Victoria

Victoria (VIC) is Australia’s smallest mainland state covering just 227,600 km². Even so, it still manages to be bigger than England and Scotland put together. If it were a country, it would be in the 84th biggest in the world, just ahead of Guyana. It is slightly bigger than the American state of Minnesota.

It has a population of around 5.74 million people and because of its size, this makes it the most crowded state in Australia. It is known as “The Garden State” and residents are known as “Mexicans”- a reference to the fact that they live south of the border.

Victoria Location MapVictoria has some fine attractions, but surely none can be better than The Great Ocean Road. Over 240 km of twisting, turning, cliffside, seaside, bushside driving that will make your jaw drop. It also has Phillip Island and their famous Penguin Parade.

Places in Victoria

Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and the city is well known for it is performing arts; it also has a reputation for being unconventional. This is reflected in Victoria’s list of famous Australians originally from the state; Germaine Greer, feminist; Steve Irwin, crocodile hunter; Nick Cave, revolutionary rock legend; Barry Humphries, satirist; Shane Warne, cricketer; Rupert Murdoch, media mogul and Ned Kelly, outlaw and murderer.

Oh, and Kylie Minogue.

Here is a list of towns and localities in the state, with a population of over 10,000 people.

Populations of places change on a daily basis. When I compiled this list in 2011, I got my population figures from various sources and some of them are from the census of 2006. I have decided not to try to constantly update these population numbers, so if you are interested in a certain city or town, then you may want to search online for updated information about the population.

That way you can see if the population is growing, unchanged or shrinking.

  • Geelong – just over 137,000
  • Ballarat – just over 78,000
  • Bendigo – just over 76,000
  • Shepparton-Mooroopna – about 39,000
  • Melton – nearly 36,000
  • Mildura – just over 30,000
  • Sunbury – nearly 30,000
  • Warrnambool – – about 28,000
  • Traralgon – nearly 22,000
  • Pakenham – – about 19,000
  • Wangaratta – nearly 17,000
  • Moe – over 15,000
  • Ocean Grove-Barwon Heads – about 14,000
  • Horsham – about 14,000
  • Morwell – around 13,000
  • Sale – around 13,000
  • Bacchus Marsh – just over 13,000
  • Warragul – nearly 12,000
  • Bairnsdale – about 11,000
  • Colac – – about 11,000
  • Lara – around 10,000
  • Drysdale-Clifton Springs – just over 10,000

Then there are many more towns with less than 10,000 inhabitants, more will be added in time. If you live in any town or suburb in Victoria, then why not tell us about it in the comments below…

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{ 166 comments… add one }
  • Ethan May 19, 2022, 9:19 pm |

    who..
    who calls us Mexicans
    wha this is, I have never heard this ever

    • BobinOz May 20, 2022, 5:15 pm |

      It was more of a thing in the 70s and 80s, perhaps a bit in the 90s too. We don’t hear so much of it these days, which is why you probably haven’t heard of it. The people of every state in Australia have a nickname, us Queenslanders are
      known as Banana Benders 🙂

  • Col B. May 14, 2018, 9:31 am |

    G’day Bob, I’ve pasted here the 2016 census Vic population centers for you to replace your old list, as you may have overlooked two other major Victorian provincial cities – Echuca and Wodonga, both are missing from your own list. These two cities had a population of well over 10,000 since the turn of the century.
    You can copy/paste the revision to replace your old one and then just delete this comment and list. Cheers!.

    • Col B. May 14, 2018, 9:32 am |

      ……………………………..2016 census

      1 Melbourne……………..4,196,201
      2 Geelong…………………157,103
      3 Ballarat…………………93,761
      4 Bendigo………………….92,384
      5 Melton…………………..54,455
      6 Shepparton – Mooroopna…….46,194
      7 Wodonga………………….35,131
      8 Sunbury………………….34,425
      – Pakenham…………………N/A[*note 1]
      9 Mildura………………….33,445
      10 Warrnambool………………30,707
      11 Traralgon………………..25,482
      12 Wangaratta……………….18,567
      13 Ocean Grove – Barwon Heads…18,208
      14 Bacchus Marsh…………….17,303
      15 Torquay – Jan Juc…………16,942
      16 Horsham………………….16,792
      17 Moe – Newborough………….15,062
      18 Warragul…………………14,274
      19 Morwell………………….13,540
      20 Sale…………………….13,507
      21 Lara…………………….13,327
      22 Bairnsdale……………….12,950
      23 Echuca…………………..12,902
      24 Drysdale – Clifton Springs…12,483
      25 Colac……………………11,890
      26 Drouin…………………..11,889
      27 Leopold………………….11,882
      28 Swan Hill………………..10,603
      29 Portland…………………10,059
      30 Castlemaine……………….9,933

      (*note 1 – Due to increased residential development in Officer, which previously
      provided a non-urban buffer between Pakenham and the rest of the Melbourne
      metropolitan area, Pakenham began to be counted as part of the
      greater Melbourne urban centre starting from the 2016 census.)

      • BobinOz May 14, 2018, 9:06 pm |

        Hi Col,

        Thanks for this. A lot of the information on my pages were put together based on either 2006 or 2011 data, so they are due and update. I’m going to put it on my list of things to do, and I’ll try and do all city and state pages as soon as I can.

        Not sure why those two towns were missed off, it was so long ago I did this I can’t even remember the specific websites I got my information from. One thing your list does show though, is that many places have had a pretty steep increase in population.

        Thanks again, Bob

  • Sham November 17, 2017, 5:35 am |

    Hello Bob and friends
    I recently got an offer for PhD research at La Trobe University, Bendigo campus. I would like to know about the cost of living per month in Bendigo. I will be living single, and I will earn about 2000 AUD per month as stipend. Will that be enough?

    • BobinOz November 17, 2017, 7:01 pm |

      $2000 a month isn’t much money, but if you are getting free accommodation thrown in with that, you might get by. If you have to pay for your own accommodation though, you might find it quite difficult, maybe even impossible. Either way, you will be on a very tight budget I would think.

      I don’t know much about prices in Bendigo specifically, but for day-to-day items, I can’t imagine it’s much different than the rest of Australia, so my page The Cost of Living in Australia of Everything will help you work out your budget.

      Hopefully somebody who knows Bendigo will see your comment and give you more information.

      • Sham December 5, 2017, 9:36 pm |

        Thank you so much for your reply.

        • Col B. May 14, 2018, 9:56 am |

          Hello, Sham. I rented a hotel room in Lismore (NSW) when l was a student at the Conservatorium Of The Arts (which is an educational bridge to University). l find that hotel (not classy hotels) room rent is cheaper than anything else if you want to live by yourself. cheers.

  • ROY October 26, 2017, 11:59 pm |

    Friends,,,
    I am from INDIA working in UAE with annual package of equivalent 48000 AUD .Now I make saving 30000 AUD from salary for my 3 kids( 4 ,3 & 1 years old)) and family’s future.My spouse have a NURSING Degree with out Experience. As considering future of my KIDS,Now I am thinking of moving to Australia ,and my Qualification & Experience meets as a ‘Fitter’ in Australia. shed some light on my thoughts ,,like is it a rt decision to move ?? Is it possible to live with single person’s income & from my trade ? Is it will be a struggling life waiting for me in Australia?

  • kaylah September 24, 2017, 11:29 pm |

    hey,
    my partner and myself are looking at moving to Melbourne (from Tassie) and are wondering what suburbs are good and not high in crime (feral) and not to far away from the cbd.
    thanks in advance. 🙂

    • BobinOz September 25, 2017, 8:35 pm |

      Have a look at the comments on my main page about Melbourne, there is a great deal of talk about the suburbs and what they are like. I think you will find it very helpful. Good luck, Bob

  • William May 23, 2017, 9:33 pm |

    Hey mate, I’ve been a brisbane boy all my life and I’m pretty sick of the humidity and insects up here. I’m considering moving to either Sydney or Melbourne. I have been to melbourne a few times and I only saw a few mosquito’s here and there. Much easier to explore the bush without the fear of running into cob webs, the flora also seems far more lush in melbourne, much like the UK. But with a bit of a hot, dry spanish element in summer. Is Sydney much the same? or is it more tropical like brisbane with insects everywhere? What about adelaide or perth? I’ve heard perth is over-run with golden orb spiders, harmless, but annoying to run into nonetheless. Probably not as lush and green as melbourne or tassy right?
    Thanks a bunch.

    • BobinOz May 25, 2017, 6:24 pm |

      Well if you’re looking to avoid the bugs, you might just have to move to Norway 🙂 There is no escaping these little critters, but you can get away from the humidity.

      As you have said, Melbourne’s weather is a bit more like that of the UK, although most people who have moved there from Blighty will tell you that Melbourne’s weather is better. I don’t know for sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there are fewer mozzies in Melbourne, but I’m pretty sure the place will not be mozzie free. What I like about Brisbane is we don’t really get too many flies, but I think Melbourne does on occasions have a bit of a fly problem.

      Sydney’s weather would be warmer than Melbourne’s and slightly more humid, but not as humid as Brisbane.

      Many people say that Adelaide can have extremely hot summers and very cold winters, it’s also a very dry heat, so if humidity is what you want to escape from the most, it’s an option. Don’t know what the bugs are like down that way though.

      I don’t think you’ll find Perth too much different from Brisbane, but if you really want to escape bugs and humidity then maybe Tassie is the place to go.

      That’s my view, but I’ve only ever lived in Brisbane, so hopefully some others will see this comment and tell you what they think of the bugs and humidity where they live. Good luck with your plans, Bob

      • Thijs May 25, 2017, 6:57 pm |

        I live in Melbourne, so can happily comment.

        Mozzies: nope, no issues. Yes, they *exist*, but not more than I was used to in Belgium before. Mozzies are a humidity-related problem in summer. Humidity in Melbourne is quite low in summers. If anything, depending on what part of nature I found myself in back in the days in Belgium, mozzies were a bigger problem than over here in Melbourne now.

