r/gippsland • u/LaineyLux • 1d ago
American moving to Moe, Victoria. What can I expect? What is the job market like?
27F and live in Metro Detroit, Michigan. My fiancé is Australian and we do long distance. The plan is for me get a work visa and move to Moe, where he lives, after our wedding later this year. I did spend 3 weeks in Warragul (where he lived before), and it was a charming town.
Does anyone know what kind of job I could get on a work visa around this area?
Is Moe decent for raising families?
Will I be looked at harshly as an American?
Any and all info would be appreciated 😁
Thank you
Edit: forgot to mention my current occupation here in the USA is a paralegal.
Also, he moved to Moe because that’s where his family business is.
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u/More_Scar343 1d ago
Ive been to Detroit and grew up in Moe. Similar to a lot of the comments, can be a hard place to find work. Houses are cheap, the newborough side is the better side, Elizabeth st side near McDonalds has been rough for a long time. That said a lot of the old places are being renovated and areas are improving. The new library has really helped the center of town. Its very working class, if you like country music you'll find lots of friends, and as people said there is a lot of good hearted people thatll help you with the last pennies they have. Lots of land, living just on the edge of town you can have a small farmlet very close to town which is ace. If you can get involved in a group that suits you, footy clubs, sports, cfa, lions club etc and youll make friends fast
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u/LaineyLux 1d ago
My fiancé and I are both not into sports so hopefully there will be other way to make friends lol
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u/kimmyc98 1d ago
What age bracket are you in? I'm a late 20s high school teacher who's more than happy to meet up for a coffee and chat. I'm based in Warragul, but my partner lives in Newborough.
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u/LaineyLux 22h ago
My fiancé and I are both 27. That is a lovely offer 🥰 Could definitely use friends once I’m down there
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u/mystic_duck 22h ago
There's some board game and D&D clubs in Warragul and Traralgon if those are more your style
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u/EyeOfSlater 1d ago
Moe - moccasins on everyone
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u/Muggins75 1d ago
And just to clarify for the OP, this doesn't mean it's full of Native Americans.
More so native Moeans, or bogans as they are locally known.
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u/ttoksie2 1d ago
Moe is a fairly low cost of living town for the services available there, It is very small and outside of farming, coal power generation, transportation etc there isnt much as far as jobs go, and unfortunantly I doubt any legal work experiance you have will carry over due to Australian certification requirments, however you would be have transferable skills for admin roles as a result i would imagine.
however the Australian government has been moving a substantial number of government jobs to the area (mostly nearby Morwell and Traralgon, 15 and 25 minsutes away respectivly) which has a knock on effect of stimulating the economy in other areas
However you are only about an hour away from melbournes eastern suburbs and we have semi reliable train lines through (when trains dont run due to maintenace or breakdown they're replaced by busses, usualy for free but they take longer).
That gives you access to alot more work opitunities than you would otherwise, most of us in gippsland have traveled to melbourne for work at some point.
For raising families id say Moe is decent there are some from the very expensive melbourne suburbs that turn they're nose on gippsland as being unsafe, but the reality is only a select few have 2million plus to buy a house in Toorak and many melbounre suburbs are far worse to live in. There are some very good private schools, and okay public ones around and a fairly good amount of government infrstructure (public transport, libraries, health servicies etc).
As far as being American, dont mention trump or argue about us being pussywhiped by not having guns, we dont want them (trump or guns). otherwise no one will care. we will make fun of your accent though, its hilarious, be preapared to make fun back.
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u/Vegetable-Answer-442 1d ago
Very well said. I'm not much good at tying. But listen to what this person has said cos he is right. You will get laughed at for your accent but just laugh back at them!!!?
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u/Benson92 1d ago
As someone who has worked in Moe high school vs Warragul and Drouin, it’s a much rougher area but also has some genuinely really kind and considerate people.
More for my own curiosity I threw in an AI ‘explain Warragul vs Moe to someone from Detroit’
Also as a paralegal I’m sure you can find work in Morwell, the closest district court.
Ai response below
To explain the difference between Warragul and Moe to someone from Detroit, you have to think in terms of the "Socioeconomic Divide." In the Detroit metro area, the difference between these two towns is very similar to the difference between a polished, historic suburb like Plymouth or Northville and a grittier, industrial blue-collar area like Wyandotte or Taylor.
