Dilemma Oz or UK

[VERYSTORMY]

I agree. You need to work at 'making friends' for God's sake. If you are low on confidence or not willing to give your time and put in 'relationship building groundworks' - then you won't make progress.

 

There is this notion on here that Australia is a country where it's 'hard to make new friends'. I don't know how such a sweeping generalisation can be true. Unless the migration process favours the shy, timid, snowflake types. You can make friends anywhere folks once you know how and are willing to put the time in. If you don't know 'how' or not willing to invest time in building same, well, you've got a problem.

 

B

 

There are lots of reasons people find it hard to make friends. One big one is culture. A lot of people think because we speak the same language we are culturally same, when nothing is further from the truth. I have lived in 13 countries and Australia was as culturally different as any, in fact more than some of countries that don't speak the same language.

 

Also, in my experience, people make their closest friends in early life - school, university and early career. So, most people in Australia already have a friend network that they have had for years. There not that interested in new ones. No different to anywhere else.

 

We we generally also found that suburbs are very quiet and people stick to themselves. While that is often true of suburbia in any country, we found it much more so in Oz.

[Beaty]

There are lots of reasons people find it hard to make friends. One big one is culture. A lot of people think because we speak the same language we are culturally same, when nothing is further from the truth. I have lived in 13 countries and Australia was as culturally different as any, in fact more than some of countries that don't speak the same language.

 

Also, in my experience, people make their closest friends in early life - school, university and early career. So, most people in Australia already have a friend network that they have had for years. There not that interested in new ones. No different to anywhere else.

 

We we generally also found that suburbs are very quiet and people stick to themselves. While that is often true of suburbia in any country, we found it much more so in Oz.

 

Most PIO'rs willing to put in the genuine time and effort (in Australia) by getting outside, connecting with real people offline, joining clubs, parent's clubs or school's parent's boards (if applicable) volunteering, inviting, accepting over time should be able to make new friends. Of course they're not going to at the level of early childhood, teen, or Uni friends, and who would want them to be, they're a new set - Migration Mates

 

Problem is, a lot of people, and more worryingly it now includes their children, sit in front of computers 24/7 and moan on-line about not being able to make friends in 'real life'!

 

B

[VERYSTORMY]

Most PIO'rs willing to put in the genuine time and effort (in Australia) by getting outside, connecting with real people offline, joining clubs, parent's clubs or school's parent's boards (if applicable) volunteering, inviting, accepting over time should be able to make new friends. Of course they're not going to at the level of early childhood, teen, or Uni friends, and who would want them to be, they're a new set - Migration Mates

 

Problem is, a lot of people, and more worryingly it now includes their children, sit in front of computers 24/7 and moan on-line about not being able to make friends in 'real life'!

 

B

 

Betwen us we volunteered at 4 charities. Worked. Invited people for BBQ's and things.

 

It it was actually only the last months I made any friends which was via work and working in unusual circumstances in a tiny remote regional town.

 

Yet, i have friends from all of the countries I have previously lived. Which were for shorter periods.

 

I dont live in front of a computer. I don't even use a smart phone (have a work one which has lived in a draw for the last week while not at work and reminds me I probably need to charge it on Monday for return on Tuesday.

[Beaty]

Betwen us we volunteered at 4 charities. Worked. Invited people for BBQ's and things.

 

It it was actually only the last months I made any friends which was via work and working in unusual circumstances in a tiny remote regional town.

 

Yet, i have friends from all of the countries I have previously lived. Which were for shorter periods.

 

I dont live in front of a computer. I don't even use a smart phone (have a work one which has lived in a draw for the last week while not at work and reminds me I probably need to charge it on Monday for return on Tuesday.

 

Apologies, obviously I was talking generally and not about you Verystormy.

 

Wow, it seems the Aussies you met, and you, didn't click so.

 

B

[VERYSTORMY]

It isn't an Australia thing. I think it applies to migrants from and to pretty much anywhere. For example, I have a good friend who is from Sri Lanka. I was the first friend he made in the UK after being here 15 years.

 

Though it does seem to be particularly hard in Oz. I think it is part of its nature of being a massive country with every place relatively isolated - people think it is only Darwin or Perth, but in reality, every where is so spread out that it is isolated. As a result, instead of people being more commuting it can be more transient.

[Confuseddotcom]

Thanks everyone for all your replies and sorry I don't have time to reply to each and every one of you.

Thanks for sharing all your experiences.

