Moving to Queensland from Melbourne

Hey Guys. Hoping to get some opinions/advice.

Have been thinking about moving to Queensland from Melbourne for a while. We will be moving after everything goes back to normal.

Just wanted to get some advice from you guys regarding the best areas to look to buy property. Wwould like to be not too far from the city and beach and we are looking for house under $800K 4+ Bedrooms. Looking for areas with good schools and good work opportunities.(I work in a bank and wife is an accountant)

Any advice would be awesome help.

Thank you all in advance.

Comments

  • -8

    You can't cross the border at this time.

    • Thank you i have updated the post as we will be moving after everything goes back to normal. Perhaps early next year.

      • +1

        Are you talking Brisbane or QLD? just that you mention 'city'

    • You can cross the border if relocating

  • +1

    Brisbane isn't that close to the beach. Guess you'd want either north or south side so you can be close to either gold coast or sunny coast.

    Otherwise you could live near surfers paradise? Not my cup of tea but its near a city and on the beach.

    • +1

      What have you got against Luggage Point?

      • What is that?

      • I mean, they built a whole new cruise terminal there, must be a place worth visiting! /s

    • There's a beach right in the middle of the city! I saw a life guard there last week so it may be fully reopened.

      • It's more like a sandpit with some water but okay šŸ¤£

  • +2

    would like to be not too far from the city and beach

    South Bank it is - Streetā€™s Beach

    and we are looking for house under $800K 4+ Bedrooms.

    Perhaps not South Bank. Nudgee?

  • Are you moving to be closer to the beach? We have beaches in Melbourne :)

    • Altona šŸ‘Œ

      • I was thinking more bayside area.

        • +1

          Williamstown

          • @Muzeeb: Werribee South. Nice beach for swimming, great fishing, excellent professional job prospects (you could pick cabbages until the right professional bank/accounting job comes up), and great real estate investment opportunities. Iā€™m pretty sure thereā€™s a school nearby too. All winners.

            • @Ozpit: I've lived in Melbourne for 10 years and just found out there's a beach at Werribee South!

    • It's still warm enough to visit the beaches in QLD.

  • +1

    Also assuming you mean move to Brisbane otherwise finding you a house in the entire state is a little broad. The only beach near Brisbane city is the fake one at Southbank, and $800k isn't going to get you a 4 bed place near that.

    The beach suburbs are a bit of a drive from the city (~45mins), and not somewhere I would personally want to live with a daily commute back into the CBD. But your $800k will buy you a whole lot of house at a place like Redcliffe.

    Do you actually want Brisbane? If you want to move to Qld specifically for the beach then surely look at somewhere on the Sunshine coast or Gold Coast?

  • +9

    Any advise

    Yes.

    Advice.

  • -8

    Don't forget you will need the approval of Dictator Dan to leave the People Republic of Victoria. Don't leave any family members behind as they will pay for your treason.

    • +9

      If you are Victorian can you leave with the OP? if you arenā€™t Victorian we would prefer you stay where you are.

      • if you arenā€™t Victorian we would prefer you stay where you are.

        He might not be Victorian, but he might be in Victoria. So you might be telling him to stay in Victoria…

        • -1

          If he, or she, is currently geographically located within the boundaries of Victoria then he/she can feel free to wander to a new State or Territory. I can understand the desire to go somewhere warmer but I love the culture in Melbourne and that first hot chocolate of the day is even nicer when it is cold. Actually it is the 40 degree days that I have more of an issue with.

    • +3

      I live in NSW snd even i know Dan is the man

    • Liberal Party welcomes you.

  • +3

    In all honesty guys moving due to cold weather in Melbourne!!

    • +4

      I hope you like humidity and trains being out of service during every thunderstorm.

      If you have to be near the beach I think the Sunshine Coast is a nicer place to go. Just beware that if you live near Brisbane and plan to commute to the beach every weekend, traffic is gridlock most weekend afternoons. There are no traffic lights at any motorway onramps to make things worse. Also Victorians are much more pleasant to share the road with.

    • +1

      My daughter, her partner, my son and myself are looking for a place in Victoria at least an hour from Melb. It's too dam hot up here (Bribie) and after 12yrs we want out. My daughter wants snow but that's a bit too cold for me. My son is OK up here -loves the heat/hates the cold- but is sort of ok going with us.

      • If itā€™s the heat you have an issue with then I would look coastal. In Summer we can have a few days in a row that are over 40. Although it is a dry heat, rather than humid, you would be best finding a place with sea breezes.

        • Yes that would be ideal though the cost might be an issue (coastal is usually more expensive than inland). I'm coastal now and it does give 'some' relief from the heat in summer but not enough, the humidity is killer.

