Australia

[tom52]

It is probably just a cold day in January dream but....
if you were going to retire to Australia and wanted to spend most of your time sailing where is the best place to live ?
Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sydney, The Whitsundays.
What does a 10m mooring cost relative to the UK south coast.

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[Talbot]

Whitsundays - beautiful place to cruise. A lot of places to moor. Danger of Cyclones!
Adelaide - Housing is cheapest. weather in winter not so good, long distance between marinas
Perth - Again a long distance between marinas, but weather is the best all round compromise (much less humid than the other options and my personal fav.) Housing on coast can be very expensive.
Sydney - lots of places for boats. Housing very expensive. Nice city

Join the dream! However if considering it as a permanent address, there are considerable problems getting a visa.

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[Rowana]

Perth is the place!. I worked there for 18 months, and I can tell you that the sailing is wonderful. I think the ratio is one boat for every 3 houses in the Perth area.

Very difficult to get into Oz these days for work. You have to have some skill that they are short of, otherwise forget it. An aquaintance of mine recently got in because his wife is a nurse, and that is something they are looking for.



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[BrianJ]

wrong ..wrong.. try Melbourne.... 3 times voted by a pommie organisation as the Worlds most Livable City over the past 5 years.
In summer here, we sail to Tassie etc( beautiful ) in winter we head north to the Barrier reef....
Housing is expensive, close to the water etc ,but what are you looking for ????
A one bed unit say 3 miles from the water woud cost AU$ 250, 00.00 to $750,000.00... depends what you want.

Think if you are serious you had better send me a PM with a few quesions..
I will give you a run dow on living allover the country....
BrianJ

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[Rob_Webb]

.... or New Zealand

Hauraki Gulf.... best sailing in the world I am told by many of who have sailed extensively and settled here.

Pricewise, a 10.5m berth in one of the smartest and best-located marinas in NZ will cost you $56 per week (approx. GBP20 per week i.e. GBP1,000 per year).

Rob

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[BlueSkyNick]

Others have given you responses based on their own experience, which I am unfortunately not in a position to do.

However, I can tell you that my brother lived up near the Whitsundays (Bowen) for 10 years and said that the weather was wonderfully predictable every day, but a bit too hot. He has now been forced to move to South Australia due to work, and says the weather is very variable. Cold one day, hot the next, 10 knots of wind one day, 40knots the next - just like the UK without the winter !

<hr width=100% size=1>OK - Get Fell In you 'orrible lot! There's wine to be drunk!

 

[IanPoole2]

Re: Australia??? Are you kidding

Think about it.

Out of the worlds 10 most venomous snakes, 9 are in Australia,

If you go for a paddle, AND manage to avoid the Sharks, the crocs get you.

If you survive that - they got Jellyfish that do you in,

Survive that - that bloody octopus kills you

Had enough, cr@ping yourself - then if in Oz watch out,

Take a seat on the toilet to relieve the tension and that sodding spider bites yer bum.

Oz is the place God dumped all his dangerous mistakes

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[Twister_Ken]

A buddy who 'knows about these things' has just moved to Oz and is looking for a place near <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again

 

[Little_Russel]

New Zealand's Bay of Islands.

<hr width=100% size=1>Sail the Se7en seas...

 

[oldsaltoz]

Having lived in London, Perth, Damper (N/West of Western Aust), Adelaide, Brisbane and visited, Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne and most of the ports right around Australia and now living at the southern end of the Whitsunday Islands, I can tell you this much.

London,
Winters are too cold and too long and too wet. Summer is too short.

Perth,
A very beautiful city, with a large river (The Swan River) running right though it, good boating and weather, but it can be a very long way between ports or even safe anchorage if sailing north.

Dampier,
Basically a port, Karratha and Roebourne are within 40 miles, created as an Iron Ore port back in the mid 50s, but now also exports gas. Sailing and fishing is good, weather is hot but the humidity is low as the prevailing wind is off the desert. housing and the cost of living is high.

Adelaide,
Once known as the city of churches, not a lot of work available, wind and temperature very changeable as are all the southern coastal cities. I suspect the combination of little work and variable climate is what keeps the cost of housing down, lowest city prices in Australia.

