Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Feb 26, 2009 5:49 pm We have a block in Woodland Waters and are due to start building in March. As we are moving from out of the area anyone care to share any local info - best shops, restaurants etc. We will also need to find a school for our 2 little darlings. Any suggestions? All info good or bad gratefully received! Ta! Re: Moving to Mernda 2Feb 26, 2009 6:09 pm My family are up that way so I know quite a few places and is also part of the reason for me building up there.
In South Morang there is a great Thai restaurant in the little shops near HJ's opposite Bunnings - can't remember the name though! Provincial/Tasman meats just before the estate is pretty good and has vegies and some other stuff, although their prices seem to have increased a bit of late I haven't been too happy with food from the Bridge Inn Hotel Degani's at Plenty Valley (north side) is a GREAT cafe/restaurant and has seriously good coffee! Plenty Valley also has Coles, Safeway, Aldi, Kmart, Target but I find the butcher and other food shops there better at the new Safeway end. If I think of anything else I'll let you know '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 4Feb 26, 2009 6:59 pm Hi Wanna, I'm just up the road in Mernda Villages. I've spent a good part of the last two months finding all my new 'things'. Plenty Valley Westfield has a great Fruit and Veg shop, Chicken Shop (all hormone free, not La Ionica like I used to have in Vermont but just as good) and a butcher (had a lovely Roast from there a few weeks back). They are all located at the Safeway end of the Centre. The chicken shop also has another shop down at the Coles end - clever people. I go to Provincial Meats for my BBQ stuff, it's good.
Rivergum is good for running in and getting something quick, Safeway, Bakers Delight, Charcoal Chicken and a Fruit and Veg and nice Cafe. DEvoteD - or something like that is next door and the Fish and Chip shop a few doors down from them is really nice. As Lisa said, opposite Bunnings behind HJ's there are heaps of Restaurants, Thai, Indian etc and Domino's. I visited almost every school and kinder last year, I won't go into all the details on here but will send you a PM instead. We went to Sofia's last year when we bought our block, it was okay. We've not been to the Pub yet but you can have a Parma and Pot for $14 La Porchetta is down near the Library. Hope the Mernda Shopping Centre opposite the Bridge Inn Pub starts soon. Happy at Home Re: Moving to Mernda 5Feb 26, 2009 7:23 pm we sent our son to the lakes primary
still not in our hoouse yet so its travel from preston(15kms) each day and nite!!! there are heaps of shop/food/etc around Re: Moving to Mernda 6Feb 26, 2009 7:54 pm rock we sent our son to the lakes primary still not in our hoouse yet so its travel from preston(15kms) each day and nite!!! there are heaps of shop/food/etc around Rock, how are you finding The Lakes? I only ever looked into the senior school for my eldest (gr 6 this year) and didn't feel comfortable with their set-up for her. I was also able to speak to a past teacher from the school who gave me some good advice. I've since met some people who use the lower school, some seem pleased and some don't. Are your kids happy there? What's your view on it? Happy at Home Re: Moving to Mernda 7Feb 26, 2009 8:48 pm Laurimar Primary School is now open and by the time you build your house the bridge will be finished to plenty rd from laurimar. The school would then only be about 2km from Mernda Villages, so about 5km from Woodland waters.. Re: Moving to Mernda 8Feb 26, 2009 9:05 pm wakeboardandy Laurimar Primary School is now open Do you have children at the school WBA? I enquired at Laurimer Primary mid-late last year. I was told we had zero chance of getting in, the numbers were full from Laurimer and Doreen residents. Mernda kids were way down the list........ I'm extremely happy with Mernda Primary and a kinder down in South Morang for my youngest. My eldest is going to Acacia College next year which is about to start being built. My girls prefer Mernda Primary over their old school so that has been a huge relief for me. Do you know when the bridge and supermarket are due to open? I took a drive to the new Display Village last month. I can't believe how much growth Laurimer has had since this time last year when we were looking for a block. Happy at Home Re: Moving to Mernda 9Feb 26, 2009 9:38 pm No I don't have any kids at the school.. My son is only 13 months so I don't have to worry about schools for a while. I didn't realise the school was full already!
