Why is it only 2.5 million live in WA but 21.5 million live over East

[JockinTas]

Glebe is already like that! So is Surry Hills, but they also have a lot of public housing, unlike Paddo, and probably Balmain.

 

 

There are some lovely big old character houses in Glebe. Also backpacker places. Glebe is where my Scottish friend's daughter is staying just now. Very handy for her job in the city - she just walks to work.

[redderdevil]

I spent several years in Perth before moving across.

Its such a long way from the rest of the country and as beautiful as some parts are, there was always a feeling that they didn't belong, because of the isolation from the East. I detected an air of resentment towards the East too as WAers perceived themselves to be the forgotten people, though I personally don't think this is the case.

Since moving to the East I feel I'm more part of Australia. Its where things happen and there's a feeling of involvement, rather than the back water that WA depicts itself to be.

[flag of convenience]

I could live in the 'burbs' but I would be living on my own in a house, perhaps miles from the nearest facilities, whereas in Surry Hills, I can walk everywhere. I have my car, of course, but it's a luxury, not a necessity. When I do go to the 'burbs' as I did last night, (and I bet people in Glebe would hate to hear it called a 'burb, but it's just my perception) I'm just conscious of being amongst families/couples.

 

Glebe is actually as cool, maybe cooler, than Surry Hills, but off Glebe Point Road, it seems more suburban than Surry Hills, but again, that is just my subjective perception.

 

I'd go along with Glebe does looking more suburban than Surry Hills. I guess the good burghers there would get into a tizz being called suburban considering the context in which they likely see themselves.

Thing being, at least IMO, is that there are far too few places in Australia that offer a true inner city experience.

[Paul1Perth]

Yes, Pemberton is not bad but I know what you mean. We looked at a house in Manjimup. That was lovely. I love Nannup, again quirky yes. Donnybrook, just love the town centre! Can't forget Bridgetown. In fact anywhere down there really. Blackwood river region. The South West is much more to our taste as is the hills but you can't have it all!

 

Cowaramup for quirky.:wink:

[MARYROSE02]

I'd go along with Glebe does looking more suburban than Surry Hills. I guess the good burghers there would get into a tizz being called suburban considering the context in which they likely see themselves.

Thing being, at least IMO, is that there are far too few places in Australia that offer a true inner city experience.[/QUOTE]

 

You could be right, but WHAT is 'a true inner city experience?' I read in the paper yesterday, that since the NSW govt introduced the 'lockout' laws to 'tame the Cross', the action has moved to Newtown. Whether that is true or not, no suburb stays the same. You might have gone to Sydney Uni 25 years ago, and have this memory of Newtown, then go back and be flabbergasted and disappointed, and maybe start whingeing about 'the yuppies moving in and the ferals moving out' or some such stuff.

 

Surry Hills was probably more 'edgy' when I first moved there in the 1980's. I was in The Clock hotel last night, in the 'Whisky Room' at the back - great place too - but full of 20 and 30 somethings, middle class, 'nice' people. 25 years ago, it wasn't a rough pub but I remember a lower bar packed with pool tables. I don't think they have a single one now.

 

Then again, in the 1920's Surry Hills was the 'real' Underbelly.

[MARYROSE02]

There are some lovely big old character houses in Glebe. Also backpacker places. Glebe is where my Scottish friend's daughter is staying just now. Very handy for her job in the city - she just walks to work.

 

I measured the distance from the park at the bottom of Glebe Point Road to Surry Hills, four kilometres, via Broadway, Eddy Ave, and Elizabeth Street. It could be less driving via City Road and Cleveland Street, and if I was walking I would walk through the tunnel under Central which would certainly cut out a few hundred metres that I added, driving.

 

The 'cool' part of Glebe Point Road is closer to Parramatta Road, whereas down by the harbour, it is quieter. I am biased towards Surry Hills. I don't know why, and not the whole of Surry Hills, but a smaller part bounded by Cleveland St, Crown St, Foveaux St, Elizabeth Street, and Chalmers Street. In fact, I said to barman in the Clock, when he'd asked me how my day had been, 'I left my comfort zone and crossed Devonshire Street (marking an even smaller territory.)

 

People who live in Glebe probably love it as much as I love Surry Hills, and the same for Newtownians (sic)

[VERYSTORMY]

We lived in Sydney when we first arrived for 6 months and really enjoyed it. We were in an area called Breakfast Point. But, I would be against going back because of the house prices.

