Browse Forums General Discussion Re: Moving to Mernda 21Feb 27, 2009 9:27 pm and there is a medical clinic in Laurimar that is currently under construction as part of the town centre. Re: Moving to Mernda 22Feb 27, 2009 9:28 pm lisanne Also, ADSL line quality/speed depends on how far you are from the exchange - the further you are, the less speed you get... which I know means that being at the far end of the estate it means I am far from the physical exchange so wireless is probably going to be faster althought I can get ADSL through work on a staff account - decisions decisions!! If anyone wants to know their cable length from the exchange, pm your number and I can tell you. Re: Moving to Mernda 23Feb 27, 2009 9:55 pm Jen, I think for the younger kids The Lakes is good. They are at an age where they listen! I'm sure my 6yo would do quite well there but still prefer a bit of structure for the older kids. So what type of school is going in Renaissance Rise? Is that the Estate between Woodland Waters and Mernda Villages? Mernda Primary is up for a new school in 2010/2011 so that will be nice. MV and Riverdale on Plenty both have "proposed" govt schools I wonder if they will all be built?
Thanks for the tip on 24hr emergency. It's good to know things like that. I still like to go to Village Cinemas at Knox Sorry Lisa, I thought you were asking about internet providers. I must of misread your post. Will you be having aapt then? . Oh and Ivanhoe Grammer is like $16,700 a year for grade 7, Acacia College is $10k cheaper So does that mean that our internet is fast because we are close to that green box a few blocks up? And why Sharee's is slow up near your corner? I never knew that. Happy at Home Re: Moving to Mernda 24Feb 28, 2009 6:29 am What else would you like to know? I've lived in the area for 24 years.... And grew up not far away (I'm way too boring to move far from my roots ).
Restaurants: Ajantha Indian restaurant, behind Hungry Jack's in Mill Park - good food, good value. We used to be able to walk there - great for not having to worry about .05 laws. As HTB said, Degani's at Westfield is good. The Degani's down at University Hill (opposite RMIT) is even better. Open fireplace, great for Sunday brunch in winter. Nova Vista behind McDonald's at Mill Park.... great food, service is OK, prices pretty good, but it's incredibly noisy, thanks to the industrial-style decor (concrete floor, lots of glass and hard surfaces). Kitchen Ku, tucked away at the side of the shops opposite HJ's is not bad for a Malaysian or Chinese takeaway. Phoenix City (also Chinese) at the Stables has always been good though. We used to take our kids there when they were babies, because service was fast and the fish tank hypnotised them long enough for us to eat in peace... Sofia's hasn't impressed us - but new management at the pub might change that. We eat at a few restaurants in Eltham fairly regularly too. That's only a 15-minute drive, long as it isn't peak hour. Whittlesea council are pretty good - we do alright for services (especially rubbish removal, being the only municipality in the area with a tip - yay!) and rates are reasonable. Some minor things they do annoy me, but far less than neighbouring councils. Nillumbik - sheesh! Schools - lots of them. Mill Park secondary is pretty good in terms of curriculum and my kids have never had a moment of trouble there (one at uni now, one in Year 11, one in Year . Nor have my neighbours, or any of the kids' friends....you always hear good and bad things about every state school; I take it with a grain of salt. Nice bunch of friends too...who invade us regularly and eat all our food. Teenage boys! My eldest got to go on an exchange trip to Germany when he was 16. Awesome experience! Primary schools are everywhere, state and catholic. Private schools if you want them: Ivanhoe Grammar at Mernda (my God-daughter goes there, great school, very exxy), the Christian School at Doreen, Parade at Bundoors, Marymede at South Morang, St Monica's at Epping.... There are lots of medical centres - I don't use them though, we've had the same family doctor in Watsonia forever, so can't help with a recommendation. Oh - the one at Westfield is OK, we have used that a few times on weekends or evenings. Northern Hospital - hmm. If it's a real emergency sure, but otherwise, don't waste your time. I go to the Epworth emergency dept (you need private health cover though). Private hosptials, you can't beat Northpark at Bundoora, LaTrobe Private (near the uni) or even Warringal at Heidelberg. There's a good specialist centre at Northpark too. Pharmacies - don't use the one at the Stables in Mill Park - they are WAY overpriced. The ones at Westfield are a better bet. The beauty salon upstairs at Mill Park Pharmacy is great though. Probably the worst things about the area are traffic and public transport. Hopefully things will improve... I'm not hopeful about the traffic as more and more people move into the area. The proposed railway station at "South Morang" (actually about 50m inside the SM boundary - so it may as well be called Mill Park station!) should make a difference IF they drastically improve the bus services. Pet peeve of mine...husband works in the city, kids have to get the bus home from school.... Re: Moving to Mernda 25Feb 28, 2009 10:34 am Wow Kek, 24 years. I've never lived anywhere longer than 8 years although this move is supposed to be long term, setting down roots at last. As long as DH doesn't get promoted too much we'll be fine - Head Office is in Canada! Thanks for the tips - I'm looking forward to exploring - figured I'll be driving up most days when we get started just to get my fix Re: Moving to Mernda 26Feb 28, 2009 10:48 am lisanne This thread is giving me warm and fuzzies Seriously, knowing that you guys are going to be in the area and are so nice and helpful - it really is great to know Lisa, Completely agree. I had a bit of a wobble a few weeks ago whether we were doing the right thing. We settled in Rowville when we first came out here from the UK two years ago and we really like it here. Kids are settled in school, I made a couple of really good friends and to leave that and start again after a relatively short period of time felt a bit daunting. The amount of money we'll save on a house that will be perfectly suited to us and being closer to the airport for DH while no further from the city all makes perfect sense on paper but it's still a big decision. I have to admit I've started to feel more excited than scared after reading everyones replies. So thanks everyone Re: Moving to Mernda 27Feb 28, 2009 11:18 am I had to go out earlier, didn't get to recreational facilities....
The council is putting in more walking tracks, bike paths (great for us!) and bike lanes. There's some good walking around Mill Park Lakes if you want some decent exercise - with lookouts on top of the hills to aim for. Must do that one day... Somebody mentioned the Mill Park Leisure Centre - council owns it, it's run by the YMCA. There's a gym (doesn't suit my needs, too squeezy), group fitness classes including all the popular Les Mills ones, and the indoor pool. Swimming lessons for kids, and they run squads if your littlies get that keen. Aquastyle at Rivergum has the best reputation for kids swimming lessons. Buzy Kidz indoor play centre is next door, and they have an outdoor traffic school too. Rug Rats Retreat at Epping isn't bad and the police run Blue Light discos there regularly (my youngest loves them!). There are two cricket clubs in Mill Park, one at South Morang - not sure about Mernda. Footy clubs too...and Oz Kick runs in winter at Mill Park (maybe Sth Morang too, not sure, my kids are too old for that stuff now). Softball next to the MP Leisure centre. Soccer clubs galore. Martial arts too - there's a particularly good little karate school that runs at MP Primary. Basketball stadium behind The Stables - they run Oz Ball for littlies. Golf courses at Yarrambat and Yan Yean (watch out for kangaroos). Oh - forgot, the Growling Frog restaurant at Yan Yean is great. http://www.growlingfroggolfcourse.com.au/ Gyms: MP Leisure Centre, One Health & Fitness South Morang, Powercore at Sth Morang (good value - $3.50 entry, no membership required, but no classes), another at Rivergum, Fernwood at Epping, plus three others at Epping and the 24-hour super-cheap (and rather grotty) 5-Star Fitness at Thomastown. Also a stack of those ladies' circuit places that seem to be popular. Avoid the one that has you stand on one of those vibrating plate