Tasmanian lifestyle...

[soop]

Hey guys,
My Fiancee and I are looking to relocate.
We've been looking around our native area (Far north Victoria) and everything is very expensive and frankly the area doesn't warrant such exhoberant pricing.

So, in light of this we've turned our attention to Tasmania. I've always been a fan of the picturesque location, and the climate also suits me (hate the heat of summer!!!!!).

We've done some searching and found some very nice properties for very cheap prices, Very nice houses that would cost an absolute fortune on the main land.
How ever, I've a few questions.
What is the cost of living like?
How hard is it to get around?
What area's should be avoided?

We're looking for perhaps a semi-rural property as neither of us are fans of Urban life styles.
Is there any/many Tasmanian members of JC that can help us out?

Cheers, soop!

[vr94ss]

Hey guys,
My Fiancee and I are looking to relocate.
We've been looking around our native area (Far north Victoria) and everything is very expensive and frankly the area doesn't warrant such exhoberant pricing.

So, in light of this we've turned our attention to Tasmania. I've always been a fan of the picturesque location, and the climate also suits me (hate the heat of summer!!!!!).

We've done some searching and found some very nice properties for very cheap prices, Very nice houses that would cost an absolute fortune on the main land.
How ever, I've a few questions.
What is the cost of living like?
How hard is it to get around?
What area's should be avoided?

We're looking for perhaps a semi-rural property as neither of us are fans of Urban life styles.
Is there any/many Tasmanian members of JC that can help us out?

Cheers, soop!

It's Bob Brown territory, are you sure you'll fit in? You could score some NBN goodness even!

[soop]

Yeah thanks...

Looking for comments from people who live there.

[vr94ss]

Yeah thanks...

Looking for comments from people who live there.

I know that.. I can read Just thought it was funny and something to think about. New culture maybe...

[soop]

Yeah, but I can go down the road and meet weirdo's .
I'm more concerned with the cost of living really. Because if its not drastically different I know where I'm going.

[1vngal]

Are you looking at North or South Tas? Or not really worried?

Most importantly! Places to avoid... For the south we have: Gagebrook, Bridgewater, Rokeby and Warrane are the key areas to avoid at the southern end. All are pretty much 90% housing department homes and unfortunately are fairly undesirable to even drive through, let alone live. For the north: Ravenswood, Rocherlea and George Town. Much the same deal as the southern areas. There are other places that are probably best avoiding, but those are the key place.

Cost of living: Not as bad as people think. Price of petrol is a little bit higher than the mainland, but not enough to really jump up and down about. As for groceries and the likes, pretty much on par with Melbourne. I lived in Melb for 3 years, and I never noticed much of a difference. Only main difference is the range. Where some products in Melbourne will have 20 different brands to choose from, we may only have 10. But we have a lot of great local product that you just can't get over there. As for Utilities (Elec, Phone, Net etc.) again, pretty much the same.

Getting Around: Piece of piss. Peak hour traffic is basically non-existant although ask people that have never lived anywhere else and they'll tell you it's horrendous. But seriously, it's nothing. For example, we live about 25kms from my partners work. He has to go through Launceston city at "Peak Hour" (5.00pm) to get home. Today, he's was home by 5.45pm and he was 10 mins late getting out of work. And thats on a Friday. Other than that, general getting around is much easier. I find people here are a lot more relaxed when driving and a lot more curtious. (They actually give way down here!)

If you want to get from one end of the state to the other, just follow the Midland Highway straight down the middle and you're done. Nice easy 2hr trip from Launceston to Hobart.

Personal Opinion: I grew up in the south, and lived around Hobart for a few years. But moved up north when I was 17, and lived here till I moved to Melb for 3 years. Then when I moved back, I came straight back to the north. I find it much more plesant up here. A little calmer still, and I dunno....I just always loved Launceston. Its a beautiful place.

We live in a Historic country town, it feels like you're out the middle of nowhere, but we're only a 15-20min drive from Launceston city.

