becoming a lot more cultural. The only other issue could be cost. Not sure what sort of money you're looking at, but to get an acre or so in a nice setting within striking distance of the city/airport will be quite expensive. Prices are on the way down with the mining crash though. If you are looking at property in Perth, I'd look at the hills or Swan Valley as a place that is relatively close to the city/airport, but also nice surroundings and close to nature. There are some great hikes in Perth and greater WA!

I agree with the PP though, that it would be ideal if you could spend a couple of weeks here in the places that you've shortlisted, to get a feel for it. Either way, I think it would be worth having a look at some property prices to get an idea of what sort of pricing you're looking at in the different areas. The main real estate websites over here are www.realestate.com.au and www.domain.com.au. Compare the locations you can afford in each place - proximity to the city/airport etc. There are heaps of websites around that will give you an idea about different suburbs - try googling 'best suburbs in *xxx*', or perhaps 'moving to Australia'.

Hope that helps!

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I agree that you need to rent to start with somewhere and see how you find it before you commit to putting down roots by purchasing as you don't have kids yet to worry about schools. Everywhere has pluses and minuses. Most of the regional areas just outside of the big cities are family friendly, more affordable acreage, and some have regional airports though limited flights, connecting you to major airports for international travel. Apart from avoiding NT and North Qld and Nth WA because of the humidity really many options. Mossies are not too bad most places as they spray to keep them under control - you get a few most places near still water. Again Nth Aus has the most issues being in the tropics. I live near Brisbane and am not sure the Gold Coast is really what you are seeking. There are also places like south of Sydney near Wollongong or points further south along the coast, or northern NSW within driving distance of the Gold Coast airport and the cultural activities there as well (not sure if there is an airport near Port Stephens or Coffs Harbour which are both nice places mid NSW coast), then there are plenty of areas outside of Melbourne which puts you close to beaches for summer and sking in the mountains in winter - Dandenongs, Yarra Valley, Geelong. How much heat do you like? You say no humidity but I find the intense over 35C heat that Perth and Adelaide get sometimes for weeks at a time much harder to bear than Brisbane's few hot days and higher humidity or Melbourne's changeability. Where is the right fit for you is a very personal choice.

 

[4Mickeys]

I live on the Sunshine Coast and am raising 3 children. I grew up in Brisbane. We moved up here when the kids were young (3 and 4 months old) that was such a long time ago now lol my kids are now 15 12 & 12 - We love living here. Yes it can be humid and sticky for some of the summer but the upside is we have fantastic beaches to cool off at. Or if you prefer you can head to the hinterland and find a waterfall. But what we do get is a big part of the year the weather is just beautiful with water temps that see many people using the ocean year round. There are some areas that get more mosquitos than others (e.g. Bli Bli, Twin Waters, Pacific Paradise to name a few). I lived in Maroochydore for a long time and wasn't overly bothered there. As said it is only and hour to Brisbane when there are concerts, or other shows on you want to see. We have a very relaxed lifestyle here on the coast but not to say there are not a lot of active people if you head to any of the beach areas at 5.30am or so you would think its midday with everyone out making the most of the location with some exercise and/or having a coffee before work. As for kids there are fabulous parks/playgrounds all along the coast and options to swim with calm water. One of my families favourite spots is Cotton Tree. There are good schools both in the government state schooling system or private options. There are lots of activity options on the coast for kids e.g. nippers, dancing, gymnastics, all football codes, hockey, netball etc...... Long term we have the University of the Sunshine Coast right here with kangaroos that hop around the campus. There are lots of options to eat out across the coast covering lots of cuisines including organic/gluten free options and price ranges.

I would choose the Sunshine Coast over the Gold Coast because the Gold Coast population is quite large now filled with skyscrapers and increasing crime and gang activity regularly reported on the news. The only reason we go to the Gold Coast is for the theme parks every so often and pretty much stay at the Sea World resort. Sad I used to enjoy the Gold Coast to visit when I would younger.

Have I convinced you the coast is a great place to live yet? There is a reason we are rapidly growing - I can't tell you how many families I meet here that are from NSW !!! And the grey nomads from Victoria spend their winter here! You do get busy periods of the year around holidays when everyone else comes to enjoy our home

I also lived in Adelaide for a few years - it is a nice place but can be super hot and super cold. They have a good restaurant scene and of course the wineries (if you are into that sort of thing).

I have never visited Perth - but my cousin who also grew up in Brisbane live in Perth for about 10 years (her hubby was from there) but they have just moved here to the Sunshine Coast also!! yeah for me.

 

[Puggle]

How about Canberra? It's our nation's capital, so has major cultural institutions. The education system is great. Low humidity makes it a comfortable place to live, although winters can be frosty. I'm not sure where you're moving from, so that could be a trivial thing for you anyway.

 

[beejai]

Lol, I don't really agree the gold Coast is all sky scrapers, there is beautiful country living on the Gold Coast in the Hinterland, places such as Mudgeeraba, Tallebudgera , mount tamborine , mount nathan.
We've lived on the Gold Coast for 16 years, originally from NZ and we hardly ever go near surfers paradise but will go to the beach at Currumbin.
I would definitely recommend renting first.

 

[jevs]

I'm Melbourne born and bred although now live inland. So my pick goes to Melbs because I'm bias towards my own city and because it ranks high on the worlds most livable city with great shopping, a very multicultural culture, and down to earth people. That said, the weather can be unpredictable and the heat unbearable if it goes on for long periods of time (especially the more inland you get), and yes, it can be expensive.

I haven't visited Adelaide for some time but was always drawn into the slower paced living and general friendliness of the locals. I'm not a fan of Brisbane or the Gold Coast so if you were drawn to QLD, I would recommend the sunshine coast.

But, it's a big country and the cities, towns, and states are all unique to one another much the same as the USA, I would also agree with previous posters to perhaps come and visit before making up your mind.

 

[TikiKate]

Maybe consider somewhere in NSW out of Sydney, like the mountains or the coast?

 

[kbainbridge]

I'm going to recommend Geelong. It's where I live but I'm Canadian so I'm not born and bred here or anything.

It's 1 hour from Melbourne, and is close to the surf beaches and wineries. You really get the best of both worlds. We get hot days in summer but not many. It's pretty comfortable here. There are options to get large blocks of land too. It's got a country feel to it