Woolworths shouldn't be that far away.. I would say it would be open by middle of the year and bridge is going along quite well, should open about the same time. I guess the woolies would then be the closest supermarket for you guys until they build the one at MV. Re: Moving to Mernda 10Feb 26, 2009 10:05 pm wakeboardandy No I don't have any kids at the school.. My son is only 13 months so I don't have to worry about schools for a while. I didn't realise the school was full already! Woolworths shouldn't be that far away.. I would say it would be open by middle of the year and bridge is going along quite well, should open about the same time. I guess the woolies would then be the closest supermarket for you guys until they build the one at MV. Yeah they had pretty high numbers for enrolment last year. The school looks nice and will be well and truly established and finished by the time your little boy needs it. I feel sorry for the kids at the new Catholic school in our Estate, the workers are there all day everyday and the kids have no shade. Yep I think it will be the closest s/market when it opens. At the moment I go to Rivergum at South Morang, opposite Bunnings which isn't too bad as my son goes to Kinder around the corner or the Westfields. I don't know how long we'll be waiting for the Mernda one, nothing seems to be happening with the site. My future neighbour said we are getting an IGA in the Estate and that the big full line supermarket will be in the new Mernda Shopping opposite the Bridge Inn Pub. Happy at Home Re: Moving to Mernda 11Feb 26, 2009 10:09 pm I have seen the proposals for the mernda town centre.. I hope it goes ahead soon.. as I guess that would probably have a coles and I also saw on the plans room for a major department store? So maybe a kmart of big w as well??
Anyway I hate the words "proposed town centre", especially in this economy. At least the Laurimar town centre is under contruction and will provide some shops for the doreen/mernda residents without having to drive to plenty valley. But whilst there is no other town centres, I'm guessing the trafiic in Laurimar will be horrific until there is other locations open. Re: Moving to Mernda 12Feb 27, 2009 7:39 am wakeboardandy Laurimar Primary School is now open and by the time you build your house the bridge will be finished to plenty rd from laurimar. The school would then only be about 2km from Mernda Villages, so about 5km from Woodland waters.. I feel really sorry for the people who live down that part of Masons Road - they would never have imagined a bridge being built over the river! Anyway, I'm going to love it, I reckon the supermarket and shops in there will be the closest for me until the supermarket on Bridge Inn Road is built! '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 13Feb 27, 2009 10:31 am HTB, Im glad that Ill know someone who is sending their children to Acacia - its something Im considering when we have kids (so it will be quite a while off yet!) obviously Id prefer them at the school I currently teach at, but fees have just gone up again Besides, it will be closer to home.... thinking I might even apply for a job there when the VCE opens up!
