Tasmania

premiergal

Hey guys thinking of moving to Tasmania as may have job lined up there so me and my partner would have a 457 visa.

Any feedback on what it's like there?
Heard weather is more like Ireland/uk and cost of living is similar to Dublin.


Any other feedback would be great thanks!

Cooperspale

It has a slower pace of life than big cities on the mainland. It's known as being more of a back water than a happening place. Hobart trumps Launceston any day of the week and all the other towns are real small.
Where do you live now? Is it country or city?
If you're in Dublin, it'll be a big change.
It's known as the Apple Isle as a lot of the country's apples come from the area south of Hobart. So they get cool, quite foggy I found, winters and mild summers, though some dats do get to mid 30s if there's a hot spell.
Essentially if you don't mind the slower pace/not being in the rat race of city life, it could be be pretty good.
If you are going to a rural location, small town be prepared for the usual small place mind set, think any rural village in Ireland when newcomers arrive.

premiergal

Cooperspale wrote: »

It has a slower pace of life than big cities on the mainland. It's known as being more of a back water than a happening place. Hobart trumps Launceston any day of the week and all the other towns are real small.
Where do you live now? Is it country or city?
If you're in Dublin, it'll be a big change.


Thanks for the reply, currently live in Dublin but I'm from the country would it be more like Galway?or even quieter! I wouldn't mind slower pace but obviously not somewhere really dead!

The job is in Hobart.

Cooperspale

Hobart is smaller than Galway but it is the capital.
There are lively parts but it is no Galway, which is always busy on weekends etc.
Places would close earlier and there wouldn't be the variety that you have in Galway.

lg123

its only a little bit smaller, 20k people or so. outside the academic year, Galway is deserted.
visited Hobart once, loved it. i wouldn't settle there long-term, much better climates on offer in other states, but in terms of getting one foot in the Australian door, it wouldn't be a bad place to start.

premiergal

Thanks guys!
The plan is to spend year or maybe a bit longer there and then I could try to get a transfer if we didn't like it as the job is with an international company.
We are looking it as a starting point rather than settling there long time.
Is the cost of living the same as the rest of Australia?

lg123

na, tassie would be on the lower end of that scale. wages would also be correspondingly lower.

Kiith

I enjoyed Tassie when I visited there with work. Was only there for a week, but it's quite similar to home. Weather was miserable, but Salamanca square was pretty cool, with a pretty big market every Saturday. Some nice bars and restaurants, and it has a James Squires bar...which is awesome.

Cooperspale

As a starting point, Hobart will be alright. It's come on an awful lot since I was first there 15yrs ago; MoNA, refurbing the waterfront and Salamanca Place. North and West Hobart and Battery Point would be the trendier parts to live in. Heard that South Hobart is geting trendier too. There are plenty of worse places to live in Australia, see the other thread on here.

Rents are cheaper ($200-300 for a 1-2 bed place) though you may get paid less than mainland also.
Food should be similar to slightly dearer price; ALDI has yet to reach there.
Clothes: bring your European fashion with you or fly to Melbourne for any fashion fixes &/or use ASOS online etc. Tas is a bit behind in that dept.

premiergal

Thanks for all your help:), decisions decisions!!

the flananator

Went to Tasmania a few months ago for a week-end break with my girlfriend. We stayed in Hobart.

Beatiful scenery, nice restautants, friendly people. We loved it there.