        Flies: depends on where you are. Are you in the middle of the summer on certain very specific beaches? Yes, flies may accidentally exist then. And they’re in general much more annoying in Australia overall than I remember them being in Belgium. They’re just a different kind, that for some reason is much more aggressive over here. You can try to swat them away, but they’ll almost immediately come back.

        Weather like the UK (or Belgium)? Not even close. On average 10 degrees warmer, no actual freezing during the day in winters, loads of sunlight most of the year (compared to a big bunch of gray in the UK / Belgium).

        For me (and yes, that’s a personal thing), Melbourne’s weather overall is excellent. There is a four seasons in a day thing going on on certain specific days; but it’s never bothersome. If anything, I’d rather have 4 seasons in a day, than one annoying wet cold gray depressing autumn-winter seasons that lasts 6 months in Belgium. 😉

        Sydney’s slightly more “towards” Brisbane on the scale of most of the above properties (bit warmer, bit more humid, bit more insects, etc…). But it’s not halfway there: it’s closer to Melbourne (both geographically as with respect to these properties). And they’ve got Sydney funnel web spiders, which I’d rather never ever encounter in my life (personally). 😀

        • BobinOz May 29, 2017, 6:42 pm |

          Thanks for for helping out here Thijs, to add to what you’ve said I can explain why Australia flies can be so irritating.

          “The female bush fly pesters you because she wants your saliva, blood, mucus and tears; it’s how she gets her protein. She needs it to breed and it’s why she is so persistent and so in your face.”

          https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/17020/flies-in-australia-how-bad-is-it/

          Completely different from European flies who seems to thrive on rubbish bins and dog dooey.

  • Col B May 13, 2017, 6:23 pm |

    Bob, l’d like to put my profile picture in the comments, got a how-to ?

    • BobinOz May 15, 2017, 5:52 pm |

      Hi Col

      No, I don’t have a how-to, maybe I should put one up. Anyway, what you need to do is Google ‘Signing up for Gravatar with WordPress.com’ and then you upload your image to their website and associate your email address with it. Once you have done that, your thumbnail image will automatically appear on all of your comments, not just on this website, but on any website where you have used the same email address.

      Hope that helps, looking forward to seeing your face sometime soon 🙂

      • Col B. July 21, 2017, 11:07 am |

        I’ll keep that in mind for later. thanx Bob.
        I like your site ‘Bob In Oz’ because it is unique and you managed to be broad in information concerning our livelihoods and understanding what awesome Awestralia has to offer and what not,
        Inputs from your followers have a wealth of knowledge as well to help your site grow even bigger and already getting more popular to date. Well done. Cheers!.

        • BobinOz July 21, 2017, 7:26 pm |

          Thanks Col, truly appreciate your kind words, especially as I’m pretty sure you are a true blue Aussie. When I started this thing all off, I had no idea would be as popular as it’s turned out to be and I love the comments.

          I’m blessed to have so many great contributors, so many people helping each other out, you included. Makes me feel warm all over 🙂

          Cheers

  • Fariha April 16, 2017, 7:18 am |

    Hi Bob,

    I am a Forensic Scientist, eligible to apply for skilled migration to Australia and my preference is Victoria. I am divorced but I have three children as secondary applicants. How much assets I need to show and how much of it should be as bank statement?

    Thanks in advance.

    • BobinOz April 18, 2017, 8:17 pm |

      I’m afraid this is a question about the visa application process, and I do not answer those. Only MARA registered migration agents can do that, see Would I Qualify?

      • Julie May 6, 2017, 6:08 pm |

        Hi Bob we are hoping to move to Melbourne in a few months. Is it still free to send your child to a state school on a 457 visa in Victoria?

        • Mark May 6, 2017, 7:49 pm |

          Hope you dont mind me answering as Im actullay in VIC. Yes no charge for school fees for 457 holders…I say no charge but thats not quite correct of course you have the uniforms to buy…Badged stuff from school, have a look elsewhere for non badged stuff, eg trousers skits etc.or M&S from UK ..You do have some things to pay like incursion excursion fees..Some contribution as set by the school its minimal really 40 50 60 dollars maybe. Then book and pencil type costs…if it looks expensive have a look at office works School will supply you a list… Then there is voluntary contributions, school upkeep and so on again usually 40 50 60 ish but dont have to bother with that. or if you feel guilty offer to help the PTA If your on decent to good money look at private.. We have just switched our two after a year here, Its expensive but not as bad as UK and my little guy First day yesterday comes home with Clarinet, school supplied lesson free…All trips included plus many other freebies that add up. Good luck with the move, read through some post by me on the Melbourne and Se suburbs in the drop down above …there is loads of stuff in there from me to … send you to sleep …..hopefully be helpful as well. Cheers Mark

          • Julie May 6, 2017, 8:30 pm |

            Thanks Mark that’s really helpful. My daughter wants to do Nursing so not paying high school
            fees will help. Will def look at ur posts, have been looking at houses to rent to get an idea of areas etc. Melbourne looks perfect for us ?

  • Col B April 11, 2017, 1:39 pm |

    Here’s the figures for average CouncilShire rates in Victoria for 2015/2016.
    The rates have gone through the roof over the past decade by greedy, yes, greedy councils.
    Listed are all Councils/Shires (79 in all) starting from the cheapest:

    LODDON(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,259
    Average increase: $62

    MONASH(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,418
    Average increase: $86

    PYRENEES(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,427
    Average increase: $70

    WEST WIMMERA(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,432
    Average increase: $75

    MORNINGTON PENINSULA(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,460
    Average increase: $57

    WHITEHORSE(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,483
    Average increase: $95

    HINDMARSH(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,526
    Average increase: $88

    GLEN EIRA(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,543
    Average increase: $72

    WELLINGTON(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,544
    Average increase: $64

    MOYNE(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,569
    Average increase: $85

    CENTRAL GOLDFIELDS(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,573
    Average increase: $82

    MAROONDAH(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,586
    Average increase: $31

    MANSFIELD(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,610
    Average increase: $10

    WHITTLESEA(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,619
    Average increase: $11

    PORT PHILLIP(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,635
    Average increase: $75

    HEPBURN(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,652
    Average increase: $69

    YARRIAMBIACK(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,654
    Average increase: $72

    EAST GIPPSLAND(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,657
    Average increase: $82

    LATROBE(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,663
    Average increase: $50

    SOUTHERN GRAMPIANS(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,664
    Average increase: $65

    KNOX(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,666
    Average increase: $77

    STONNINGTON(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,658
    Average increase: $65

    GREATER GEELONG(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,685
    Average increase: $73

    TOWONG(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,687
    Average increase: $81

    BASS COAST(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,693
    Average increase: $81

    FRANKSTON(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,700
    Average increase: $18

    GANNAWARRA(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,711
    Average increase: $63

    MOIRA(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,718
    Average increase: $55

    MORELAND(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,725
    Average increase: $82

    KINGSTON(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,745
    Average increase: $69

    INDIGO(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,755
    Average increase: $88

    CASEY(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,768
    Average increase: $52

    GREATER BENDIGO(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,769
    Average increase: $74

    DAREBIN(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,704
    Average increase: $78

    BANYULE(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,706
    Average increase: $61

    NORTHERN GRAMPIANS(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,709
    Average increase: $80

    GLENELG(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,819
    Average increase: $8

    BRIMBANK(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,828
    Average increase: $91

    GOLDEN PLAINS(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,828
    Average increase: $91

    HUME(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,831
    Average increase: $40

    MELTON(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,832
    Average increase: $59

    MOONEE VALLEY(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,845
    Average increase: $12

    WANGARATTA(RC)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,852
    Average increase: $121

    MOUNT ALEXANDER(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,865
    Average increase: $75

    CAMPASPE(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,877
    Average increase: $87

    COLAC-OTWAY(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,877
    Average increase: $80

    ALPINE(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,879
    Average increase: $70

    GREATER DANDENONG(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,888
    Average increase: $81

    MOORABOOL(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,890
    Average increase: $66

    MURRINDINDI(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,915
    Average increase: $145

    YARRA(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,917
    Average increase: $45

    YARRA RANGES(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,917
    Average increase: $45

    MACEDON RANGES(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,936
    Average increase: $74

    MANNINGHAM(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,939
    Average increase: $68

    CARDINIA(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,940
    Average increase: $54

    BULOKE(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,953
    Average increase: $105

    BAW BAW(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,954
    Average increase: $1

    HORSHAM(RC)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,954
    Average increase: $88

    BENALLA(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,957
    Average increase: $78

    MITCHELL(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,958
    Average increase: $125

    SOUTH GIPPSLAND(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,978
    Average increase: $123

    WYNDHAM(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,984
    Average increase: $10

    WARRNAMBOOL(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,984
    Average increase: $81

    BAYSIDE(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $1,906
    Average increase: $62

    ARARAT(RC)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,156
    Average increase: $94

    GREATER SHEPPARTON(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,238
    Average increase: $85

    QUEENSCLIFFE(B)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,139
    Average increase: $109

    BOROONDARA(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,175
    Average increase: $82

    SURF COAST(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,253
    Average increase: $117

    MARIBYRNONG(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,257
    Average increase: $69

    WODONGA(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,258
    Average increase: $77

    MILDURA(RC)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,201
    Average increase: $73

    STRATHBOGIE(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,362
    Average increase: $88

    HOBSONS BAY(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,386
    Average increase: $84

    MELBOURNE(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,393
    Average increase: -$21

    NILLUMBIK(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,610
    Average increase: $136

    BALLARAT(C)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,016
    Average increase: $117

    CORANGAMITE(S)
    Average rates for 15/16: $2,037
    Average increase: $91

    • Mark April 11, 2017, 3:18 pm |

      Hi Col I am reminded of the weather here…So many Melbournians either 5 th generation to those that arrived several years back complain about the weather in Melbourne maybe Victoria as a whole It dropped to I believe 7 degrees last year and it was bad….Coming from the UK recently when my car dashboard read -17 yes minus, then 7 degrees is positively great….Regularly in the UK does the temperature drop into a minus figure. Same can be said for parts of USA where I have also lived and northern Europe where I have spent some time…Whats the weather got to do with rates I hear you ask….You do not realise how well off you are for weather and rates whereby in the UK I would annually fork out approximately ..5 to 6000 dollars in rates or the equivalent or where in USA again a home tax far higher than here….It may be increasing but its far far lower than UK or USA. From my last home I am about 4k dollars better off They still provide the same service in fact they even empty the rubbish here more often that the UK…

      • BobinOz April 11, 2017, 9:42 pm |

        Hi Col B, nice to hear from you again, hope you are well.