Maybe I focused too much on the friends thing in my original post. I think my main reason for wanting to go is to have more things to do with the kids during the day as we no longer get out in the evenings. I feel like the UK is very much centred around pubs and now that is no longer an option for us we feel like we are very limited to what we can do and where we can go during the day with our kids.

Meeting other families would be an added bonus in Oz. But don't feel like we would be leaving great friends behind as I explained we seem to be on a totally different wave length to your friends since having kids. Our friends work all week and get kids minded at weekend so they can head out. We can't get out because we have no babysitters and if truth be told we don't want that life anymore. (Well once in a while would be nice lol).

Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow in 2017 with a clearer mind (wishful thinking lol)

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[newjez]

Pp

Thanks everyone for all your replies and sorry I don't have time to reply to each and every one of you.

Thanks for sharing all your experiences.

Maybe I focused too much on the friends thing in my original post. I think my main reason for wanting to go is to have more things to do with the kids during the day as we no longer get out in the evenings. I feel like the UK is very much centred around pubs and now that is no longer an option for us we feel like we are very limited to what we can do and where we can go during the day with our kids.

Meeting other families would be an added bonus in Oz. But don't feel like we would be leaving great friends behind as I explained we seem to be on a totally different wave length to your friends since having kids. Our friends work all week and get kids minded at weekend so they can head out. We can't get out because we have no babysitters and if truth be told we don't want that life anymore. (Well once in a while would be nice lol).

Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow in 2017 with a clearer mind (wishful thinking lol)

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

when we had kids we tended to drop all our childless friends and those who weren't interested in their children. Strange though, we only have friends with the parents of our eldest child's friends. We never clicked with our younger children's friends' parents.

[Bungo]

Apologies, obviously I was talking generally and not about you Verystormy.

 

Wow, it seems the Aussies you met, and you, didn't click so.

 

B

 

So you meant that very really rude reply to everybody but VS? I don't get it. Firstly not everybody is a parent and the first several suggestions on your list relate to parents only, do you think only parents are willing or able to make friends? Infertile people are a pariah that do not deserve or require friendship or something? Secondly a number of people that are parents have already replied and stated their experiences anyway, so why do you know better, are they wrong?

 

Your response shows an utter lack of empathy with anyone that has had a different experience to yourself and utterly disgusts me.

[newjez]

Most PIO'rs willing to put in the genuine time and effort (in Australia) by getting outside, connecting with real people offline, joining clubs, parent's clubs or school's parent's boards (if applicable) volunteering, inviting, accepting over time should be able to make new friends. Of course they're not going to at the level of early childhood, teen, or Uni friends, and who would want them to be, they're a new set - Migration Mates

 

Problem is, a lot of people, and more worryingly it now includes their children, sit in front of computers 24/7 and moan on-line about not being able to make friends in 'real life'!

 

B

I'm Australian and I struggled. Don't know why. I guess some people are ready to make friends, some people aren't. I'm not interested in making friends now unless they do something similar, like mountain biking. I just don't have the time.

[Guest]

Thanks everyone for all your replies and sorry I don't have time to reply to each and every one of you.

Thanks for sharing all your experiences.

Maybe I focused too much on the friends thing in my original post. I think my main reason for wanting to go is to have more things to do with the kids during the day as we no longer get out in the evenings. I feel like the UK is very much centred around pubs and now that is no longer an option for us we feel like we are very limited to what we can do and where we can go during the day with our kids.

Meeting other families would be an added bonus in Oz. But don't feel like we would be leaving great friends behind as I explained we seem to be on a totally different wave length to your friends since having kids. Our friends work all week and get kids minded at weekend so they can head out. We can't get out because we have no babysitters and if truth be told we don't want that life anymore. (Well once in a while would be nice lol).

Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow in 2017 with a clearer mind (wishful thinking lol)

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

Some parents still want the social life after having kids, some don't mind it being consigned to the occasional night out or including the kids most/all of the time. We fell into the latter camp and its never bothered me that some of my friends still have a far busier social life than I do since having kids. That is their decision. My sister is the same, out most weekends, clubs, bars, holidays each summer with some girl friends to a Spanish partying hot spot and ok with leaving her kids.

