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

[ali]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

Ah, but it does. Double the size means double the demand.  In fact, if there are satellite cities nearby, then even more than double.    I can give dancing as an example - there are more than twice as many dance studios in Sydney or Melbourne than in Perth. And of  course, the big theatre companies put their shows on in Sydney and Melbourne but rarely Perth, because it would cost too much to transport their sets etc.  

So it really depends on your lifestyle and interests, whether you find it isolated or not.

Perth has had quite a lot of big theatre productions - which ones didn't we get Marisa?

If people are into arts -we have an excellent symphony orchestra and the West Australian ballet season this year has been exceptional, there's been some fantastic touring exhibits at the gallery.  

[Paul1Perth]

16 hours ago, bug family said:

I am possibly a third option Paul, in that I did want to come on this adventure...but, Its came with an expiry date, which I set before I had left, I was always going to give it a go just as much as i was always going to return back home...

There's the difference, it was always an adventure for you, which is fine. Pity the rest of your family didn't get the message.

[Paul1Perth]

2 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Ah, but it does. Double the size means double the demand.  In fact, if there are satellite cities nearby, then even more than double.    I can give dancing as an example - there are more than twice as many dance studios in Sydney or Melbourne than in Perth. And of  course, the big theatre companies put their shows on in Sydney and Melbourne but rarely Perth, because it would cost too much to transport their sets etc.  

So it really depends on your lifestyle and interests, whether you find it isolated or not.

Not necessarily. Especially in the arts, dancing, theatre, ballet. There are some very small isolated spots all over the world that seem to attract artistic people. They seem to like each others company.

Perth seems to attract more sporty types than arty I think. I have zero interest in dance, ballet, theatre. Love a live band, usually louder and heavier the better, don't seem to miss out on too much of that and for people who do like the arts, dancing, ballet, theatre, there's plenty of venues. 

When we lived in the UK most big bands only played in Sheffield when we lived in Chesterfield or Manchester when we lived near Stockport. Unless we drove and didn't have a drink, which was part of the fun, it was often difficult to get back home. Here in Perth if something big is on it's going to be easy to get to on public transport and home again.

We've seen more international live bands here than we ever did in the UK and were able to get a few drinks and have a good time.

[s713]

It's good to revisit this thread after a year or so, see where it's at.

We lived in Perth for 12 years and live back in NW England now, some will think it deprived.

Our life is a million times better here in the UK. Honestly. where life takes you is so personal, there's no text book.

I hated Perth, my wife didn't. Neither of us were escaping the UK, her family moved to Perth. We did, I enjoyed it for 3 or 4 years.

Through work, I spent time in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, no aspirations to live in those places.

We were in Shropshire last week, it's miles better than what WA has to offer. And it takes me an hour and a half. Used to take me that to get to Mandurah, which is lame. Honest to God, been to Northumberland, East Yorks, West Yorks, Lancs, Shrops, Lincs, everywhere, unbelievable, takes a couple of hours.

Ask yourself before you move to Oz what type of person you are. These places in the UK are well better than what you will get. But, it will be 30-odd degrees in Oz if that's what you want. The hot weather is overrated, we moved to Oz to be with her family and most of them sat in the back garden drinking.

Nice place Oz, nice place the UK, think about what you like. x

Edited December 2, 2021 by s713

[Marisawright]

38 minutes ago, Paul1Perth said:

Perth seems to attract more sporty types than arty I think. I have zero interest in dance, ballet, theatre. Love a live band, usually louder and heavier the better, don't seem to miss out on too much of that and for people who do like the arts, dancing, ballet, theatre, there's plenty of venues. 

Since you're not interested in arts, dancing, ballet or theatre, you're not qualified to judge, are you?   There are venues but not nearly as many as Sydney or Melbourne.  Like I said, it depends what your interests are.  You're outdoorsy so Melbourne wouldn't suit you at all whereas it suits me down to the ground.  

Edited December 2, 2021 by Marisawright

[Blue Flu]

2 hours ago, s713 said:

It's good to revisit this thread after a year or so, see where it's at.