        Yes, I’ve written about this before, a couple years ago, when I compared UK rates with Australia’s. You can read it here…

        https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/17495/from-the-uk-to-australia-council-tax-bills-and-rates-compared/

        Mark is absolutely right, we have it lucky in Australia by comparison. Back in 2015 the average council tax bill in the UK was £1468, you can usually double that to equate it to Aussie dollars, although these days the pound is struggling following Brexit. Not that that matters a jot because a pound is a pound to someone earning pounds in the UK just as an Aussie dollar is an Aussie dollar for those working here. Australian rates without doubt are cheaper.

        Everything is relative though, and Australians do complain when rates go up, when the weather doesn’t seem good, even though that is just Melbourne specific (just kidding Mark), or when the queue at the post office is too long, or when the traffic jams are getting longer. Quite right too, but as the saying goes, ‘think of England’; with their higher rates, worse weather, longer queues and slower traffic, it’ll make you feel better 🙂

        • Col B April 17, 2017, 7:14 pm |

          I’m good Bob, so much cautiousness in planning my future out in the best way possible, even to find out which of the Shires has among the lowest rates would help with the rest of the costs of living without it all adding up past my pocket. 🙂

          • BobinOz April 18, 2017, 9:31 pm |

            I don’t blame you Col, always good to live within your means and I think there is something to be said about living the kind of lifestyle you are. Biggest advantage I would think is you don’t have people walking into you because they are too busy playing with their iPhones 🙂 My pet hate at the moment!

      • Col B April 12, 2017, 10:59 am |

        Interesting, Mark, That may be right for Melbourne, You may have came to Melbourne at the wrong time in terms of the weather as it changes frequently or it can stay the same temperature for a few days on end. .I’ve lived there for 25 years from the mid-1960’s to early 1980’s and it cops four “seasons” in a day most times. In a moderate temperate region it has an an average minimum of 13 degrees celsius in the proper winter season. and around the early 20’s degree celsius average in the proper summer season. The city do suffer heatwaves up to 40+ celsius sometimes every few years in summer anywhere between November to March and sometimes drops variously below -1 degree celsius in winter anywhere between June to August.
        The northern half of Victoria really does not have the weather of Melbourne.
        The southern end of the Great Dividing Range splits Victoria through the middle from east to west, ending at The Grampians in western Victoria.
        With that, the northern side of the ranges does not suffer the Melbourne “four seasons” syndrome but is instead fed by warmer weather that comes from the north, northwest or west thus is shielded from the colder southern half of Victoria.
        I currently live in northern Victoria between the NSW border and the northern edge of the ranges where I live in an insulated dwelling. The dwelling bodes me well, two years ago I only had to use the lounge heater 13 or so times over the winter period and about the same for the air-cooler in the summer period. But now the weather is weirdly different, I only had to use the heater only twice last summer and the same for the cooler in winter before that. A big huge saving on energy bills!.
        I’m thinking of going further in moving to the Loddon shire which has the cheapest rates in Victoria (and possibly Australia) in terms of the costs of living. Being in the Campaspe shire which is right next door to Loddon shire, it would be my final quest. I love the weather in northern Victoria where you only wear a jumper or a coat for two and a half months in winter on average.
        Whenever I think of the UK weather I get the Brrrrrr syndrome. As for the UK rates that you described, along with the weather alone I would have to call it the no-go zone.
        But I do like many things concerning England, even the Brits’ English tongue accent especially spoken by Londoners.

        • Mark April 12, 2017, 12:31 pm |

          Yes apologies Col I didnt mean to turn your rates into a weather post…The Melbourne weather suits us fine and I do believe globally we are seeing a massive change in weather patterns frequently now in UK April and May is better than June July and August can be a washout quite literally…We have seen 40 = in Melbourne both this year and last Well my car dash registered that and yes its hot but being coastal still humidly breathable,
          As bob said I was working on a £1 to $2 rate…My coucil tax bill being £2900 in 2014 2015 I have copied and pasted this years bills for you …Grab a coffee and a sit down before you read them..the firts figure is the property’s valuation done in 1991 and never updated. this year id be paying £2604 9as our house was valued at 168K in 1991 and at £$ rates when I left app $5250 , nowadays app $4400 and for that they empty the trash once a fortnight.
          A £40,000 or less £1,041.77
          B £40,001 to £52,000 £1,215.39
          C £52,001 to £68,000 £1,389.03
          D £68,001 to £88,000 £1,562.65
          E £88,001 to £120,000 £1,909.91
          F £120,001 to £160,000 £2,257.15
          G £160,001 to £320,000 £2,604.42
          H £320,001 and over £3,125.30 ,

          As an irony my bosses house worth around 25 million in fashionable Kensington Chelsea in UK I have just paid his council tax bill. (Its part of my job) and its less than mine was. The average council tax in UK is a worse equation than using the median house price here in Aus …look at Liverpool and Westminster here sheer and utter lunacy..
          http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/council-tax-cheaper-millionaires-london-10888587

  • Shivani December 7, 2016, 6:26 am |

    Hello Bob and everyone
    We would like to know how is Shepparton in terms of living, housing etc. How are the schools especially Goulburn Valley Grammar School.

    • BobinOz December 7, 2016, 7:18 pm |

      All I know about Shepparton is that it’s a dairy town, I drove through it on the way back from my road trip in 2009…

      https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/282/time-to-head-back-to-brisbane/

      What it’s really like though, and what the school is like, I have no idea. Hopefully somebody who does will read your comment sometime soon and give you an answer.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Rohit November 30, 2016, 1:49 pm |

    Hi Bob and everyone

    I am shifting from Adelaide to Melbourne next week. I got a job in Melbourne city. I am looking for a suburb nearest to the city with good connectivity and good schools around as my daughter will be starting her kindies in coming January.
    Help in this regard is highly appreciated.

    • Mark November 30, 2016, 3:01 pm |

      There are many places I can suggest but whether they will fit you budget and what your after is another matter Budget ? How far commute ? and connectivity ? trains bus car ? Its far bigger than Adelaide

      • Rohit November 30, 2016, 5:42 pm |

        Thanks Mark
        I am looking for a 2 room apartment. Can afford around 300-350 per week. I prefer public transport for traveling.
        Cheers.

        • Mark November 30, 2016, 8:49 pm |

          Ok well for my own personal view of this i’d stay east side and look at areas down the Sandringham train line which will give you easy access to the city So Windsor Prahan Ripponlea and so on Elsternwick would be my favourite here There are other areas such as Aberfeldie and its near neighbour Essendon, in fact anywhere around there I am trying to steer you clear of what areas have a higher than the average crime rate. and also some decent schools Hope this helps

          • Rohit November 30, 2016, 8:51 pm |

            Thanks Mark
            Appreciate your help.
            Cheers!!!

      • Col B April 18, 2017, 7:59 pm |

        Lots of Tramways in the inner and semi-inner suburbs that go to and from the Melbourne CBD as well.

    • Danny Willey May 12, 2020, 2:10 am |

      Are you on WhatsApp so I can send you some pics of the locations here?? Thanks

  • Sammie August 1, 2016, 11:30 pm |

    Can anybody tell me if there is an active country music scene in Melbourne, its suburbs or regional Victoria?
    We need to live no more than 2 hours drive from the large children’s hospital in North Melbourne (can’t remember the name right now)
    We would like to live in a quieter area…small town …rather than inner city suburbs.
    Thanks

    • BobinOz August 2, 2016, 5:28 pm |

      Well, hopefully a local will give you a better reply than I can, but I’d be shocked if there wasn’t a country music scene in Melbourne; it has a bustling nightlife and music scene, possibly the best in all Australia.

      Tamworth, in New South Wales, is known (I think) as the country music capital of Australia, so that might be worth checking out.

      • Col B April 11, 2017, 12:57 pm |

        There are country music venues in and around Melbourne….
        Hallam Hotel, Vic
        Hallam Hotel has also been supporting travelling country singers for years and is always a go to venue on any Australian country singers tour.
        They have loads of country gigs coming up and are friendly, atmospheric and most importantly vibey.

        York On Lilydale, Vic
        Another fantastic venue to play and they have live music all the time.
        It’s a definite stop for me on all my Victoria tour runs and I just love the area as well.

        The Gateway Hotel, Geelong, Vi
        I always love playing in Geelong as they seem to have a large country fan base that are passionate and every time I go through town I play in this venue.
        It’s great for country music and they host loads of acts all year round.

        The Palais Theatre, St.Kilda.
        The theatre sometimes showcases live well-known Aussie and international country music acts.

  • Lucy July 16, 2016, 7:22 pm |

    Firstly, I LOVE this website – it is so good!
    Secondly, please help… I am currently in the UK but I’m emigrating to Australia in January. I currently work at Leeds General Infirmary as a Radiographer and I want to live a similar life style when I get to Australia. I want to work in a large trauma hospital but I also want to be near a beach. Do you have any recommendations of where to go? I’m between Melbourne and Sydney but I am open to other places if you know of any!

    Thanks 🙂
    Lucy

    • BobinOz July 18, 2016, 2:20 pm |

      Thanks Lucy, glad you like it.

      I don’t know Sydney Melbourne so well, I live up here in Brisbane. I can’t think you would have any problem finding a large hospital to work in that is close to the beach though, simply because we have plenty of beach.