Hope this helps Anything else you wanna know, just ask

OH! And we have the Cadbury factory at Claremont. They don't do the tours anymore, but awesome for some cheap bulk boxes of Choccie!

[soop]

Hahaha thanks heaps for your insight.
I live in a rural area at the moment, so choice of things as far as groceries is limited anyway!.
If the cost of living is no different, I think our decision is pretty much made.

Just clarify, how much does 3ltrs of milk cost?

We were looking at houses around the Hobart area, in particular one place not too far from Port arthur.
I will keep what you've said in mind though.

[1vngal]

I'm not sure bout a 3ltr as we only buy the 2ltr But at our local IGA a 2ltr is $2.39. Coles has brought in that $2 2ltr thing down here as well.

The Port Arthur area is really nice, however as you start getting into the more "hobart suburbs" things start getting a lil iffy. A friend of mine from Melb was looking at buying an investment property at Rokeby, and he rang me to find out what the area was like. So I told him, as simply as I could put it (quite a few bad words were involved :P) But he didn't listen and went to look anyway. He rang me back bout 2 hours later and said "I thought you were exaggerating about Rokeby, but when I got there and saw "DIE C***" burnt in to the lawn next door, I knew you weren't lying" lol

[soop]

grouse, so there really is no difference in the cost of living as everyone has told me there is?

Our main reason for looking at Tassie was for the cheap housing (some really lovely houses for next to nothing in comparison to the mainland) and the climate.
I lived in far north NSW for 6yrs and found most of the population backwards and irritable.

How do you find the population of Tassmania in comparison to those of victoria?

[1vngal]

Honestly? Victorians are arseholes.... (No offence ) The majority of the population in and around Melbourne anyway. They just seem so wound up and cranky aaaaall the time. Here, people will take the time in the street to smile and say hello despite never having seen them before.

Tasmania is a growing state, so many people seem to be moving here from the mainland. Recently friends of my fathers moved here from WA, for the same reasons you seem to have. The quiet, rural life. A lot of people I know that have come here for a holiday from interstate are blown away at how relaxed and friendly people are and can't wait to come back.

[soop]

Sounds like my kind of place then.
We've a 6week old daughter too, so a nice environment for her to grow up is also important.

[1vngal]

Tassie is definately a great place to raise a family. Despite what people say, Not all of us inbred, two-headed bogans! (Just a few are)

[soop]

Tassie is definately a great place to raise a family. Despite what people say, Not all of us inbred, two-headed bogans! (Just a few are)

Yeah, i've only ever take that as a joke lol.
I know quiet a few retarded people here, so whats the difference.!

[hakhawk]

Yeah, i've only ever take that as a joke lol.
I know quiet a few retarded people here, so whats the difference.!

tassie is easier to make fun of, coz they cant swim *waves to 1vngal*

[1vngal]

I'ma smack you....

[Jebadayah]

Yeah Tasmanians are pretty cool, i worked with a girl from tassie a while back and she was really nice, and you couldn't even see the scar on her shoulder.....

[Jezza]

when i was there on holiday back in 97 (yes thats a while ago and i was only 9) i really liked the look of the place the scenery was fantastic and it seemed like a really nice place and we went in october and when we went for a walk in the hills we got to see snow (had never seen any before then and havent since)

[Lumps of cheese]

Come down here soop. Quiet rural living with unbelievable shitty roads and feral tourists, what more could you want?

[soop]

LOL, Horsham yeah?

No thanks. :P

[Lumps of cheese]

No way mate, the coast is where it's at!

[soop]

Yeah, not in Victoria.

Too expensive.

[ari666]

you could just live under this:

[Lumps of cheese]

Yeah, not in Victoria.

Too expensive.

How much is too expensive?

[soop]

Well we can get a completely renovated beach front 3 bedroom house with new Garage w/concrete flooring for $230p/w.

[Lumps of cheese]

Hmmm i see why you're looking that way at that price.