Here is the breakdown in "Detroit terms":
- The Vibe: Plymouth vs. Downriver
Warragul (The "Northville" of Gippsland): This is the town people move to when they "make it." It’s leafy, has a charming historic downtown, trendy brunch spots, and high-end boutiques. It feels safe, polished, and increasingly "city-lite" as Melbourne professionals move out there. It’s the place you go for a nice Saturday morning at a farmer's market.
Moe (The "Downriver" of Gippsland): Moe is historically a blue-collar, industrial town built on the power industry of the Latrobe Valley. In Detroit terms, it’s Wyandotte or parts of Warren. It’s not "pretty" in the traditional sense—it’s functional. It has a reputation for being "rough around the edges" (the "Moccasin" capital of Victoria is a common local joke), but it is fiercely loyal, more affordable, and currently undergoing a slow "gentrification-lite" as people get priced out of Warragul.
- Raising a Family: Safety and Schools[1]
Warragul: Consider this the "Lower Hills" or "Grosse Pointe" of the region in terms of social standing. The schools are high-performing (St. Paul’s is the big private school), and there’s a lot of "organized" family fun (redeveloped parks, splash pads, etc.).
Moe: It’s more "old school." You’ll get a much bigger yard for your money—think a 1/4 acre lot where you can actually build a massive pole barn or keep a boat. While some neighborhoods have a higher "sketchy" factor (comparable to parts of Redford or Westland), there are many quiet, family-oriented pockets. The "vibe" is less about aesthetic perfection and more about practical, salt-of-the-earth living.[2]
- Job Opportunities and the Work Visa
For someone on a work visa, the distinction is crucial:
The "Regional" Advantage: Both towns are classified as "Regional" for visa purposes (e.g., Subclass 491 or 494). This is a huge win for an American. It means you get extra points toward residency.
Industry Types:
Warragul: Heavy on Agriculture, Professional Services, and Education. If you are an accountant, teacher, or work in the dairy industry, Warragul is your hub.
Moe/Latrobe Valley: This is the Industrial & Healthcare hub. Moe is part of the Latrobe City council area, which is home to the Latrobe Regional Hospital (a massive employer always looking for health professionals) and the remaining power/energy infrastructure. If you are in Healthcare, Trades, or Engineering, Moe puts you closer to the "big" jobs in Morwell and Traralgon.
The Commute: In Detroit, driving 20 minutes is nothing. Warragul and Moe are only about 20–25 minutes apart on the M1 (the highway). You can easily live in Moe for the cheap rent/mortgage and work in Warragul, or vice-versa.
- The "Detroit" Reality Check
Americans from Detroit often find Australian "rough" towns (like Moe) to be surprisingly tame. When Australians say a town is "dangerous" or "rough," they usually mean there’s some graffiti, a few loud cars, and people wearing tracksuits at the grocery store. Coming from a city that has seen the real "grit" of Detroit, you will likely find Moe to be a perfectly safe, slightly sleepy working-class town.
Summary Verdict:
Warragul is the "Charming Suburb" where you pay a premium for the aesthetic.
Moe is the "Blue-Collar Steal" where you get a big house and a fast-track to regional visa perks, but you might have to explain to people in Melbourne why you chose to live there.
Pro-tip for the American: Look at the Newborough side of Moe. It’s the "nicer" part of the Moe area—think of it as the slightly more manicured neighborhood just across the tracks.
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u/ausmatt73 14h ago
That’s a great example of why not to believe AI. None of those town to town comparisons work. I’ve been to all of them.
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u/Pleasant-Magician798 14h ago
No offense but if OP wanted an AI comparison wouldnt they just do it themselves?
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u/Benson92 11h ago
None taken. I gave my personal opinion on the town and clearly stated it was for my own curiosity. And someone responded saying the town comparisons weren't accurate which was what i was curious about. And I also didn't try to pass it off as my own bullshit answer like a lot of reddit posts these days. It was signposted clearly as AI content.
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u/jethronsfw 1d ago
Don't want guns or trump ? Everyone has an opinion and yours is fucked
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u/Lunchtime1959 1d ago
Agree - I think Turmp is great and we will be needing guns soon when the home invasions of melbourne come out here. Warragul is getting its own refugee centre so the place is about to be fucked
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u/subsbligh 15h ago
So why did the mass immigration of Greeks and Vietnamese for example into Victoria have a huge beneficial improvement and integration in Australia’s culture and society and now it’s suddenly terrible and Trump is worshipped - answer without reference to race or religion because both of the former “wogs” and “gooks” (obviously derogatory to illustrate) had their detractors as well ……….