[flag of convenience]

I'd go along with Glebe does looking more suburban than Surry Hills. I guess the good burghers there would get into a tizz being called suburban considering the context in which they likely see themselves.

Thing being, at least IMO, is that there are far too few places in Australia that offer a true inner city experience.[/QUOTE]

 

You could be right, but WHAT is 'a true inner city experience?' I read in the paper yesterday, that since the NSW govt introduced the 'lockout' laws to 'tame the Cross', the action has moved to Newtown. Whether that is true or not, no suburb stays the same. You might have gone to Sydney Uni 25 years ago, and have this memory of Newtown, then go back and be flabbergasted and disappointed, and maybe start whingeing about 'the yuppies moving in and the ferals moving out' or some such stuff.

 

Surry Hills was probably more 'edgy' when I first moved there in the 1980's. I was in The Clock hotel last night, in the 'Whisky Room' at the back - great place too - but full of 20 and 30 somethings, middle class, 'nice' people. 25 years ago, it wasn't a rough pub but I remember a lower bar packed with pool tables. I don't think they have a single one now.

 

Then again, in the 1920's Surry Hills was the 'real' Underbelly.

 

I'm afraid I haven't stayed in Newtown since 2005. My preferred area at the time. Diversity at street level. I've heard it has since become more mainstream probably due to cost. I believe The Newtown Hotel is not for the main part a gay venue these days? Rents have forced out some of the quirkiness.

I mean the location was great. A shortish walk to the centre with a lot of pedestrian traffic en route. It was hardly a place that could maintain a semi grunge/queer/alternative/student/hipster location in the face of Sydney prices. I hope some of 'the old' remains in place and not totally dominated by Yuppies and faux rich management class and assorted class conscious individuals.

[starlight7]

Maybe the West should secede - they might as well in many ways.

[Guest]

It must have worked I've not met any French. :laugh: Lots of Italians in Freo especially but no French.

 

The first friends we made in Perth were French, on WHV and met others in Freo on WHV's over the years - lots more Italians though but they were settled migrants, usually 2nd/3rd generation (so not really Italian at all!)

[MARYROSE02]

We lived in Sydney when we first arrived for 6 months and really enjoyed it. We were in an area called Breakfast Point. But, I would be against going back because of the house prices.

 

I have a friend who lives there, one of the 'new build' suburbs? I seem to recall a mass of new units. I had a look at Raleigh Park in Kensington, a new estate built on the site of the old Wills tobacco company site. (My father worked for BAT in Southampton, and on the strength of that connection, my brother Neil got a job with Wills.) My friend Matt was with me, and we both agreed it looked 'too' perfect with its immaculate lawns and greens and homes. What sort of movies would be made there? 'Pleasantville?' 'The Stepford Wives?' 'The Truman Show?'

[MARYROSE02]

Maybe the West should secede - they might as well in many ways.

 

I think you would have to hold a referendum, which would include all the states and territories, with a majority in all of them. It would be no good WA having its own referendum, as in Scotland, because Australia has a written constitution, detailing the rights of the states and the commonwealth.

 

I'm still puzzling over the title of this thread too. Why is it relevant to compare the relatively small population of WA with the relatively large population of the eastern part of Australia, along with the caption 'It says it all?' You may as well ask why the population of the whole of Scotland is 5.3 million, yet more than 8 million live in London alone.

[VERYSTORMY]

I have a friend who lives there, one of the 'new build' suburbs? I seem to recall a mass of new units. I had a look at Raleigh Park in Kensington, a new estate built on the site of the old Wills tobacco company site. (My father worked for BAT in Southampton, and on the strength of that connection, my brother Neil got a job with Wills.) My friend Matt was with me, and we both agreed it looked 'too' perfect with its immaculate lawns and greens and homes. What sort of movies would be made there? 'Pleasantville?' 'The Stepford Wives?' 'The Truman Show?'

