Contemplating a tree-change, love insight from others.....

We are currently in an outer Eastern suburb of Melbourne. I grew up around here, my parents are 10 mins away and it is a comfort zone, plus we get a lot of support from my mum and dad.

DH grew up in South Gippsland, his parents are still there and we are considering a move down there. It would mean zero to minimal mortgage, an investment property as well, slower pace of life for all of us (something I think my anxiety would love!) and a country upbringing for the kids.

I am just very unsure - I know work for me would be fine being a teacher and having a choice of 4 schools in the town we would be in plus another 4 in surrounding towns so plenty of CRT work if nothing else. DH on the other hand would be taking a huge drop in pay. He is a chippy working as a Site Manager for a wonderful builder, he would basically have to start from scratch and work his way up again - our cost of living wouldn't be as high though, hardly any mortgage plus he wouldn't be travelling nearly 2 hours a day to work.

I don't even know what I am asking! It's all just a bit scary, so just wanting to know if you moved away from friends and family how did you cope? I don't have a huge amount of friends but the ones I do have are awesome. I will still see them as I would have to come back regularly for the kids to see my family.

How easily did you make new friends? I am hoping the kinder and work links will be enough that we won't be too lonely plus DH has some friends from school who still live down there.

Any advice would be appreciated!

I moved a few years ago... albeit only just over an hour away, but it was closer to DH's parents. The first few months were a little lonely, but once I got into playgroup with DS, I started making friends. 3 &1/2 years on and I have some really great friends, I'm on the kinder committee, VP for the playgroup, into a heap of local sporting activities and loving life. I live where there are no shops or anything (but we are only an hour away from town), but I absolutely love it and the kids have the freedom to roam and do as they wish (and I can yell like a banshee without the neighbours calling DoCS!! haha).

I love it!

Yes I have done it a couple of times, but am running late, so I'll be back after the gym to answer properly.

COME TO SOUTH GIPPSLAND :leap:

There are a few of us down here.

Its a big step for you so understandably you're nervous. I'd recommend getting hubby to start getting the local papers, ringing local businesses depending on where you're planning on setting up.

Leongatha is the largest town in South Gippsland but areas such as Wonthaggi (Bass Coast Shire) or Warragul (Baw Baw Shire) are not too far to travel depending on where you live. Warragul is undergoing a pretty big boom at the moment there is a massive amount of acreage that is currently being developed for real estate.

We don't get any local papers here but the oned for South Gippy are Sentinal Times and The Star. You could check out South Gippy SHires website for employment JIC there is something there just to tie you over.

Preoperties go through Love, Landmark, SEJ, Clarks, First National .. there are others but my head is not working today.

FWIW - I grew up and lived in the northern suburbs and then inner city with hubby before we moved down here. It did take me a while to adjust but we are out of town on acreage. I couldn't go back to the city now after living here for 6 years.

Best of luck with the decision

Nae x

how far would you be from your parents?
what does the new area offer that the current one doesn't?
i'm assuming your dh is keen to do it, what are his main reasons for wanting the move?

We would be an hour and a half. Main reasons are the simplicity and pace of life I guess. He grew up with a country upbringing, we would have less stress because of having no mortgage as well which we can't do in the city unless we move to areas we don't want to move to. I think we should at least trial it for a while, and maybe rent for a year or so. I just have pros and cons for both I guess but I also like that we would be 20 mins from the beach, here we are a good 40 and it's not a particularly nice one!

I can't give you any tips from an adult's perspective, but I can from a child's. We moved from surburban Melbourne to a rural area when I was 12. And loved it. The space, the lack of cars, the kangaroos and wombats running around your property. Hide and seek was awesome. At 14, I got a horse and the freedom and responsibility that gave me was enormous. My parents went and met the neighbours and started an annual bbq. The people we all met are now some of my parents closest friends. The biggest catch that mum found was that most of her friends that she'd had simply vanished. Unless she would go to them, they didn't visit, didn't call. It took her a long time to deal with that, especially when their rural block is only about 35 minutes from where we used to live.

DH and I live in a tiny suburban block on the fringe of the northern suburbs. We both had that rural background and we're looking to make the move back into some space. Good luck with whatever you decide!

