How Long before you realised that Australia was or was not the place that you wanted to spend the rest of your days ?

[Bulya]

9 hours ago, Paul1Perth said:

Yep, there's plenty of them for waterskiing too if that's your scene. Whole section of the river is reserved for them. 

I suppose you meant live, not lube, unless you like it round Sydney Mardi Gras time.

Should have said race boats, not speed boats.  

[ali]

1 hour ago, Dusty Plains said:

And yet in Manchester there were 375 stabbings during 2020 and who could forget the 2017 bombing in Manchester which killed 23 innocent people, perpetrated by a Manchester local, of Libyan descent. Remember 2000, and Manchester missing out as the Olympic City for the 2000 Olympic Games, still officially as the greatest games ever.  Manchester is a dangerous city. 

What is it with the UK?  Can anyone be a Brit? Apparently so, and that is why they come here in droves to escape the "anyone who can be a Brit".  But not anyone can be an Australian.  It works for the Brits.

 I have been to Manchester and I have also been to Hillary's in Perth. At least I am not going to be stabbed or blown up at Hillary's and I can live my life.  

 

having grew up near Manchester it wasn't somewhere we wanted to go to very often.

[ali]

10 hours ago, Paul1Perth said:

I'm not going to list the top bands I've seen in Perth as it would be a long list. There's not many that skip Perth and the cost of getting into Perth and back on public transport is covered in the ticket price.

I've never had to fly to the Eastern States and wouldn't, too expensive. Can't think of anyone that just did an Eastern states tour.

We have a lot of local musicians and bands that are very good and a lot of decent live music venues to see them. Several outdoor concerts too. There's been a few since covid.

Dance, ballet, plays I'm not bothered about.

We've seen some excellent shows/bands here (and some not so good) - to be honest much more than we did in the UK.  it's a shame you don't like ballet - the West Australian Ballet company did the most brilliant performance of Giselle (went at the weekend), it was beautiful.  

[Bulya]

24 minutes ago, ali said:

having grew up near Manchester it wasn't somewhere we wanted to go to very often.

I’m not surprised…

[s713]

2 hours ago, Dusty Plains said:

And yet in Manchester there were 375 stabbings during 2020 and who could forget the 2017 bombing in Manchester which killed 23 innocent people, perpetrated by a Manchester local, of Libyan descent. Remember 2000, and Manchester missing out as the Olympic City for the 2000 Olympic Games, still officially as the greatest games ever.  Manchester is a dangerous city. 

What is it with the UK?  Can anyone be a Brit? Apparently so, and that is why they come here in droves to escape the "anyone who can be a Brit".  But not anyone can be an Australian.  It works for the Brits.

 I have been to Manchester and I have also been to Hillary's in Perth. At least I am not going to be stabbed or blown up at Hillary's and I can live my life.  

 

Is Perth a dangerous city?

Have a look at the police figures https://www.police.wa.gov.au/Crime/CrimeStatistics#/

YTD 3,400 sexual offences, 17,500 assaults, 3,000+ cases threatening behaviour, 14,000 drug offences....... it goes on.

[Bulya]

3 hours ago, s713 said:

Is Perth a dangerous city?

Have a look at the police figures https://www.police.wa.gov.au/Crime/CrimeStatistics#/

YTD 3,400 sexual offences, 17,500 assaults, 3,000+ cases threatening behaviour, 14,000 drug offences....... it goes on.

Compared to some Northern British dump it’s fine.  

[MARYROSE02]

11 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Exactly. Which is why Perth suits you but not me. And why you’d probably hate living in Melbourne. Just as well we all have different tastes or we’d all be trying to squash into the same places 

I'm not into ballet, dance or plays either but if I was Perth does have them all, just not as much as Sydney or Melbourne.  I just Googled them all and it's not "amateur hour" either. 

Plus, unlike Melbourne, Perth has beaches!

[Marisawright]

44 minutes ago, MARYROSE02 said:

I'm not into ballet, dance or plays either but if I was Perth does have them all, just not as much as Sydney or Melbourne.  I just Googled them all and it's not "amateur hour" either. 

Plus, unlike Melbourne, Perth has beaches!

And your point is.....?

[Paul1Perth]

15 hours ago, s713 said:

You're effectively arguing that Hillarys (a man-made beach, few cafes, overpriced pub, novelty shops) is better than ANYTHING in the UK. You must realise that's mental?

No. I said I couldn't think of one place within easy driving distance of Manchester that would be as good. 

I can only compare that as that's where we lived before we emigrated. A day out to the coast would have been North Wales or Blackpool. I had a couple of days great windsurfing in North Wales once. Full wetsuits of course.