      If you are looking up my way, for example, there is a large hospital in Nambour which will give you really easy access to the beaches on the Sunshine Coast and there is also a big hospital on the Gold Coast which would be close to the beaches there.

      So I’m sure there would be lots of hospitals near beaches in both Sydney and Melbourne areas.

    • Mark July 21, 2016, 8:26 pm |

      Hi Lucy There arent lots of big hospitals in Melbourne there is also one down in Frankston right by the sea almost Have a chat to colleagues in UK many will have been. My Brother in law did this hes gas and air man and has and still does work at Leeds GI now and again but hes alos teaching now Hull and York. he went to Wollongong in the end but after being back in UK is now hlooking at Canada I believe His wife I think found the summer just to hot. Each the there own. Id be tempted to chat to colleagues and even apply for jobs it may help your descision . Good luck whatever you decide though Ill guarantee you wont have a similar lifetsyle to Leeds youll be outside more you wont be flooded and so on lol
      Cheers Mark

  • Kourtney June 26, 2016, 8:22 pm |

    Hi, I am planning to move in Melb Victoria from SA. Since job here quiet hard to find. I am a Facilities Engineer. I’ve been handling building maintenance, commercial/property. I think i have a bigger opportunity in Melb compared to SA.

    • BobinOz June 26, 2016, 11:34 pm |

      I don’t know for sure, but yes, I would think so. I know that the employment situation in SA is quite dire at the moment. Hopefully though, somebody will be able to give you a more specific answer than I have.

      • Kourtney June 27, 2016, 12:37 am |

        Yeah! Hopefully. Just like to ask about the rentals there. Is it possible to get a place where we can stay. Like 3 bedroom and 2 bath? Where is the place to live? Is it west, east or south? Thanks again mate! Cheers!

        • BobinOz June 27, 2016, 11:41 pm |

          Check out the comments on my page about Melbourne, there’s lots of chat there about the suburbs and where to live. Feel free to ask your question there as well, quite a few people who know Melbourne well have been very helpful in those comments. Good luck, Bob

  • Ralph May 24, 2016, 5:57 pm |

    I would like to ask for some advice on moving to regional victoria. Ive been currently living in Sydney for the past 4 years and now looking to move there because it is the requirement of my new visa. Kindly please advice me on where is the cheapest place to rent as well as which region is close to the cbd so i can get a job. Thanks very much.

    • BobinOz May 26, 2016, 12:15 am |

      Which CBD do you want to be close to? You might want to look at the specifications of your new visa, just to check whether all you need to do is live regionally or whether you need to live AND work regionally.

      What I’m saying is, there’s no point in living close to Sydney in what is designated as a ‘regional area’ so that you can get a job in Sydney if the visa stipulates that you must also work regionally. If you can let us know, maybe me or somebody else here can help you out.

      • Ralph May 29, 2016, 2:47 pm |

        Sorry, you misunderstood me. I, currently reside in sydney but, has to move to regional victoria. I am not to sure about the clause but, just to be on the safe side, if i were to move in victoria regionally, what region will give me a better chance of getting a mechanical engineering job?

        Thank you so much you are doing a beautiful job here.

  • Colin K April 27, 2016, 9:21 am |

    When you say Victoria is the most crowded State in Australia, it is worth noting it still has 1/10th the population density of the UK.

    Adding to the ‘Mexicans’ discussion, I grew up in Sydney and had never heard the term there. But when I lived in Bega on the Far South Coast of NSW for a while, it was used regularly. So its use may depend on how close one lives to the border.

    • BobinOz April 27, 2016, 5:07 pm |

      Yes, it certainly is worth mentioning. As I have also said, Victoria is bigger than England and Scotland put together, and the population of those two is something like 58 million the moment. And you might just be onto something about the ‘Mexicans’ thing, that would make sense. Cheers, Bob

  • Ryan March 2, 2016, 3:32 pm |

    In a few years I am looking to move, as a math and possibly physics teacher, to Australia. By that time I expect to have two kids with my wife. We currently live in the northern United States. We’d prefer to move near Melbourne, as my research (including time on this site, thank you!) indicates its weather is the closest to our home state. Does anyone recommend a family-friendly, but still relatively free-spirited area in or around Melbourne for us to aim for or look specifically at first?
    Thanks all

    • Thijs March 2, 2016, 3:37 pm |

      Hi Ryan,

      Fairfield is a very family-friendly suburb! Heaps and heaps and… HEAPS of families with young children. All the cafes and venues are very child-friendly, and there’s lot of green areas and huge parklands within walking distances in about every direction.

      As to free-spirited: you’ll find that the whole of Melbourne fits that description rather nicely. 😉 I’m not sure how free-spirited your current living environment is, but chances are you’ll be experiencing quite an upgrade in free-spirited-ness when moving to and living in or around Melbourne in general!

      Cheers,
      Thijs

      • Thijs March 2, 2016, 3:39 pm |

        Oh yeah, because I forgot to mention: about every one or two parks also comes with a playground. 🙂

    • Bella April 27, 2016, 3:59 pm |

      Lots of artists/academics/progressive types types live in the inner north. I reckon you’d like it! Try Coburg or Preston for a more affordable house, or Brunswick or Thornbury if you can afford it. You won’t even need a car unless you really want one.

  • Thijs February 25, 2016, 5:26 pm |

    As to the wildly debated “Mexicans” statement: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mexican+%28Australia%29

    So it’s a fact that’s deprecated since more than 20 years now. Time to move on, people.

    • BobinOz February 25, 2016, 6:15 pm |

      And this is what the Macquarie Dictionary has to say.

      I’m really not sure why this thing seems to be causing so many problems on this page. It’s light-hearted, I have posted nicknames on every other state page, including banana benders, cockroaches, sand gropers and worse, I can’t remember anybody else complaining on those pages. The fact that you have found reference to Victorians being referred to as Mexicans, no matter how dated, means it does exist and I didn’t make it up.

      Would the good people of Victoria be happier if I used ‘Cabbage Patchers’ or ‘Gum Suckers’ as preferred by the Australian Geographic instead of Mexicans?

      • Col B April 12, 2017, 1:23 pm |

        Heh heh, when l was a kid, I was there when I once heard a joke from a poop-bin collector telling my father in our driveway back in the early 1960’s, he said that “Look at a map of Australia. Melbourne sits on top of the rectum that is Port Phillip Bay, so when Melbourne is having a crap through it and out through the narrow sphincter gap known as ‘The Rip’, you can see that Tasmania is the crap that came out of it!”.
        Now please don’t have a go at me. There’s nuffin’ wrong wif tellin’ y’all wot foul language somebody else said.

        • BobinOz April 12, 2017, 6:33 pm |

          Well, I’ve just consulted with the PC Bible, and yes, this comment is acceptable. Under section 17 clause C subsection III ‘Any relating of a story that came from the 60s is not subject to same stringent Political Correctness of today and is expected to contain slightly contentious language as that was how things were back then.’

          Your good 🙂

  • satery January 28, 2016, 5:44 am |

    hey folks,
    How this state looks for leaving, What is leaving cost…Is it good for IT guys

  • furqan September 8, 2015, 4:58 pm |

    Dear Bob,
    i am furqan and i recently got the PR visa. could you please help me find temporary furnished residence for 1st few weeks of my arrival. i have family of 5 member (3 kids and wife). i will be travelling to Melbourne in 2nd week of October, 2015

  • Joe Beloch November 4, 2014, 12:42 am |

    Victorians do not refer to themselves as Mexicans. This is only used by ignorant New South Wales people.

    • BobinOz November 4, 2014, 4:27 pm |

      Would they be the same ‘ignorant’ New South Wales people who you Victorians refer to as ‘cockroaches’? By the way, I haven’t suggested anywhere on this page that Victorians refer to themselves as Mexicans.

      • Col B. December 2, 2014, 2:53 pm |

        l lived in Sydney for a while & met a lot of people. Told them where l hailed from & l’ve not heard them say ” Mexican” nor have l ever heard the term relating to any Victorians as “Mexicans”. In fact l’ve never heard of that term in my life. The same goes to “Cockroaches” of which l live in Victoria (& has been for most of my life) & not ever heard or read of such reference pertaining to NSW people from any Victorian people. Your site is the only place l’ve ever heard of either terms. Did you make those terms up in order to start a new foundation for interstate name-calling? lol.

        • Col B. December 2, 2014, 3:02 pm |

          No, l don’t mean did you make those up, my bad. l overlooked. It was a commenter or two. Well l’ve got news to those commenter(s). Neither terms will catch on because they’re only restricted to this comments site or other comments sites not related to Bob’n Oz..

          • BobinOz December 2, 2014, 6:51 pm |

            Ha ha, I tell you what Col, I wish I had made it up, I’d be quite proud of myself if I had. I didn’t though, and as I think you’ve seen, there are mentions to these terms on other websites but I have two agree with you 100%, nobody really seems to use these names anywhere.

            I’ve now lived in Queensland for seven years and nobody has called me a cane toad, called me many other things, but not a cane toad. Similarly I’ve not heard anybody refer to any other person from any other state using these terms either, it appears to simply not be a thing.

            When I first made these state pages, I thought it would be a good idea to include these things, I’m beginning to find out it wasn’t so great. Created a lot of discussion though 🙂

            By the way, I can offer you pictoral proof that NSWers can be known as cockroaches and those from QLD as cane toads, if you visit my page about State of Origin and take a look at the picture of the two mascots having a mock fight before the game, you will see what I mean.

            Cheers, Bob

            • Col B. December 2, 2014, 10:53 pm |

              Thanks, Bob. l’ll take a look at the two mascots socking each other, l like fun things. Cheers.

              • BobinOz December 3, 2014, 1:43 pm |

                I’m sure the cane toad won 🙂

      • Brendan October 20, 2015, 12:01 pm |

        Honestly Bob, being born and living in Australia for around 20 years now, I have not heard anybody here call anybody either “Mexicans” or “Cockroaches” before. I’m not entirely sure where you even found this out. Can I ask where you did? I’m just not sure it’s a reliable source for your blog and I think this blog’s great and just want you to not be unintentionally spreading around false information.