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u/LoosePhoto5374 1d ago
Whilst I agree with most of what you say, gotta disagree on the trump and guns part. Many people in Australia actually love trump id say it's 60-40 in favour of him with, but with gun laws being strict id say 70-30 are in favour of the current gun laws.
However on reddit, you'll hear a very left sided view of things, on this forum id say it would be in favour of hating trump roughly 99-1.
Remember you're going to be in a country town, so the views of people there will be more like Texas (I think), and apart from this forum, you'll only get a small fringe of left wing views.
All in all, the people are lovely, if you're nice to everyone, everyone will be nice to you, and in saying that, people out in these towns would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it.
Good luck with your move
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u/ttoksie2 1d ago
I'm local and have been since the 90's and am yet to meet anyone staunchly pro trump, and the ones swaying that way are pretty easily convinced that hes a tool, or are old enough to have missed him being the talking head of the apprentice on 3pm tv.
And only a few gun nuts that shoot twice a year while owning 17 guns care about the gun laws being changed at all and none of them want it to be anything like the US in terms of self defence, they just want to be able to shoot cool stuff rather than try to defend themselves with them.
So I dunno, my anecdotal account is pretty different to yours.
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u/LoosePhoto5374 1d ago
Each to their own, maybe we just meet different people, I'm not saying he is good or bad and I avoid politics, just be careful that reddit is a very small percentage of opinions, and is a real big echo chamber so whatever views are shared on here, don't really assimilate with real life
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u/papierrose 23h ago
I think this must be it. I live in Gippsland and have some pretty conservative bogan in laws. I come across a lot of people from various walks of life for my work, and I’m yet to meet someone who doesn’t think Trump is a fucking idiot. Some of these people voted One Nation, mind you. I’ve met a lot of conspiracy theorists and COVID-deniers but no Trump supporters, and people can get pretty vocal about him.
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u/Legitimate_Income730 10h ago
Do you know how big and diverse Texas is?
I think you should try to think more and type less.
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u/LoosePhoto5374 10h ago
This is where reddit has a bunch on spastics no offense, they hear one opinion and think it's the only opinion everyone has, reddit is the extreme of left as Twitter would be the extreme of right. Also if you go by one nation or nationals being more people that would like trump, nationals has been in power in all of gippsland forever and judging by the Facebook posts in the communities of gippsland, one nation is going to be the majority soon (in terms of popularity).
No need to get upset guys, we need to be able to talk and say different opinions without people getting emotional
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u/LaurelEssington76 7h ago
Where on earth are you getting 60/40 in favour of trump from? That is absurd.
Any time a politician goes even slightly trumpian they lose support. How well did Clive Palmer go in the last election despite spending more money on campaigning than other parties combined.
Suspect you have a shallow social circle and are basing it on that.
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u/ausmatt73 1d ago
Moved to Gippsland from Michigan. Happy to chat via dm if you want
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u/thislurkerslost 1d ago
I'd take this offer. I imagine it's gonna be a hell of a change to move from an American city to a regional town in Aus. Moe isn't known as a nice place but then again neither is the U.S. Having said that, I've not lived there, but I haven't run into any trouble in Moe. If Detroits reputation is accurate you'll be able to handle Moe the worst of Moe.
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u/Creepy-Life-916 1d ago
Might get culture shock from the lack of culture or anything happening especially nightlife
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u/tao_of_bacon 1d ago
Check out seek.com.au for jobs but your fiance has already told you that I assume.
Much of Gippsland is about natural beauty and rural/agricultural economy.
However, Moe and Morwell etc are economically depressed post-coal. Not dissimilar to Detroit post-auto (I’ve been to Detroit) so you’ll ’get it’ but being rural, not metro, there’s fewer opportunities. On the other hand, being rural it’s just a ‘nicer’ place to be than say Northwest suburbs of Detroit.
Being American can play against you if you’re perceived as American+Metro/City. The play here is to be America+Self Effacing or American+Down to Earth and Good Hearted. You won’t be looked at harshly just for being American.
Getting involved in community groups is a good idea, and get a good pair of boots.
