Anyone in Brisbane?

[Raisinbrain]

We're planning a reccy to Brisbane. We've been living in Sydney for 4 years and although we love it we feel quite unsettled due to the high cost of housing. We currently live in a very basic unit in a really lovely area. We'd like to have a house and the possibility of buying a property which is not even remotely possible here.
We have a toddler and another DC who will start secondary school in January so good schools are a top priority (not able to afford private).
Any advice on the best Brisbane suburbs or what we should do while we're there? We're only going for two days! Staying in Toowong.

Bump

Raisin, have you been to Brisbane yet? I'm from there but currently in Sydney. We are also looking to move away from Sydney for the reasons you give but I'm not sure we could do Brisbane, it's stinking hot in the summer. Really on another level to Sydney where you at least get lovely sea/harbour breezes. Southbank is lovey, as is the stretch all along to the cultural centre. Mount Cootha is nice for views and the planetarium and botanical gardens out hat way are also nice.

Hi! Yes we went the first weekend of September and the weather was lovely so we haven't had the experience of the stinking hot. We're kind of hoping that if we get a place with air conditioning we'll be ok? From what I've been told it's only stinking hot for a couple of months? The apartment we live in now in Sydney is awful in both cold and hot weather, it's over 28 degrees in our bedroom day and night in the summer and gets down to 11 at night in the winter. Without experiencing the Brisbane heat and humidity first hand it's hard to grasp how we'll cope with it...

Where are you considering moving to?

hmmm Brisbane summer is awful....so sticky and hot but it doesn't last too long, like 2 months - Dec and Jan. It is then very hot for another 2 months but not quite as hot (Nov and Feb) and then the rest of the year is amazing. Winter is perfect, cool evenings, gorgeous 24 degrees days, no rain. You need air con unless you are really hard core or live on the bayside where it is breezier.

I used to live in Brisbane for near 10 years. I loved it there. Yes it does get humid in the summer but i didn't mind it. I actually found the weather mild compared to Sydney and Melbourne. You'll never need heating in Brisbane in the winter and you never get the 40 degrees dry heat like in Syd and Melbourne. Also don't forget you're only an hour away from the beaches south and north of Bris so on a hot day, you have that option too (oh how i miss it!)

What's your budget for housing? And how far are you willing to travel for work? They are important points to factor in too.

Be mindful that it culturally quite different to Sydney. But then again needs must. Consider this a bump.

Brisbane summer is utterly foul. You sweat even in the air con.

Personally, I'm biased, as although I don't mind Brisbane City, I'm not a fan of anything beyond that. I would choose the Sunshine Coast if I had to pick somewhere in QLD to live.

Budget for buying would be around $550K
For rent we're looking at $450/week
All depends though on work and how much we can sell our uk property for

Thanks for the bump Ttbb! What do you mean regarding cultural differences?

shameless plsacemarking

I'm in the lower Gold Coast not Brissy but I love it here.
Yes it gets hot in summer but its generally just for 2 months- jan and dec and with aircon or ideally a pool it was generally ok.

Have you tried asking on Whirlpool.au for advise on schools?

Thanks Tamberlane, I hadn’t thought of asking on whirlpool

Hi Raisinbrain

I'm in Brisbane - we moved here about 5 years ago and have been living on the north side ever since (renting in Mitchelton and then moved Upper Kedron when we bought). Your budget would get you somewhere quite decent out that way. The closer you get to the river or the city, the more expensive it gets. Happy to throw a few suggestions or links if you're interested or know where you might be looking to work?

While the summer is hot, the houses are generally well insulated and have ceiling fans/air-con, local pools etc are good if you haven't got your own (and most townhouse complexes do!)

Public transport is ok and overall getting better - our line now has trains at least every 15 minutes in peak time. It takes me 25 minutes to get in to the CBD, but that is from the outermost station on this line. When I drive in it takes about the same amount of time, though CBD parking is a killer.

A lot of what people attribute to 'cultural differences' I think it that overall Brisbane has a lot less diversity than other capital cities like Melbourne and Sydney. While there are some suburbs that have high migrant populations, there are swathes of others where it is still quite 'WASP-y'. Brisbane still is also a bit like a big country-town, a lot more laid back, people tend to know each other and be locals. But it is changing gradually...

Happy to try and help if there's anything you want to know

Hi Occam thanks for your message!
Any suggestions of what suburbs might suit us would be really handy! These are our priorities:

• good state high school catchment
• less than an hour door to door commute to Fortitude Valley
• affordability (budget $400-450 for 3-4 beds with air con)
• “village feel” by which I mean local coffee shop, library, park, shops that we can walk to. Not keen on sprawling suburbs with big out-of-town shopping complexes.

So not north lakes then 😂
An hour commute gives you quite a big range depending too when you commute.
Dh works in fortitude valley and we live just off bribie for example.
It takes me 40 mins door to door to Chermside, not peak traffic, dh goes early and finishes early it takes him just over the hour. I can get to lady cilento at south bank in an hour in non peak hour chaos no worries. So beach relaxed is quite possible.
New farm is nice if you want city/ nice area. But more expensive than say Chermside or kedron.
State schools.. yes.. maybe better in the city? Not sure. I confess my kids go to not expensive private schools. So sorry not much help there.
Yes it’s hot and humid in summer. Air con if you have it, we don’t, not died yet in 10 years.. we have fans.
We bought a great home on acreage.
Very glad we choose brisbane.

Looks like Brisbane is happening!
I got an offer for a great job that I accepted today. Excited and nervous!
We’re looking at Boondall at the moment. Close to the city, the coast and the airport. I don’t suppose anyone knows the area?

Hi @Raisinbrain I know it's been a while since you posted, but I wondered if you made your move to Brisbane. I moved here in March with my Australian fiance. We are living in the Western suburbs. Have you found an Australian equivalent of Mumsnet, by any chance?!

Hi @PoppyJ1 ! Yes we have been in Brisbane since November. I think the nearest aussie equivalent to Mumsnet is the essential baby forums (essentialkids.com.au/forums) but I haven't been on there much. There are plenty of Facebook groups which can be useful for certain things. The biggest one is called "Mums of Brisbane" - mumsofbrisbane.com.au and there are lots of smaller more local ones too. Which suburb are you in? We are in the west too (Corinda)

Hi @Raisinbrain, thanks so much for your reply. We are near Mount Crosby, so a bit further out from you. Do either of those you recommended have TTC forums? I’m a step mum and trying for my first with my OH.

Essential Kids has a TTC forum yes

Thanks so much! Hope you're enjoying Brisbane...I really love it. I'm from London originally so this smaller city is perfect; all the amenities and much less stress!