        • BobinOz October 20, 2015, 4:49 pm |

          Brendan, firstly, I do have to agree with you in as much as these nicknames are very rarely used. I do have to admit, I’ve never heard anybody use any of these expressions in my day-to-day life and I’ve been here eight years now.

          That said, these nicknames are about and I think they date back over 100 years. I can actually provide you with pictoral evidence if you visit a post I made about State of Origin. You will see a picture of the two team mascots, one is a cockroach on the other is a cane toad for NSW/Queensland respectively. You can see it here…

          https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/1483/its-all-happening-in-queensland/

          I can’t remember exactly where I got these names from originally, but I did research it, it was all there online somewhere, I didn’t make it up 🙂 Wish I had though, that would have been even funnier.

          Cheers, Bob

          • mike October 27, 2015, 4:11 pm |

            oh come on , u should be thanking bob , not trivially with no logic or australian sense of humor at all , u jumping on a great author as if u waiting for some slight thing to prove yourselves ! professional authors always squeeze happy distractions and jokes , or create them , just to add some fun and readers not get bored with one color or one subject , thats professionalism , and not as u falsely accusing without having any shame or values what so ever as i gathered from only reading a couple of the first comments , so now u are teaching him manners ! or educating him , ok show us you two what general knowledge you have about your country , no need , i can tell from your intellect u cant have any knowledge of anything important or further than ur noses , i truly guess so
            what a drama ! mexicans and cockroaches , are you going to cry now because u creatively joyfully u were called mexicans ohhhhh
            thats negative people who are no where near the standard of positive constructive ones

            • Thijs October 27, 2015, 4:21 pm |

              Hey Mike,

              Chill man, breathe… 🙂 Re-read Brendan’s post: he’s not criticizing Bob’s writing, but just wondering about some facts and kindly inquiring about the sources. You’ll also find that Brendan stated that he thinks this blog is great. So all he did, was genuinely care about the quality of the information, with the sole intent of supporting the blog. He took the effort to write the comment, only to help improve the information.

              Now go grab a beer or something and cool down a bit; summer’s gonna be a scorcher already, so no need for extra heat. 😉

              Cheers,
              Thijs

        • Mad Mastermind May 28, 2016, 8:40 am |

          You obviously don’t get out much, because EVERYONE knows…
          QLD are Pumpkinheads or Banana Benders
          NSW are Cockroaches
          VIC are Mexicans
          SA are Croweaters
          WA are Sandgropers
          TAS are Taswegians
          NT are Mental
          ACT is not actually a real place.

        • Col B April 12, 2017, 1:46 pm |

          We “Mexicans” are proud and better than the central American Mexicans.
          We don’t wear those wide-brimmed hats and we don’t wear ponchos.
          We don’t live in a cactus desert and we don’t have “Chupacabras”.

          We are a big food-bowl and a helluva lot richer than them. Tee hee.

      • Mr C May 16, 2016, 1:51 pm |

        Mexicans, cockroachs, banana benders/cane toads, crow eaters, sandgrophers whatever state you are from you have a nick name that has been used since the beginning of terra Nulius. Note I said ‘state’ does not include territories or island attachments such as Tasmania and New Zealand. Enjoy your nick name

  • Kamma November 2, 2014, 7:37 pm |

    I love how I come here to see if anyone has anything to say about some of the towns around Victoria, and everyone is just talking about Ned Kelly. 😀 Well, not everyone, obviously, but not a lot of town-talk going on.

    So, do anyone have any towns they’d recommend? Anyone have anything to say about Apollo Bay and surrounds? I think it looks like a small slice of heaven, but what do I know?

    • BobinOz November 3, 2014, 5:33 pm |

      I’ll leave this one to the people of Victoria, anybody?

      • Col B. December 2, 2014, 5:50 pm |

        l’m researching real estate & the costs of living of each local government shires or councils of Victoria. Because l’m getting a house & land inheritance, l would keep myself informed & up to date of each rural open areas, villages, towns & provincial cities & see what they have to offer in terms of affordability living, in the case l move house to another place.

        Please bear in mind l’m a pensioner, a poor man, whatever.
        l seek somewhere that’ll be just right for my living standards.

        When l chose to match the price of a house & property somewhere that is the same as my yet to be inherited house & property (currently $170,000), l’d chose to live in an open rural area, village or small town preferably any place where there’s peace & quiet & its surrounding has abundant trees, has a running river, creek or regional canal all good enough for fishing or swimming, be at least around 30 mins driving/public transport distance of a major 5,000+ populated town or regional city where everything is affordable like large supermarket(s), hardware store(s), auto related businesses, (the list can go on & on) & that there is a regional hospital, clinic or health care center in it as well. A dental center that accepts government pensioner health cards, (this list can also go on & on), then that will be the likeliest place l’d chose as long as the shire/council costs are lower than most others. l also take into account cable or optic fiber internet access. Electricity access, rainfall average etc etc etc.

        Up to date, the cheapest houses & lands with all of the above taken into considerations are in the north eastern part of the West Wimmera Shire, the southern part of the Hindmarsh Shire & the southern part of the Yariambiack shires are all in the proximity of the major regional town of Horsham (pop: 12,000+).

        Other shires & their major towns taken into considerations are:
        Central Goldfields Shire: Maryborough (pop: 8,000+).

        The southern half of the Pyrenees Shire: Stawell (pop: 6,000+) & Ararat (pop: 8,000+). (Note: Both these major towns are altogether situated in two other shires)

        The southwestern part of the Loddon Shire: Bendigo Pop: (82,700+) This city is in an adjoining shire.
        .
        All NAMED Shires above have the lowest council rates.

        And there you have it. l’ll update after the next council hikes. Cheers!.

        • BobinOz December 2, 2014, 7:39 pm |

          Great round up Col, you’ve obviously done some hefty research. I had a quick look at some of those areas and property prices are pretty good as well, in fact excellent when compared to the prices in our major cities.

          And if you find any of them do have a fast broadband Internet connection, then you’d be better off than I am and I live in a suburb of Brisbane! I’m only getting about 8 Mbps.

          Thanks for keeping us in the loop, hope you find somewhere suitable very soon.

          Cheers, Bob

        • Col B. December 3, 2014, 6:40 am |

          While council hikes isn’t occurring until mid next year, l’ll run a comparison on rural & Metropolitan Melbourne average shire council rates per annum.

          There are 78 shires in Victoria with average council rates ranging between the cheapest (Monash Shire in Melb Metropolitan at $1320) & the most expensive (City Of Melbourne Shire at $2,360).

          Now isn’t that weird?

          Nillumbik Shire (Melb Metropolitan) at $2,319 comes in as the second most expensive in Victoria.

          The most expensive RURAL shire is Strathbogie in north-central Victoria at $2,137 comes in as the 3rd most expensive in the state.

          Other shires over $2,000 are: Marybyrnong (Melb Metropolitan) & Wodonga (north eastesn Victoria).

          Close behind at $1900 – 1,999 are as follows:

          Mildura (rural north western vic).
          Ararat (rural western vic)
          Corangamite (rural south west vic)
          Swan Hill (northwest vic)
          Surf Coast (south west vic)
          Baw Baw (northern Gippsland)
          Boroondara (Melb Metropolitan)

          Shires at $1,800 – 1,899 are as follows:

          Macedon Ranges (rural central vic)
          Yarra (Melb Metropolitan)

          Shires at $1,700 – 1,799 are as follows:

          Glenelg (rural southwest vic)
          Horsham (rural western vic)
          Ballarat (rural western vic)
          Moorabool (rural western vic)
          Wyndham (Melb Metropolitan)
          Alpine (rural high country eastern vic)
          Mitchell (rural central vic)
          Yarra Ranges (part Melb Metropolitan – rural central vic)
          Cardinia (Melb Metropolitan)
          South Gippsland (rural Gippsland vic)
          Moonee Valley (Melb Metropolitan)
          Manningham (Melb Metropolitan)
          Bayside (Melb Metropolitan)

          That’s just 24 0f the most expensive shires so far. l’ll be back later to continue the run down the ladder in Part Two towards the cheapest.
          Note: l cannot find data available for nine out of the 78 shires for the complete rundown.
          Cheers for now, l’m sleepy. Yawwwwwwnnnn….

          • BobinOz December 3, 2014, 1:52 pm |

            Take it easy Col, you’re working too hard 🙂 It’s good work though, certainly very useful information for anyone considering moving to Victoria. There are some huge differences in some of those councils rates, quite astonishing.

            Certainly worth taking these figures into account when choosing somewhere to live in the area.

            Cheers, Bob

        • Al February 24, 2016, 7:06 pm |

          You are looking at some pretty hot dried out places there Colb . Prices are low but the happiest people living there would mostly have been born to it. I repeat MOSTLY cos there are always the exception. If your tough and can stand the heat dust and loneliness of being new in town you will do ok. Also Very high country shire rates would be due to large rural land holdings.

          • Col B April 12, 2017, 2:29 pm |

            I don’t mind really. I’ve lived on my own in the peaceful middle of nowhere for a very long time without feeling lonely anyway and l love it. I practiced T’ai Chi (a meditation and martial arts type) for two decades so it bodes me well but l’m a very friendly person who helps others occasionally like in charity work and such.
            Urban living is not for me because l don’t much take to crowded areas except when l drive to town or a regional city each fortnight for supplies and maybe the occasional appointments.
            Being a low profile sort of person, l don’t mind the occasional socializing.
            I do kind of like the landscapes of the areas I mentioned and the weather at these areas are to my likings just right for me, and it all fits in greatly in terms of the low costs of living.
            All up, l will have it no other way.