I hope the MV town centre starts soon... As for food places - there's a good Chinese resturant on gorge Rd (the strip of shops opposite Sofia). other than night Im not too pleased with resturants Custom European Cabinets - Melbourne Kitchen Specialist PM for business details as website currently being updated! Our Crazy Owner Builder Journey! Re: Moving to Mernda 14Feb 27, 2009 5:09 pm Hi guys, thanks for all the great info. Toni - I'd love to hear about the schools when you get a sec. I looked up the website for Mernda Primary a few months ago and it looked good. I presume there aren't issues with catchment areas then. Rowville where we live now is zoned. What about doctors, dentists etc? I think we saw a swimming school at Mill Park - any other stuff for kids to do? Thanks Jo Re: Moving to Mernda 15Feb 27, 2009 5:47 pm Wanna Hi guys, thanks for all the great info. Toni - I'd love to hear about the schools when you get a sec. I looked up the website for Mernda Primary a few months ago and it looked good. I presume there aren't issues with catchment areas then. Rowville where we live now is zoned. What about doctors, dentists etc? I think we saw a swimming school at Mill Park - any other stuff for kids to do? Thanks Jo I believe there is an Leisure centre in Mill Park on Morang Dve that I think has a pool (??) And there is an indoor pool on Mill Park Dve where kids can learn to swim (my niece goes there) I think that there is also going to be a medical clinic in the Mernda Villages shop area (according to this http://www.stockland.com.au/Residential ... es/Living/) '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 16Feb 27, 2009 6:15 pm 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
Oh, for those already in Mernda and surrounds - what/who are you using for internet access? My Dad's in Woodland Waters and has had to get wireless internet due to the exchange having no spare ADSL ports. He went through Telstra (not cheap!) - so, who is your internet provider and by what access type (ADSL/Wireless/etc) ?? '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 17Feb 27, 2009 8:08 pm Quote: I have seen the proposals for the mernda town centre.. I hope it goes ahead soon.. as I guess that would probably have a coles and I also saw on the plans room for a major department store? So maybe a kmart of big w as well?? IS this the shops that are proposed to be next to the Bridge inn Pub? I heard a romour that it would have a Myers as well as the major supermarkets and of course other stores. Our son has only just started at The Lakes and we like the set up so far. It is an open set up school (no closed classrooms - big space shared by all with a learning street in the middle and classrooms/groups set up in corners of the buildings..kinda hard to explain) and runs a little like a high school in that the kids go to different teachers for different subjects and from what I understand it is ability based, so they are placed in groups of kids at the same levels as them. He is only in Prep and so he has had his home group teacher for the last 4 weeks, no swapping teachers yet. I am not sure when it will start. He is happy there so that makes us happy. I have heard that kids coming from other schools have a hard time adjusting to the new setup and of course the style of teaching would be hard for some teachers too (I'm a teacher and know it would be a challange for me at first) . We plan on changing the kids to the new school that will be built in Renaissance Rise in a few years as it will be a P-12 and will be walking distance from our house. No idea what type of school that will be. If you have a car and don't mind a drive then there are many meat places in the north, bout 20 minutes drive away that are very cheap. Better quality meat than provincial and better priced. Some off Mahoneys road, Thomastown and some near Edwards Lake in Reservoir. I'm happy to share names and details if anyone is interested. We bulk buy meat at one of them and save heaps of money. I can;'t fault the fruit and vegie shop at Plenty Valley though near Safeway, the produce lasts ages, is so fresh and good priced as well. Epping Plaza isn't to far away either and it has a Big W and a cinemas - Jen (Rock's Wife) Re: Moving to Mernda 18Feb 27, 2009 8:08 pm WBA, it would be great if the Mernda Town Centre has a "dept" store of some description. Did you see the proposal at the Council?