Brisbane,
Good sailing, good fishing, plenty of moorings and marinas, good climate, housing a bit on the expensive side, but less than Sydney and Melbourne.

Darwin,

33 c most days and a good wet season most years, has a magic Yacht club located in Fanny Bay, Very good sailing when the wind blows, good fishing, housing is reasonable provided you don't need to see the ocean.

Sydney,

Good sailing, good moorings and marinas, climate a bit variable but acceptable, housing is very expensive, traffic is a problem.

Melbourne,

Good sailing and fishing, good moorings and marinas, housing is expensive, traffic can be a problem, the climate is very changeable, they used to say "if you don't like the weather, just wait 20 minutes" and they also say this is the only city where you can see all 4 seasons in one day.

The Whitsunday's,

Beautiful one day and perfect the next. very predictable weather, 80% of all rain falls in the hours of darkness (When it rains), the nice thing is, you have to run out of the rain, you see, its not that cold wet miserable stuff, its warm and fresh. Boating is great, mooring and marinas all over the place, boats in all directions. Barrier reef fishing and diving, can get a bit hot in midsummer though, but never drops below 9 c even in the dead of winter. Have lived here for over 20 years now and love it, so it seems do many others, the growing at the highest rate in Australia and has been for a few years now. Housing is cheap if you can't see the ocean, around $150,000 Au will buy you a brand new house and land. Many of the new arrivals sell Mum and Dads old home and move up here, buy a new home and a new boat and still a few grand left over.

I could go on but BrianJ and MainlySteam will flame me.....





<hr width=100% size=1> Old Salt Oz /forums/images/icons/cool.gif Growing old is unavoidable. However, growing up is still optional.

 

[pugwash]

Re: .... or New Zealand

Isn't it still true that in most places anywhere near civilisation you have to buy your marina berth for about the same price as your boat?

Having said that, let me just point out (again) that the reason 95 percent of Aussies living along the beach between Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adeliade is that it's as close as they can get to New Zealand.

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[chippie]

Re: .... or New Zealand

Nah , let them all go to Aussie. Apart from summer holiday times the great thing about the Hauraki Gulf northward is how uncrowded it is.

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[Omatako]

Re: .... or New Zealand

Auckland has something like ten premium marinas with the best of facilites and the Hauraki Gulf has hundreds of safe anchorages within a few hours sailing from the marinas, all on a flat sea. Awesome sailing conditions.
I have relocated there and will be sailing from South Africa in coming months to get my boat there.
Marina prices range from about NZ$38000 to NZ$65000 for a 12m berth depending on location.

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[BrianJ]

Re: .... Language

Yeah.. come here.. you woud never learn the language in NZ..( mind you its a nice place for a sail. but the best course out of there is about 199* w from the top tip)

Stay south of NSWand you are in God's own country,despite what "oldsalt" says... he is biased.. and probably pissed ( not really ,we like him )

Melbourne.. the ONLY place in OZ to live
BrianJ

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[oldsaltoz]

Re: .... Language

G,day BrianJ,

THE Old Salt Oz responds:

No I was not under the influence of my all time frequent and favourite Bundy Rum, but the post was made close to 2:30 am, Looks like you got away early or used the box at work.

Well at least you didn't flame me, for that I suppose I should be thankful.

Avagoodweekend...



<hr width=100% size=1> Old Salt Oz /forums/images/icons/cool.gif Growing old is unavoidable. However, growing up is still optional.

 

[SydneyTim]

I'm a Pom who moved over here 10 years ago, and I am also just about to set off for an indefinite spell cruising the east coast of Australia so hopefully can be of some help.

Initially lived in Melbourne and owned a boat down there, before moving up to Sydney a couple of years ago, and have travelled round with work a fair bit, so here goes.

General

The weather is much much better and you will sail 12 months of the year.

Marinas are cheap outside Sydney, I used to pay $1400 for my club membership and marina berth in downtown Melbourne, including 4 weeks on the hard stand for free. casual marinas $15-$35 per night and when we lived aboard in Sydney we paid $900 a month for a commercial marina berth.

Anchorage is free everywhere and abounds on the east coast. Also many ports have a visitors berth or two that are either free for a short stay, they waive the fee if your nice or cost $5 a night with showers.

Food and drink are way cheaper than the UK. Boat spares more expensive, but labour cheaper.