My wifes Dad took the caravan for us to have a week in Anglesey when I'd just finished uni and we only had a mini between us. It hardly stopped raining, the campsite was a foot deep in sludge, there is one 25m pool in the whole of Anglesey. We rang him to come and pick us up early.

Seemed like we were constantly saving up for the next holiday in the sun in Spain, Greece or Portugal. We had a really nice timeshare on the Algarve for a few years. Now there's a place that compares favourably with here.

[Paul1Perth]

11 hours ago, ali said:

We've seen some excellent shows/bands here (and some not so good) - to be honest much more than we did in the UK.  it's a shame you don't like ballet - the West Australian Ballet company did the most brilliant performance of Giselle (went at the weekend), it was beautiful.  

I took the wife to see swan lake and stayed over at the Casino on a wedding anniversary. I appreciate how good and fit the performers are, think it was a Russian ballet company, but I dropped to sleep in the second half. Just doesn't do it for me, wife enjoyed it though.

[Paul1Perth]

14 hours ago, s713 said:

If we’re just talking Manchester City Centre, there are multiple museums, multiple galleries, multiple theatres, multiple libraries (inc. Gothic), football tours, a cultural quarter, Cathedral, Salford Quays, Albert Square, multiple gardens, a myriad of pubs, breweries, cafes and restaurants (casual to Michelin star). If you want to drive for half an hour, you can do the Peak District National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the countryside Cheshire and South Manchester offers, Chester, Liverpool, Derbyshire. The list goes on.

 

But, you’re right, there’s no man-made beach with novelty shops. Sorry about that.

 

Or real beach come to that. Mind you, it wouldn't matter if it did, there's about a week a year where it would be nice to go to.

[Paul1Perth]

10 hours ago, s713 said:

Is Perth a dangerous city?

Have a look at the police figures https://www.police.wa.gov.au/Crime/CrimeStatistics#/

YTD 3,400 sexual offences, 17,500 assaults, 3,000+ cases threatening behaviour, 14,000 drug offences....... it goes on.

You can be in the wrong place at the wrong time anywhere. Including Perth and even Hillary's. As we've got older though we won't be doing much nightclubbing.

TBH we never felt threatened in Manchester or near Stockport where we lived. Where I grew up, Chesterfield, was worse for fights. 

[Dusty Plains]

10 hours ago, s713 said:

Is Perth a dangerous city?

Have a look at the police figures https://www.police.wa.gov.au/Crime/CrimeStatistics#/

YTD 3,400 sexual offences, 17,500 assaults, 3,000+ cases threatening behaviour, 14,000 drug offences....... it goes on.

Predictable response.

 

[Parley]

56 minutes ago, Paul1Perth said:

I took the wife to see swan lake and stayed over at the Casino on a wedding anniversary. I appreciate how good and fit the performers are, think it was a Russian ballet company, but I dropped to sleep in the second half. Just doesn't do it for me, wife enjoyed it though.

Id rather have pins stuck in my eyes.

[Toots]

1 hour ago, Paul1Perth said:

I took the wife to see swan lake and stayed over at the Casino on a wedding anniversary. I appreciate how good and fit the performers are, think it was a Russian ballet company, but I dropped to sleep in the second half. Just doesn't do it for me, wife enjoyed it though.

The Russian Ballet Company was also here at Devonport Town Hall - a couple of years ago.  I'm not a lover of ballet (or opera) but I went with a group of friends who love ballet and I have to say I quite enjoyed it.  No big names come to Tasmania so lots of folk here go to Melbourne for shows/concerts.

Edited May 18, 2021 by Toots

[calNgary]

2 hours ago, Paul1Perth said:

No. I said I couldn't think of one place within easy driving distance of Manchester that would be as good. 

I can only compare that as that's where we lived before we emigrated. A day out to the coast would have been North Wales or Blackpool. I had a couple of days great windsurfing in North Wales once. Full wetsuits of course.

My wifes Dad took the caravan for us to have a week in Anglesey when I'd just finished uni and we only had a mini between us. It hardly stopped raining, the campsite was a foot deep in sludge, there is one 25m pool in the whole of Anglesey. We rang him to come and pick us up early.

Seemed like we were constantly saving up for the next holiday in the sun in Spain, Greece or Portugal. We had a really nice timeshare on the Algarve for a few years. Now there's a place that compares favourably with here.

We had a caravan in Abersoch and to be fair its beautiful there, not just the site we were on but the beaches and the village too. Still needed wetsuits or dry bags most weekends of the year and the traffic there and back was horrendous Friday nights and Sundays (Mondays if a public hol) and could take 4 to 5 hours sometimes.. but it was good to get out of Manchester for a few days.