          We did move from living 10km nth of Melb cbd to Qld and for the first 5 or 6 it was great but each yr since it's been harder to deal with the heat (been here 12yrs now). Moved from Katherine in NT to Melb and although it was hot and humid in the wet season, I seemed to be OK up there. I think being in Melb for 4yrs and the rather chilly winters started me not liking the heat so much.

    • +2

      I would take the cold weather any day over the oppressive heat and humidity

  • +8

    I moved up to Brisbane 3 years ago from Melbourne after getting tired of the cold weather! Absolutely love it here. Property prices are a lot cheaper. The warm weather is a big change.

    If beaches are your thing, I would recommend Sunshine Coast or the Gold Coast. Brisbane doesn't really have any beaches. Commute into Brisbane from Sunshine Coast or Gold coast is about 1.5 hours if you want to live close to the beach. But coming from Melbourne, I guess it's everyday traffic in the metro say from city to Frankston! lol

    We live in the Valley, and beaches are about an hours drive each way, good enough for our day trips!

    • +2

      Thanks for sharing your experience

      • +1

        Just stay away from Noosa because itā€™s my favourite beach holiday destination and itā€™s already overcrowded.

        • Noosa can only get so many residents due to strict building laws, no high-rises there but yeah a lot of day visitors during holidays

      • Qlders have the most boring personality. The only thing they talk about is the weather. So expect boring interactions as you go there.

        • They also talk about not wanting daylight savings alot…

  • +1

    Welcome. But if you are moving because of the cold weather in Melbourne, you might find you want to move back due to the hot weather in Brissie during the summer

    • +3

      Thanks I love the hot weather!!!

    • What hot weather? Nothing compared to the heat in Melbourne

      • Please tell us more about the humidity in Melbourne.

        • 45 degrees just isn't much of a thing in qld

        • Yeah raw temperature's a big factor but I feel humidity is the killer. Went to Malaysia for a quick visit and while the average was only 31deg, the humidity (90%) made you want to immediately go back indoors and turn the AC on. but a quick google shows me the humidity between melb/bris isn't that drastically different. therefore I think the biggest factor is that melbs peaks in humidity in winter, instead of summer in brissie. the special quality of the queensland summer thus appears.

  • So you donā€™t care where you move as long as itā€™s Qld? Surely you have an area you want to go to otherwise why do you want to move?

  • +4

    Porpoise Spit

    • +1

      You can't stop progress

  • +5

    The trick is to find the jobs you are after very near to where you want to live. Don't spend half your life stuck on the M1 or hopeless rail system trying to commute.

    Make sure you secure employment before coming up. I wasted 9 months of long service leave looking for a job after we arrived.

    After a few years you will acclimatise to the weather anyway and will be looking for your ugg boots and doona when the temp dips below 20c

    Sell you cars indicator lights on Gumtree they are not needed up here.

    • -1

      Indeed. Jobs less plentiful and lesser pay. And that was before COVID-19 šŸ˜¬

    • Haha…especially the dual-cab utes.

  • Gold Coast?

  • We spend a part of year in inner Brisbane. Lots of people here drive to the beaches on the Gold Coast/Sunshine Coast on weekends. Itā€™s only 60-min/90-min drive, respectively.

    As for the house prices, you can still find a 4 bedroom house in good suburbs (5-7km from cbd) for under 800K but they are old and need to be renovated.

    I find it interesting that in Brisbane so-called affluent suburbs are scattered around unlike Sydneyā€™s Eastern suburbs.

  • +3

    Three words. GOLD COAST HINTERLAND.

    If you have lived in Melbourne the distance to the beach is less than your regular commute to work now. Everything is close in the Gold Coast and buying on the fringe is the way to go. House prices will always be solid and at a comfortable entry level in your price range.

    Iā€™ve lived for some time in both places and for the lifestyle you describe the Gold Coast has all the benefits you have in Melbourne without the huge distances in dense traffic to deal with. The freeways can be jammed up like in Melbourne but the distances are shorter. And there are real beaches with real waves. The whole coast is a frickin beach! Look for schools that have a good music department as they are the ones that seem to be the better achievers. There are also some quality private schools. If you donā€™t like the weather in Melbourne then itā€™s a no brainer. You WILL want aircon though. A lot of people donā€™t have it but in the summer even though the maximums donā€™t get as high as Melbourne the heat is constant day and night. In the winter you can still wear shorts and a t-shirt most of the time. Iā€™ve lived all over Australia and for what you describe this is the place to be. A real city on a small scale compared to Melbourne. Start packing! And I love Melbourne itā€™s a great place. I could live in either quite happily.

    • Thanks for providing me with detailed information!!

