Well, those three weeks have just flown by. For those of you that are interested, and even for those that aren't, here are our personal thoughts and opinions on WA. We' ve just finished a three week holiday in Perth, and also had three weeks holiday there last year, but last year travelled quite a bit, down to Bunbury/Busselton/Margaret River/Albany in the Southwest, and up to Geraldton/Denham/Monkey Mia in the North. This time, we stayed right in the city, and kept travelling to a minimum.
Weather: gotta start here. We were there for 21 days, and March is late summer/early autumn. Clocks went back at the same time UK went forward. We had a total of 19 days with unbroken sunshine, 2 days that started fine, but clouded over, and 1 short shower. Max daytime temp was 37c, with a night-time temp of 21c, and minimum daytime temp was 23c, with a night-time temp of 9c. On our last day (1st April), temp was predicted to be 32c with a five day forecast for more sun and temps in 30s. Coming over from our winter, it felt hot, damn hot. But we were just starting to adjust before we came home. Although 37c was sweltering, no doubt about it, the Perthites have ways of coping with it. Obviously no-one sits in the full sun when the temp is like that. Most homes, cars, public transport, offices and shops are air-conned, and people do head to the malls where it is cool. To see the sunshine, day after day, was fantastic. Really perks you up and makes you feel happier. We were told, though, that 2 weeks before we arrived, Perth experienced daytime temps of 45c. Obviously this is extreme heat and you would have to plan your activities accordingly. As far as we know, February is the hottest month, so maybe a good time to go for a holiday somewhere cooler!
People: During this trip and the one before, we only encountered helpful and friendly people. We struck up loads of conversations, with Perthites and other travellers alike. We found that people would just start talking to us, in cafes, waiting for a train, or whatever. This was contagious, we started talking to total strangers too. We found people to be very polite, addressing me as ma'am and Stu as sir. People were keen to help, just an example we were on the train waiting to get off, we didn't realise you had to hit the illuminated button, but an Aussie put us right. We also found only helpfulness when trying to navigate around the city, bus drivers in particular telling us which bus was best to take, and telling us that a certain ticket would be cheaper. People always, or mostly always, thanked the bus driver when they got off. How many people in this country say thank you to the driver? So we started doing it too! Like I said, its very contagious. Also, there are priority seats on buses and trains, for mums with kids/disabled/seniors (I liked that..seniors...much better than elderly) and many times, witnessed Aussies - even youngsters - offering their seats up.
Transport: We used absolutely no end of metro trains (round the city and surrounding suburbs) buses, ferries, and inland train. The transport system is efficient, clean, and relatively cheap. You purchase a ticket according to how many zones you are going to travel, and your ticket is then valid for 2 hours, during that time you can take any number of buses, trains, or ferries, as long as its within that time. To travel to Fremantle from Perth is 2 zones or AUD3.20 (£1.30). Better value are the all day tickets. For AUD7.70 (£3.20) you can travel all day, in all zones. We used those a lot. On the weekends, you buy 1 all day ticket and that is valid for 2 adults and up to 5 kids. Unbelievable. One day, we went to Mandurah on the bus (train line under construction). Distance is about 40 miles, and we got there and back on 1 all day ticket. Bargain. We took a train inland to Northam (approx 80 miles away). The train was spotless, very roomy seats, air conned etc and very modern. Tickets cost AUD54 for both of us, return (£22.50). They must make a loss on their transport. We always felt very safe using the public transport. They have transit guards at most stations, and these guys, like the regular police, are armed. They were a very reassuring presence, although we never saw any sort of trouble at any of the train or bus stations.In the city, there are 3 different CAT buses. These are free buses, that travel on a circuit around the city, taking 3 different routes. The Perthites use these to get around just as much as the tourists. During the week, they run approx every 5-10 mins, a bit further apart at the weekends.
Things to do: Obviously, with such great weather, the outdoors is always available. There are purpose-built cycle and jogging tracks, barbecues for the public to use, lots of play parks for the kids, some under sunshelters. With so much beautiful coastline, obviously the beaches are well used but never feel crowded, because there are so many to choose from. Just around Perth itself, there is City beach, Floreat beach, Cottesloe beach, Scarborough beach, Trigg beach, North beach,etc etc etc. Some of the bigger beaches such as Cottesloe and Scarborough have sunshades on the beach, or tree cover, and most of the beaches have toilets and showering facilities which we found to be, on the whole, clean. Parking at the beaches appears to be free! and there is ample parking. In Perth itself there are museums, (free or coin donation) zoo (AUD17.00/£7.10 for adult) numerous 'reserves' (parks or greens) often with lakes. Lots of tourist attractions with very reasonable entrance fees. In the suburbs there are wildlife parks (Caversham Wildlife Park, you can feed and pet the roos, and get up close and personal with wombats and koalas). We were never stuck for anything to do. There were numerous festivals and fairs on whilst we were there. For example, 'Crabfest' at Mandurah, Indian Food Fair in Fremantle, Food and Wine Fair at Claisebrook. You can take a ferry down the Swan River, or take a ferry to Rottnest Island (beautiful traffic-free island 30 mins from Perth). On Rottnest there are loads of secluded, gorgeous beaches, great for snorkelling. As its car free, it sort of reminded us of Center Parcs. We cycled round, saw a dugite (venomous snake). Its a good place to see whales apparently, in the Spring. It's very popular, not a place to go in either the school hols or at weekends if you like it quiet!
