Why live in BURNIE?

Burnie is a regional city, originally settled in 1827 as Emu Bay and is best known for its busy container port and major industries as well as being rich in scenic beauty and natural assets from clean beaches fronting Bass Strait to fertile pastoral lands. Burnie is connected with Devonport home to the passenger ferry, Spirit of Tasmania via a four land highway and a 20 minute drive west of Burnie is the Burnie Airport at Wynyard which is serviced daily from Melbourne. Burnie is also the gateway to the magnificent Cradle Mountain and the wild West Coast.

Living in Burnie will unveil a wealth of unexpected places to visit and things to do for you and your family.

Restaurants & Cafés
You’re never far from great places to eat or drink in Burnie. Coffee and cake and some great dining experiences can be had at around 30 or more establishments throughout Burnie’s CBD or a short drive away. There are then the “fast food” and takeaway restaurants including the multinationals such as, KFC, McDonalds, Subway, Dominos and Noodle Box.

Shopping
Residents of Burnie have a wide range of shops and services. Burnie has a well developed central business district with several national retailers operating stores. These include; K-Mart, Coles, Woolworths, & Target. These together with hundreds of secondary specialty retailers make it possible to buy almost anything in Burnie. Just outside the CBD there are other major retailers such as; Harvey Norman Superstore, Spotlight, Supercheap Auto and Godfreys.

Real Estate
Burnie is primarily a residential area with a commercial and industrial precinct to the east of the CBD. It offers a huge range of affordable properties. Burnie provides spacious free-standing homes, units, apartments and rural/residential lifestyle properties. Not surprisingly, the most sought after local homes capture Bass Strait views.

Schools, Education & Institutions
Burnie is very popular with families and it has great childcare and educational services. A range of long-day, family day care providers and outside school hours care operate locally. Burnie is home to 7 primary state schools and 2 high schools. Burnie also offers a choice of 3 Private Schools – which caters to children from preschool to year 12. Burnie also offers its residents tertiary institutions and is home to the Cradle Coast campus of the University of Tasmania.

Transport
The Metro Bus service provides transport around the city and its suburbs. There is also a taxi service operating in the area.

Sports, Fitness & Recreation
Burnie is blessed by indoor and outdoor sporting facilities, all within easy reach. Burnie provides plenty of options when it comes to sport and recreation. Enjoy a beachside boardwalk or try the 17-kilometre walking trail that skirts the city. The Burnie Golf Club is located on a short drive away at Camdale. Residents of Burnie also have plenty of opportunities to get involved in organized sport, with many competitions on offer including tennis, softball, basketball, hockey, netball, football, soccer, bowls, swimming and cricket.

Climate
Burnie enjoys a cool temperate climate with four distinct seasons.  The average temperature in summer ranges from 12.5 to 21 C with drier days as warm as 30 °C, with around 16 hours of sunshine per day. In winter, temperature ranges from 6 to 13 °C, and only 8 hours of sunshine. Relative humidity averages over 60% for the year in the afternoon.

Burnie averages 994mm of rainfall per year. Most of the rain is in the second half of the year from July to December.

Why live in SOMERSET?

Somerset is a small township to the west of Burnie and is located on the estuary of the Cam River mid-way between the township of Wynyard and the city of Burnie.  Today the city of Burnie encompasses the entire Burnie-Somerset urban area, however, the town is part of the Waratah/Wynyard municipal area.  A beach stretches along the full length of the Somerset coastline from the Cam River to the far western outskirts.

Restaurants & Cafés

You’re never far from great places to eat or drink.  In Somerset you will find a couple of takeaway restaurants and a couple of bistros.  Coffee and cake can be had at a couple of great small cafes in the main street.  Burnie’s restaurants are only a short drive away.

Shopping

There are a number of small businesses in Somerset with almost all along the main street.  These shops will provide all your day to day necessities.

Real Estate

Somerset is primarily a residential suburb with rural and lifestyle properties further inland. It offers a huge range of affordable properties. Somerset provides spacious free-standing homes, units, and rural/residential lifestyle properties. Not surprisingly, the most sought after local homes capture Bass Strait views and are reasonably level.

Schools & Education

Somerset has quality community-based child care for children from birth to 12 years of age.  Somerset does not have a public high school or college. Students travel to Burnie for their higher educational needs. However, there are two public primary schools located in Somerset catering from . These are Somerset Primary and West Somerset Primary.

There is one private school in Somerset, Seabrook Christian School, which is located on the outskirts of the town. The school follows the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum and is for students from kinder to grade 12.

Transport

Somerset is connected to the surrounding areas by the Bass Highway which runs through the town following the coast. Somerset is also connected to the West Coast by the Murchison Highway which begins beside the Cam River.

The only public transport in the area is Metro Tasmania which offers bus services from Wynyard to Ulverstone.

The Burnie Airport is located in the township of Wynyard, a 15 minute drive away.

Sports, Fitness & Recreation

Somerset is home to four sporting venues: a football field, soccer field, tennis courts and a recreation center.

Cam River Reserve is a popular recreational area at all times of the year. It is a safe fishing spot where the family can have a picnic at the tables and barbecues provided. Small boats, kayaks and canoes can be launched from the boat ramp. Anzac Park offers large area of parkland lends itself to the impromptu game of cricket, football and outdoor activity. The Somerset foreshore runs beside the Esplanade from the Surf Club at Somerset. Picnic tables are located on the grassed areas amongst the boobyallas with glorious views of the beach and Table Cape in the distance. Boats can be launched from Fairlands Beach - west of the Tennis Club.