Hey Laura ... we nearly moved to Bendigo before we moved here to Ballarat as we thought it as Maz described as being ' Pretty ' too

Our absolute ONLY reason for not moving to Bendigo was that it would be that bit of extra travelling time to drive to Melb and Sth Gippsland to visit family & friends and we couldn't DO anymore longer travelling as we are already doing as no one comes to visit us from Melb or Sth Gippie (lazy them i say) !!

If i were you i would seriously consider moving to BENDIGO if the city is not for you and that you need a change from Warrnambool, ... as you know i would just LOVE, LOVE you to move here to Ballarat BUT Ads & i are after 5years of living here are sick to death of the numbers of ferals here (the numbers are growing from what we can see & experience just within 5years or possibly we have been blind all this time). Even if you could afford to live in a **nice** part of Ballarat you still have to contend with ferals in all shopping districts, etc ... and rough areas can be just a jump across the main road from nice areas here which is far too close for us.

My new hairdresser here in Ballarat has just moved from living in Bendigo for many, many years she said there are ferals in Bendigo too but when Ads & i have gone to Bendigo we have failed to see as many as we have in Ballarat, maybe it's a matter of living there to find out .

Laura as you know i'm no snob so my description of ferals as you prob have guessed are huge foul mouthed, lifelong dole bludgers, some druggies or alcoholics (yes tinny in morn for breky), domestics verbal & physical fights, and lets not forget the neglect of the children (kills me to see). I have witnessed far to many verbal swearing threats and that's just going shopping during the daylight with my little DD which is terrifying. Have watched cops chase a groups of thugs through a main shopping district, and once i found a gun above a shopping areas roof canopy & i told the police and it later sat there for weeks (yes lovely for tourists to see). So sorry i'm coming across negative of the town but sadly it is here amongst some actual lovely aspects here.

Bendigo reached a population of 100,000 this year (Ballarat not being far behind), towns with everything you need in it, like a mini Melb (like Feeb has described)

Laura, DO you know anyone living in Bendigo ???