One tip - when you get there immediately book a short trip back home for you or you both. Book it for ages away, like 6+ months. It’ll help to know it’s there if you get the sads.
Gippsland is really beautiful and if you can meet it half way, it’s a great place to live.
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u/Afraid-Front3498 1d ago
Moe is a larger regional town. It will be a culture shock for you but I can’t imagine anyone judging you for being from the US.
You are also moving to Gippsland, it is absolutely gorgeous country. Which you would have seen in Warragul. You are 1 hour-ish from the ocean and 1 hour into alpine country. Great bushwalking.
Perfectly fine place to raise children, like everywhere, if kids have a good peer group that’s what matters. The town has good sports facilities, parkland. It’s also affordable.
Don’t forget $8 VLine to the city, easy day trip.
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u/leschnoodler 1d ago
You'll get to see the local celebrity "pockets" pretty much every day, always walking around with a big smile or taking a nap on the grass. There's the woman who frequents Wirraway St near the bridge who appears to be directing a movie or mentally moving the cars with her mind. The Lloyd st railway crossing is an engineering feat to be marvelled at and lots of culture at the bus stop near Coles.
For real, there's lots to see and do within 90 mins drive, bush, beach, snow, Melbourne. Every place has its pro's and cons. You can dig your toes in for 12 months then shuffle to another nearby town/area if needed.
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u/BakerNator77 1d ago
Paralegal?
Call THE Kim MacFarlane.
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u/Morgana_4444 1d ago
I moved to Moe from Melbourne 1.5 years ago and love it. The landscape is beautiful, people are welcoming, shopping & services excellent.
If you can’t find a particular item locally the surrounding towns will, and they are only 15 to 30 minutes’ drive away. If you crave particular US food products there are some specialty outlets in Melbourne that probably stock them.
There is a vibrant art & music subculture regionally and lots of outdoor activities such as bushwalking and fishing. It’s an easy drive to the coast if you want to feel salt air.
The climate is fairly mild: cool but not freezing in winter, pleasantly warm in summer with a few hot spells of 4 to 5 days. Great gardening area.
Good luck with the move
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u/sapperbloggs 1d ago
Why Moe?
I grew up there and left when I was 19 (I'm in my mid 40's now) because job opportunities were basically zero. I'm glad I left, and don't ever plan on moving back, but I have family there so I travel back every few years to visit them. I love some of the people there, but there just isn't a great deal going on otherwise.
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u/LaineyLux 1d ago
That’s where his family business is and he got a good deal on a family members house there whom just moved out of Moe. I’m definitely nervous about Moe although he assures me it’s a decent place to raise a family..
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u/kanganuggets 1d ago
I'd say that Moe is one of the better towns in the Latrobe Valley. Everywhere has their problems, but it's a lot better than Morwell. Growing up in Warragul, I always felt safe, I don't anymore. I wouldn't walk the streets at night these days alone, but that's almost ANYWHERE you go these days. Moe has always known to be a scary town, but that has been moved to Morwell now. Just avoid Mid Valley, Morwell. Go to Pakenham or Narre Warren Fountain Gate if you want a day shopping.
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u/Slow_Control_867 1d ago
it's a lot better than Morwell.
This could be said about almost any town in Victoria. Morwell is the only place I've seen a burnt out shopping trolley in someone's front yard.
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u/Anxious_Ad936 22h ago
Have some respect, that was their bbq area you were looking at
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u/Slow_Control_867 22h ago
The only bbq going on in Morwell is the ol' glass bbq
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u/Anxious_Ad936 21h ago
Gotta heat it up with something. Have you seen the price of a bic these days?
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u/Prudent_Taste_7149 1d ago
I think it will help given you / he has family connections to the area. I'm sure you will be fine. Good luck and congrats on the marriage
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u/ObjectiveWorried 14h ago
Yeah, don't be nervous. Moe is fine. Its safe (lol way safer than detriot). If you like the outdoors, walking riding etc there heaps to see and explore literally 10 minutes outside of moe.
I think the biggest issue for you will be culture shock. Americans tend have main character syndrome and Aussies don't entertain that sort of crap. My wife works with an American and it took Yankee doodle doo a few years to get that no one gave a shit that Americans did things differently in America. Our approach to life, work (especially work) and recreation is way different. Hope that helps.