Bam, I was with the Registrar for Acacia today and we saw the final choice for the uniform - very nice. The Civil works started a few weeks back so it's all about to start. My DD is very excited. Wanna/Jo, I will PM you tomorrow re the schools. Bam might be useful in this too, she gave me some good advice last year I don't believe Mernda Primary has a catchment, the kids come from all over, Whittlesea, South Morang and n between. Quite a few kids from Woodland Waters and Hawkstowe attend too. I'm really happy and the girls love it so that is the main thing. Funny you are coming from Rowville to Mernda, we moved from Vermont As Lisa said there is a learn to swim centre in Development Blvd (stupid street name) off Plenty Road, opposite Bunnings. The Leisure Centre in Mill Park has just been re-vamped (I think). My eldest plays Netball with the Plenty Valley Netball Assoc out of RMIT at Bundoora and my 6yo does Netta-ball there on a Saturday $3 for an hours coaching/learn how to play. Mernda has a Football Club (so I've been told), my girls also do CPCA - drama, singing and dancing at Parade College which only take 15mins to get too. I'm still finding things and asking lots of questions. Yep we are supposed to get a Medical Centre in our Estate. I've not looked into Dr's yet, I might ask some Mum's at school. Fortunately my kids don't get sick very often/need a Dr. The youngest two last went in 2007 for ear infections. I never go, rather treat myself I've looked on HBA website for Dentists but haven't taken the kids yet. Lisa, our internet is with Westnet. Telstra said that they couldn't give us service Sharee up near your block has Telstra, but I think she said it was pretty slow. Funny thing is we go through a Telstra line as a Telstra technician had to do something in the box a few blocks up from us to get us connected. We have adsl but use our own wireless modem so we can run the extra laptops. Our internet is fast, much faster than Optus which we had in Vermont. We are really happy with the service. We have a laptop upstairs with a wireless card and it works perfectly. Our phone is with Telstra although if I had of known about the internet earlier I would have given the phone to westnet as well. They only took 48 hours to have us up and running. A friend moved into his house around the same time as us at Sanctuary Lakes and they are still waiting for an available port through Telstra Jen, yep that's the fruit and veg shop I go too. It's pretty good. I had a great one in Vermont so happy that I have found a replacement. Epping Plaza is huge! It has everything if you want to go and spend a day shopping. Cinema there is expensive and they take the family tickets off the list during school holidays To be honest I really struggled with the senior part of The Lakes. I'm sure the difference between lower and upper schools is enormous but I wasn't comfortable in sending my 11yo daughter there this year. I got the impression that if you really didn't want to work then that was okay I can see the appeal for some families/students though. Wanna, the Council is also very good in giving info for stuff. I went there mid last year to enquite about kinders and they gave me heaps of brochures on swimming, clubs, schools etc. One thing that Mernda lacks is Secondary Schools. There is either Whittlesea or The Lakes and The Lakes only goes to Grade 9. Acacia will fill that gap as their fees are alot more affordable than the other Private schools around. The new Catholic Primary School in MV is now open too if anyone wanted a Catholic School. Workers are still there as it's no where near finished! That's it for now, back to my movie Happy at Home Re: Moving to Mernda 19Feb 27, 2009 8:25 pm HTB: I didn't look at the senior part of the Lakes when we applied . I have a friend whose daughter is in grade 1 and she recommended the school and I always had in my mind that this school will be a stepping stone for us until the new one is built. I don't like the idea of the kids going to Mill Park Senior Campus for Yr 11 & 12 as my SIL had alot of trouble there with bullying a few years back which they did nothing about at the time.
The same friend that recommended the Lakes is moving her daughter to the Laurimar school next year as it will be close to their house (not yet begun building) . I looked at the application for jobs there last year and it sounds like a good school although it is only to grade 2 atm? I think they are opening more grade levels next year (I could be wrong, but that is what I heard they were doing at the end of last year ) . For the cinemas if you go before 11am they have discount tickets at Epping, otherwise it is worth taking the drive to the ring road and going left to Greensborough Plaza instead who have a Hoyts. If you have a medical emergency there is a 24hr Superclinic on Childs Rd in Mill Park. I wont recommend them as a regular doctors but they have been pretty good when we have needed stitches for the kids or when they spike fevers at 10pm, etc. We were from Mill Park so I know many things around that area. I will watch this closely though to find out about places closer to Mernda -Jen (Rock's Wife) Re: Moving to Mernda 20Feb 27, 2009 8:38 pm With regards to schools, don't forget that Ivanhoe Grammer is in Mernda (private school though!)
As for internet, if there are Telstra copper cables (most standard phone lines) to your house then you can go through any Telstra re-seller for your phone and/or internet - so places like AAPT,* Primus, dodo, etc etc the majority of ISP's and telco's (except Optus) use the Telstra network to provide phone and internet. 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!! *dislaimer - I work for AAPT but I really couldn't care if you used them or not I just want people to be able to get fast internet w/out being ripped off!! '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 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 72618 |