Re: Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia
 

Hey, I'm going to melbourne from Oct-Dec. I found a really nice appt on Bourke St near Spencer St Station, for a really cheap price as well.

Can somebody tell me if it's a nice area? It looks closer to CBD than Prahan/South Yarra, but is Prahan/South Yarra better to live in than Bourke St? I'd like a few comparisons if possible, and am wondering if theres a reason why the appt is cheaper.

Thx

Re: Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia
 

[ QUOTE ]
Hey, I'm going to melbourne from Oct-Dec. I found a really nice appt on Bourke St near Spencer St Station, for a really cheap price as well.

Can somebody tell me if it's a nice area? It looks closer to CBD than Prahan/South Yarra, but is Prahan/South Yarra better to live in than Bourke St? I'd like a few comparisons if possible, and am wondering if theres a reason why the appt is cheaper.

Thx

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Bourke St, near Spencer St, is right in the heart of the CBD. You'll be amongst city offices and the like, so it's not a "nice" place in the sense that most people think about it.

However, it is certainly going to be well located, and there'll always be plenty around you. I suspect that it isn't a big place, either. You won't need a car or have any difficulty getting around - you're probably only a few hundred metres from the casino, and there are plenty of bars and stuff around there.

The main East-West street in Melbourne's CBD, Collins St, runs parallel to Bourke St, and is the next street south. The other end of Collins St, up near Spring St, is often referred to as the "Paris End" of Collins St, and I've always thought of your end as being the "Warsaw End." Lots of big, grey, dark, buildings, but htere's a whole lot of recent development down there, so it's getting better.


I obviously can't explain much more why the apartment is priced as it is without knowing more about it.

Re: Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia
 

Thanks Josem...

So the "Warsaw End" is still a nice place to live right? I'm basically looking for a safe yet lively neighborhood, thats close to cafes/bars/restaurants. Obviously the advantage of this place is that I'm closer to the casino, but w/out that is it better to live in South Yarra and Prahan?

How long does it take to get to CDB from South Yarra/Prahan using public transportation?

Re: Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia
 

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks Josem...

So the "Warsaw End" is still a nice place to live right? I'm basically looking for a safe yet lively neighborhood, thats close to cafes/bars/restaurants. Obviously the advantage of this place is that I'm closer to the casino, but w/out that is it better to live in South Yarra and Prahan?

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My reference to the "Warsaw End" was meant as a joke about great big towering brown/grey bureacrat offices being common down there. It used to look like something out of the Soviet Union.


Realistically, crime is not a big concern in Melbourne - I don't think I've ever felt unsafe, and, as I understand it, crime rates in Melbourne are a fraction of those in the US (where I assume you're from)

There's a heap of development in that part of town in the last few years, and I'd feel very good living there - except that there isn't as much ground floor atmosphere/bars/cafes (especially cafes) open on a weekend as somewhere like South Yarra/Prahran.

I generally have developed a hatred of live poker (why play live with morons when you can earn 5-10 times more per hour at home?) and thus am not a big fan of the casino, but both this location and South Yarra/Prahran are great locations. You're not going to be lacking night life access in either.

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How long does it take to get to CDB from South Yarra/Prahan using public transportation?

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12-15 mins?

Re: Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia
 

Josem,

I am in my early forties with a wife and two kids, 9 and 6. If my net worth is around U$2M to U$2.5M, can I move to Australia with my family and enjoy a decent life without working?

Re: Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia
 

[ QUOTE ]
Josem,

I am in my early forties with a wife and two kids, 9 and 6. If my net worth is around U$2M to U$2.5M, can I move to Australia with my family and enjoy a decent life without working?

[/ QUOTE ]

it depends on your living standards and expenditure.

if that is $US2m in addition to your family home, I think you could do so quite comfortably - if you're able to invest for $A200k/year income, you'd be well above average.

The average wage in australia is about $A50k/year.

Re: Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia
 

I had a chat over AIM with a poster on here about poker in Australia. I've removed his name since I forgot to ask if it was ok to post the transcript on here.

