Tell me about Hobart

**Babbsys Girl** · 02-07-2012 09:19

Hubby and I have decided that we want to move to Hobart in about 3 years time.

Right now we are doing a lot of research before we start saving up money and planning.

We aren't looking to buy (at this stage) so we are wondering what are the nice, family friendly suburbs. Preferably close to the water.

Because our DD will be almost ready to start school, what are some good schools. Also is childcare there as expensive as here, hard to get into.. etc.

Any info is muchly appreciated.

**wrena** · 06-07-2012 22:22

If you're on Facebook, you might find Hobart Mums Network a good place to get answers

**Babbsys Girl** · 06-07-2012 22:36

Thank you! I will have to check it out

**nelle7250** · 06-07-2012 22:40

cant tell you much about hobart as i live in launceston and im not a frequent visitor but can tell you my experience with child care is that in tassie its heaps cheaper and easier to get into for the most part.

Perhaps look up the tassie forum and chat with some of the hobart mums as there are quite a few.

**Isabellabean** · 06-07-2012 23:44

Hi

I live in Hobart and can try to answer some of your questions (I didnt grow up here though so there may be other more helpful hubbers out there).

- Childcare: I looked into this recently for DD and for a centre that provides food in the city before any government rebates its $82.10 per day. A few others I called were similar (cheapest being $72). I rang about 5 and found places available at 2 - most places said they get vacancies around Feb as children move on (to school, to a bigger room etc.)
- Places to live that are by the water: Sandy Bay (closest to town but a mix of quite large houses and then quite old houses - the uni is located here so many students around) has nice parks & blackmans bay if you want to live the city side of Hobart - however places like tranmere, lindisfarne, montagu bay and bellerieve on the eastern shore are also on the water and not that far away from the city (assuming you or DH will be working there). There are many places though with water views that are still within 20-30mins of CBD. If you are renting I guess it depends how much you want to spend per week or how far you are willing to travel to get to school/work etc.
- I cant help much with schools from a personal point of view (DD is only 15months) however it depends whether you want to go private or public/school close to where you live or one in city/close to workplace.

If you have any specific questions I can try to answer I would be happy to help

**duckduckgoose** · 07-07-2012 19:45

Hi
I'm in Hobart too, have lived here all my life. I can't comment on childcare as I don't use it. Most of the places on the Eastern Shore are lovely and close to the water. The suburbs *I* would stay away from on the Eastern Shore are Risdon Vale, Rokeby and Clarendon Vale. On the other side, I wouldn't rent in Chigwell, Bridgewater or Gagebrook. Places like Claremont, etc are really quite far away from everything. Suburbs like Sandy Bay, Kingston and Blackman's Bay are very nice as well.

As for schools, I can't really comment on that either, sorry. Hobart is really very small and it doesn't take long to drive from one end to the other, it is a lovely place to live and a great place to raise a family.

Feel free to ask me anything, I'd be happy to help if I can.

**Jennaisme** · 07-07-2012 23:56

I'm going to disagree with DuckDuckGoose on one point, which is staying away from Risdon Vale. I lived there for four years, up until March, and it's actually a nice place to live, particularly if you can get a place close to the school/shops. The primary school is also an incredibly good one, has it's own pool for learn to swim, etc. Only 15 minutes to the closest shopping mall via bus, or 20 mins to the CBD. It's basically a retirement village now, with quite a lot of elderly people who live there and have lived there since the town was just beginning. They have a mothers group, my friend used to run it, not sure if she still does as she's now a teachers aide for the primary school.
If you were to move here with a family, I would actually suggest Risdon Vale. Cheap rent, based on the reputation it has, it has a little shopping thing, a doctors that bulk bills on health care card and is always taking new patience, and very close to all the other places that you'd need to access.

**duckduckgoose** · 08-07-2012 13:12

Ok jennaisme - you probably know better, I'm just going off the "reputation"

**Jennaisme** · 08-07-2012 14:24

Unfortunately, reputations of places are sometimes self fulfilling prophecies. I feel so bad for the elderly who live in Risdon Vale. They're such lovely people who have been there longer than most of us have been alive. There are little bogan sh!ts, who I would cheerfully kick in the knee caps, but they're kind of everywhere in Hobart, so can't escape them no matter what, but for the most part the RV ones are harmless.

I do agree with the Gagebrook/Bridgewater comment though, along with Rokeby. I would steer as far clear of those places as you can.