 

I wouldn't say "perfect", but a very nice place to live. I don't see the point of moving to the other side of the world to slum it - which is very easy done in Sydney. Heck, we were actually nearly one of the infamous immediate returners - the road from the airport is vile and looked like a run down hill billy town. I remember us sat in the back of the taxi and looking at each other with horror and the thought "oh god, what have we done". We very nearly asked the cab to turn around and head back for the airport

[MARYROSE02]

I wouldn't say "perfect", but a very nice place to live. I don't see the point of moving to the other side of the world to slum it - which is very easy done in Sydney. Heck, we were actually nearly one of the infamous immediate returners - the road from the airport is vile and looked like a run down hill billy town. I remember us sat in the back of the taxi and looking at each other with horror and the thought "oh god, what have we done". We very nearly asked the cab to turn around and head back for the airport

 

I woudn't call the road to the airport 'vile' - 'O'Riordan Street? There is a mixture of warehouses, factories, and also newer blocks of units going up everywhere. I guess I'm just used to it. I remember feeling afronted when somebody told me that 'living in the shadow of the Esso refinery at Fawley, we just did not notice the smells, and the ugliness' and I guess he was right.

 

Do you live in Raleigh Park?

[VERYSTORMY]

I woudn't call the road to the airport 'vile' - 'O'Riordan Street? There is a mixture of warehouses, factories, and also newer blocks of units going up everywhere. I guess I'm just used to it. I remember feeling afronted when somebody told me that 'living in the shadow of the Esso refinery at Fawley, we just did not notice the smells, and the ugliness' and I guess he was right.

 

Do you live in Raleigh Park?

 

No, after we left Sydney, to go west, we live in a small semi rural area called Dawesville, about 90km south of Perth

[JockinTas]

I wouldn't say "perfect", but a very nice place to live. I don't see the point of moving to the other side of the world to slum it - which is very easy done in Sydney. Heck, we were actually nearly one of the infamous immediate returners - the road from the airport is vile and looked like a run down hill billy town. I remember us sat in the back of the taxi and looking at each other with horror and the thought "oh god, what have we done". We very nearly asked the cab to turn around and head back for the airport

 

 

I also remember picking up newly married Scottish friends at the airport who were migrating and they looked around on the drive to the city and the husband said " Jeez, and they call this the lucky country". They were very under impressed. Thirty years later they are still here - happy as Larry - three children later and living a lovely life in Bowral, NSW.

[starlight7]

The drive from Tullamarine airport to Melbourne is pretty vile, too.

[MARYROSE02]

The title says it all

 

LOOK what I found, which brings this thread into a more balanced viewpoint.

 

Edith Cowan University welcomes students wishing to study in Australia who aren't Australian citizens or permanent residents.

We're one of the youngest Australian universities, home to more than 3,500 international students.

ECU is based in Perth, Western Australia, a vibrant, sophisticated and safe city that's rated one of the world's most liveable*.

 

Western Australia is a driving force in Australia's economy, with massive investment in mining, energy, construction and technology.

The state produces 48% of Australia's exports, yet has only 10% of the population.

There is a demand for qualified workers across a wide range of fields, and jobs are amongst the highest paid in Australia.

*Source: The Economist's 2014 annual liveability survey.

[MARYROSE02]

 

I'm afraid I haven't stayed in Newtown since 2005. My preferred area at the time. Diversity at street level. I've heard it has since become more mainstream probably due to cost. I believe The Newtown Hotel is not for the main part a gay venue these days? Rents have forced out some of the quirkiness.

I mean the location was great. A shortish walk to the centre with a lot of pedestrian traffic en route. It was hardly a place that could maintain a semi grunge/queer/alternative/student/hipster location in the face of Sydney prices. I hope some of 'the old' remains in place and not totally dominated by Yuppies and faux rich management class and assorted class conscious individuals.

The weirdos are welcome as long s they remember that there is no higher value than the sanctity of private property!

 

Sydney Uni is still there and the other unis and colleges. Sydney Film School in Redfern and AIM (Australia Inst of Music?) in Surry Hills along with thousands of people who live in public housing. The big one near me is known as "The Ice Tower. " but people all want to live near the city so prices go up.

[MARYROSE02]

No, after we left Sydney, to go west, we live in a small semi rural area called Dawesville, about 90km south of Perth

I shall Google It.

[MARYROSE02]

I also remember picking up newly married Scottish friends at the airport who were migrating and they looked around on the drive to the city and the husband said " Jeez, and they call this the lucky country". They were very under impressed. Thirty years later they are still here - happy as Larry - three children later and living a lovely life in Bowral, NSW.

Posh in Bowral! I must see the cricket museum.

[JockinTas]

Bowral is really nice. They were both teachers - retired now.