We lived in Perth for 12 years and live back in NW England now, some will think it deprived.

Our life is a million times better here in the UK. Honestly. where life takes you is so personal, there's no text book.

I hated Perth, my wife didn't. Neither of us were escaping the UK, her family moved to Perth. We did, I enjoyed it for 3 or 4 years.

Through work, I spent time in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, no aspirations to live in those places.

We were in Shropshire last week, it's miles better than what WA has to offer. And it takes me an hour and a half. Used to take me that to get to Mandurah, which is lame. Honest to God, been to Northumberland, East Yorks, West Yorks, Lancs, Shrops, Lincs, everywhere, unbelievable, takes a couple of hours.

Ask yourself before you move to Oz what type of person you are. These places in the UK are well better than what you will get. But, it will be 30-odd degrees in Oz if that's what you want. The hot weather is overrated, we moved to Oz to be with her family and most of them sat in the back garden drinking.

Nice place Oz, nice place the UK, think about what you like. x

Good to read you are doing well being back and no regrets to date. I agree on a lot of your impressions of Perth. I probably dislike for additional reasons to yours but always saw the point you were coming from.

 

[Blue Flu]

2 hours ago, Paul1Perth said:

Not necessarily. Especially in the arts, dancing, theatre, ballet. There are some very small isolated spots all over the world that seem to attract artistic people. They seem to like each others company.

Perth seems to attract more sporty types than arty I think. I have zero interest in dance, ballet, theatre. Love a live band, usually louder and heavier the better, don't seem to miss out on too much of that and for people who do like the arts, dancing, ballet, theatre, there's plenty of venues. 

When we lived in the UK most big bands only played in Sheffield when we lived in Chesterfield or Manchester when we lived near Stockport. Unless we drove and didn't have a drink, which was part of the fun, it was often difficult to get back home. Here in Perth if something big is on it's going to be easy to get to on public transport and home again.

We've seen more international live bands here than we ever did in the UK and were able to get a few drinks and have a good time.

Isolated spots? You must mean artistic inclined people that are trying to make a living and or name? Those people have been priced out long ago from Paris and Barcelona and a host of cities that thrive on the artistic scene. There are so many besides those mentioned. Amsterdam for example, far, far smaller than Perth in population but many times more music and cultural events hoping on. Berlin, as the city for less well off cultural vultures, but that to has seen price rises and not cheap as once was. Lisbon is another. But Europe is full of such cities  where culture is an important part of life .

In Perth it is far more minority concern, where being a city built on mining , the preference is sport as you say. There are some very capable local resources, but again very much a minority thing and not cultural interests not largely  a regular conversation piece 

[Blue Flu]

2 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Since you're not interested in arts, dancing, ballet or theatre, you're not qualified to judge, are you?   There are venues but not nearly as many as Sydney or Melbourne.  Like I said, it depends what your interests are.  You're outdoorsy so Melbourne wouldn't suit you at all whereas it suits me down to the ground.  

It stands to reason the sheer size and population make up of both Sydney and Melbourne, would lead to a far greater choice and diversity in cultural pursuits. Just as London or Paris would offer many times more than they. 

[MARYROSE02]

7 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Ah, but it does. Double the size means double the demand.  In fact, if there are satellite cities nearby, then even more than double.    I can give dancing as an example - there are more than twice as many dance studios in Sydney or Melbourne than in Perth. And of  course, the big theatre companies put their shows on in Sydney and Melbourne but rarely Perth, because it would cost too much to transport their sets etc.  

So it really depends on your lifestyle and interests, whether you find it isolated or not.

True but we're talking about a city of two million not 20, 000. How many dance studios do you need? I use to go to one in Artarmon which was enough for me. I ordered flowers for a friend in hospital in Perth. I didn't Google "florists" and think "OMG. What is with this place? Two million people and I can't find a florist!"

I'm sure if I was into the arts in a big way I could find plenty of venues in Perth. 

There are at least three universities there.  I'm studying on line with one - Curtin. 

