Right,

DF has been offered a transfer for work which will be based in Hobart. We are looking to rent our house out in Qld and move down. Probably 30min drive to Hobart. I don't drive so need to be walking distance to shops, dr's and schools. Our children are 5, 8 and 10.

Any suggestions for decent areas and good schools, areas to avoid etc... Willing to pay $200-$270 in rent (as we need to pay the difference between what we can rent our house out at and the mortgage)....

Thanks in advance
Kristine

How exciting!

Do you kids go to private or public schools? Is your husbands work in hobart and you want to be within 30 mins of hobart? Is that right?
If you want to be around shops I would suggest Kingston....your rent is a bit low to live in hobart. Correct me if I am wrong anyone!! You could also try on the eastern shore around the shopping centre eastlands.
Do you need a three bedroom house? What are your housing needs Pets etc?

you might need to live out of the city a little for a rent that low. Our house is on the Eastern shore in an old Housing area (mostly privately owned now) the rents here are from $290 for an unrenovated original housing spec house to $350 for a renovated 3 bedroom 1 bathroom place.

You might get something in Sorell possibly Brighton for that money.

Maybe New Norfolk? Sorell? Huonville? Possibly Glenorchy if you are lucky. I don't think you'd get Hobart or Kingston for that money.

Areas I'd avoid - Risdon Vale, Clarendon Vale, Rokeby.

Woot how exciting!!!

I moved from the big smoke - Sydney and now live around Hobart.


Sorell is nice not as bad as people say. Has Coles and Woolworths and Doctors... The waiting list can be a little long but it works differently down here. Sorell has a primary and high school all in one. Easy walking distance to everything.

Kingston is fantastic. It is growning at a huge rate. Has Big W, Coles and a Woolworths.
Kingston can be on the pricey side.

PM me if you want

Hi guys :-)

Yep Hubby's work would be in Hobart, currently he is away from home 5/6 nights a week as we are an hour from Brisbane yet the traffic can make it a 3hr trip. So driving home distance is good. Can't go much above $270 for rent as we still need to pay mortgage over here and won't be able to rent it for what we pay iykwim.

Kids currently go private, however I have no issue with the public system just our local public school here is crap.

No plans for Hobart, seen already that it's expensive lol

I LOVE Huonville and it has a few places in our range which is great. New Norfolk looks pretty good.....

We moved here 4.5 years ago from Scotland (although dh is a Queenslander) and we moved to a rental in Sorell and ended up buying a house just round the corner.
My oldest son just finished grade 10 at Sorell school in December and my 5 year old just started kindie there a few weeks ago; I also have a 15 year old at Sorell school. You have everything you need here, Coles (newly built), Woolies, a few bakeries, take aways, fruit barn just a wee bit further out, banks, Service Tas, etc. However, you probably wouldn't be able to register with the doctor's surgery in Sorell. We tried when we first came here and they were full then.

I really like Sorell, it's pretty quiet, play areas for the kids (they've literally just finished a brand new one) nice village square, etc. And they're constantly building new houses in the area. You could have a look on realestate.com.au and you should get a good idea of rental prices around the area.

There are some lovely places down toward Huonville, however one thing to consider is that Huonville has been cut off from Hobart a number of times over the years due to snow. Its not regular, but it does happen.

I personally wouldn't head out New Norfolk way if you want to commute, there are a LOT of logging trucks that use the road and its not the best. Plus its a bit longer than 1/2 hour from the city, it can take 1/2 hour from Moonah in peak hour traffic.

As per others, stay away from Risdon Vale, Bridgewater and Gagebrook.

Most workplaces do understand if you are cut off due to snow - and it's only one day every few years at the most. I would be wary of being too close to the river at Huonville as I know it floods sometimes. In peak traffic - it will take more than 1/2 hour from Sorell, New Norfolk or Huonville - but luckily peak traffic doesn' t last long.

Yes, definately. Some days it can take me 20 min just to get from Bellerive into the city!

OP, you are going to be pushing it to get a rental in that price range. Particularly if you want good schools and walking distance to shops. Hobart (and particularly surrounds) is not set up for non drivers. We survived in both London and Melbourne for years without a car, but had one waiting for us at the airport when we moved back home. I live on the Eastern Shore, unless you are living right near Eastlands or on Clarence street somewhere, walking and public transport will be a PITA.

Im afraid you may not get to be too choosey with regards to location.

Have a look on realestate.com for rentals and come back with some options and Im sure we will be able to give you some more specific info

Good Luck, its a great place to live, generally but much much more expensive then when I was growing up. We actually find it more expensive then when we lived in Melbourne.