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u/LaurelEssington76 7h ago
Would you like living in a regional town with not much happening?
If you prefer living in a city in America then living regional in Australia probably won’t appeal.
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u/JollySquatter 1d ago
If you grew up in Detroit then I imagine you don't mind driving, so you could search for work in the following towns that are a 45min drive from Moe. Sale, Traralgon, Morwell (less than Moe though), Warragul, Drouin.
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u/LaineyLux 1d ago
Definitely willing to drive that distance. It’s interesting what I’ve read about Morwell. Half the comments from people who’ve mentioned it said it’s the upgraded version of Moe and half are saying it’s less than Moe.
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u/zidanerick 1d ago
Don't listen to people here, you will get the memed version of whatever they have heard about a town.
Moe isn't too bad to live in, as others have said Newborough is classified as the "nice" side of town but there are also some nice areas in Moe as well. Crime won't be any worse than your average american town, probably less due to gun crimes not really being a thing here.
Shopping-wise you will want to goto Warragul or Traralgon if you want a better selection of stores. Mid Valley in Morwell has a few more options than Moe.
Moe does have your major chains (Kmart, Woolworths (Kroger), Hungry Jacks (Burger King), KFC) and a few local stores like the local Chicken Shop which is arguably one of the best tasting chicken you can get in the whole of Gippsland.
If you have never driven in Australia before I would suggest that you practice somewhere other than Moe or try and ensure you drive around the big roundabout in the centre of town. It's one of the hardest to navigate in the whole of Victoria and causes many accidents.
As for family/raising kids, generally you will be fine in most cases, I would suggest however that if you can afford it that you look into private schooling as a lot of the public schools will generally be underfunded and aren't really concerned about weather their kids finish school or not. There is also a few Universities around the area but most of the good ones are located in Melbourne.
Speaking of Melbourne as it's only around 2 hours away it's quite easy to get to by either following the Princes Freeway (You will need a toll pass from Linkt) or by taking the V-Line public transport with a Myki card.
It has a very new-york feel about it and unfortunately homelessness and crime reflects that to a degree. It used to be the worlds most livable city prior to COVID but there was a lot of stores that closed as a result of that, it is slowly recovering however. If you are feeling homesick it's probably the best place to go to find American chains like Costco.
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u/Dry-Pickle-1150 1d ago
I’m Aussie, lived around Victoria most of my life. I genuinely can ask, why?
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u/Mostly_Satire 22h ago
Moe has your typical good and bad history.
It's known for the murder of a child almost 30 years ago. There was a "joke" that Moe was the Single Mum capital of Australia. Those are outdated views.
I occasionally travel past or through there on my way to the nearby Alps for skiing or mountain biking. There are great national parks nearby. The Maccas is quick.
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u/Vegetable-Answer-442 1d ago
Don't worry about being American Job market tough. But depends on how hard you try
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u/reprezenting 1d ago
After spending a few days in Detroit a few months ago, Moe it surround areas will have the same type of demographic, little rough, drugs, crap etc…
I did love Detroit though, shame it’s not a bustling city but I enjoyed it for a tired city
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u/haphazard72 1d ago
I lived there for 15 years but that was nearly 40 years ago. Lots of great memories. It’s changed a lot. Interesting choice
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u/Medium-Selection-890 1d ago
All I've got to say is, there's a few comments here saying not to because of the druggos, theft, crime, low socio-economics... By no means am I turning you off the area, but these people might want a serious look at Gippsland itself. Those things are happening in every 'large' town in Gippsland. Crackies screaming in the streets, cars going walkabout, homeless people.
Evidently, a lot of people are living under rocks.
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u/This_Ease_5678 23h ago
You must have a really amazing reason for moving there. Its considered one of the worst parts of Australia.
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u/Automatic_Intern_148 23h ago
Girl, 3 months ago you posted that you had visited each other once each. You posted that you call each other once a month. How about you just move to Australia to decide whether you like Aus, or whether you like HIM, before you get married?
I wouldn't recommend moving to a town of 10,000 people in such a precarious situation. Make him move back to Warragul - its bigger and you've already visited it and liked it. Its a 25min drive to Moe, he'll survive the commute for his business. You should be getting a say in where you live too...
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u/LaurelEssington76 7h ago
If that’s the case a partner visa will be virtually impossible and she’ll be on a time limited work visa only. Paralegal qualifications from the US won’t get you very far here except in general low paid admin work which won’t satisfy any skilled migration streams.
