“WE wanted to spend time together, not spend hours commuting”.
It’s a dilemma faced by millions of Australian families. Do they hack long commutes to and from work and live in a home big enough for their toddler to run amok? Or should they try and stay in a tiny apartment just so parents can get home in time to see their kids?
Neither of these options were attractive to Mike Noble.
In 2001, he and his wife Sarah were finishing their law degrees in Melbourne, and knew what their lives would be like if they stayed in the city.
“Young lawyers work long hours as it is, let alone take on that travel time. We wanted to see each other”.
So the couple made the choice to pack up and move to Wangaratta, a regional city in north-eastern Victoria.
Mr Noble says back then there were plenty of jobs for lawyers in the country, and the town offered them the lifestyle they were looking for.
“We’ve had our family here. Our kids are 8 and 5. They’ve grown up here — it seems safe and clean, and it’s a really good community. It’s easy to be spontaneous, because you’re so close to where your friends live. I cycle with mates a few mornings a week. In many ways it’s easier (than city life),” he says.
The family have such a good lifestyle in the country that over the past decade they’ve encouraged most of their extended family to move to the region.
“We moved in 2001, my sister moved in 2006 from Melbourne, and my in-laws moved up from Camberwell (inner Melbourne) two years ago. My parents moved up from West Melbourne. ***They’re both still working professionals,’’ he says.
“Sarah’s sister moved down from Sydney in January this year because their lifestyle up there was compromising them.”
Not only do the family “love the convenience of everything”, they’re also reaping the rewards of selling property in the city to purchase a home in the region.
“My in-laws sold a unit in Camberwell, and bought a four-year-old executive home in Wangaratta and had hundreds of thousands of dollars in change,’’ he says.
“My sister-in-law sold their home in Sydney and bought and incredible property here.”
Leaving his law firm a number of years ago, Mr Noble now runs a real estate agency in Wangaratta, and sees many other families making the move for lifestyle reasons.
“People are sick of traffic. They want to feel more engaged with their community,’’ he says.
He says the Victorian state government is predicting 300,000-400,000 people will leave Melbourne in the next five years for lifestyle reasons. While the bulk of these will move to big centres such as Geelong or Ballarat, many will end up in medium-sized towns like Wangaratta
But he admits the move isn’t for everyone.
“Jobs are the biggest issue. They are trying to increase employment opportunities, but I know that some industries are struggling (in terms of job numbers),” he says.
But he says regional centres can be a great place to launch your own business, as costs are often a lot lower than in large cities.
It's not going to be feasible for some people... Peter.
We visited in the area in the last long weekend... Augusta's got a marina happening...I see.
Another concern... Are you bush fire prepared?
Is it well planned if you've got a threat in summer ? Nothing's invincible when you live in/near bush.
You must be driving up/down Wallcliffe rd with your eyes closed...
Newjerk? can you try harder than dig up another person's blog. My first promo was with Billabong and my name in English is modified with a T, am Perth born but also lived in Sydney to make my $$ It's Absolutely Fabulous if it includes brilliant locations, & high calibre tenants..what more does one want? Understand the power of the two "P"" or be financially challenged Even better when there is family who are property mad and one is born in some entitlements.....Understand that beautiful women are the exhibitionists we crave attention, whilst hot blooded men are the voyeurs ... A stunning woman can command and takes pleasure in being noticed. Seems not too many understand what it means to hold and own props and get threatened by those who do. Banks are considered to be law abiding and & rather boring places yeah not true . A bank balance sheet will show capital is dwarfed by their liabilities this means when a portions of loans is falling its problems for the bank.
It certainly makes sense to move to a regonal city if you can find work there. The benefits far outweigh the downside of losing close contact with family and a few friends.
Although thankfully evolution is ensuring that sensible, intelligent, and terminally dull couples like this that deliberate about breeding and settling down will soon have their generic code disappear forever:
"It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that makes horse races." - Mark Twain on why he avoids discussing house prices over at MacroBusiness. "Buy land, they're not making any more of it." - Georgist Land Tax proponent Mark Twain laughing in his grave at humourless idiots like skamy that continually use this quip to justify housing bubbles.
It's not going to be feasible for some people... Peter.
We visited in the area in the last long weekend... Augusta's got a marina happening...I see.
Another concern... Are you bush fire prepared?
Is it well planned if you've got a threat in summer ? Nothing's invincible when you live in/near bush.
You must be driving up/down Wallcliffe rd with your eyes closed...
Yes bush fires are an issue. We are ono the beach in a protected area, "tourist" zone. Bushfire "proof" but yes a lot of people are exposed to this risk. Some simple precautions would go a long way. Peter
Peter I bet you look forward to the annual surfers pro at Surfers Point, a sea of people from different parts of the globe converge, you must get busy then.
It's going very touristy the South West with the foreshores being more pedestrian friendly playgrounds like YAllingup being being spruced up.
You should be familiar with the usual local surfers, there's some real talent out there , so awesome some to watch them have no fear with the massive waves. The only downer is sharks but one can't dwell on it ..as its something they are all aware of the dangers but it can't destroy their passion for the waves.
Eventually they're gonna need traffic lights in the main centre of Margs it's getting more bizzy each time I visit.
szokolay
12 Oct 2014, 07:29 PM
It certainly makes sense to move to a regonal city if you can find work there. The benefits far outweigh the downside of losing close contact with family and a few friends.
Hi Goldnutter... Who loves the bush....
You really enjoy sooky socking.. Can't help it really .
It's seems frankensteins still here posting.... Lol.
Newjerk? can you try harder than dig up another person's blog. My first promo was with Billabong and my name in English is modified with a T, am Perth born but also lived in Sydney to make my $$ It's Absolutely Fabulous if it includes brilliant locations, & high calibre tenants..what more does one want? Understand the power of the two "P"" or be financially challenged Even better when there is family who are property mad and one is born in some entitlements.....Understand that beautiful women are the exhibitionists we crave attention, whilst hot blooded men are the voyeurs ... A stunning woman can command and takes pleasure in being noticed. Seems not too many understand what it means to hold and own props and get threatened by those who do. Banks are considered to be law abiding and & rather boring places yeah not true . A bank balance sheet will show capital is dwarfed by their liabilities this means when a portions of loans is falling its problems for the bank.
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