 

Keep in mind, depending on where you ended up in Aus your daytime out and about could be curtailed due to summer heat and sun for some of the year. It doesn't spoil it for us anymore than it raining and being cold, dark and dreary for days on end did in the UK. You just get on with it and perhaps change your plans a bit some days but thats fine. We did that plenty in the UK too. In Aus we just head out to the beach earlier in the day, have a couple of hours down there and then head off and do whatever else during the real hot part of the day and then head out again a bit later. I think of it a bit like the Spanish siesta only we don't nap Its perfectly normal in hot countries to wind down for a while in the hot part of the day but Australia has the more British mentality over the Spanish speaking countries perhaps.

 

Do you really want to live in Australia? Don't think of a better life as it isn't automatic it will be 'better' for you or your kids. Its how you choose to live your lives and if Australia could help benefit that and add more to it for you in ways you can make use of, appreciate and enjoy. For us, our part of Aus does that for the most part. It has some niggles for me but not enough to spoil living here. My gripes would be the vast distance to the next big city and that I would like to holiday outside of my state now and again when taking an Aus holiday. But then we only used to drive 3 or 4 hours to north Wales or Cornwall for holidays also and that timeframe would not take us out of the state here. The red tape, the not having too high expectations for events as if you do they often don't quite live up to them :cute: That aspect amuses me as much as it niggles. For example people rave about the Christmas lights here in my city or the main Christmas pageant but I find both utter let downs, over hyped and very dated and do what I can to avoid them now having experienced them once. No way am I dragging my backside out of bed again at 5am to sit and wait for some scary 50's and Victorian style Christmas scenes to roll past 6 hours later. Often in 30C heat too many weeks before Christmas. Bah humbug eh :laugh: Thankfully kid is older now too and the wanting to go see such things is passing :yes:

 

Australia doesn't magically fix things that are not working or are wrong in your life. Only you can do that. As others have said, perhaps a move elsewhere in the UK is something to consider but then would you make new friends there? I posted a link to an article that I think explains how making new friends anywhere can get harder as you get older and how our expectations and wants change but we often don't realise it or hanker for friendships like we had in our teens and 20's, which for the most part don't happen in the same way in your 30's and 40's and older.

 

If you are outgoing, self sufficient and to some degree selfish (I think to be a successful migrant a good dollop of selfishness is needed) people then Australia may be a good move for you. Remember Australia is a different mind set, different way of living and can be a hard nut to crack and adapt to. Some it works for, others not. No one can know if it will work for you or if you'll need to move again within Aus or move elsewhere.

 

Aus suits me but then I am well used to being away from my long standing friends and our friendships still endure and we pick up where we left off when we do catch up. I also cope well being away from others and don't mind not having a big friendship circle or a busy social life. I've made some good friends here and am happy but we never moved for that or for a better life etc. We had our reasons and they have been fulfilled albeit with some down sides, same as when we made moves in the UK.

[JockinTas]

I never made friends (or wanted to really) with other parents at the school gate etc. I made most of my friends at work - usually with the same interests and sense of humour. Until settling for a fair few years in Sydney, I moved around a lot since leaving home at 16 years old. The only place found very insular was Switzerland. I knew people on a superficial level but never developed any real friendships there. Now we've moved again, this time to Tasmania and I've made good friends who I met - believe it or not ..... dog walking. We love all animals and help out at the local RSPCA rescue kennels and we adopted 4 horses which we care for together. Now 3 horses as we found a good home for the youngest one. We go out for a meal every couple of weeks and meet for coffee at one or the others homes. I have also been invited to join a book club but I really don't fancy that and also to join the Devonport embroidery guild. I went and the people were lovely but they are superb needle women. They do exquisite embroidery, patchwork and knitting and as I'm absolutely rubbish at those things I only go now and again for a chat and a cuppa. I have to say folk here are very friendly and I do think it may be because we are older also a few of them have now retired from the mainland to Tasmania so we are relative newcomers. A good percentage of them are originally from the UK and two very nice women I met are originally from Germany but lived for years in Sydney.

[calNgary]

Thanks everyone for all your replies and sorry I don't have time to reply to each and every one of you.

Thanks for sharing all your experiences.

Maybe I focused too much on the friends thing in my original post. I think my main reason for wanting to go is to have more things to do with the kids during the day as we no longer get out in the evenings. I feel like the UK is very much centred around pubs and now that is no longer an option for us we feel like we are very limited to what we can do and where we can go during the day with our kids.

Meeting other families would be an added bonus in Oz. But don't feel like we would be leaving great friends behind as I explained we seem to be on a totally different wave length to your friends since having kids. Our friends work all week and get kids minded at weekend so they can head out. We can't get out because we have no babysitters and if truth be told we don't want that life anymore. (Well once in a while would be nice lol).

Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow in 2017 with a clearer mind (wishful thinking lol)

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

If you want more things to do in the day time with kids ,i personally dont think you will find a better place. There is so much for families to do here and 9 times out of 10 ,the weather is great to do it in. Taking theme parks etc out of the equation ,i have also found activites for families are free or for very little cost, from beaches, waterparks, play areas and scenic walks or bike rides, its great exploring somewhere new. We have been in QLD 10 years and not done or visited half of the things to see and do and we get out and about quite a lot. I am sure your kids would love the opportuinites out there.

 

cAL X

[flag of convenience]

Most PIO'rs willing to put in the genuine time and effort (in Australia) by getting outside, connecting with real people offline, joining clubs, parent's clubs or school's parent's boards (if applicable) volunteering, inviting, accepting over time should be able to make new friends. Of course they're not going to at the level of early childhood, teen, or Uni friends, and who would want them to be, they're a new set - Migration Mates

 

Problem is, a lot of people, and more worryingly it now includes their children, sit in front of computers 24/7 and moan on-line about not being able to make friends in 'real life'!

 

B

 

This issue around connectedness and friendship is hardly a new one and far predates social media. In fact aspects of the growth of the internet has more likely been of great assistance to those experiencing loneliness as well as assisting in social isolation.

I suppose internet 'friends' outweigh 'no friends' in the real world in most quarters?

 

I do not believe classes, volunteering and certainly not inviting people for meals etc, necessary oils the wheels the friendship. In fact over effort can appear to make it worse. There is no magic remedy. Obviously staying indoors with blankets over head with little need to get out of bed, will likely prove to be the least successful mode to combat lack of friendship but all angles can prove tedious and unreceptive.

It matters not if your Australian or an incomer. If away from familiar ground, or returned after a considerable period away it will likely prove hard.

This is not necessary the individuals fault, regardless of effort put in, society here in Australia, IMO, is rather inward looking, socially conservative, people often network with purpose other than mere 'friendship' in mind and that is just the way it tends to be.

 

I do feel one should be, or would be better placed to possess a large degree of self contentment, without the need to reach out to others. Pleasant, if meaningless platitudes can be aired on Facebook and the likes will be forthcoming, but don't expect too much depth.

[Peachy]

This issue around connectedness and friendship is hardly a new one and far predates social media. In fact aspects of the growth of the internet has more likely been of great assistance to those experiencing loneliness as well as assisting in social isolation.

I suppose internet 'friends' outweigh 'no friends' in the real world in most quarters?

 

I do not believe classes, volunteering and certainly not inviting people for meals etc, necessary oils the wheels the friendship. In fact over effort can appear to make it worse. There is no magic remedy. Obviously staying indoors with blankets over head with little need to get out of bed, will likely prove to be the least successful mode to combat lack of friendship but all angles can prove tedious and unreceptive.

It matters not if your Australian or an incomer. If away from familiar ground, or returned after a considerable period away it will likely prove hard.

This is not necessary the individuals fault, regardless of effort put in, society here in Australia, IMO, is rather inward looking, socially conservative, people often network with purpose other than mere 'friendship' in mind and that is just the way it tends to be.

 

I do feel one should be, or would be better placed to possess a large degree of self contentment, without the need to reach out to others. Pleasant, if meaningless platitudes can be aired on Facebook and the likes will be forthcoming, but don't expect too much depth.

 

I have found the contrary and that we have made some close friends in a very short space of time through shared interests. We have found Australians in general to be extremely welcoming and accepting. It is a matter of putting yourself out there. I don't agree that over effort makes things worse - unless you go out of your way in a new country, you aren't going to have much luck with bonding - why should other people make the effort if you aren't prepared to?

 

Me and my family are busier socially than we were in the UK. I am not a natural social animal but I find that socialising here is so much more relaxed - sitting around a pool, bbq or at a park comes much more naturally.

 

I wouldn't move for the social life, but I do think that the opportunities that Australia offers, and the openness of the people that we have met, have changed our family dynamic for the better. If you are giving up good careers and a nice home then you need to think very carefully but Australia does have a huge amount to offer.

 

For the OP, you need to form your own views. While this forum is useful, and I absolutely don't wish to offend, comments from a lot of people who spend a considerable portion of their time online, isn't necessarily what you are aiming to reflect. While outside of my comfort zone, my aim is to make connections in the real world and if you give to your community then you will see the return.