            • Col B April 13, 2017, 4:50 am |

              A national survey was conducted last year on “Where do Australia’s happiest people live?”….http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/happiest-electorates/7482380….. Look at the map of Australian electorates, the smiley faces tells you where the happiest people lives.
              You’ll find the people living in the Victorian electorate seats of Murray and Mallee are respectively ranked second and third happiest in Australia in terms of well being, that is:
              1. Standard of living
              2. Health
              3. Relationships
              4. What they are achieving in life
              5. Safety
              6. Community connection
              7. Future security

              Check it out, a good read too.

    • Col B. December 2, 2014, 10:41 pm |

      l’ve been to Apollo Bay for a week. Accommodation cost in the mid-range at a caravan park. Has some shopping, food is expensive there. The town doesn’t look at all like paradise, not as picturesque as much as l liked, My stay was cold light winds & constant showers, fogs, not one dry day was warm in the second half of spring. The area has one of the highest rainfalls in the state. The 3 km long beach is safe & popular in summer. It is a quieter & more peaceful town for tourists than either Torquay or Lorne which are also on the long narrow winding Great Ocean Road.

      To live there would not be a good idea unless you are in the higher income bracket like, for example, other than the earnings of an unskilled laborer. If you can afford your car tyres to wear out in a very shorter time & constantly changing between 2nd & 3rd gears all the way through the steep mountain range & its coast which means higher fuel/lpg usage on this long narrow tight winding Great Ocean Road in either direction of the town. then you’ll find you have to fork out a hefty sum of money to keep ahead. Petrol station prices are among the highest in victoria around there, especially for new tyres as well. l mentioned that shopping there is expensive, add that on top of it all.

      Apollo Bay is 1 hr 17 mins via a turn off to another long steep winding road that go over the middle of the Otway Ranges & out to the major town of Colac (pop: 10,000+). Or you can opt to go 2 hours drive along the G.O.R north-east to the provincial city of Geelong. Or a 2hrs 27 mins drive along the G.O.R westward to Warrnambool (pop: 34,000+). Regards.

      • Col B. December 3, 2014, 4:37 am |

        May l add: From Apollo Bay, you can also take a 1 hr 52 mins drive northeast along the G.O.R coast to Apollo Bay’s closest major town of Ocean Grove-Barwon Heads (pop: 14,000+).

        • BobinOz December 3, 2014, 1:42 pm |

          Yes, I’ve driven through Apollo Bay and although I did not stop in the actual town, I stopped nearby to take a look at those Twelve Apostles. Out of all the places I’ve been to in all of Australia, and I’ve been to every major city bar two up till now plus quite a few nonmajor cities, it was the worst place ever for being plagued by flies.

          Bush flies covering my back, face, everywhere, maybe 20 flies at a time. I do know that this isn’t how it always is and that these flies can get blown in sporadically, but they were there all the same. We stayed for three days in Warrnambool (no flies) and although it was the middle of summer, it was 16° each day. In fairness though, the day before we arrived, it was 36°.

          I think that’s a bit of Victoria for you.

          • Col B. December 4, 2014, 3:40 am |

            Heh heh… l used to visit some mates in Timboon not far from the Apostles every November over 5 years. l tell you the first year was just a fly or two, none the next, plague the next but just a few in subsequent years. l think it got to do with the winds varied directions.
            There’s a lot of cow poo across all of southwestern Victoria, it’s where most of the milk in the state are produced. The winds pushes the young fles far across the farm regions until they’re dispersed or when another wind collides head on, this disperses them too.
            A plague would be the result of a strong wind pushing young flies across the farm region as two other winds on either side of said fly-ridden wind are traveling in the same direction but ever slightly inwards, squashing in the middle fly-ridden wind. When this action dies down, that is where a compact plague is.
            Yes, it’s sporadic.

            • BobinOz December 5, 2014, 9:33 pm |

              I think you are spot on Col and I’m glad it is sporadic. If ever I had to live in a place where flies were like that all the time, well, I simply wouldn’t live in that place anymore. I found it totally overwhelming, no fun at all.

              In Brisbane we hardly get any flies at all, another reason why I like it so much here. I think we are all on the side of the dung beetle 🙂

          • Col B. December 18, 2014, 12:37 pm |

            Gympie (QLD) is my favorite Queensland destination. Though it’s a tad inland from the coast, it’s a wonderful place to do shopping. It has a big dirt cheap variety store called Crazy Joe’s that has everything & is more than just a variety store. There’s an ALDI store & more. l went to nearby Tin Can Bay where l got close to friendly Dolphins & when it’s feeding time you’re allowed to feed them by hand & you can pat them, all under the guide of the park ranger’s assistants. l could go to more details about Gympie & its surroundings but it’s numerous. If ever l’d live in QLD, Gympie would be my No. 1 choice even though floods of the Mary river periodically floods the lower parts of the city. Check it out.

      • Kamma December 13, 2014, 8:13 pm |

        Thanks, Col. That’s an informative thumbs down for Apollo Bay, and southwestern Victoria in general, I dare say. I’ll be looking East and perhaps a tad further north in the future. Any place you’d recommend in that direction?

        • Col B. December 15, 2014, 10:53 am |

          Kamma, try MALLACOOTA (2011 population census: 1,032) in far east Gippsland. It’s a lovely coastal town situated on & near the mouth of a large inlet. It has the warmest winter in the state as well as a cool breeze in summer.
          As l’ve travelled & camped all along the Victorian coastline starting from the South Australia border to the NSW border for decades, even though MALLACOOTA was the last ever coastal place in the state for me to discover, it turned out to be my most favored destination ever after all. l then lived there not long after for 2 years (though l then had to move away to look after my ailing mother (and l am still) in northern Victoria).

    • Mad Mastermind May 28, 2016, 8:42 am |

      Apollo Bay overpriced fashion victim

  • John V. January 10, 2014, 6:08 pm |

    Sad news which could have been avoided!
    Rips at beaches appear in the center of a circular bay, with water incoming, and the water draining in the center. This causes the current that drag people into the water. Swim sideways to the current to get out, not into the current, . Too many people try to fight the current….You cant.
    British man dies at Burrill Beach while trying to rescue sons
    A British tourist has died while attempting to rescue his two sons at a beach in southern New South Wales.
    The 46-year-old man was in the surf with his sons at Burrill Beach, near Ulladulla, when they appeared to get caught in a rip around noon today.
    The man went to their aid, but also got caught in a rip and suffered a cardiac arrest while in the water.

    • BobinOz January 13, 2014, 1:48 pm |

      Yes, very sad. People talk about sharks, but it is actually the ocean itself that should be feared the most. Always swim between the flags, that’s what I advise.

  • John V. January 9, 2014, 4:32 pm |

    Those Queensland “anti Victorian” travel agencies appear to be posting here….
    http://www.au.timeout.com/melbourne/aroundtown/features/2015/top-5-beaches

    • BobinOz January 10, 2014, 1:56 pm |

      Good timing John, I’m going to be in Melbourne for a holiday the week after next. Elizabeth can enjoy those beaches, I’ll be looking for those great pubs dotting the area 🙂

      • John V. January 10, 2014, 2:22 pm |

        Yeah I have spies everywhere…..Wave to me as you go over Wangaratta. Its right in the flight path….. ..
        ..Go past Brighton and enjoy the other beaches on that side of the bay. Parking will be sparse unless you get there early. and a kite for the kids on the beach….Those Melbourne parking inspectors are ex Limeys…and dont have a sense of fair play….but neither did I but that is another story…and I’m working on that as well….Bring plenty of change for the damn meters in central Melbourne district…..Its over populated. Play spot the Aussie at the train station….great game…

  • John V. January 9, 2014, 12:45 pm |

    Just picked this up regarding beaches. Victorian beaches are better than some European beaches, and the temperatures are great in summer, close to the city and enclose a bay called Port Philip bay. This is a large bay with good fishing most times, not quite so good for surfing, but it has its moments.
    Great pubs dot the areas surrounding the bay and beaches. Irish Poms and all other pubs are located in the city, where eating houses restaurants are renowned for their continental cuisine.
    Until you’ve lived there and experienced the nightlife etc you will miss out on a great part of Australia.. Pls bring bucket loads of money. You may need it….

  • denise December 1, 2013, 10:19 pm |

    Well back to the subject of Victoria. Its just like nsw, qld, wa, tas, act, and the northern territory. Except there is less desert, more rain, plenty of bushfires and of course Melbourne the capital where most new comers will end up for work related reasons have beaches that are low quality compared to perth, brisbane and sydney. The suburbs sprawl ever outward and house prices are pretty unaffordable. Melbourne has been credited with being the most livable city in the world but I think that would be for corporates who can afford inner city residences. What suburb or regional area you choose to live in will affect how you experience Victoria. There are plenty of cultural, educational and recreational opportunities if you don’t live too far out in the burbs. In the end it is the people you meet or already know that will affect your experience though.

    • BobinOz December 2, 2013, 10:59 pm |

      I’ll take that as a thumbs down for Melbourne then Denise.
      🙂

  • Snortbrick July 9, 2013, 6:00 am |

    Also brings in the whole other plethora diesel and beef of what do you eat when you’ve been on macro diet for 14 years. I wonder if the springs will reverse my stomach and alleviate the stomach probs?

    • BobinOz July 10, 2013, 5:53 pm |

      Yeah, why not, it is paradise here after all 🙂

      • Snortbrick July 11, 2013, 7:39 pm |

        Thanks Bob.Know exactly where your coming from with your European thoughts. I Love Europe and it’s many varying landscapes- customs and rich history. We are after all cut from the rich fabric of our ancestral continent. To be able to fly into Schiphol or hop on a plane to Charles de Gaul and be in a foreign palatial postcard within an hour is an Aussies dream. Only last week i was watching Day of the jackal. I have for so long dreampt of tormented romantic notion that so plagued me watching this film. Twisting around the the dry sun baked southern french countryside in my Alfa romeo spider,cravat reassuringly soaking up the excess from my drooling mouth after snaffling a swig of vermooth as i floor the alfa through the forest road. Only the canopy of the forest between me and heaven… But who needs to see heaven above?

