News and Media
30 June 2010
Melbourne
Some call this vibrant city the cultural heart of Australia and rightly so with the city’s many museums, galleries, laneway cafes and theatres. The opportunity to immerse yourself in the art and history is endless, there is quite literally a labyrinth of historic, sustainable and contemporary architectural design throughout the city along with some of the world's greatest street art.
Out of the four million people that live in the Victorian capital there are over 2000 Defence members. There are two army Barracks; Simpson and Vic both located in the city's north. RAAF Williams which is comprised of two bases; Point Cook and Laverton both south-west of the city. And in the south-east is HMAS Cerberus in Crib Point on the Morington Peninsula. This is the Royal Australian Navy's premier training establishment.
With an ample amount of Defence action in the area there are plenty of support groups and aids on hand. Defence Force Welfare Association, Carry On (Victoria), Defence Families Australia and the Defence Community Organisation, all offer facilities and community programs for Defence spouses and families.
Defence School Transition aids are also placed in a number of schools in Victoria providing additional support for Defence children.
As in most large cities, Melbourne has plenty of good quality public and private schooling facilities with all requirements catered for. There are also a number of tertiary institutes to choose from with endless options when it comes to course choices.
Like many other states and territories, childcare can be challenging to find in Melbourne. Even with the B4kids centres providing priority access to Defence families, it is advisable to look into this as early as possible. There is a range of childcare and family day care options throughout Melbourne and websites such as www.careforkids.com.au that can point you in the right direction.
One of the many distinctive qualities of Melbourne is the weather. It is renowned for all four seasons in one day, so leaving the house prepared is always a good idea. In the summer months the daytime temperatures average around the mid to high 20 degrees mark however on the odd occasion temperatures can get up to 40 degrees. Winter is quite a bit cooler with an average of 14 degrees in the day and temperatures plummeting into the minuses after dark. Throughout winter it can be windy and rain generally falls one out of two days, mostly in the form of drizzle. Heavy rain is rare and for this reason water restrictions still apply in Victoria.
Another distinct characteristic of the city are hook turns, something that can catch you off guard if you have never driven in the city streets of Melbourne before. At some intersections in central Melbourne, where trams operate, a hook turn must be performed in order to turn right. Drivers must turn right from the left lane by waiting until the traffic lights on the road they are entering into turn green before they make the turn. Drivers are only permitted to do a hook turn when a sign indicates right turn from left only. The intersections are usually well sign-posted advising you of the turns however, it is definitely an important road rule to investigate before moving.
A good public transport system is essential in such a large city. The Metlink travels all over Melbourne and the sheer volume of people that are transported each day is impressive, to say the least. Melbourne has one major international airport and three smaller domestic ones. Buses, trams and trains are used in the city and suburbs to their full potential to cover the 6000 square kilometres and it can be made simple with just one ticket. As most of the Defence Service Residences are scattered throughout the city this is a very useful mode of transport. It is fair to say that many Defence families can get around Melbourne with one vehicle, particularly those that live close to the base.
Defence Housing Australia (DHA) has a large selection of inner city apartments, townhouses, duplexes and freestanding houses available. There is also a small amount of on-base housing accessible for Defence members and their families. With over 950 properties in Melbourne and Frankston combined, there is sure to be something suitable for you and your family. Houses are mostly three to four bedrooms with a lounge/dinning area and good-sized family rooms. The houses are commonly on smaller blocks in response to requests for low maintenance properties, making it easier when Defence members are deployed.
All houses are fitted with some form of heating for the chilly winter months and Defence has specified a minimum cooling requirement that all houses be fitted with ceiling fans in Victoria by 2017.
Securing a private rental property in Melbourne can be difficult due to the competitiveness of the market and lack of rental properties. With many realtors only showing properties throughout the week it can be difficult to obtain a place as it is a requirement to inspect the property before a tenancy application is accepted.
Housing provided by DHA is wide spread across the city however most have been specifically chosen for their location in relation to Defence bases and everyday conveniences such as schools, public transport and shopping centres. Most homes are within a 30km radius of the bases. Some of the smaller apartments and townhouse provided by DHA are known as 'choice' housing. These aren’t necessarily close to Defence establishments however they are aimed at members that wish to live a certain lifestyle, predominantly in the inner city areas.
Sporting matches of any kind are usually high on the entertainment calendar for residents. AFL (Australian Rules Football League) is the dominant sport of Victoria, with ten teams in the national league. Defence families should beware when moving here supporting a team is a must. For the tennis fans, there is the Australian open and of course the famous MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) which hosts a number of high profile cricket matches.
DHA's Melbourne Housing Management Centre (HMC) is located about five minutes drive outside the city in St Kilda. If you have any questions about housing in Melbourne, or would like some further advice on living in Melbourne contact DHA on 139 DHA (342)