[flag of convenience]

 

I have found the contrary and that we have made some close friends in a very short space of time through shared interests. We have found Australians in general to be extremely welcoming and accepting. It is a matter of putting yourself out there. I don't agree that over effort makes things worse - unless you go out of your way in a new country, you aren't going to have much luck with bonding - why should other people make the effort if you aren't prepared to?

 

Me and my family are busier socially than we were in the UK. I am not a natural social animal but I find that socialising here is so much more relaxed - sitting around a pool, bbq or at a park comes much more naturally.

 

I wouldn't move for the social life, but I do think that the opportunities that Australia offers, and the openness of the people that we have met, have changed our family dynamic for the better. If you are giving up good careers and a nice home then you need to think very carefully but Australia does have a huge amount to offer.

 

For the OP, you need to form your own views. While this forum is useful, and I absolutely don't wish to offend, comments from a lot of people who spend a considerable portion of their time online, isn't necessarily what you are aiming to reflect. While outside of my comfort zone, my aim is to make connections in the real world and if you give to your community then you will see the return.

 

Just expresses the term different strokes for different folks I guess. Although I note your time is short on these shores your initial observations of course is as valid as any.

 

I meanwhile, of course, remain of the opinion through a long duration of living here and a topic that has been discussed over the decades, with the pro's and con's, that Australia remains a rather difficult place to establish friendships. (in the nominal meaning of the word)

 

Pleasing to find other experiences though. Perhaps gives hope to those that feel social isolation here?

[Booma]

 

I have found the contrary and that we have made some close friends in a very short space of time through shared interests. We have found Australians in general to be extremely welcoming and accepting. It is a matter of putting yourself out there. I don't agree that over effort makes things worse - unless you go out of your way in a new country, you aren't going to have much luck with bonding - why should other people make the effort if you aren't prepared to?

 

Me and my family are busier socially than we were in the UK. I am not a natural social animal but I find that socialising here is so much more relaxed - sitting around a pool, bbq or at a park comes much more naturally.

 

I wouldn't move for the social life, but I do think that the opportunities that Australia offers, and the openness of the people that we have met, have changed our family dynamic for the better. If you are giving up good careers and a nice home then you need to think very carefully but Australia does have a huge amount to offer.

 

For the OP, you need to form your own views. While this forum is useful, and I absolutely don't wish to offend, comments from a lot of people who spend a considerable portion of their time online, isn't necessarily what you are aiming to reflect. While outside of my comfort zone, my aim is to make connections in the real world and if you give to your community then you will see the return.

 

 

totally agree with this. i lived in oz twice. didnt make friends the first time but made the best friends ever the second time. the only difference has been my attitude cause we are living in the same town we were last time. if people have trouble making friends they should look to themselves & how they are coming across.

[flag of convenience]

totally agree with this. i lived in oz twice. didnt make friends the first time but made the best friends ever the second time. the only difference has been my attitude cause we are living in the same town we were last time. if people have trouble making friends they should look to themselves & how they are coming across.

 

It goes a bit deeper than that. Many Aussies that have lived elsewhere, would not necessary agree it the fault of the person. It may be, or rather it may more likely be just a difficult place to establish meaningful contacts.

[Quoll]

Thanks everyone for all your replies and sorry I don't have time to reply to each and every one of you.

Thanks for sharing all your experiences.

Maybe I focused too much on the friends thing in my original post. I think my main reason for wanting to go is to have more things to do with the kids during the day as we no longer get out in the evenings. I feel like the UK is very much centred around pubs and now that is no longer an option for us we feel like we are very limited to what we can do and where we can go during the day with our kids.

Meeting other families would be an added bonus in Oz. But don't feel like we would be leaving great friends behind as I explained we seem to be on a totally different wave length to your friends since having kids. Our friends work all week and get kids minded at weekend so they can head out. We can't get out because we have no babysitters and if truth be told we don't want that life anymore. (Well once in a while would be nice lol).

Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow in 2017 with a clearer mind (wishful thinking lol)

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Gosh, I obviously live in a different part of the UK to you but I would say there is much much more to do with kids here than in Aus and I am forever seeing families out and about doing things. I'm still amazed at the number of families who use the play parks - rarely saw any kids playing on the equipment back in Aus. I rarely go into a pub so can't say if there's a huge pub culture, but then I never did do the pub thing either here or there when younger either, though the pub seems pretty sparse on my knitting nights!