 Cal x

[bug family]

22 minutes ago, calNgary said:

We had a caravan in Abersoch and to be fair its beautiful there, not just the site we were on but the beaches and the village too.

ahhhh my 'neck of the woods'

[bug family]

16 hours ago, Dusty Plains said:

 I have been to Manchester and I have also been to Hillary's in Perth. At least I am not going to be stabbed or blown up at Hillary's and I can live my life.  

A bit ridiculous to be honest, trying to compare a major city to a small insignificant suburb area on the coast of western Australia ....ironically I have been to Manchester many, many times and had nothing but a great time and always felt safe, yet on the one odd occasion I have been to Hillary's (a few years back now) I got abused by some young-ish Australian lad who took offence to me wearing boots (soft hike boots, I find them comfy lol) with shorts?? and i thought they looked fine together  (must be a British thing)....anyhow he was a proper hard man with his mates, especially seem as I was with my two young children at the time,  not been back since and not in any rush to return.

just for you Dusty seem as you like statistics

Australia  Murders with firearms

59 Ranked 25th globally. 4 times more than United Kingdom

Murders with firearms 14 Ranked 39th globally.

 

[Blue Flu]

17 hours ago, MARYROSE02 said:

"Such a small place?" Remind me of the population and area of Perth? Two million? My home town, Southampton, has over 200, 000 and I lived in a village 8 miles away.  It must be horrible to live in regional cities like Newcastle,  Wollongong,  Geelong,  Wagga,  Albury, Toowoomba,  Townsville,  even state capitals like Hobart and Canberra.

Some people crave going to new places every weekend whilst others are happy in their own suburb. I like to become a local in 3 or 4 pubs rather than go to loads but never get to know anybody.  In two months back in Sydney,  I've rarely left Surry Hills. In 8 months in Surfers it was the same. The suburb becomes the village without the greenfield surrounding it. I went to Brisbane once. Nothing wrong with it. I just could not be bothered.  I spent most weekends in my 12 years back in England out in the New Forest going to the same villages and towns on my bike.

So, for me Perth is ok. I loved it when I arrived in 1978 but ended up in Sydney which is home but it's just where I found my first job.  Had I got one in Perth or Adelaide it would have been there. 

Small place yes in terms of city comparisons. Obviously not in area and although population is two million, it is scattered over a very wide area. By this I mean its possible to drive across what is termed the metropolitan area and see next to no people out and about. This does keep people safer, but does not provide a vibe more associated with a city of half that size. As for the towns you mention, well you could shoot a cannon down most small town main streets, and not be in fear of hitting anyone. Certainly at night. 

I suppose you may meet a few regulars by going to the same pub. But in my area, there appear few regulars. Seldom see the same face, but not a regular myself . I know decades back this was definitely the case. While okay on occasion would not want social life to revolve around mundane pub talk. I'd say little to fault with the life you lived in Southampton. Cycling/New Forest/  Hampshire villages . More my sort of thing than sitting in an average Aussie pub for sure. 

[Blue Flu]

1 hour ago, bug family said:

A bit ridiculous to be honest, trying to compare a major city to a small insignificant suburb area on the coast of western Australia ....ironically I have been to Manchester many, many times and had nothing but a great time and always felt safe, yet on the one odd occasion I have been to Hillary's (a few years back now) I got abused by some young-ish Australian lad who took offence to me wearing boots (soft hike boots, I find them comfy lol) with shorts?? and i thought they looked fine together  (must be a British thing)....anyhow he was a proper hard man with his mates, especially seem as I was with my two young children at the time,  not been back since and not in any rush to return.

just for you Dusty seem as you like statistics

Australia  Murders with firearms

59 Ranked 25th globally. 4 times more than United Kingdom

Murders with firearms 14 Ranked 39th globally.

 

There is simply little comparison. Boredom being most likely the worst thing that would happen in an environment such as Hillary's. But I don't get where people don't find Perth aggressive. When the dark descends on Northbridge there is a lot of, at the very least anti social behaviour. At worst, an atmosphere of malice. I used to live a short walk from there and saw it loads. Obviously the later, the more vicious it becomes. I've always found London safer , (more people around) though witness loads there as well. Perth doesn't do big events, like New Year well. Again this past New Year, fights and bad behaviour everywhere. In the city centre, two of the last fights we witnessed was young women laying into one another. If people don't take public transport or walk around much after hours, it is moderately easy to live an illusion that Perth doesn't experience the violence of some UK cities. Perhaps it doesn't to the same degree. But it is certainly prevalent without looking for it . Assault rates have always been high in Australia.  