I guess if you need to go to Melbourne and Sydney every weekend it would be difficult living in Perth. I imagine it's the same if you live in Hawaii and want to go to California or NY, though personally I'd take Hawaii. 

But all the other things that matter - restaurants, pubs, beaches, cafes, wineries, drives to the country, 24x7 casino(?), I can't see that is be short of them if I was 2,500 miles closer to Europe and living in Perth.

[bug family]

8 hours ago, s713 said:

where life takes you is so personal, there's no text book.

Absolutely agree you write your own book in life, and for me Australia is definitely not the last chapter in my book

[MARYROSE02]

15 hours ago, ali said:

Perth has had quite a lot of big theatre productions - which ones didn't we get Marisa?

If people are into arts -we have an excellent symphony orchestra and the West Australian ballet season this year has been exceptional, there's been some fantastic touring exhibits at the gallery.  

AND you have surf beaches close to the city! I barely know Melbourne but I assume as it's the same size as Sydney it has the same problems with traffic? 

Sydney is where I live.  Bar a few months in Surfers Paradise,  I've not lived anywhere else.

I started my Australian adventure in Perth 43 years ago and I liked it there but I couldn't get a job.  43 years ago this week I'd just arrived in Adelaide after a hellish 36 hour bus trip on the Greyhound. I was going back to Perth but then I thought "I must see the Opera House and the Bridge before I go home" but I never went "Home". I did,  18 years later. 

Now,  I'm vaguely thinking I might move to Surfers and I might move to Perth.  Perhaps I shall give both a try. Either way,  my life will be much the same as it is in Sydney, albeit with less traffic. 

[Blue Flu]

7 hours ago, MARYROSE02 said:

AND you have surf beaches close to the city! I barely know Melbourne but I assume as it's the same size as Sydney it has the same problems with traffic? 

Sydney is where I live.  Bar a few months in Surfers Paradise,  I've not lived anywhere else.

I started my Australian adventure in Perth 43 years ago and I liked it there but I couldn't get a job.  43 years ago this week I'd just arrived in Adelaide after a hellish 36 hour bus trip on the Greyhound. I was going back to Perth but then I thought "I must see the Opera House and the Bridge before I go home" but I never went "Home". I did,  18 years later. 

Now,  I'm vaguely thinking I might move to Surfers and I might move to Perth.  Perhaps I shall give both a try. Either way,  my life will be much the same as it is in Sydney, albeit with less traffic. 

Then under those circumstances it doesn't really matter in which city you live. In fact it may even pay to cash in on your property inflated gains,  buying something on another level in either Perth or Surfers. 

But the reality is for many Sydney will be vastly different to Perth. Perth barely has a functioning city centre for example. Absolutely no need for most to come in as better shopping, safer, more life in their local shopping centre. 

Perth is built on mining and services and simply doesn't have the breath in diversity of Sydney. Some would say a Bogan city with a substantial well to do class that call the shots  and know who matters in the western suburbs. 

Perth city 43 years ago, when you first saw it, was a bit raw and rough around the edges, but at least had numerous film cinemas and was head quarters to a few big names in department stores not found in local shopping centres. 

I've a feeling that the city had more life then than now with little buzz evident in my regular visits in CBD. No comparison with Sydney.  But traffic has increased dramatically over the past decade . Very evident in my inner city area. Use of public transport has dropped. 

[Marisawright]

On 02/12/2021 at 09:43, ali said:

Perth has had quite a lot of big theatre productions - which ones didn't we get Marisa?

You'd have to go back to pre-Covid, but I'm sure you know that many of the big international companies only do one Australian date, usually either Sydney or Melbourne, but occasionally Brisbane instead.  Sometimes they do Sydney and Melbourne.  If you doubt me, just go back (pre-Covid) to the records of places like the Sydney Opera House and the Melbourne Arts Centre, and see how many ballets/musicals/plays didn't make it to Perth (or Adelaide or Darwin). 

I don't know why everyone gets so upset when I say Perth doesn't have as big an arts scene as Sydney or Melbourne. Of course it doesn't, it's a smaller city, what else would you expect?  