We've moved first 600km away to a big town and then interstate.
The first time I was working so straight away had contact with people. Sadly because we were both working at the same spot, most of our socialisation (OK well all) was with work people. Then we became friendly with all our neighbours (small cul-de-sac).
This time I wondered what we had done for the first six months, but it was kind of an extreme move. This time I wasn't working so I had to feel around for myself. In the last few months though, I can't tell you how much I'm glad we did it. I've made friends at preschool, swimming and gymnastics. People are generally friendly and easier to start chatting to. My kids have a freedom they'd never have had in Sydney. Their life isn't ruled by driving because it takes so long to get everywhere.

As a kid growing up in South Gippsland I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there ROFL ;) It has changed an awful lot down there though. Some good and some not so good so I'm told ;)

DH and I have talks about moving down that way again and it may happen but not for a few more years.

:rofl: Raven, my gf said the same thing when I told her!! She grew up on the farm next door to DH and they were best friends, and she can't understand why we would go back!! I can understand once they get to teenage years possibly, I mean, my DH had to come to Melbourne for uni and at the time my parents had moved to their own treechange and I stayed in Melbourne and went to uni, living in share houses etc.

Kim - The driving is a big one and wonder how much worse it will get once school hits. Now we just have swimming and kinder.

PRM - Thanks hun, we know the kids will love it, Iz comments every time we go down that it is really really quiet at nana and pa's place and that there alot of trees! They have a covenanted block in the middle of dairy farms and it's all Aussie bush!

i would jump at a chance like that, but i am a country type person. it's not everyone's cup of tea. my worst nightmare would be living in a city. i would feel claustrophic and stressed.
i think being 1.5hrs from your parents is totally reasonable and doable. being near the beach is a bonus too. i would say go for it! sounds like a great opportunity.

We just did this. But its northeast vic and no family under 3hrs away. We just jumped into it. We figered why the hell not? It fails we move, simple. Its been interesting. Once dj is sorted i'll venture out into play groups. Fwiw my dad grew up in south gippy and wanted to raise us up there but mum veto'd it.

Besy thing for us is the space, people (on the whole) are friendlier and the life style much more relaxed. Plus we've found that we now hate the 'burbs. Even in town (30mins away) its a get in get out type deal.

If it blows up; you can move on. Best thing is you never move again.

I moved from Northcote to Woodend. After being an inner-city girl for 15 years and treading all the sticky carpet pubs in town, my friends thought I'd gone completely mental because I was a real city girl.

We had several reasons for moving. I didn't drive in the city and with two kids my unwillingness to drive was going to be a problem. Getting used to driving here was a doddle by comparison and I love it. Secondly, to move to a bigger house in the city would have meant a bigger mortgage (and would have meant me going back to work at least part-time) whereas moving here meant no mortgage and money leftover in the bank. I never have to work again if I don't want to but it will also give me the freedom to try to forge a freelance writing career. Personally, I grew up in a country town and bringing children up here 'feels right'. In the city, I couldn't get my head around taking DD for a walk and being surrounded by traffic and people.

Having said all that, we moved to a part of Victoria that is very popular for treechangers. MOST of the people I meet at the playground here have moved from Melbourne very recently. And the food and coffee is much better than it was in the city. Yes, I know those are superficial things but they've made me extremely smug about my move. Had we moved to an area without decent food and coffee and where we were the only treechangers, I think I may not have been as delighted as I have been.

I said to an old friend the other day, that we'd actually like to be on a bigger block. We moved from a block of 250sqm in Northcote to 3000sqm here and now we'd like a few acres. He almost fell off his chair and said, "who are you?"

Honestly, I'm completely and utterly thrilled that we moved.

You gals have got me all excited!! and you are totally right, if it doesn't work, the worst thing that happens is that we move back here. Now to plan plan plan!!!!

I'm really excited for you too! Are you going to get acreage?

I don't know if I have any advice but I just wanted to say that it sounds like a dream and "go for it" :D

We did a combined tree/sea change to SW Vic 3 1/2 years ago. It has gone well so far for us and if we were to move it would be to a similar area, not back to the city.

I do love aspects of the city and do miss parts of it, but there are other parts I was happy to leave behind, especially with children.