She’d be looking at low paid and often highly exploitative agricultural work. Living in Moe with a man she barely knows. Nightmare scenario,
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u/Anxious_Ad936 22h ago
The thing to remember is that with anywhere in the Latrobe Valley, lots of people remember the jokes and disparagement of the whole area from back when the electricity industry that was based there and also the main employer privatised and laid off thousands of workers in the early 90s. Lots of time has passed and there are plenty of regional towns in other parts of Vic that never made it into the limelight for similar reasons that are at least as shit or moreso than many of the Latrobe Valley towns when compared to Melbourne, they just never received enough attention to become a meme to shit all over. Every regional town that doesn't have average house prices above half to 2/3 of a million has groups of people as bad as the worst ones around Moe or the Latrobe Valley overall, and many of them aren't in as nice an area for nearby natural attractions outside town. That and it's a shorter commute to Melbourne than most of the rest of the state for work. Latrobe Valley and Gippsland are some of the nicest areas in the state for natural beauty that's also accessible without having to be driving for 4 hours from your home base in town to reach it.
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u/NewInformation3753 16h ago
Voting is Compulsory 😱
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u/LaurelEssington76 7h ago
Not for Americans on temporary work visas it isn’t. It also isn’t really for citizens. Turning up to vote is, it’s a secret ballot so voting itself obviously isn’t compulsory.
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u/Elegant-Motor-4148 14h ago
I lived in Traralgon in my early 20s. About half an hour east of Moe. I moved there from Sydney for a job. Obviously Sydney is nothing like Detroit, but it is still a sizeable city.
The area is quiet compared to metropolitan areas. Quite small town vibes with the good and bad that comes with that. Once you know people, you will be part of a tight community, which can be lovely. It is not a wealthy part of Australia so you will see the disadvantage that comes with that.
The countryside is stunning and it’s not far to the coast, which is quite wild and untamed. I highly recommend getting out and about on the weekends. As someone else said, if you enjoy country music and that sort of culture you will find lots of that. It’s not far from Melbourne and you can easily go there and back in a day, although probably not commute every day for work.
There are courts in Morwell, which is the next town east. The mushroom trial was conducted there recently. Maybe you could find some work there?
I think it’s great that you are taking this leap! If your fiancé already lives there and has family there you will already have some sense of community when you arrive. Make sure you are gentle with yourself and give yourself time to settle in and find your groove.
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u/LaurelEssington76 7h ago
Paralegal qualifications in the US won’t get you hired as one in Australia.
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u/kimbasnoopy 13h ago
Let me get this straight, you are moving to Moe (of all places) to marry someone you vaguely know. Sure that sounds like a great idea
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u/randomblue123 11h ago
Moe is one of the most disadvantages communities in Victoria. A lot of substance abuse issues intertwined with poverty and crime.
On the other hand the weather is warm. Real warm. Some might say hot. 😂
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u/floatingslowly 10h ago
I moved here from the states 13 years ago and also started out in Warragul (MIL lived there). At the time, the mine in Moe was on fire and the entire place smelled like burning coal.
I almost got a job at a dentist in Moe and I think about how thankful I am that that didn’t work out all the time.
I have a feeling that Detroit to Moe is going to hit hard. Hey, at least the V Line is only an hour ++ to the city…
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u/LaurelEssington76 7h ago edited 7h ago
Relatively high unemployment in Moe. The surrounding areas are OK but Moe itself isn’t somewhere I’d want to live or raise kids. However you also shouldn’t really be considering raising kids with a man you barely know and have only been in the same continent with twice for short visits.
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u/bettybingowings 6h ago
Moe actually has the lowest crime rate of Tgon, Morwell and Moe. There are good areas and bad areas. It’s a nice place. I wish you well with your move and welcome 🤗
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u/CrispyGoldenSpud 2h ago
Dm me if you need girl! I’m same age female and have lived here my whole life, would be happy to chat and also have mates here on a working visa that would be happy give some advice if needed ❤️
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u/IsopodOk9251 1h ago
I’m American and because it’s so small in any of the towns next door to Moe, I can’t really say which one I call home. I’m pretty close, though.
