If you are thinking of moving to Australia, but you’re not quite sure where you’d like to live, you’ve come to the right place.

In this edition in our ‘The best places to live in Australia’ series, we look at three key cities, namely Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and delve into more detail about each area. We consider the top suburbs (and why!), we give some insight into key considerations when moving to Australia to help you in choosing the right city and area for you, and we give advice to help make sure your move is seamless and stress free.

We hope you find this insightful – and don’t forget to look out for future articles in Doree Bonner’s ‘The best places to live in Australia’ series!

Sydney

If your preferred best place to live in Australia is all about finding that perfect combination between work and play, leisure and surf, then look no further than Sydney in New South Wales. Its seaside neighbourhoods offer a leisurely lifestyle and the work environment friendly and casual, reflecting the demeanour of Australians in general. The weather in Sydney is also generally sunny, with mild winters and warm summers – perfect for those who enjoy the great outdoors.

The suburbs of Sydney offer so much diversity, with many options to help you find the right suburb suited to your needs, be it affordability, schools, nature, public transport, attractions, family friendliness and more. A survey looking at the best Sydney suburbs to live in rated the following suburbs in their top 5:

1. Hornsby – a suburb in the Upper North Shore Sydney region of Sydney, achieved first place for its shopping and amenities, highly family-friendliness, reasonable property prices, greenery and national park access, and rail connectivity. Traffic can however be a problem, and there’s a lack of restaurants and night life.

2. Oatley – a suburb in Southern Sydney offers pretty streetscape, open parklands, clean and green living spaces, a good choice of schools, peaceful living, and high family and pet-friendliness. Prices can be restrictive though, as can the limited train services and retail options.

3. Dulwich Hill – in the Inner West of Sydney offers excellent parks, beautiful architecture, pretty streets, convenient location, vibrant cafe scene, tram connectively. Again, however, prices can be high and there aren’t many big shopping spaces.

4. Jannali – a suburb in southern Sydney, is awarded fourth place in the best places to live in Sydney, Australia, for its peace and tranquillity, rail connectivity, balanced amenities, reasonable property prices, and clean and green spaces. Restaurant options and shopping choices are however limited.

5. Waverton – on the lower North Shore of Sydney, Waverton makes the top 5 for its good city connectivity, peace and quiet, spectacular views, safety and cleanliness, and lack of traffic. It does however lack in amenities, and it can be pricey.

Melbourne

Melbourne, Victoria, is often considered to be one of the best places to live in Australia. While it has been one of the key growth centres for Australia over the past 27 years, it was also ranked as ‘Australia’s most liveable city’ by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index for 2022. This is most notably for its multiple public transport options, relatively low crime rates, and plenty of jobs. Melbourne also offers a diverse mix of arts and culture, world class universities, excellent schools, and a tranquil lifestyle.

According to PwC Australia’s annual City Pulse analysis, which charts liveability across the state, these are the top 5 suburbs to live in Melbourne:

1. Northcote – an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, located 7km from the CBD, Northcote has a decidedly arty vibe, with many restaurants, cafés, bars, retail outlets and events. The suburb has something for everyone, attracting singles, families, professional couples, downsizers alike.

2. Rosanna – situated 12 km north-east from Melbourne’s CBD, Rosanna is a leafy suburb of Melbourne on the fringe of the Yarra Valley green belt. Famed for its beautiful parklands, modern train station, large homes, green trees, amenities and many leading public schools, Rosanna deserves its place in the top 5 suburbs when considering the best places to live in Australia.

3. Aberfeldie – tucked between Essendon, Moonee Ponds and the Maribyrnong River, Aberfeldie offers plenty of opportunity for those seeking the outdoor lifestyle. It offers fantastic sporting facilities, excellent schools, many attractions and plenty of cafés; a good combination of peaceful, yet sporty living.

4. Wantirna – located in the City of Knox, Wantirna is a suburb 24 km east of Melbourne’s CBD. It offers easy access to major roads, making it accessible to most places in Melbourne. It also offers excellent schools and family living, good shopping, and extensive parks.

