is it a must to b able to drive.

[boomarang girl]

would like to know what everyone's view on this is...i dont drive do u think i will find it difficult to get employment and how easy is it to access shops/cafes within walking distance in your suburb..do they run buses over there like they do here back in the uk??..

[mickbro]

hi
the bus & train services here are in my opinion very good, our buses run from 5am to 11.30pm 7 days a week, train depends which suburb you are in.
hope this helps

[portlaunay]

Depends where you live/work. When we were in Willetton everyone drove and you couldn't get a pint of milk without getting into the car. There were a couple of buse routes but not terribly convenient.

Now in Freo we rarely use the car - cycle/bus to work, walk the kids to school, free CAT into town or the beach, trains into Perth. I think most people here are used to cars but coming from London we had two we never really used so we're far happier on public transport or walking/cycling.

[boomarang girl]

thanks both of you...we were thinking about dare i say it!!..armadale(have heard mixed reviews on there)..so would be looking for work locally in aged care,so just wondering would it b easy to get a job there relying on my feet or is there adequate bus services from nearby stops etc,i feel like because i dont drive we need to pick where we live to how easy job access for me would be...and how safe is public transport in the evenings should i be on a shift pattern..thanks again x

[yorkshirepudding]

I don't drive but while visiting Perth found the transport system excellent, however I am going to learn to drive once I arrive I figure it will be a great way to familiarise myself with the city :)

[portlaunay]

Armadale has a large hospital, don't know about private care homes. The town and hospital are served quite well with buses and you can get a train to Perth from there.
As for the area, I can't really comment, I've only been there a couple of times. It has a mixed reputation; some say it is a little grim but others love it. I don't think it's regarded as a particularly affluent area and there is a greater risk from bush fires out there, particularly if you're in the hills. When we were first looking for property and had no idea of areas I remember seeing some amazing properties there for very little $ (comparative to Freo anyway).

I guess it just depends on what kind of lifestyle you're after - it's a long way from the beach and river, it doesn't have the cafe culture/restaurants that you'll find in town but I'm sure you'll find some truly spectacular bush land around there. It also has a high population of indigenous people so, from a work point of view, this might present different challenges to those you're used to which may make the job more interesting. It's not isolated so getting to the beach or city for the day would just take a little more planning.

I'd say go for it, you may love it and if you don't you've lost nothing, work out what you want and move on.

[boomarang girl]

thanks portlaunay.yeah property is cheaper there but if we dont like it we can always move around,it doesnt bother us we're not near the beach we have it here on our doorstep and its under-used! and we're used to travelling a long distance to get to a big city makes it more of a treat!,just dont want to b too far out in the sticks for the kids sake their 18 and 16 at present.from what ive seen armadale looks to have a good shopping centre?...its all a learning curve..

[ali]

Armadale train line can be a bit iffy at night time, it does have a great shopping centre and is well serviced by public transport. I work in Armadale, there are some nice areas, surrounding suburbs are very nice. Having a car, gives you a bit more freedom, we have friends in Thornlie and Harrisdale and wouldn't be able to get to see them easily if we didn't drive.

[kazzy65]

Public transport here is great as long as you don't work shifts! I live not too far north of the river and work at charlies hospital near the city centre. Until I got a car I was seriously struggling to get to and from work on the shift system I work. Fantastic transport during the day around this particular area but really need to drive if other than a '' 9 - 5 '' job.

[verystormy]

Armadale. If you are moving from somewhere such as Bagdad then i am sure you with think it is fine. We have a work facility out that way and it became so bad on the train the company ordered no one was too use it. We arent exactly whimps either. I am currently sat in the DRC in what is in effect a war zone and not bothered by it.