things and "exercise" ....might as well set fire to your money. There are parks and playgrounds a-plenty. Redleap Reserve in Mill Park is nice (there's a pair of nesting swans there - cuuute little babies!), Bundoora Park has a children's farm as well as a great historical centre/museum if you want to learn about the area. Mill Park reserve, between the leisure centre and the Salvo's church has a different kind of playground and some good walking tracks. Plnety Views golf driving range on Yan Yean Rd at Plenty is great. And the restaurant is lovely too. We take the kids, have lunch or morning tea, then buy a few buckets of balls and let them smack them down the hill. Not too far away there's an athletics track open to the public at Greensborough, a roller skating rink at Eltham and Funfields at Whittlesea (giant slides, water slides, stuff like that). Also a public pool (outdoor) at Whittlesea. Used to be one at Thomastown, but it's closed for renovation or something. The berry farm/orchard at Yan Yean (cnr Plenty Rd/Arthurs creek Rd) is great for seasonal produce. Donyybrook Farmhouse on Donnybrook Rd (between Plenty Rd and High St) makes the world's best ricotta - and their cheddar is good too. Oh, and their cream, yum! For quality meat at reasonable prices, try Plenty Valley Producers on Plenty Rd Mernda (just south of Woodland Waters). Their fruit and veg is good, but can be overpriced at times. They also sell dairy and grocery items, but not as big a range as the supermarkets. Cheap eggs and lovely bread though. Especially the sourdough fruit loaf. Best value nursery - Aumann's at South Morang. Rivers on Kurrak Rd (continuation of Gorge Rd) is beautiful and their cafe is fantastic, but they're expensive. Nice place to buy gifts though. Or have lunch. Diamond Valley Garden Centre on Yan Yean Rd isn't bad. Thomastown/Bundoora are good for general furniture, whitegoods and homewares shopping - Settlement Rd and Dalton Rd are where most of the shops are. What else do you need to know? Re: Moving to Mernda 28Feb 28, 2009 2:18 pm Gee Kek! You are a wealth of knowledge. Glad we have a 'local' on board!
I like how your son's grade 8 came out as grade , he's too cool Wanna, where did you live in the UK? I would pack my bags and move back there tomorrow if given the chance. My husbands work sent us over from 2002-2005 and we lived in Worcester. ABSOLUTELY loved it! Hope once your house is finished you will feel settled and at 'home'. Did you know that the Sweet Box shop at Westfields sells a selection of.... Kek close your eyes.... chocolate.....I love Yorkie Kek, the meat place you mentioned south of W/land Waters is that also known as Provincial Meats? Thanks for all the info How did your plants hold up yesterday? I don't think it got that hot. We had to turn the cooling off after school as we were getting cold Happy at Home Re: Moving to Mernda 29Feb 28, 2009 5:25 pm House-To-Be I still like to go to Village Cinemas at Knox That the cinemas I go to.. Can't beat vmax at knox!! but I'm only 15mins away.. when I move over to Laurimar I'm going to miss knox... but new cinemas at doncaster will only be 30mins away and they have vmax.. not quite as big as knox but will do the job... they have proposed cinemas at westfield plenty valley but as with everything that is proposed at the moment it will probably stay that way for a long time. Re: Moving to Mernda 30Feb 28, 2009 5:59 pm hmmmm I was thinking the same thing about the Cinemas at Plenty Valley ' proposed' is not definite. Although we really do need them. We went to Reading at Epping once during the Christmas Holidays and I probably won't go back. I love Knox, all of it! If we want to go to the movies then I make a day out of it and go visit a friend or my sister before or after. It's only 45mins from here I found though that Plenty Valley or Epping Plaza has all the shops I need so that is good. Where do you live now WBA?
We saw I am Legend in Vmax, back row. I had my Husband on one side and my brother-in-law on the other, I was jumping all the way through the movie Vmax is great but you can't beat the luxury of Gold Class. I do that with girlfriends Which is the easiest way to get to Doncaster? Happy at Home Re: Moving to Mernda 31Feb 28, 2009 7:34 pm Wow, so much to catch up on!