    • Any good state high schools on GC? I had a look on the rankings and scores seemed pretty low compared to a lot of the Melbourne ones.
      Not sure how accurate they are but I was looking on the Better Education website.

  • Hi,
    I grew up on and live/work on the Gold Coast. My in-laws are on the Sunshine Coast. I would choose the Sunshine Coast. Catch the train into Brissie if you have to commute. The Sunny Coast is developing quickly but it is what the Gold Coast was like 25-30 years ago.
    If you want to live closer to the Gold Coast, just choose something in your price range between Ormeau and Carrara/Worongary. Anything between the M1 and the beach is now probably out of your price range for 4 bedrooms.
    Oh, I feel I have to explaint this to Victorians. Rugby == Rugby Union. League/NrL == Rugby League.
    Rugby League is a lot more popular due to Rugby being run by muppets/old boys club.
    When referencing NRL, don't call it Rugby.

    Good luck with the move. You'll love it.
    Cheers.

    • Why the lecture on "Footy"?

    • Thank you for your time

  • +2

    I made the move a few years ago, Melb to Sunshine Coast. Weather is sooo much better; mild winters, mild summers, and no big temperature swings. We were told the humidity would kill us … thatā€™s rubbish. It is obviously more humid than Melb, but we rarely notice it. Brisbane would be the choice for employment opportunities (for most people), Gold Coast for those who like to party, and Sunshine Coast for family beaches. Of course there is a lot more to them. Gold and Sunshine Coasts are readily visited from Brisbane for weekend trips, 1-1.5hrs drive depending what part of Brisbane you are coming from.

    • Due to formatting on mobile I first read this as….

      I made the move a few years ago, Melb to Sunshine

      I'm thinking wtf

  • moving to Queensland
    Wwould like to be not too far from the city

    Queensland is pretty big, which city are you talking about?

    • +1

      OP thinks thereā€™s only one city in Qld.

  • +2

    Having lived in Qld for nearly 30 years, I would suggest the Sunshine Coast, especially if have children.
    Gold Coast is OK, but I don't think it is any where as good as the Sunny Coast. From Caloundra to Noosa
    Excellent private schools there as well. The lutheran school Immanual, and the Mathew Flinders Anglican school, and good public schools
    If you want to be more inland but still within a 20min car trip to the water, look at Mooloolah area, even up in the hills of Maleny etc, but it is expensive there.
    Good hospitals, and the university, sport grounds etc
    Only 1 hour from city, a lot of people commute to Brisbane daily, or use the train, my husband used to drive daily. If you don't want to work in the area!
    Its a really stunning area!
    The Buderim area is lovely, plenty of water views.
    Just take a trip there for the day, better take 2 days, and have a good look around.

  • We live in a suburb called Geebung. For us the location is great. property here sells very quickly and it's now being called a blue chip suburb.

    We are classified as inner city - about 12 km from CBD. Also Close to the airport (we can see the control tower). Easy access to the M1 getting us to the Sunshine or Gold Coast Coast in an hour. Good schools, shopping etc.

    The closest beach is Nudgee Beach which is where people go to walk their dogs or just picnic or hang out. It's not a swimming or sun baking spot though. It's about 15 mins - depending on traffic.

    Brighton/Sandgate/Shorncliffe are waterfront bayside suburbs and affordable property too. There's a real community feel there. Again about 20 mins from us. Property is going up there but still worth looking at. Plenty of walking and activities going on there.

    Redcliffe has some lovely spots and as someone said property prices are good there. We often go there for a walk and picnic. Lots of things going on there. Every Sunday is markets which are on the waterfront. For us, again 30 mins away. That council area is growing fast for families. There has been lots of commercial and industrial activity at North lakes/Mango Hill. That is where Costco and IKEA are.those 2 suburbs have plenty of real estate choice and close to Redcliffe and closer to Bribie Island and Sunshine Coast (as in 30-50 mins). However the CBD is further away.

    I would suggest you rent then find the jobs and then determine the best place to buy. By then you will have familiarised yourself with the suburbs and what you like. Nothing more frustrating then being a long way from work.

    I was in hospital recently and the man in the bed next to me was an accredited CA from South Africa. He started looking for work in Feb and had not found anything. His wife - a pharmacist- found work immediately. Of course their timing was in line with the start of COVID-19

    • Thank you for your time you have made some impressive suggestions!!

  • If you donā€™t care which ā€œcityā€ in Queensland, Edge Hill is pretty close to the (Cairns) City, and not too far from Holloways and Machans beach. Not great stinger wise in warmer months, but itā€™s great swimming weather now in winter. Should be able to find something nice within your budget too.

  • Palmwoods, Woombye, Nambour… all attractive and nice towns on the Sunshine Coast, only 20 minutes to the beach, and have train stations if you wish to work in Brisbane…

  • +7

    Just be ready for daily casual racism.

