Australian MNers, more specifically Melbourne MNers...

[Bonsoir]

What is the area known as St Kilda like? What is Melbourne High School like?

Thanks!

Oh. I've not been to the Hunter, but some nouveau posh friends of ours loved the place.

Maybe we just went to the wrong places, but we were staying at an uber expensive hotel, and although the room was ok, the TV didn't work, the bar food was rubbish, the gym was basically a room with a treadmill, and the restaurant was very "meh" despite being advertised as a good one.

It's unusual for me, as normally I can find the good in places, but I was really underwhelmed. I had hoped for quaint little villages with lovely artisan cheeses and pickles and nice little expensive shops but it was all just mass produced stuff, same as everywhere.

I prefer Stirling to anywhere we went in the Hunter.

Oh PMSL at Bonsoir fitting in the Hunter Valley! It's Sticksville, honey, honestly. Great vineyards but seriously - you wouldn't want to live there.

Although the Lovedale region is a bit nicer than the other side of the wine region.

I can say this seeing as how I live at the extreme bottom end of the Hunter region! There are some really terrible areas in it (not ours of course!)

claudiaschiffer, we have a house in northcote which is great area although has become shockingly expensive since we've lived in UK (about 10km from CBD, fab cafes, nice cinema, good schools), good family area though. try a bit further north - thornbury, preston, coburg - still quite close to city, and you should get a house with some space/a yard. the house you linked to in prahan would be at least 1.5m I think!! north (and west - try Footscray, Yarraville) will be cheaper generally than east/bayside for similar places.

Have they scared you off Bonsoir? Happy Bastille day anyway, have just had a suitably French meal with half french DH! Totally pissed off as we were supposed to spend this weekend in Melbourne but our plans have fallen through (roundabout explanation as to why I clicked on this thread - oh dear, too much French wine....)

Thanks everyone. I have no intention of moving to Australia - my DSS1 is there right now, in St Kilda/at Melbourne High School, on an exchange programme, and I just wanted to know what it's like.

Hi Bonsoir

We lived in South Yarra (not too far from St Kilda) back in 2005 and that whole area of Melbourne is amazing. St Kilda is where everyone heads from the Central Business District and around when they want to the nearest beach. There are loads of great restaurants and is pretty "trendy" kind of area to live in now.

As someone else said it used to be notorious for dodgy goings on but has been totally revamped and all the young singles and couples seem to want to be there. There is a long promenade where there are frequent arts n crafts sales - very bohemian.

I am sure your DSS1 will love it there.

Actually, there is a certain popular Aussie sleb who used to live near St Kilda beach and frequently tweets photo's from restaurants and locations around St Kilda area. Don't know if that is a good or bad thing though LOL.

Melbourne is really, really expensive now though. We could never ever afford to live anywhere near the CBD now thanks to the price hikes in Melbourne and the pound being so low but when we were there in 05 it was cheap flights and the pound was 2.5 to 1 AUD...

Hi there, can anyone let me know what Footscray is like? Any good or shite???

Or Richmond, or Brunswick??

Thanks for that Tamashii! He is feeling a bit homesick - if I tell him it is über-trendy there he'll feel better straightaway, he's very fashion conscious