Cost of living: We didn't find Australia at all expensive, but then we know how to grab a bargain anyway! Eating out we didn't do too much, as we stayed in an apartment, we did a lot of self-catering. We found the supermarkets much the same as the UK. The city centre supermarket was always very crowded, but we found a big Coles(supermarket) in Subiaco, just a couple of stops on the metro train, which was never too busy. The prices we found we just very similar to the UK. Not expensive, not cheap, just what we would expect. We were buying milk, bread, eggs, cheese, chicken, that sort of thing and nothing struck me as extortionate. Petrol is very cheap. Half what we pay. Council tax appears to be about 2/3 of what we pay. Clothing again we found to be similar to UK, although Stu got 2 pairs of Adidas trainers for AUD100 (£40) each which we thought was good. We ate out a couple of times, there are loads of Asian cafes and you can eat cheaply or expensively as you like. Typically we had 2 starters, 2 mains, a rice, 2 beers and a water for AUD42 (£18). So not dear at all. We had loads of coffees and cakes, as Perthites seem to spend so much of their time drinking coffees, we followed suit. For 2 coffees we would pay AUD8 (£3). For 2 iced coffees (in tall glasses, with ice cream and whipped cream) would be AUD9-10 (£4), and for coffee and cake x 2 AUD21 (£8.70). Loads and loads of different sorts of coffees, as it seems to be a national pastime!
Houses: We travelled a fair bit, went to a few different suburbs. Obviously, the nearer to the beach or to the city, the more you'll pay. Apparently, house prices have doubled since 2003. We got loads of real estate brochures. For a new house, nice suburb, 4beds 2bath, expect to pay AUD500,000 plus (£210,000). For a house in a not so popular suburb, maybe needs a bit of redecorating, expect to pay AUD300,000 plus (£125,000). The nearer the city, the more built up the suburbs seem to be, but go a little further out, maybe 30 mins on the metro train and there are loads of new homes being built.
Overall: Well, we're definitely biased. We loved Perth the 1st time, and we love it still. Very, very hard pushed to find anything negative to say, but would probably say that the heat would take some getting used to. Otherwise, we would love to live there, and were in no rush to come home at all. There is nothing here in the UK that I can say is better, but there are a whole lot of things that are worse here. Am very envious of those that have already made the move, and those that soon will be doing so. We're still hopefully off to Melbourne, still waiting to hear if Stu's been accepted onto the course, but Perth would get our vote any day.
Hope that the above has been of some interest. Have missed logging on. Becky/Tony&Lynne/Hev/Nigellr please let me know your up-to-date situations, as I am completely out of touch with where you all are!
Cheers for now,
Rachel
__________________
Big Stu, Little Rache,
Accepted to study in Melbourne, July 2008.
Confirmation of Enrolment received 26.4.07.
Police Checks requested 06.12.07
Wow, Rachel what a great post! Really good to get some indepth knowledge of the area. I didn't realise the public transport was so good, I always thought it was rubbish!
Glad you and your family had a great holiday and hope you're move over goes as smoothly as possible!
Am debating still on when we are going, although to validate hubby's visa must go before 2nd June 2007. I'm soooo nervous about it all I keep changing my mind daily, and driving myself and friends mad! But need to make my mind up fast, anyone got a crystal ball???? LOL
That made good reading Rachel and helped allay a few fears. It sounds great!
Had our TRA passed and have nearly completed our visa application. Hope to get to Perth late this year if all goes well in the application department.
Thanks again for the interesting and useful info.
Julie
Ahhh... It was great reading your positive take on everything. We are not doing a Rekki first. But it great getting the low down from those that have. Good Luck
I've just come back from Australia too after having a recce trip for 3 weeks. March 5th to the 24th.
At the risk of being abused here are my opinions:
Perth - I spent 8 days in Perth, staying in the city. If I hadn't moved on after 8 days I would have probably killed myself. OK so I'm exagerating a bit but I did not like Perth one bit.
It's true that I did not go there to enjoy myself but to appraise the city for future habitation and it is on this basis that I disliked it. I found it to be the most bland and boring place that I could imagine living in. It is a dusty 40 mile stretch of 4 x 2 suburbs on some very lovely yet lifeless white beaches. The skys are clear blue without a cloud in sight and this is the problem. When driving around for 8 days with nothing to look at but boring 4 x 2's and cloudless skys you go stir crazy!! During my time there I saw no children between the age of 6 and 16. What do they do? As I could find nothing for them to do. It is too hot to play out. I was even offered a good job with a good salary and company car (the reason I went to Perth first) which I turned down on the basis of not being prepared to take my family to the lifeless sterile city of Perth. Unless you have £400,000 to spend on a house, don't expect to live walking distance to a beach and local to the city. If you are happy to drive 1hr+ at peak times to the city then you may get something new (a 4 x 2 of course) within cycling distance of the beach for £220,000. Another feature of Perth I found was that everybody drives at the speed limit. This may sound like a positive, but it's so typical of the monotonous city that it is that you can get up to 4 lanes of congested traffic all travelling at exactly the same speed. I found it infuriating!! The only life you may find in Perth is in the city itself and that's only at the weekend. It's dead all week and then the whole of WA seems to decend upon the city. I'm sure it's very good for people with very young children but it's not right for me and my family. If you believe that you life can revolve around only a beach then maybe Perth is ok but I need more out of life than that.
Maybe Perth is a Marmite city you either love it or hate it. Unfortunately I hated it. I'm just glad I got a Visa which allows me to choose where I live. For those who don't I implore you to take a recce trip before you make the commitment. I would have definitely come back home if I had tried to settle in Perth.
That's enough for now. Tune in later more installments such as: 'Brisbane was ace' or 'Melbourne's a dump' and last but not least 'Adelaide rules'
thanks to both of you!
Its great to see both sides, my OH loved Perth when he lived there, but it really doesnt appeal to me to all. Luckily for me (and him hehehehe) he has said he just loves OZ and will be happy wherever. Reckie next Feb, so we'll see where we end up, though i'm 99% sure it will be Brisbane.