5. Briar Hill – bordered on the west and north by Greensborough, on the east by Eltham North, and on the south by Montmorency, Briar Hill is 18 km north-east of Melbourne’s CBD. It is a peaceful suburb which is great for both families and professionals. Streets are lined with relatively affordable Edwardian and Victorian era homes and semi-detached townhouses, and shops and amenities are plentiful, with park spaces dotted in and around the city.

Brisbane

A popular tourist destination in South East Queensland (SEQ), Brisbane is famous for its major landmarks and attractions including the South Bank Parklands, the City Botanic Gardens, King George Square and Brisbane City Hall, the Story Bridge, the Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens and Lookout and the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.

When considering the best places to live in Australia, it’s worth looking at some of the best suburbs to live in Brisbane, according the report formulated by CityPulse SEQ:

1. Toowong – a riverside suburb in the City of Brisbane, Toowong is a prestigious area five minute’s drive from the Brisbane City Centre. Nestled between Mount Coot-tha and the north bank of the Brisbane River, the suburb offers excellent shopping, dining, nightlife and spectacular scenery. This includes the Brisbane Botanical Gardens Mt Coot-tha with over 5,000 plant species from around the world, beautiful walking trails and the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium located within the Gardens.

2. Coorparoo – a short distance from Brisbane’s CBD, Coorparoo is a family friendly suburb with a large selection of great schools, restaurants, cafés, shops, gyms, properties and lifestyle centres.

3. Tarrangindi – a southern area of the City of Brisbane, Tarrangindi is a trendy and stylish suburb. Not only is it home to the 260-hectare Toohey Forest, with a vast array of hiking trails, it is just 6 kilometres from the CBD. With a strong community feeling, and friendly neighbourhoods, it’s no surprise that Tarragindi is one of the most in-demand suburbs in Queensland.

4. Mount Gravatt – 10 kms from Brisbane’s CBD, Mount Gravatt offers an ideal living area for working professionals, young families, and students alike. Currently a good choice of suburb if you’re looking to enter the property market, the area offers excellent investment opportunities due to its affordability, convenient transport links, good schooling and university options, beautiful views, including Mount Gravatt Lookout, as well as quirky restaurants and cafes. Adding to this, Mount Gravatt is home to one of Brisbane’s main shopping centres, Westfield Garden City.

5. Kangaroo Point – just over the Story Bridge from Brisbane, nestled on the Brisbane River, is Kangaroo Point, a high density living area, packed with apartments and flats. If you are a young professional or a student, or you’re looking for a good investment property to rent out, this one’s for you. In fact, Kangaroo Point has seen a compound growth rate of 39.1% for houses and 7.0% for units based on 5 years of sales. Compact in size, and a favourite recreational suburb on an inner-city peninsula, Kangaroo Point is renowned for its restaurants, pubs, bars and vibrant cosmopolitan lifestyle.

In summary

While moving to Australia to work is very exciting, there is much to consider. Preparation is key when it comes to moving and shipping to Australia, especially if you are moving from the UK to Australia. Not only do you need to focus on finding the best places to live in Australia for you, your employment, and your visa application requirements, but Australia also has strict regulations with regards to shipping and importing into the country.

As one of the UK’s leaders in removals and storage, Doree Bonner has been moving households and businesses to Australia from the UK for many years, so we know what it takes to make your move a smooth and successful one.

From packing and storage options in the UK, to destination services handled by our overseas agents in Australia, we are here to partner with you at every step of your move journey.

Our recommended partner for currency transfers – at excellent rates – is Smart Currency Exchange. They are UK-based and authorised by the FCA. Opening an account with Smart only takes a few minutes, so why do it today? Then you’ll be ready to make international money transfers that are easy, fast and safe. Find out more here.

Learn more about our International Moving services here and get a free online quote. You can also contact a member of our Doree Bonner team 24/7 for advice and information relating to your specific requirements when moving to Australia.

We look forward to hearing from you and to supporting you on your journey. And don’t forget to look out for the next article in our ‘The best places to live in Australia’ series, where we look closely at Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra and share our tips and advice on the best places for you to live in Australia.