        • BobinOz July 12, 2013, 3:10 pm |

          I think you really do snort bricks 🙂 Love your imagination, cheers mate!

          Bob

          • Snortbrick July 12, 2013, 7:13 pm |

            No thank you ,Bob. Your a fantastic testament to the true spirit of internet. Advice given or offered on the internet by money making companies in relation to making a move abroad is not accurate, or even perceived objective resource. Therefore, your site is an invaluable knowledge base, a fantastic tool for possibly one of the biggest decisions an individual or family can make other than consulting family or friends who already live there.

            I mean i abhore the permissive society; bloody pot dodgers, barnstormers and the like! But how do they operate, these dogging clubs over there with the old kangaroo’s and the wombats jumping about all over the place?

            • BobinOz July 15, 2013, 8:17 pm |

              Well, you lost me with the second paragraph, but thank you for your comments in the first, much appreciated 🙂

              Cheers, Bob

  • Snortbrick July 9, 2013, 5:20 am |

    Thanks fellas

    Done a few small documentary’s and thought i was quids in with the old Drop bear there. Would have certainly been a few night’s adventure for the lads had it been real. Nothing like kicking the door open and seeing the look in your woman’s breath taken away with a worthy advisory on the end of a pike.

  • Snortbrick July 8, 2013, 9:39 pm |

    Thanks for the info there ,Fellas!

    Can’t be having done with the old Irish bars though, Bob. Drives me nuts all that sweaty ginger speeding violin stuff! Anything with a 70’s/80’s British rail type feel to it over there?

    • John V. July 8, 2013, 11:38 pm |

      Re Drop bears. Stay away from the bush, speak in an Aussie accent and youl’l be fine. As for Irish music, we sent some of dem fiddlers down to Tassie. It killed all the Tassie tigers and drop bears sorta died out from lack of sleep, looking for them. There were their favorite food. British rail type feel? Even better, we have Indian train drivers and taxi drivers. .. and mostly Yorkshire Union leaders and the Labor party. You will feel right at home…We even have the English Queen….

      • BobinOz July 9, 2013, 1:48 am |

        Snortbrick

        Drop Bears are only found in Victoria, inside John’s head! I think you’ll find our cities are a good deal less violent than many of those UK cities you’ve probably experienced it in, you’ll also get the hang of the beer, so I reckon you should give it a go. Bob

  • Snortbrick July 8, 2013, 9:31 pm |

    Dear me, these Drop Bears seem a bit nasty. TBH the very reason i was wanting to move to OZ is to get away from the weekend city centre violence.

  • John V. July 8, 2013, 7:26 pm |

    Bob know nothing about coolants. Vic Bitter is great to put in your cars radiator, and is cheaper than the glycol they sell you at exorbitant prices. It fixes stop start driving, and plugs cylinder head leaks. If you ask the indigenous people here, they will tell you about its qualities. They even line the local creeks with the empties as some kind of a tribute, but unfortunately that last great flood washed them away. No doubt they will endeavor to double their efforts to redo what the flood undid, chanting the great Vic bitter anthem.

    • BobinOz July 9, 2013, 1:06 am |

      Ah, yes, that makes sense, pour yer VB in to your rad. I know it would be good for something 🙂

  • John V. July 8, 2013, 1:25 pm |

    Lots of beer. On Friday night, we swim in it, and surf nude. ( Too much information? ) Except the Guiness, we prefer Victoria bitter. But I’ll let you look at this beer pages, after all theyre the experts it seems http://www.significantbit.com/Beer/
    I konw you will want to come to beer paradise….but watch out for the dropbears.They can smell a Pom a mile off and do some terribly damage….Especailly if he drinks Guiness….
    http://australianmuseum.net.au/Drop-Bear

  • Snortbrick July 8, 2013, 7:33 am |

    frankly, what’s the beer like. I mean can you buy the equivalent to Guinness?..is there Australian beers that are dark and earthy like English beers?

    Many thanks and a thousand pardons for my attitude!

  • Andy October 22, 2012, 6:26 pm |

    Fictionalising people like Robin Hood is part of the same method as demonising him and Ned Kelly: belittling them, so as to belittle what they stood for, fought for, and died for as martyrs. They were real people – larger han life, than us ordinary citizens.
    According to the English historians Graham Phillips and Martin Keatman’s recent history-book, hailed by London’s “The Sunday Times” as “a quiverful of historical mysteries” , and by London’s “Daily Mail” as a “Compelling evidence that Robin Hood was an historical figure” – slightly camouflaged in his latter years, for understandable reasons as “Robard Hude” of the Sherwood Forests in Nottinghamshire, did actually exist and did almost all the things he is popularly known in legends to have done – including challenge, like Ned Kelly in Australia, unjust abuse of power by those who acquired power illicitly.

    As it happens, my (former) wife’s now-late maternal grandfather – from the same area near the Sherwood Forrest in Nottinghamshire, was surnamed “Wood”, most likely a slightly “evolved” form of “’Ude”, from “Hood” – seems to have been a descendant from Robin Hood aka Robard Hude or someone from his clan/ family. Their name “Hood” – pronounced in Nottingham accent as “Wood”, might have gotten mixed with their being referred to as “Of the Wood”, i.e. the Sherwood forrests.
    In any case, as the English historian has now proved, Robin Hood/ Robard Hude did exist, but not in late 12th century as other researchers mistakenly assumed and looked for him the wrong time-period and failed to find him, and so gave rise to the wrong notion that Erobin Hood was just fiction.

    According to the two historians,
    “In the vaults of the British Library in London there survives a tale of Robin Hood … an anonymous work entitled A Little Gest of Robin Hood that first appeared in print around 1500 but seems to have been composed in the mid-to-late 1300s. … Literary scholars had long known of the Gest’s existence, … [is] evidence for an historical Robin Hood … in the early fourteenth century … [under] king … Edward II. … Robin … [was] a soldier – a knight in the army of Thomas, the earl of Lancaster [in whose cause,] … in 1322 … Robin is forced to become an outlaw after the earl of Lancaster leads a failed rebellion against the king.

    “Lancaster’s rebellion was an historical event and the records show that many of his defeated followers did flee into Sherwood Forest to continue a guerrilla campaign. The earl of Lancaster had been the lord of both Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire and had led a popular uprising against unfair taxes imposed by the king following a crippling famine. Unfortunately, Lancaster was betrayed when his plans were revealed to the king by his trusted deputy Henry de Facombery. When the rebel army was defeated at the battle of Boroughbridge in Yorkshire on 15 March 1322, Lancaster was killed and the king rewarded Facombery by appointing him sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. He was charged with rounding up the rebels who had fled south into Sherwood Forest. Henry de Facombery … became the fabled Sheriff of Nottingham.

    “Following the work of an obscure mid-nineteenth-century Yorkshire historian named Joseph Hunter, Graham and Martin discovered record of the leader of the rebels who had escaped following Lancaster’s defeat. In the archives of Wakefield Manor on the edge of Barnsdale Forest, just to the north of Sherwood, his name is recorded as “Robert Hode”. … Robin was a nickname for Robert [or vice versa,] and Hode was a medieval spelling of Hood… In fact, in one particular document he is actually referred to as “Robin Hode”.

    “Robert Hode was the historical Robin Hood … supported by … other outlaws recorded as being in his band. … a man who went by the name of Little John is recorded as being buried in nearby Hathersage churchyard where his grave can still be seen, and a Friar Tuck is recorded as Lancaster’s chaplain who took part in the revolt. Robert’s wife was even a perfect candidate for Maid Marian. Before he was outlawed Robert [i.e., Robin,] had been a relatively wealthy knight who lived in modest manor on the edge of Barnsdale Forest in what is now the village of Wragby, a few miles south of Wakefield. In 1321 he married a girl from the nearby village of Woolley named Matilda. … Maid Marian … being an alias she adopted once she had fled into Sherwood Forest. Just as in the legend, Matilda Hode joined her husband in the forest and, remarkably for the time, had actually played an active part in the struggle. All this provided astonishing confirmation that [there] … was indeed the historical Robin Hood.

    “The royal archives, dating from the reign of Edward II at Winchester in southern England, reveal that the Sherwood outlaws were eventually granted an amnesty by the king in 1323, in return for their support in putting down a new rebellion. Two years later, with the rebellion behind him, Edward had a change of heart [hypocritically, and treacherously]. Robert [i.e., Robin Hood,] and his followers were once again outlawed and disappear from record. … However, the Gest says that Robin Hood was eventually murdered by the abbess of Kirklees Priory in Yorkshire when he sought sanctuary there in 1347. Why the abbess killed him is a mystery as the surviving manuscript is damaged and the verses pertaining to the betrayal no longer survive. All we learn is that, after killing Robin, the abbess took her own life and Little John arrived to bury his friend’s body nearby.

    “Kirklees Priory historically existed and an abbess – one Elizabeth de Staynton – is recording as dying there in 1347, the very year that the Gest says Robin’s murderer died. More remarkably, the grave of a “Robard Hude” – …. another medieval spelling of Robert Hood – was discovered in woodland nearby. The original is no longer there but in 1665 an antiquarian named Nathaniel Johnston made a drawing of it and that still survives. Today a crumbling nineteenth-century monument marks the spot, bearing an inscription that claims it to be the actual site of Robin Hood’s grave.”

    In Robin Hood – The Man Behind The Myth, Graham Phillips and Martin Keatman retrace the life of the historical Robin Hood; even identifying the very place he robbed the rich to help the poor at a medieval bridge at Wentbridge on the old road from Nottingham to York.

    By the way, I am not Irish, nor have – as a lawyer – any sympathy for outlaws. But people like Robin Hood, and our own Australian Ned Kelly, were demonised citizens, made to look like – or even act like – outlaws by illegitimate power-weilders, pretenders pretending as “authorities” with no legitimate basis. Those who “outlawed” Robin Hood, themselves had broken the law treacherously. Those who killed Ned Kelly – so-called “policemen” – as an earlier commentator here pointed out, themselves were convicts.