Rock, Id love to hear the meat recs We got to Tip Top Poultry off Mahoneys Rd which is quite good. WBA, PMing you now! I didnt know that, neither did George and now he's interested Ivanhoe is quite expensive! My lil bro went there for a few years. We dont go to the cinemas at Epping, usually go to Northlands or recently we've started going to Greensborough. Custom European Cabinets - Melbourne Kitchen Specialist PM for business details as website currently being updated! Our Crazy Owner Builder Journey! Re: Moving to Mernda 32Feb 28, 2009 7:36 pm House-To-Be I found though that Plenty Valley or Epping Plaza has all the shops I need so that is good. Where do you live now WBA? We saw I am Legend in Vmax, back row. I had my Husband on one side and my brother-in-law on the other, I was jumping all the way through the movie Vmax is great but you can't beat the luxury of Gold Class. I do that with girlfriends Which is the easiest way to get to Doncaster? I live in Kilsyth at the moment. I used to go to Vmax nearly every week.. have cut down now due to building and the little 1 year old runnng around. Row J is the best.. which is the back row of the front section. You get the best viewing angle there. To get to doncaster, go down yan yean rd to greensborough (or take plenty rd to ring road). Turn right at diamond creek rd, turn left at big roundabout towards greensborough (which is still diamond creek rd). Turn left at para rd in greensborough, go past station and turn right at roundabout and continue on para rd down to lower plenty and turn left at end of road. Then continue to you get to big roundabout at Eltham and turn right on to fitzsimmons rd and follow that to doncaster!! Lots of other ways to go as well but that is one of the best. Re: Moving to Mernda 33Feb 28, 2009 7:41 pm wakeboardandy To get to doncaster, go down yan yean rd to greensborough (or take plenty rd to ring road). Turn right at diamond creek rd, turn left at big roundabout towards greensborough (which is still diamond creek rd). Turn left at para rd in greensborough, go past station and turn right at roundabout and continue on para rd down to lower plenty and turn left at end of road. Then continue to you get to big roundabout at Eltham and turn right on to fitzsimmons rd and follow that to doncaster!! Lots of other ways to go as well but that is one of the best. Oh! So Fitzsimmons leads to Doncaster? Never knew that! The directions you gave is how I go back to Vermont (that's where we moved from) so I know it like the back of my hand, left into Reynolds, Right into Springvale, left into Canterbury I've only ever been to Doncaster once many years ago when I moved to Melbourne from Brisbane and working out what was where. I was quite content/spoilt with Knox, The Glen, Forest Hill, Eastlands and Chadstone so Doncaster was never needed. Thanks. Happy at Home Re: Moving to Mernda 34Feb 28, 2009 7:47 pm yep keep driving past reynolds and you will get to doncaster.. the road will veer to the left and join williamson rd.
Also if you went that way on to the eastern and took the eastlink tunnel that would get you to vermont quicker also.. but of course you then pay some $$$ for tolls.. Re: Moving to Mernda 35Feb 28, 2009 8:18 pm I thought cinema's were going into University Hill?? 'A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.' Louis Pasteur Vegie garden: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27637&start=0 My Backyard Adventure Re: Moving to Mernda 36Feb 28, 2009 8:31 pm Hmm... I dont know? Ill ask my sis when I see her, she works there... I think she mentioned it at some stage but for some reason I think she said they werent going ahead? I may be completely wrong though Custom European Cabinets - Melbourne Kitchen Specialist PM for business details as website currently being updated! Our Crazy Owner Builder Journey! Re: Moving to Mernda 37Feb 28, 2009 9:14 pm I went to University Hill for the first time today. I didn't go into the Brand Junction bit though. We had a bit of time to kill in between Netball and Netta over at RMIT. Have you guys been into the Junction bit? Any good? Happy at Home Re: Moving to Mernda 38Feb 28, 2009 9:29 pm Its not bad.... not what I was expecting though. I dont think its somewhere you'd go for a browse on a friday night or whatnot (not that you could since it closes at 6pm). Lots of sporting outlets though... Custom European Cabinets - Melbourne Kitchen Specialist PM for business details as website currently being updated! Our Crazy Owner Builder Journey! Re: Moving to Mernda 40Feb 28, 2009 9:34 pm Bam Oh! And Sheridan! How could I forget Thanks. Might go and have a proper look during the week when DS is at kinder. Happy at Home Hello everyone, I have a question regarding moving a chandelier after it has been mounted. The chandelier in question is quite large, measuring 4 meters… 0 72337 |