Differences between states

[starlight7]

We just got back from a few days in Sydney and it struck me how different it is from Melbourne in so many ways.  Not better or worse, just a different atmosphere and far more tourists of course. Love the ability to hop on a ferry for very low cost I must say- the organisational skills seem better up there. Don't know if I could actually live there ( even if it was in our price range!)

What do others think of differences between the States?  Queensland, for example, I find very relaxed, almost horizontal in fact!

[Bulya]

Every state and territory is completely different.  Australia isn’t a country, it’s a franchise 

[Marisawright]

Yes, that's one thing that surprises some people - each state is very different.  Even within a state, country can be very different from city, too.   I've lived in both Sydney and Melbourne and enjoyed aspects of both of them.   

Sydney is gorgeous to look at, very glamorous and high maintenance.  There's a real buzz about living in Sydney but at the same time, there's an unhealthy obsession with the conspicuous display of wealth.   

I find Melbourne's flat, graffiti-strewn streets a bit depressing, in spite of the great architecture - but I find the people much friendlier, and less obsessed with money.  Case in point - we're still in a rented flat after 18 months (thanks to my oh), and in Sydney that would be a serious embarrassment, because you can't have a conversation there without discussing  how much people's homes are worth. Whereas in Melbourne, no one ever asks so it's never an issue.

[Ferrets]

The difference between the capitals s striking - we wouldn't have moved from the UK to Melbourne for example, but are totally at home in Brisbane. 

I guess it's worth thinking that the distances are as big as Europe and therefore it naturally makes a difference between states.

[Marisawright]

9 hours ago, Ferrets said:

The difference between the capitals s striking - we wouldn't have moved from the UK to Melbourne for example, but are totally at home in Brisbane. 

I guess it's worth thinking that the distances are as big as Europe and therefore it naturally makes a difference between states.

Actually, given the distances between states, you'd expect the differences to be much greater.   I'd say the major Australian cities are different in the same way that Liverpool is different to London or Edinburgh.  People would laugh if you said all the big cities in the UK were the same so I don't know why they're surprised that Aussie cities aren't all the same.

[starlight7]

The accent only varies a bit though- not like Britain or France

[SteveandKirsty]

Once I have ticked off the ACT next month I will have visited all, lived in two (soon to become three) and yes they all vary.  Different rules, different laws, different sayings, different words (much the same as in Britain in that respect of course)  For example though, you could go up to a Pub counter in South Australia, order a "pint" and they would know exactly what you would mean and that is what you'd get.  However, do the same in Western Australia for Victoria for instance and you could well get a confused look...

Well put in the post above that Australia is a franchise.  But, for the size of a country it isn't surprising and they do not differ anywhere near as much as the United States do.

[Bobj]

Rail gauges in Australia display significant variations, which has presented an extremely difficult problem for rail transport on the Australian continent for over 150 years. As of 2014, there is 11,801 kilometres (7,333 mi) of narrow-gauge railways, 17,381 kilometres (10,800 mi) of standard gauge railways and 3,221 kilometres (2,001 mi) of broad gauge railways.

In the 19th century, each of the Colonies of Australia adopted their own gauges. However, with Federation in 1901 and the removal of trade barriers, the short sightedness of three gauges became apparent. It would be 94 years before all mainland state capitals were joined by one standard gauge.

Extract from Wikipedia.

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[Marisawright]

On 1/14/2018 at 23:55, starlight7 said:

The accent only varies a bit though- not like Britain or France

It varies more than you think, though.   I was living in country Victoria when I arrived.  Adelaide was closer than Melbourne so we used to go there for R&R.   For most of that first year, I was convinced Adelaide was full of British people - the accent sounded so English compared to where I was living in Victoria.

[Spleenus]

On ‎17‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 04:32, SteveandKirsty said:

Once I have ticked off the ACT next month I will have visited all, lived in two (soon to become three) and yes they all vary.  Different rules, different laws, different sayings, different words (much the same as in Britain in that respect of course)  For example though, you could go up to a Pub counter in South Australia, order a "pint" and they would know exactly what you would mean and that is what you'd get.  However, do the same in Western Australia for Victoria for instance and you could well get a confused look...

Well put in the post above that Australia is a franchise.  But, for the size of a country it isn't surprising and they do not differ anywhere near as much as the United States do.

I've never had a confused look ordering a pint in WA... now SA you order a pint and then they're confused with their two different types