 

Australia won't magically fix what ails you and you may well find that your work /life balance is worse with more families needing to be two income to make ends meet, fewer holidays, the distance to get to things etc. You could change your life where you are and get just the same outcome.

 

If you can afford it and are up for an adventure then by all means give it a go but don't burn any bridges in the process, take career breaks, rent out your house and suck it and see. You'll have a honeymoon period of it being the best thing you ever did for a few months but then things will start to settle and it'll be much the same as you have here, you'll still have to be independent, do the housework, clean the loo, pick up after the kids, go to work etc etc. I'm not sure that your reason for going is entirely rational, rather more that you hope for a magical change which you aren't prepared to make where you are.

[starlight7]

Don't overthink things- if you feel like going, just do it. Nothing is for ever and it will be a great experience come what may.

[Parley]

Agreed and don't want to be regretting it for the rest of your life that you didn't do it.

[Booma]

Gosh, I obviously live in a different part of the UK to you but I would say there is much much more to do with kids here than in Aus and I am forever seeing families out and about doing things. I'm still amazed at the number of families who use the play parks - rarely saw any kids playing on the equipment back in Aus. I rarely go into a pub so can't say if there's a huge pub culture, but then I never did do the pub thing either here or there when younger either, though the pub seems pretty sparse on my knitting nights!

 

Australia won't magically fix what ails you and you may well find that your work /life balance is worse with more families needing to be two income to make ends meet, fewer holidays, the distance to get to things etc. You could change your life where you are and get just the same outcome.

 

If you can afford it and are up for an adventure then by all means give it a go but don't burn any bridges in the process, take career breaks, rent out your house and suck it and see. You'll have a honeymoon period of it being the best thing you ever did for a few months but then things will start to settle and it'll be much the same as you have here, you'll still have to be independent, do the housework, clean the loo, pick up after the kids, go to work etc etc. I'm not sure that your reason for going is entirely rational, rather more that you hope for a magical change which you aren't prepared to make where you are.

 

 

i can only imagine you walked around with your eyes closed if you rarely saw any kids playing on the equipment in oz. as a young mother i can assure you the parks & play equipment are well used in our town. we also visit family in canberra regularly & the parks & equipment are well used there as well. i would also add the number of well kept parks is brilliant & they cater for all ages from really little ones like mine to the older kids. & shock of shocks they are used all year round.

[Quoll]

i can only imagine you walked around with your eyes closed if you rarely saw any kids playing on the equipment in oz. as a young mother i can assure you the parks & play equipment are well used in our town. we also visit family in canberra regularly & the parks & equipment are well used there as well. i would also add the number of well kept parks is brilliant & they cater for all ages from really little ones like mine to the older kids. & shock of shocks they are used all year round.

 

An well, I must have, in the same way that people in UK never see kids playing outside! But many is the time my granddaughters have had the playground to themselves when I've taken them - not the parks so much as the neighbourhood playgrounds, the parks are well populated wherever you go. The playgrounds are good in Canberra, I grant you, as they are here. But here you can guarantee that there will be a kid playing on them any time you walk past.

[Peach]

An well, I must have, in the same way that people in UK never see kids playing outside! But many is the time my granddaughters have had the playground to themselves when I've taken them - not the parks so much as the neighbourhood playgrounds, the parks are well populated wherever you go. The playgrounds are good in Canberra, I grant you, as they are here. But here you can guarantee that there will be a kid playing on them any time you walk past.

 

From what I've read, you spent so much of your time indoors hiding from the sun you wouldn't be frequently walking past any playgrounds in Canberra?

[Peachy]

An well, I must have, in the same way that people in UK never see kids playing outside! But many is the time my granddaughters have had the playground to themselves when I've taken them - not the parks so much as the neighbourhood playgrounds, the parks are well populated wherever you go. The playgrounds are good in Canberra, I grant you, as they are here. But here you can guarantee that there will be a kid playing on them any time you walk past.

 

Are we seriously going to argue about how many children play in playgrounds in the UK v Australia....

I don't see how this is useful to the OP.

And this is why I don't come on the forum very much. Although it is also probably because my kids are playing outside in the local playground with all the other kids that are there.

[Que Sera Sera]

There are parks and play equipment on practically every street corner. Yes the Government provide these as decorative ornaments knowing no one ever uses them ................c'mon seriously .....pathetic.