Where do you live?
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We live in West Launceston. Moved August 2017.
Why did you move to Launceston?
Chose to live here because my wife Heather and I spent seven weeks house/dog sitting for friends who moved to Lonnie a few years ago (from Melbourne).
We fell in love with beautiful Lonnie and thought it would be an amazing place to live. We were also surprised by the diversity of Tasmania given it’s a relatively small place.
Why were you drawn to Northern Tasmania?
Drawn here because moving from Northcote in Melbourne where we had everything on our doorstep and only 5 kms from the CBD, we wanted to be walking distance to city and beauty spots.
Did you buy or are you renting?
We bought an amazing renovated home.
The original part of the house was built in the 1940s and looks rather English but the back and upstairs extension is very modern, almost industrial.
It has a roof deck which has 180 degree views north to the Tamar River and south to Ben Lomond, plus an extensive ground floor barbecue deck area.
Do you have family with you? Have they adapted well to school/work etc?
My two daughters live in Melbourne, though one has recently bought an investment home at Prospect.
Since moving here, how have you found the community/lifestyle?
We found the community most welcoming and vibrant. It’s impossible to walk down the street without being greeted.
We helped initiate a street party earlier in the year and are planning another. We were surprised by the number of events in and around Launceston (eg music festivals, food and wine celebrations, theatre, cinemas, sports).
Is it what you were looking for? Why/why not?
It’s better than expected. Heather has never lived in a place smaller than Edinburgh so was a little concerned about there being enough on offer. She loves the ease of getting around the town and the island, and volunteers in the library (which involves archiving back copies of newspapers including The Examiner, and transferring manual marriage records into a database).
We were gobsmacked at how affordable house are compared to the crazy Melbourne prices. It provides us with the quality of life we want and more than enough activity to keep us busy.
What does a day in your life look like?
A typical day: after two cups of tea admiring the view from our roof terrace, it’s time for exercise. Either a run through the Gorge, a trip to the gym for yoga, spin or body pump class, or a walk into town.
If it’s Tuesday or Friday, we’re off to Italian classes. Wednesday afternoons Heather volunteers in the library and I play music (guitar, harmonica). Once a month Heather attends meetings of the Friends of Launceston Library and has recently been invited to join its management committee.
On Friday nights it’s homemade pizza and other nights involve cooking some new recipes or firing up the barbecue. We love pottering in the garden, putting our unique stamp on our house, having friends for dinner, and exploring all that Tassie has to offer.
And if it’s 2am or another unsociable hour, I will be watching Liverpool play soccer during the EPL season.
How do you find the climate and how does it compare to where you came from?
The climate is a tad chillier than Melbourne but we escape to Italy for a few months in winter. This year we’ve had a wood fire heater installed so next year we might stay put. Summers are better without 40-degree days and spring is a riot of blossom and colour.
What’s your favourite place in Tasmania? Why?
Our favourite place is the Gorge as it’s on our doorstep and has many tracks to run. The peacocks are a surprise addition. Also the monkeys in City Park.
What has surprised you the most since moving to Tasmania?
What surprised us was how quickly it felt like home. We decided two weeks into our stay to relocate here and within an hour of seeing our house we made an offer. Within three months we’d sold up and settled here. Also we didn’t expect the intensity of the sun!
Do you think you will stay in Tasmania?
We will definitely stay! We’re never living anywhere else. We have close friends nearby and met some new ones as well as most of our neighbours. Many willingly attended my dress rehearsals for a Beatles play I wrote and perform with my mate, Rob. They all said it was fab and it led to other opportunities to perform elsewhere. It’s being broadcast on City Park Radio on October 6 and being performed at the Launceston Club on November 30.
We’re great supporters of local business, especially the wine and food industry which is world class.