First day in Melbourne

[BettyBitesBums]

We arrived in Melbourne last night and are here for a year for DHs job at the Austin hospital in Heidelberg, today's my birthday, it's pissing rain and I miss my family plus two year old DD is being a monkey because we're dragging her around banks etc.

We're staying in a flat in Northcote for the first week while we house hunt but can't decide at all where to live. Around Northcote has been recommended a lot but from what I can tell that's because of the bars/restaurants/coffee shops and as lovely as that all is, I can't see a lot of my time alone with a toddler being spent there. We're looking for a house, ideally three bed but could have two with a little bit of outside space and close to parks and outside things to do with a toddler but sighing half an hour driving or public transport to Heidelberg. Can anyone give me any pointers?

Eltham and Montmorency have been mentioned before but friends here that live near Northcote thought that was a bad idea as they're too far out but again, they haven't got a toddler so not sure.

Sorry if that's a long-winded way of asking a simple question, I could just do with a nudge in the right direction!

Thanks!

[ICJump]

Welcome to Australia. Happy birthday
Can't help you with places to live but I can recommend a good parenting group which has weekly catch ups in and around Melbourne. They'll have ideas about where's nice to live Ruth toddlers It's a Facebook group Southern natural parenting group. It a kind and respectful
Group too.

[WhingyWombat]

Welcome to Melbourne! And Happy Birthday too. I've been here 7 years around the Northcote/Preston/Reservoir areas and have DD who is 3. Will have a think and come back to you, but maybe start with Thorbury? Or towards Fairfield is nice too. Eltham and Monty are great but maybe better if you were staying longer than a year

[comebacksun]

Hi,

I've been in Melbourne since September (even though I'm from here but left when I was 8).

I would suggest looking east of Heidelberg as I think the further east you go, the nicer the areas are. Eltham is really lovely and has nice parks, but it is quite far from the city. Maybe Bulleen or Doncaster would be good? Lots to do with children out here (we're in East Doncaster).

Have you looked around Heidelberg itself? I don't know much about it but have driven through it and it looks nice.... Having kids, I wouldn't choose Northcote. During our house hunting we decided early on that we liked the east best.

Remember that Melbourne's weather is fickle. Just because it's raining today, doesn't mean it won't be nice tomorrow.

I hope you enjoy your year!

[Degustibusnonestdisputandem]

Welcome to Oz! We're due to fly in to visit my family out past Ballarat on Tuesday. I used to live In Heidelberg (Brown street so quite close to the hospital), and enjoyed it very much. However it has been some time since I lived there and this was pre kids so I'm not sure what sort of facilities there are...

[echt]

Welcome, Betty. Sorry about the rain, though all of us with gardens were doing the victory dance, I can tell you. It's very pleasant right now, though.

Being out of the toddler age range with children and out on Bayside I can't sensibly advise you, but hope all works out well.