What is Dodges Ferry Like? I found a fully furnished house for $300p/w It's about a 3km walk to the local primary school.... and Midaway Point?

Dodges is ok no idea on the school though, I have a friend that lives in Lewisham (near by) Midway point is nice, the main shopping would be over in sorell (5mins away) but you could get stuck getting into the city for work during peak hour

Dodges is ok, close to the beach and a couple of smaller shops but it's a fair way out of Hobart and you'd likely have to go to Sorell to do shopping, etc. There is a doctor in Dodges though. Midway Point is quite nice and as the pp said, the main shops are in Sorell. However, it's 5 minutes by car, not walking and I wouldn't really relish walking over the causeway on a crappy day.
I drive into the city from Sorell some mornings, leave the house at around 7.30am and, parking at the botanical gardens about a 10 minute walk to the city, I get in around 8.30. I find though that one of the worst spots of a morning is the causeway between Sorell and Midway Point because there's a small roundabout in Midway Point that just acts as a bottleneck so traffic gets backed up there. It can take me about 15-20 minutes just to get from Sorell to Midway which is usually a quick drive across the causeway.

If you dont drive, Dodgers and even Midway Point would be a nightmare.

Have to agree with liveworkplay. I never drove when I lived in Scotland, didn't have to! But then we came here and I had to learn how to drive, only passed my test a year passed in December. Tbh, I have no idea how I ever managed NOT being able to drive.

I'm in Kingston which is great but you're looking at $300+++ for renting, what about further south down the channel like margate/snug? They have shops, margate especially, play groups, buses, a lovely park in margate on the water... lots of new places popping up down that way

I'm in Blackmans bay and you can get houses here and in kingston if you are after a 3 bedroom, for 270-300 if you look hard enough. Otherwise I would also recommend margate/howden.
If you don't drive (like me) i would also stick to kingston as it is quite good for public transport/schools/shops.
Good luck!

I live down the huon and its a lovely place! Not sure on rental costs but we have a woolworths and there is Coles at Kingston (20mins drive). There is a nice park with a big playground, the local pcyc has a kids plagym and the pool is just across from that. Also have centerlink and the library and all of this is walking distance.

Thanks guys, I'm now looking either Blackmans Bay, Kingston or Moonah... All seem to have houses, decided we need to increase our limit to a max $330 and hope I can find a job soon after moving lol...

Transfer application has gone through first level management and onto the next person now... so still waiting for an answer :-)

ohhhh it's getting closer... still don't have an exact date but the process is moving forward! They've already transferred his certification registration across to hobart....

Most of the areas I'd suggest have been mentioned I'd maybe add, New Town, Lenah Valley (more traditional housing) West Moonah, Austins Ferry and Glenorchy/Berridale? (more modern areas)

Thanks Naomi,

I am pretty much looking at Moonah now, have found the perfect house and location, just need a DATE now!

Just to butt in a little, but *sigh* - I grew up in Tassie, and seeing all these names mentioned again has taken me right back.


Would love to move back to Kingston Beach/ Blackmans bay.

We moved to Tas from WA in December last year, and now live in Huntingfield (right next to Kingston). Kingston itself is a little pricey I think, but such a nice area to live in with little kids! We're loving it and the schools are good. We're renting a three bedroom house for $300 a week, but it is a private rental which in our experience tend to be a bit cheaper. Have a look in the Mercury classifieds every Saturday, they have a range of people advertising their properties.

OKay, we have a date! The week after Mothers Day! DF is going down asap for a day after Easter break to view and apply for some houses. Found the PERFECT house so cross your fingers it will be ours!!!

Good luck with the move!

Good luck with the move and remember to pack your woolies, we are about to get COLD down here

Ok been delayed a few weeks, heading down second week in June :-)

Just read on the other thread that you're moving from the Lockyer Valley; random piece of useless info but my husband was born in Gatton and grew up in Forest Hill.

Hi Ladies :-)

We have an official relocation offer coming in writing, so excited! Hoping to still make my mid June deadline :-) Will know more in the next few days!

Well we are here :-) Arrived on Tuesday in time for the wet weather lol Loving the weather actually as I HATE the heat! We get to pick up the keys for our house today, however stuck in the hotel in the CBD till Thursday as our container can't get delivered till then :-( Still waiting for our car, no idea where it is!!!

Welcome! We have a nice week coming up - should show you some glorious tassie weather!
Where abouts did you decide on to rent?

Moved just up on the border of Derwent Park, a few hundred meters up the road from Bunnings :-)