[DIG85]

On 01/12/2021 at 17:47, MARYROSE02 said:

I live in Sydney with 5 million people but being more than double the size of Perth does not necessarily mean double the attractions.

IMO Sydney actually has disproportionately more attractions than Perth, i.e., Sydney may be double the size of Perth but it actually has about 10x the attractions. 

Same when comparing London (9m population) with Perth (2m). London certainly has more than 4.5x the world-class attractions, cultural institutions, galleries, performances etc. that Perth has. 

Perth is a cultural backwater, which is absolutely fine if you have little or no interest in the arts. 

 

 

Edited December 3, 2021 by DIG85

[Bulya]

10 hours ago, DIG85 said:

IMO Sydney actually has disproportionately more attractions than Perth, i.e., Sydney may be double the size of Perth but it actually has about 10x the attractions. 

Same when comparing London (9m population) with Perth (2m). London certainly has more than 4.5x the world-class attractions, cultural institutions, galleries, performances etc. that Perth has. 

Perth is a cultural backwater, which is absolutely fine if you have little or no interest in the arts. 

 

 

It’s a backwater.  Why do Poms move there in such large numbers?

[Chortlepuss]

The last time I was in Melbourne (a mini break with my daughter pre-Covid), one of the many things I loved about it was the number of activities that we ‘happened upon’ just by strolling around - sure there was an element of planning but we found a gallery opening and end of year celebration, a lovely rooftop bar to enjoy the longer evenings, the free comedy performance where Arj Barker popped in! -  the night market. We do have an arts scene in Brisbane which is improving but you need to rigorously plan - and be prepared for it to fade away in the early evening as Queensland bedtime rapidly advances! I’m not even a city person but loved the idea of a city buzzing away whilst we made our way back to the hotel - it reminded me of being in Brighton in the UK. I do wonder if I’d have been half as homesick if I’d have moved to Melbourne - No excuses, I was offered the choice and chose to go somewhere tropical and hot! 

[ali]

22 hours ago, Marisawright said:

You'd have to go back to pre-Covid, but I'm sure you know that many of the big international companies only do one Australian date, usually either Sydney or Melbourne, but occasionally Brisbane instead.  Sometimes they do Sydney and Melbourne.  If you doubt me, just go back (pre-Covid) to the records of places like the Sydney Opera House and the Melbourne Arts Centre, and see how many ballets/musicals/plays didn't make it to Perth (or Adelaide or Darwin). 

I don't know why everyone gets so upset when I say Perth doesn't have as big an arts scene as Sydney or Melbourne. Of course it doesn't, it's a smaller city, what else would you expect?  

I can only answer for myself Marisa but you make it sound like Perth has nothing at all (even when people who live here say they don't believe that's true). As I said we have an exceptional ballet company with international dancers, touring exhibitions and  Pre-covid, I've seen numerous 'big' national touring productions now i'm wondering if they played Perth by mistake lol.

[Marisawright]

32 minutes ago, ali said:

I can only answer for myself Marisa but you make it sound like Perth has nothing at all 

That's you being over-sensitive and mis-interpreting what I write.  I don't believe I have ever said anything of the sort.  It's all a matter of degree. 

By coincidence, I had my stepdaughter staying here this week from Sydney.  Her partner is from Perth originally and they moved over there for a couple of years.  They didn't stay because they found there was "not enough gonig on" compared to Sydney.  Strangely enough, they are thinking of moving back up to Brisbane, where they lived for about 5 years, because they didn't have the same issue there.

[scousers]

6 hours ago, Chortlepuss said:

The last time I was in Melbourne (a mini break with my daughter pre-Covid), one of the many things I loved about it was the number of activities that we ‘happened upon’ just by strolling around - sure there was an element of planning but we found a gallery opening and end of year celebration, a lovely rooftop bar to enjoy the longer evenings, the free comedy performance where Arj Barker popped in! -  the night market. We do have an arts scene in Brisbane which is improving but you need to rigorously plan - and be prepared for it to fade away in the early evening as Queensland bedtime rapidly advances! I’m not even a city person but loved the idea of a city buzzing away whilst we made our way back to the hotel - it reminded me of being in Brighton in the UK. I do wonder if I’d have been half as homesick if I’d have moved to Melbourne - No excuses, I was offered the choice and chose to go somewhere tropical and hot! 