[newjez]

2 hours ago, bug family said:

A bit ridiculous to be honest, trying to compare a major city to a small insignificant suburb area on the coast of western Australia ....ironically I have been to Manchester many, many times and had nothing but a great time and always felt safe, yet on the one odd occasion I have been to Hillary's (a few years back now) I got abused by some young-ish Australian lad who took offence to me wearing boots (soft hike boots, I find them comfy lol) with shorts?? and i thought they looked fine together  (must be a British thing)....anyhow he was a proper hard man with his mates, especially seem as I was with my two young children at the time,  not been back since and not in any rush to return.

just for you Dusty seem as you like statistics

Australia  Murders with firearms

59 Ranked 25th globally. 4 times more than United Kingdom

Murders with firearms 14 Ranked 39th globally.

 

What a knob. Lots of Australians wear boots with shorts.

[Dusty Plains]

6 hours ago, Blue Flu said:

There is simply little comparison. Boredom being most likely the worst thing that would happen in an environment such as Hillary's. But I don't get where people don't find Perth aggressive. When the dark descends on Northbridge there is a lot of, at the very least anti social behaviour. At worst, an atmosphere of malice. I used to live a short walk from there and saw it loads. Obviously the later, the more vicious it becomes. I've always found London safer , (more people around) though witness loads there as well. Perth doesn't do big events, like New Year well. Again this past New Year, fights and bad behaviour everywhere. In the city centre, two of the last fights we witnessed was young women laying into one another. If people don't take public transport or walk around much after hours, it is moderately easy to live an illusion that Perth doesn't experience the violence of some UK cities. Perhaps it doesn't to the same degree. But it is certainly prevalent without looking for it . Assault rates have always been high in Australia.  

Crime Comparison Between Perth and Manchester 

Index	Perth	Manchester
Crime Index:	41.88	56.34
Safety Scale:	58.12	43.66

	Perth		Manchester
	Improve Data		Improve Data
Level of crime		Moderate 44.67		High 64.53
Crime increasing in the past 3 years		High 63.97		High 71.98
Worries home broken and things stolen		Moderate 42.86		Moderate 54.98
Worries being mugged or robbed		Low 33.85		Moderate 55.64
Worries car stolen		Low 30.28		Moderate 46.71
Worries things from car stolen		Moderate 42.41		Moderate 54.70
Worries attacked		Moderate 40.23		Moderate 56.32
Worries being insulted		Moderate 41.99		Moderate 57.86
Worries being subject to a physical attack because of your skin color, ethnic origin, gender or religion		Low 24.77		Low 38.08
Problem people using or dealing drugs		Moderate 54.77		High 71.57
Problem property crimes such as vandalism and theft		Moderate 52.25		High 64.56
Problem violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery		Low 39.18		Moderate 54.95
Problem corruption and bribery		Low 30.34		Low 34.36
Contributors:	455		184
Last Update:	May 2021		May 2021

Safety comparisons Perth vs Manchester

	Perth		Manchester
	Improve Data		Improve Data
Safety walking alone during daylight		High 76.49		High 64.76
Safety walking alone during night		Moderate 42.47		Low 32.70
Contributors:	455		184

 

Crime Index (Current, By City)Sydney,AustraliaBerlin,GermanyDelhi, IndiaNew York,NY, UnitedStatesManchester,UnitedKingdomPerth,AustraliaPrague,CzechRepublicLondon,UnitedKingdomBeijing,China0204060

City	Crime Index
Sydney, Australia	33.39
Berlin, Germany	41.55
Delhi, India	59.62
New York, NY, United States	47.15
Manchester, United Kingdom	56.34
Perth, Australia	41.88
Prague, Czech Republic	24.35
London, United Kingdom	53.09
Beijing, China	34.45

[calNgary]

On 24/10/2020 at 22:16, bug family said:

Just wondering, at what stage did you realise that Australia was the place that you wanted or did not want to spend the rest of your days ?

For me before I had even set foot in Australia I knew and voiced, that I would want to return home to the UK one day,  As a couple we set a goal of 10 years then we would return, with hindsight this was a bit naive I now realise this, as a lot can and has happened in the 9 years we have been here, for example, we are no longer living as a married couple (we are like best buddies and share the house still), my wife no longer would consider going back home, we also have two children now, where as we came with only one,  and finally all my wife's family now live here, so she is settled......but me...I will still go home one day of that I am sure, .........................what about you?

Just a reminder what this thread is about and that it isnt in CTF as this last few pages seem to be going off on a comparison tangent.. Please leave the Perth Vs Manchester posts for another thread,( if you wish to discuss that of course.)

 Cal x

[bug family]

44 minutes ago, calNgary said:

Just a reminder what this thread is about and that it isnt in CTF as this last few pages seem to be going off on a comparison tangent.. Please leave the Perth Vs Manchester posts for another thread,( if you wish to discuss that of course.)

 Cal x

Thanks cal x

[MARYROSE02]

13 hours ago, Marisawright said:

And your point is.....?

Melbourne has parc beaches and weather but good arts scene. Perth has parc arts but good weather and beaches?

Let Paul be the arbiter!