As you have grown up in a rural area, you would already know the main rule about smaller towns is that "everyone knows each other". I grew up in Tas, so did know that, but still often get amazed how everyone is connected down here. I find the attitude to distance quite amusing, we are only 10 minutes from the edge of town, 15 to the major shopping centre and all the locals think we live a long way out and tradies charge extra to come out here! Amazing since in the city a tradie would not charge travel time for a job 10-15 minutes away.

DH did have to take a pay cut, but he also took a cut in hours. So he has more of a life now. I have just managed to get back into the work force, thankfully with no real pay cut. My main issue here is the lack of after school care. Well there is some, but they wont pick up from our school.

Making friends has been up and down. I first started with the ABA and then playgroup. Some of them are still good friends, others have moved on as life moves on (kids going to different kinders, primary schools etc). DD1 goes to the a more country school and a lot of the kids there grew up with each other, so I have found it harder to 'break in", that is changing though as more tree changers are coming into the area. It does affect facilities provided though (see my above comment about after school care), as it is assumed everyone helps each other out and has family around to look after kids. That is starting to change a bit though as more people like me are speaking up and asking for services.

Ginger, we are looking at a big block but in town, DH's parents are out of town, about 10 mins and he would prefer to be in town. Astrid, I grew up in Melbourne, but DH grew up down there, not sure about the adjustment for me, I am not particularly a hugely city girl per se, but more a burbs girl who loves the country! I love shopping but would be coming in to see my parents quite frequently so could get my Donny fix if needed. DH will definitely have a pay cut, but I am looking at increasing my hours and the pay would be the same because I am a teacher. After the kids go to bed tonight I am going to nut out some numbers with DH and just see where we sit. We also need to do a fair bit of garden and outside work on this place before we sell, we fully reno'd the inside when we did it but the outside has taken a bit longer! There is actually a house down there for sale right now that we both love, on a 1300sq block. Might be rushing things a bit methinks! I need to stop checking out realestate.com!

Thanks for all the replies and keep them coming!

We moved from Ringwood to Euroa last September. We have no family here, we just liked the town and had an opportunity too good to waste. My parents are 1.5 hrs away which is not too far. I have found settling in easy enough. I think having kids is a big bonus, people down the street stop and chat about how gorgeous my kids are!! haha. Get involved with a playgroup, you are bound to meet others newbies (that's what I have found anyway, the locals don't tend to do playgroup cos they have their already known friends). I feel nicely settled in and have more friends here than I did in Melb.
The kids love it here. It's friendly. I can't see myself going back to the 'city' :)

Good luck whatever you decide :)

NOOO, you can't move, you are so close to me!!! Heehee ;) Just kidding, South Gippsland is lovely, DH's aunty lives in Inverloch so we drive through that area a lot (we're currently dreaming about buying a holiday house down at the Island so we might be able to come and visit LOL).

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I think having kids is a big bonus, people down the street stop and chat about how gorgeous my kids are!! haha.

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You're boys are gorgeous Cate, no wonder you get stopped :D

You'll have no probs fitting in with your gorgeous kids Tan ;). How exciting, good luck!!

We did it a few years ago, moved to a too-small not right town first, now where we are we absolutely love it. Its a really growing community too so its not wall-to-wall people who are born and bred here, there are heaps of people who haven't been living here very long. Our house is too small but we are building a bigger one next door, and it'll be done in 4 weeks.

If anyone wants to buy/rent a lovely little 3br house in a lovely little town our old house is up for grabs lol

Did it in Jan - from outer east to Sth Gipp - best thing ever!
I had the advantage of having a fire brigade to transfer to, a Booby Club to change to and horse riding club to swap over to - so I had a ready-made network, on top of the new friends I have made through Kinder and the neighbourhood (which we were lucky enough to score along with our farm - our neighbours are tops!).
A few nice properties around where I am - check out Stockdale and Leggo in Korumburra, and any properties promoted by John O'Connor, because if you are lucky enough to find the right property through him you will have a fantastic experience with him, he's a real country gentleman :) There's a 3 acre place near us, another one that's about 60 acres closer into town, and others on the south side of the highway!
I love that we never have to raise our kids in Upwey now, and everything is much more salubrious for us now that we've moved. Plenty of work, too!