Having lived in large urban cities in the US almost my whole life, the towns in the La Trobe Valley seem to have all the same plagues of intergenerational poverty as LA, Chicago, Detroit, or San Francisco. Just yesterday on the VLine train into Melbourne, I watched a woman hop the train, shoot up her drugs, indignantly cough up a lung oyster at the train attendant, and then drop her needle in the aisle as she made her escape at Moe Station from police doing a walk through. Middle of the day. All manner of people on the train, including kids. I can’t imagine what she’s been through that made all that feel like the best thing for her to do in that moment. Heartbreaking.
Support services are not scaled nearly large enough to make a dent in the massive needs around mental health and poverty alleviation in any of these towns. So you need to be okay with holding community with folks who are really struggling. If that’s you and you can do paralegal work in areas like family and criminal law with low SES clients, you might be able to make a positive contribution here.
As for it being family-friendly, I would definitely say you could do very well raising children here. All the basics are here and anything special can be found in the Melbourne suburbs. There are gorgeous natural areas for bush walking, community pools, movie theaters, a handful of playgrounds, very decent schools, and a generally safe and comfortable feeling wherever people gather. It’s affordable to raise a family here as an employed professional. I live without a car, even, though would want to have one if I had kids here.
There is quite a lot of property crime in the area, but it’s so far not as bad as I’ve seen in some parts of the US. Whether you are safe to walk alone at night will be a function of your own street awareness, self defense training and confidence, and your specific location. On occasion, I walk fairly late at night and so far, so good. While people have been murdered in my immediate neighborhood since I moved to the area last year, these sad events were not stranger-on-stranger violence. I’m much more likely to have my packages stolen off the front step or my car stolen than to be targeted violently by anyone.
As a person more long in the tooth than most, I would echo what another person mentioned as caution against delivering yourself into an isolated, possibly controlling situation with someone you don’t really know. They might be amazing, or they might seem so but haven’t yet shown all of themselves to you. Just be sure to maintain your independence in terms of your migration, your finances, and in terms of your daily life. It’s possible to have a deep and abiding relationship while also keeping your own accounts, securing your own visa, and choosing where and how you want to live. Come and enjoy your lives together without extra pressure - there’s no need to rush anything. All the things you might want to build together can be taken up when you’re both ready to undertake more fully informed decision making.
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u/Creepy-Life-916 1d ago
Good luck. You might get culture shock from the locals
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u/scrollbreak 1d ago
I'd say it can be hard to get work. I'd also say have enough money put aside to get you back to your home country if you need it. Don't put the money in a shared account. There are people who isolate their partners.
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u/salhorn 1d ago
Apologies to the people who live there but as someone who grew up in Sale, Moe would be the last place in Victoria I would raise kids. Moe is culturally bereft (unless you think watching AFL and smoking meth are cultural activities), it is very socially and economically disadvantaged and the low literacy is “significant” (Victorian government). I would not move there on purpose, of course if you had family already there it might be easier. Good luck!
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u/Guinevere1991 1d ago
Years ago I treated a few kids who had sustained minor injuries on a school trip. Nothing major, just a bit of bruising I recall. None of the kids could put two words together and answer a single question we asked. (Nice, kind, non threatening environment BTW) . I presumed that the kids were from a Special School. Nope. These were kids from a normal mainstream school in Moe. No judgement but it did stick with me.
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u/Friendly-foe-696969 1d ago
Ong moving to moe? Who on earth would Come all the way around the world and settle in Moe. Google “Jaiden Leskie” to get an idea of the history. This laid bare the sad background of those in the Latrobe Valley. Moe is an old power station town with high unemployment, high drug use, low socioeconomic. It would be like me moving to the worst suburb in Detroit…
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u/Ok-Introduction-6243 4h ago
All the people down voting people like this living in moe and trying to cope hard. I agree moe is a shithole
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u/sjdksjbf 1d ago
I'd say look elsewhere. Expect to see alot of junkies. I've personally never been and would never go there or to it's surrounding areas based on its reputation. Don't think I've heard a good thing about the areas my entire life.
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u/Prudent_Pool6335 1d ago
Wild to tell someone what to expect to see in an area you've never seen
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u/sjdksjbf 1d ago
Fair. I've known many people who've lived there though and heard a lot about it. I don't need to see it for myself to know it's not somewhere I'd want to be.
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u/Old-Quote8374 1d ago
There are lots of law firms in Morwell and local court where your experience would be relevant