[ QUOTE ]
XXX: hey mate, this is XXXX from 2+2...got a few questions about poker in aussie if you've got any time
aujoz: sure
aujoz: shoot
XXX: ok...poker on the gold coast and in sydney? what's the rake structure like and are the games good/bad/terrible?
XXX: i know you're in vic so you might not have played up there
aujoz: i haven't played on the Gold Coast
aujoz: but off the top of my head it is similar to Sydney
aujoz: there's a corker of a blog post on sydney
aujoz: by teddyfbi
XXX: do they have nlhe? when i was up in brisbane 2 years ago they had lhe but the rake was absurd
XXX: thanks, i'll have a look
aujoz: let me find it
aujoz: they have NL at Sydney
aujoz: the rake is extortionate
aujoz: for a $5/$5 $200buyin game, they take $1 per hand per player - literally, 5% of a buyin off the table EVERY hand
aujoz: here y'are: http://zbasic.com/2006/08/tuesday-au...gures-and.html
XXX: yeah, that's what the rake was in brisbane, just ridiculous
aujoz: yep
aujoz: the only thing worse are the players
XXX: yeah, i remember that
XXX: although my local casino here is pretty bad as well
aujoz: live poker is so painful
XXX: it is


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Re: Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia
 

Josem,

I want to live in a city with reliable, fast internet, a good amount of things to to do and culture to experience, and very importantly (second only to reliable, fast internet) good surf.

I envision my time in Australia spent in one central location renting an apartment there and taking surf lessons and practicing on my own several times a week. Occasional trips to other parts of Australia will be made so good ability to get around easily is a must. Either the ability to get by without a car or the availability of reasonably priced scooter rentals would be nice. I'll be there for almost 5 months it appears.

It seems like if I want a big city and surfing, Sydney is the only choice. I hear Melbourne is a better city to live in but the surf is nonexistent. Any insight you can offer is good. I don't mind a smaller city if it meets my other needs (reasonably well-connected transportation-wise and good, reliable internet available).

Also, nudges in the right direction for short-term furnished apartment rentals would be great though I'm sure I can just google that stuff.

Re: Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia
 

[ QUOTE ]
Josem,

I want to live in a city with reliable, fast internet,

[/ QUOTE ]
almost every town of over a hundred people has 8mpbs via ADSL1.

ADSL2+ is spreading - www.whirlpool.net.au has the best and latest information on this. My town of Wangaratta, with a population of about 20k, has ADSL2 which offers me "up to" 20mbps.


[ QUOTE ]
a good amount of things to to do and culture to experience,

[/ QUOTE ]
this would lean you towards a major city - Melbourne and Sydney are the obvious choices here, followed by Brisbane and Adelaide.

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and very importantly (second only to reliable, fast internet) good surf.

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the further north you go, the more "year-round" this will be available.

sydney has surfers on its beaches much of the year; melbourne it is a couple of hours drive, and really only during summer. brisbane and north is suitable 365 days a year, i'd assume.

[ QUOTE ]
I envision my time in Australia spent in one central location renting an apartment there and taking surf lessons and practicing on my own several times a week. Occasional trips to other parts of Australia will be made so good ability to get around easily is a must. Either the ability to get by without a car or the availability of reasonably priced scooter rentals would be nice. I'll be there for almost 5 months it appears.

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sydney is still an obvious selection and meets all these criteria.

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It seems like if I want a big city and surfing, Sydney is the only choice. I hear Melbourne is a better city to live in but the surf is nonexistent. Any insight you can offer is good.

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that is fair, although i'm biased in favour of melbourne and probably colour my answers in that regard.

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I don't mind a smaller city if it meets my other needs (reasonably well-connected transportation-wise and good, reliable internet available).

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Newcastle might be an option, but I don't think you'd have as much fun of an evening up there (I lived there for a year until March of this year)

[ QUOTE ]
Also, nudges in the right direction for short-term furnished apartment rentals would be great though I'm sure I can just google that stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]
realestate.com.au
domain.com.au
myhome.com.au

probably as good a place as any to start.

Re: Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia
 

So getting it in my head that I am going to have to spend about $2,500 AUS per month for rent is a good idea. Not excited to see that the prices I was finding weren't extraordinary.

Around Sydney, which of those beach areas would you recommend I look in? I think that might be a good choice if I'm going to be trying to go to the beach a lot to surf.