Have lived in Melbourne 33 years now and it does become boring. There is alot to do but i think im sick of being entertained, i would rather live than be entertained all the time. Everywhere in OZ becomes boring after a while its down to the culture and the people in my opinion. I know my personality disappeared about 10-12 years ago

[Toots]

15 minutes ago, scousers said:

Have lived in Melbourne 33 years now and it does become boring. There is alot to do but i think im sick of being entertained, i would rather live than be entertained all the time. Everywhere in OZ becomes boring after a while its down to the culture and the people in my opinion. I know my personality disappeared about 10-12 years ago

I don't live in a very large town and I don't need to be 'entertained' all the time.  I get what you mean.  I enjoy my friends' company and we do stuff together a fair bit and have a laugh.  Voluntary jobs keep me busy plus my animals.  Probably go out for dinner once a week   ............  go to see a film  ..........  nothing exciting I can tell tell you but the time flies by.  Husband is having a golfing weekend with friends at a town 140 km from here so I've spent most of the day spring cleaning whilst he's out of the way.  

You are really missing your old life with your probably lifelong friends.  Life isn't much fun without the good company of like minded friends.

How is your daughter these days?

[DIG85]

10 hours ago, Bulya said:

It’s a backwater.  Why do Poms move there in such large numbers?

I guess because it’s the place in Australia that is closest to the UK. Five hours shaved off a flight home is by no means insignificant.

[Lavers]

2 minutes ago, DIG85 said:

I guess because it’s the place in Australia that is closest to the UK. Five hours shaved off a flight home is by no means insignificant.

Probably down to the climate aswell.

[scousers]

2 hours ago, Toots said:

I don't live in a very large town and I don't need to be 'entertained' all the time.  I get what you mean.  I enjoy my friends' company and we do stuff together a fair bit and have a laugh.  Voluntary jobs keep me busy plus my animals.  Probably go out for dinner once a week   ............  go to see a film  ..........  nothing exciting I can tell tell you but the time flies by.  Husband is having a golfing weekend with friends at a town 140 km from here so I've spent most of the day spring cleaning whilst he's out of the way.  

You are really missing your old life with your probably lifelong friends.  Life isn't much fun without the good company of like minded friends.

How is your daughter these days?

I get you totally.  Life has been dull for a long time now living in Melbourne. . Missing the UK even more because its just not Christmas in Melbourne lol. 
my daughter is doing ok, she seems bored except when she spends time with friends, sometimes its alot of the time then she can go a few weeks and see no one. For a 24 year old it just doesn't seem like a life to me. She is seeing a physiologist so i guess she talks to them about things. It concerns me that she has basically been in therapy since she was about 15. Not sure how to make decisions for the future, it would be too hard to leave her here on her own but at the same time i don't want to stay living here for much longer. 

[Lavers]

42 minutes ago, scousers said:

I get you totally.  Life has been dull for a long time now living in Melbourne. . Missing the UK even more because its just not Christmas in Melbourne lol. 
my daughter is doing ok, she seems bored except when she spends time with friends, sometimes its alot of the time then she can go a few weeks and see no one. For a 24 year old it just doesn't seem like a life to me. She is seeing a physiologist so i guess she talks to them about things. It concerns me that she has basically been in therapy since she was about 15. Not sure how to make decisions for the future, it would be too hard to leave her here on her own but at the same time i don't want to stay living here for much longer. 

Would your daughter not want to go with you?

[scousers]

14 minutes ago, Lavers said:

Would your daughter not want to go with you?

No, she says absolutely not, strange thing is she seems more at home over there than here. But we have had the discussion many times and she says no. How do you leave your only daughter behind?