Melbourne Living - Anyone Else Getting Sick Of It?

[fionas]

As some of you already know, we're doing the treechange thing from Northcote (Melbourne) to Woodend.

Like most BIG decisions I've made in my life (like moving to Australia, getting married etc.), I didn't think a lot about it because it feels like the right thing to do. I reckon some days I've thought more about what to have for tea

We're moving mainly for the positive aspects (can afford a bigger house, will be mortgage free, DD will have a huge backyard (especially important to me because I've got physical problems meaning I can't walk very far) and I'll be happy to drive in a small country town whereas I'm not prepared to in Melbourne which limits me further.

But since we made the decision, I've also noticed just how crowded Melbourne is and I'm really glad to be getting out. There's too much traffic, trams are always chockers even in the middle of the day, service in cafes is mostly slack and annoying.

It just seems very different and less 'liveable' than it did when I first moved here 15 years ago.

I also read newspaper articles saying the same thing that Melbourne felt like an unusually good secret a 15 years ago with no major traffic issues, good public transport and the city was safe at night.

Since we made the decision to move, I've spoken to a few people who are also considering moving.

So d'you think an exodus is about to start prompted primarily by nuttso real estate prices but also fuelled by all the lifestyle issues mentioned above?

[Lulu]

ah, I think the exodus started awhile ago Fi!

But I'm pretty happy here, I'm not as close to the city as you atm and that's cos I wanted to avoid that crappy overcrowded feeling. I mean we still have the 1/4 acre block setup, but also nice and close to the country xoxo

[Astrid]

Well we left Melbourne just over 2 years ago. We were surviving there, not living as such. We were fortunate enough to get in before the property prices went stupid, but due to some financial decisions and unexpected income dry spots we bumped up our mortgage. We were not in a financial position to enjoy Melbourne, going out to dinner, shows, Comedy Festival etc. Also once we had our first child we had our concerns about raising a child there. After dealing with the school kids on public transport for many years, I really did not want a child of mine to be brought up in that. There were other child related issues to do with school snobbery and the expectation/actually demands that we pay for private schooling.

We had enough of it all. We were sick of neighbours, sick of noise, sick of the pollution, sick of spending ages in traffic to go any where. We were putting up with all the bad stuff of a city, but not getting any of the good stuff. Stupidly we were very close to the zoo, but do you think we went?

[Pandora]

Yes, and Im not as close as you.
Id love to move further out but my job doesnt lend itself well to living far from a major capital city. Work wise I think the closest I could do i=would be a major regional area - Ballarat, Bendigo etc

[Mother Goose]

YES! In the 8 years I've been here... I've noticed the same Fi... and I do not like it!!! I am also desperate to move to the country and am lucky that my career allows me to work anywhere... unfortunately, DH's work does not. It is something I WILL do eventually! And I can't wait!

[Amity]

I've done the tree-change, moved to Shepparton for work, and absolutely loved it.

Unfortunately due to XH's inability to get a job in the area, we had to come back to Melbourne. However, we would probably have had to come back at some stage for my work, too.

I would be back there in a flash, but unfortunately I have to work in Melbourne, as that's where my work is... otherwise I loved the country lifestyle, the community living, the walking 1.2 kms to work, the friends, the casual lifestyle... should I go on...

[Curly]

Well we moved up to the Sunshine Coast from Melbourne in July last year. We were there for 7 years.

As a born and bred Sydney girl I actually thought Melbourne was pretty good in terms of traffic. I was sad to leave my friends and I miss the restaurants.

But we hadn't been able to afford the restaurants since having kids and dropping back to one income. We were only surviving in Melbourne, not living and we had what DH was calling a slow leak in our finances, we were nibbling into our offset and we weren't ever going to get ahead.

And we just didn't think Melbourne was "it" for us...we met overseas (DH is a Kiwi) and we both like the outdoors and we were a bit sick of the footy and the weather - we just felt there was more to life than what Melbourne was giving us.

We moved to give our kids a sunscreen and gumtrees childhood, a slower pace of life and an easier financial ride for ourselves.

[Smoke Jaguar]

We'r emoving, too!! Our goal was always to get a farm/acreage, though and we didn't live in the burbs, either. However, as we are on the fringe of Melbourne, a fringe that lots of Melburnites like to visit, it feels like the city is too close!
So, I'm not escaping the metro area, but relieved to be going further out. I'm really looking forward to raising country kids I'm pretty involved in my current local community and hope to replicate that involvement in the new area - I'm gonna miss my town, still.
It's not a forced move, it's in line with our values, as yours is, and it echoes one of my favourite quotes : "Is what I'm doing now moving me towards my goal?"
I took a little trip to the city last week and knowing my time is limited for impromptu train trips into Town I actually enjoyed the bustle, the noise, the variety of people! One thing I will miss is having such great diversity on my doorstep for my children to become accustomed to...happy to be corrected if I'm wrong about Sth Gipp!
So, bottoms up to you and me - we're outta here!!