Melbourne

The most European of Australian cities, with the worst weather, and before any Melburnites start, I lived there 8 years I know what its like and still love the place. The trouble is huge Southern Ocean lows sweep through so one minute its lovely the next it's a howling gale and freezing.

Great racing on Port Phillip Bay, but the cruising very limited and the unpredictability of the weather makes for fun. Tasmania and so forth good long distance cruises but you're crossing Bass Strait with all that entails.

Sydney

Expensive, 25 degrees most days in spring, summer and autumn, and mid to high teens in winter. Lot's of local cruising as well as very competitive racing. We keep our boat on Pittwater which is the next harbour north, miles of sheltered water cruising in a national park setting.

The whole NSW coast is scattered with great harbours all easy day sailing apart. This coast has everything from 2000 people towns to Sydney so you can find somewhere that suits your lifestyle. However it also the most expensive part of Oz.

Queensland

The whole coast is a cruising paradise, and varies from Brisbane in south which has a superb but "temperate" climate, sort od southern Spain, north Africa I suppose (20 degrees in winter, 30 in summer) up to Cairns where it's full tropical with a hurricane (cyclone down here) season perfect in the dry season, hot and sweaty as hell in the wet, with torrential downpours and flooding and you can't swim because fo the jelly fish!!.

You've got the reef, tropical palm fringed islands etc, and basically deserted with cheap marinas and limitless free anchorages.

Perth

Magic, magic, magic the Swan river is a great sail and 10 miles offshore is Rottnest island a paradise. Not sure on the coastal cruisng other than Rotty but it's guaranteed to be getting away from it all. Climate very very hot in summer and mild in winter.

Tasmania

Dirt cheap, a lot like England, great cruising but a much more English climate to do it in.

SA

Don't know it I'm afraid, but Adelaide is lovely

NT

Crocodiles, jelly fish, flies, hot as hell or flooded or both, massive tides and a sense of being in the wild.


I'm obviously biased, but if you can do it I'd get a flat somewhere you like either on the NSW coast, or south Queensland, and cruise the coast on your boat. Head north in March/April spend the "winter" in the tropics exploring the islands and rivers, fishing, snorkelling, diving and just getting away from it all in one of the few places left on earth where you can do it, then head home for Christmas and summer to avoid the cyclones and do some repairs. Depending on your circumstances you might not even need the flat as you can live aboard OK.

Alan Lucas has two books, "Cruising the NSW Coast" and "Cruising The Coral Coast" which have all the mouth watering details of the cruising grounds, I suggest you buy the coral coast one if you only get one as that's the real mouth waterer!!

Boats are pretty cheap over here too, try looking at www.boatpoint.com.au and you'll see what I mean.

I have this set up to email replies to my real email so if you want to chat furtehr feel free to do it on or off line.


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[BrianJ]

Re: .... work WORK

Brian,
how dare you mention that dirty word on a family BB... shocking.. I will ask Kim to black ball you.....
There again, living where you do ..I can understand the problem..and I know how devoted you are to the cause off helping the economy by driking Bundy

But ya gotta admit ..anywhere in OZ is better than liviging in UK... plus we only have to watch "the Bill " once a week.... I'm gunna have one for you now .. well its 1600 on a warm ( 29*C cloudless Melbourne day..) I am sitting here .. in shorts ,polo shirt and YES THONGS...

Stating the Mel. /Geelong race on Saturday.. about 250 starters. I am driving our 36' 350HP rescue boat... so that will be fun..

C YA mate.
BrianJ


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[Dominic]

Dress Question

..."I am sitting here .. in shorts ,polo shirt and YES THONGS..."

Before we get confused...

Do Australians wear thongs on their feet ?


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[BrianJ]

Re: where the ??????

would you wear thongs.. they are made for your feet......do you know what a thong is ???
Bit cooler today.. have just fiihed 18 holes of g0lf ( hit off at 0545) the temperature then was a cool 18*C.. will only be 25*C today....
BrianJ

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[TheBoatman]

Re: Australia??? Are you kidding

I lived in Aussie for 3 years in the late 60's and one thing I did learn was that everything there either bites, stings or eats you?

I was never sorry that I returned to the UK, not that is until the current lot got into Government, now I wonder?

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