    • BobinOz October 22, 2012, 9:08 pm |

      Thanks Andy, that’s what I was going to say 🙂

      • Andy October 22, 2012, 9:46 pm |

        Thanks mate! 🙂 🙂

  • John March 8, 2012, 8:48 pm |

    Just a reminder to Andy on a few facts that may have escaped his attention. Robin Hood is a purely fictional character, and that of the tens of thousands of Irish who landed in Victoria , Ned Kelly and his merry men are the only ones I know of who chose to rob and murder ( Irish born constabulary, Kennedy and Scanlon). like all legends, it’s flawed and embellished. Kelly is best known for the home made armour rather than any entitlement to hero worship.

    • BobinOz March 10, 2012, 12:39 am |

      What, and no Maid Marian either? No Merry men? Are you sure? So all the poor people stayed poor then?

      Seriously, you’ve made an interesting point about the thousands of Irish who came here, but only Ned chose to rob and murder. I’m sure many other Irish did commit serious crimes, I do hear that James Squire was quite a handful. (Read it on the back of a bottle of beer).

      But we do have a lot of Ned Kelly backers here who think he is a hero. So I reckon the debate is on! What say the NK fans about this?

  • Andy January 26, 2012, 5:57 am |

    Thanks for the realisation. But, no – we don’t call Robin Hood or Ned Kelly murderer, just as we won’t call George Washington or Abraham Lincoln murderers, even though actions by all of them involved people being killed. They were heroes – well-respected amongst the people they sprang from as they stood for a “fair go” for those people (Robin, George, Ned) – or part thereof (Abraham), which is not the case with murderers.

    • BobinOz January 29, 2012, 9:46 pm |

      Who do you mean by “we”? There are plenty of people who do refer to Ned Kelly as a murderer.

      • John V. February 3, 2012, 7:10 am |

        As I wrote before, some “Police” in those unruly days were actually x convicts who were worse than the criminals they were supposed to apprehend. But you cant give those who were supposed to uphold the law a bad name. Kellies sister was said to be raped by one of them, and another in a fight, (5 against Ned)did some damage to Neds family jewels. and Ned swore he would kill that ungracious man. He did one year later in a gunfight.
        Ned did what he had to do, with stories about him wanting to overthrow the government of the day because of the unfairness of way of treatment settlers got from government agents. Being mainly Poms from the old country, with old country attitudes (remember Bligh?) he found no sympathy when he complained. He was after all Irish, which were despised by them.

        • BobinOz February 6, 2012, 10:00 pm |

          Then that settles it. He was innocent. (I am of Irish descent, my grandad on my father’s side was Irish. We gotta stick together.)

    • Steve October 21, 2012, 9:23 pm |

      Ned Kelly was a living breathing human being, so were Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, but why are you talking about Robin Hood with them when he didn’t actually exist? Three are national icons of their peoples, one a fairy story.
      You can’t compare them in any way!
      Sorry.

      • BobinOz October 22, 2012, 9:02 pm |

        Well, not everybody believes that Robin Hood was a “fairy story”, some are quite convinced he really did exist. I was going to try and find a few links to back up this statement, but I’ve just noticed that Andy has added a substantial comment below, so I don’t need to do that.

        I’m not saying Robin Hood definitely lived, but I don’t think anyone can say he definitely didn’t either.

  • Andy January 18, 2012, 11:56 pm |

    I am a lawyer myself – very much against any outlaw – but also am a historian and a proud Australian. Ned Kelly represent the Australian spirit – fairness and mateship, justice and fraternity of the people. Calling him murderer is hurtful to Australians.
    Britain has her Robin Hood, Americans their George Washington. Washington succeeded against the colonials and is celebrated officially; Robin Hood kind of succeeded amongst the masses – so remains a celebrity in popular ballads. Ned was murdered – but his spirit of fairness and mateship succeeded eventually, and so Australia is free and a welfare nation.

    • BobinOz January 20, 2012, 10:25 pm |

      Well, the votes keep coming in for Ned Kelly. Sounds like he was a good guy.

      I suppose we have to realise that in those, kind of “wild West” days, murders did happen more regularly. Situations where you either kill or be killed. Both Ned Kelly and Robin Hood were probably quite good at being the survivor in those situations and probably both had a good heart.

      So they go down in history as murderers, but also as heroes.

      Maybe Ned was responsible for the “give a bloke fair go” attitude in Australia. Fair dinkum!

    • John V. February 3, 2012, 7:03 am |

      It should be that your profession is proud of Ned Kelly. Some of their relatives seem to have (taken up robbing people blind by) become lawyers and one became a judge. Also possibly a distant relative.
      Such is life.

  • John Vance August 30, 2011, 4:41 am |

    Living in Kelly country, Wangaratta, and a stones throw from Benalla and Glenrowan, we know all about Ned Kelly. See website >http://www.ironoutlaw.com/html/history_01.html < History has it that some of the Kelly's turned to law and some are still practicing in both South Australia and Victoria.
    Injustices by Police (who were often Ex Convicts themselves) were said to be rampant.
    A fight with Ned Kelly and four constables who tried t ohandcuff him, ended with Ned's "family jewels" being severely injured. Ned swore he'd shoot the Policeman who did that. He did exactly that a year later when attacked. No onewould dare call Ned a Mexican!

    • BobinOz August 31, 2011, 9:53 pm |

      On the plus side, they didn’t have speed cameras and RBT’s.

      I think every country went through its “Wild West” days, Australia is no different by the sounds of it. Ned Kelly is clearly a bit of a hero for most people, rather than a crook. Didn’t realise he died so young though, just 25!

  • Col B. August 29, 2011, 2:19 pm |

    The second half of spring and first half of Autumn are good weather times in Victoria. Summers and winters are extremes. But on the cost of living it’s not bad here. Victoria and South Australia share the cheapest living standards in Australia. There is a border between Tasmania and Victoria so you missed which is the actual “Mexico” state!. Bob, Imagine living in the 19th century in northern Victoria when there were horses and hosre-carts as mode of transport in extreme weather both hot and cold. Police in them days has to go out across the land to attend to troubles. it’s a rotten occupation that turn them into arrogants. There once was a settler Mother’s Daughter who refused a Benalla policeman’s advances towards her while he was supposed to be out looking to arrest her brother for “horse-stealing”, but her brother was nowhere within the vicinity. The Policeman cracked and after taking the long ride back to Benalla on horseback he lied to the authorities which resulted in the loss of the said settler Mother’s property leaving her and her family without a home. The family in question were the Kellys. This gave rise to the Kelly gang. The Stringybark incident was that the Law on horsebacks (From Mansfield) were charging (galloping) on their horses and shooting with fire-arms at the same time, thus firing the first shots at the Kelly gang before one of the Kelly gang members fatally shot one of the charging constables. This puts the constables on a murderous intentional mode whereas the Kelly gang were on a defensive mode. Ned Kelly and his gang had the utmost support of all the citizens and settlers around northern Victoria (even back from the time when that arrogant Benalla constable ruined the Kelly family’s livelihoods which showed the arrogances of the law as a consequence) right through to the aftermath of the Stringybark incident and through the Glenrowan seige (where the Kelly gang’s body armor and helmet were first worn and consequently the massacre of Ned’s Gang and the capture of Ned himself) and through many generations ahead the next century.

    • BobinOz August 29, 2011, 11:28 pm |

      I haven’t yet fully looked into the Ned Kelly thing, but I do know that some people think he was nothing but a murderer and others say he was a hero. I think I know which side of the fence you sit on, Col. B.

      I will certainly look into it at some stage, thanks for your account.

      Can’t help but wonder why they called it the good old days, some of those old days were pretty tough!

  • Pepito August 3, 2011, 11:19 pm |

    Youre wrong. EEt finished. We both clazy!

    • BobinOz August 4, 2011, 6:06 pm |

      Who you calling clazy! Oh, eet finished? Oh.

      Cheers mate!

  • John Vance August 1, 2011, 8:54 pm |

    We burn em. You ref u gee!

    • BobinOz August 3, 2011, 10:07 pm |

      I’ll pour water over your flame! (I’ve got a feeling this could go on a bit).

  • John Vance July 29, 2011, 1:03 pm |

    Vic(e)torians us Mexicans? That infers youre going to a hotter place. We are definitely not as hot as Queenslanders. It also infers were touched by heat, which we definitely are not. (though our state won the hottest capital award for a while, a few years ago).
    I would sugges the fact were called Mexicans because we can and you guys cant…
    This means war, unless you remove the reference as us being mexicans. We have been trying to improve Queensland, (Tourists) by supporting your lack of inteligence there ie , building homes in flood prone areas, having Joh Bjelke Petersen as Premier, and tryinh to ruin our nations artesian basins by allowing GAS exploration and screwing up with water management. but calling us mexicans. Bob delete that passage at once, or I wil fill your mail box with all sorts of nice requests, and things that you didnt know you could do to yourself… Grin: John Vance

    • BobinOz July 30, 2011, 12:08 pm |

      Ah, I’m glad you showed up. I’ll have a bottle of Corona, my good wife would like a margarita and when you have a moment, could you rustle us up a couple of fajita’s?

      • John Vance July 30, 2011, 12:16 pm |

        You will want them with worms Eh?
        Eh Pepito, there’s a guy here who want to be deported to Me he co. Did ya bring se bolero’s He’s crafty und qeeck. Mucho diniro fo yu eef you catch heem qeeck…

        • BobinOz August 1, 2011, 8:13 pm |

          I got papers!

    • Ryland February 3, 2012, 1:50 am |

      I sincerely hope you are joking John, he is right of course. And queenslanders are ‘Banana benders’ if i recall

      • BobinOz February 6, 2012, 9:56 pm |

        Us Queenslanders can also be known as ‘cane toads’ too. Not sure which I prefer, but I do know that John is joking. He does it a lot.

      • Col B. April 12, 2017, 3:04 pm |

        ….or sugar-cane suckers still sucking as they whip around mid-air in a cyclone.

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