    • Have no fear, theyll end up just like holden

    • Anywhere in particular?

      • -1

        It's everywhere, the more you interact with people, the more you will feel like a stranger.

        Then again it depends on your lifestyle. If interacting with people and building a community is not part of your plan, then I would agree for the weather and the cheaper real estate, it's worth the move.

        However, if you want your children to become the future leaders of this country and grow in a diverse and supportive environment with plenty of opportunities , forget Queensland completely. Rich white parents have a big influence on the school structure and sports opportunities in the best schools, you rarely hear of non-whites getting the top awards in schools.

        Not only the schools, the general culture is white, most TV ads tailored to the state have exclusively white actors, the news focus on white successes, etc.

        I have lived there and will never go back, the culture is so blend, everyone wears the same things, talk the same way, and can't wait for Friday arvo drinks.

        In short, it is worth saving some dollars for a bit of sun and a blend lifestyle amongst people who don't want you there?

  • I'd recommend Carseldine/Bridgeman Downs. I used to live there. Its about ~30mins to city and about 1hr drive to Sunshine coast (the motorway to Sunshine coast starts there). You'll get absolutely gorgeous houses for 800K!

    • -1

      30 mins to city šŸ˜‚

  • +1

    Good idea to move to Queensland. Applaud your decision. I moved from Sydney in 2008 and never regretted my relocations. Brisbane and Gold Coast is ideal cities for raising families, work and play. Plenty of world-class beaches, islands, bushes, mountain tops (Mt Tamborine etc) and hinterlands to explore, all within 30 minutes drive. Dreamworld, Seaworld, Movie World, Wet & Wild Parks are all within 30-45 mins away depending on where you choose to live. Easily get landed property under 800k in South Brisbane-Logan area. Sunshine Coast is only 45-60 minutes drive from Brisbane/Logan City to the north. The location between Gold Coast and Brisbane is Logan City should be considered, with their own city council. Many commercial zones, industrial zones and service industries around this council. It is 15 minutes drive to Brisbane CBD and 30 minutes to the beach (Surfers Paradise-Main Beach-Mermaid Beach etc). It is easy to find a job in banking and accounting sector in Brisbane-Logan-Gold Coast-Sunshine Coast belt. So many good public and private schools in this area. Weather in south-east Queensland is awesome. It is a safe place, less crime, no Black African Muslims gangs terrorising neighbourhoods or Lebanese gangs, fewer traffic jams etc as compared to Melbourne/Sydney. Just avoid Woodridge and Kuraby, due to high-density of African-Middle Eastern migrant population.

    • Thank you heaps. nice houses in Logan

  • We are full.

  • This is normality.

  • i moved to QLD last month to escape melbourne cold. Guess want landed in Toowoomba and its colder than melbourne. But i will move to brisbane soon. i'm in the same boat as u. planning to buy a house and want to go to beach fortnightly. not sure if city beaches are good

    • Toowoomba is a great place for families. It can get quite cold during winter (usually not as cold as Melbourne) but the climate is nice for the rest of the year. Other benefits are good education & health services, less traffic and cheaper property prices. Takes a bit over an hour to get to Bris and 2-2.5 hours to Sunny or Gold Coast.

  • +1

    Once restrictions are lifted spend a couple of days at Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, cairns.
    I currently live in Tasmania and have met lot of Queenslanders that have moved to Tas due to hot weather and humidity. Tassie winters are one of the coldest around Aus so I can relate to you moving to qld. I would love to live there one day. Good luck with your move.

  • Made the move in November last year. I miss family in Melbourne but thatā€™s about it. Funny because I always thought Melbourne was the bees knees.

    Melbourne is great however the insane level of immigration and foreign money just corrupted the place, unaffordable housing, congested roads and crime.

    Iā€™m out in the Western suburbs of Brisbane and itā€™s another world, 20km to CBD, good schools, you can get yourself a nice house with a pool for $600-$700k (add a couple of hundred grand and youā€™re 10 km from CBD). Itā€™s about as peaceful as you can get in suburbia, I knew I was onto something when I came up to look at rentals and all I could hear was the birds singing.

    Canā€™t really comment on the job market as I took a transfer.

    Best of luck.

  • i dont want to sound racist but…

    i believe the indian community in brisbane is typically on the south side, so if that is important to you, consider that.
    even before that i would have suggested mt gravatt as a reasonable location where you might get a house for 800k.
    well connected to freeways to go north and south.

    if you dont have work already, its hard to isolate where to live. brisbane has a fairly big north and south divide so if you end up working in chermside, its easier to live in the north. likewise if its eight mile plains, youd be happier south.

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