Ping Pongers

[ramot]

8 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

You are probably right in that most poms i think don;t move to Australia to sign up for a longer commute than they had in the UK.

On the other point, only about half of Australians have a passport, so its possible your circle is not typical.

Well my circle is equally not typical then. Where as my UK friends hardly ever venture past Europe, pre covid, friends from here plus us were visiting all sorts of countries, from China to Norway, painting holidays in Italy and France to name a few. Cambodia,  Vietnam Africa to mention a few more. No one has gone to Bali although we went there plenty of times from Brunei when we lived there.

My son and daughter who live here have visited Africa, Italy, America, Cuba and Thailand and Bali. My UK son has only been on holiday to Spain and Lanzarote, and that’s because we have shouted the trip for us all to have a holiday together when we were back, they only go camping or rent a cottage, or stay for free in a family flat by the sea in Wales. They can afford holidays, just not interested in widening their children’s horizons. They have visited us here twice with plenty of help from us to encourage them, and the boys have loved it.

All pre covid of course, so it’s all holidaying at home now for us all

[Blue Flu]

7 hours ago, Dan Not Dale said:

What has happened to these places? Sorry I’m a bit clueless. 

Leederville is inner city. It's one of the places to go out to wine and dine. Great location. Problem being the drug meth is very prominent. More the manufacture of it than the consumption from observation. Having it next door was not fun. (to put it mildly) While it is fairly quiet now it remains well entrenched in the area.

[Bulya]

3 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

You are probably right in that most poms i think don;t move to Australia to sign up for a longer commute than they had in the UK.

On the other point, only about half of Australians have a passport, so its possible your circle is not typical.

57%.  

[Dusty Plains]

8 hours ago, Dan Not Dale said:

I assumed as much!

I’m just pleasantly surprised I wasn’t absolutely hammered for suggesting there are any negatives to Melbourne. 

So nice to be among Brits, acknowledging negatives……. maybe hanging around here will be all the change I need?

I doubt that.

[Jon the Hat]

51 minutes ago, Bulya said:

57%.  

indeed, about half!

[Dan Not Dale]

16 hours ago, Dusty Plains said:

I doubt that.

There was sarcasm included.

[Dan Not Dale]

16 hours ago, Blue Flu said:

Leederville is inner city. It's one of the places to go out to wine and dine. Great location. Problem being the drug meth is very prominent. More the manufacture of it than the consumption from observation. Having it next door was not fun. (to put it mildly) While it is fairly quiet now it remains well entrenched in the area.

Sounds a bit like parts of St Kilda perhaps.

[Blue Flu]

33 minutes ago, Dan Not Dale said:

Sounds a bit like parts of St Kilda perhaps.

I know the reputation of St Kilda. Must be a decade since last there though. Not quite the same. Leederville has not the overt appearance that anything is untoward usually. There are no longer many meth heads walking the streets, at least to my observation. It is more a case of making and disturbing from home addresses. If you know the signs it is easy to pick up. Sadly its around me and little will deter what is happening. It's widespread many likely not even aware. Many know little about neighbours in my experience here. A thing to be certainly aware of though if having a rental property. Perth is not one of the principle meth capitals in the world (after Adelaide) surely without reason?  

[Toots]

21 minutes ago, Blue Flu said:

I know the reputation of St Kilda. Must be a decade since last there though. Not quite the same. Leederville has not the overt appearance that anything is untoward usually. There are no longer many meth heads walking the streets, at least to my observation. It is more a case of making and disturbing from home addresses. If you know the signs it is easy to pick up. Sadly its around me and little will deter what is happening. It's widespread many likely not even aware. Many know little about neighbours in my experience here. A thing to be certainly aware of though if having a rental property. Perth is not one of the principle meth capitals in the world (after Adelaide) surely without reason?  

If you suspect meth/ice is being made and distributed from a nearby house, why haven't you told the police about it?  

[Dusty Plains]

1 hour ago, Dan Not Dale said:

There was sarcasm included.

Oops!

[newjez]

3 hours ago, Toots said:

If you suspect meth/ice is being made and distributed from a nearby house, why haven't you told the police about it?  

Probably a good way to get shot.

[Blue Flu]

20 hours ago, Toots said:

If you suspect meth/ice is being made and distributed from a nearby house, why haven't you told the police about it?  

You better posed question would be why no action is taken in regards to what is happening in the area. Not something I would go into on a forum .

[Skani]

On 19/06/2021 at 18:26, newjez said:

Probably a good way to get shot.

Don't they have an anonymous Crime Stoppers reporting line in W.A.?

[HappyHeart]

3 hours ago, Skani said:

Don't they have an anonymous Crime Stoppers reporting line in W.A.?

Yes. Drug houses get busted all the time. I guess the more reporting goes on the more hits the cops can make in their ling term investigations 

[Toots]

1 hour ago, HappyHeart said:

Yes. Drug houses get busted all the time. I guess the more reporting goes on the more hits the cops can make in their ling term investigations 

Drug houses here have usually been run by gangs of bikies.  Big busts a couple of years or so ago.  People try to bring in meth to Tasmania via the ferry but again are usually busted.  I dare say a few manage to sneak in successfully though.  

[Blue Flu]

6 hours ago, Skani said:

Don't they have an anonymous Crime Stoppers reporting line in W.A.?

 Crime Stoppers are only effective if information provided is acted upon. Besides anonymous calls are not given priority Those reporting (I also instigated Neighbourhood Watch in the area) reported is what was observed.   We  should not have to provide the entire scenario of proof of drug usage and/or production. In that case it will never be stopped . The odd thing being I was roped further into the going's on by be contacted by the property management company to gain evidence throughout the neighbourhood into the illegal manufacture of meth. They asked for photos and any incriminating evidence. Very odd request as already mentioned. 

[Blue Flu]

1 hour ago, Toots said:

Drug houses here have usually been run by gangs of bikies.  Big busts a couple of years or so ago.  People try to bring in meth to Tasmania via the ferry but again are usually busted.  I dare say a few manage to sneak in successfully though.  

Bikies are one part of the equation. Syndicates other than bikies are making massive bucks from the meth trade (as well as other drugs, cocaine seems to have topped the list now) I can wager a bet many most likely would not know they are living next to one. My case is no isolated incident , but the only solution longer term will be to move. The people manufacturing present as very middle class. Usually with young children as props and often have professional backgrounds. Usually get busted? No chance. The big problem being those making it (meth/ice) from home. It's easy and everywhere and nowhere close to being brought to heel. If anything becoming more sophisticated as to be increasingly 'mainstream'. As I've said before, there is a reason Australia leads the world in this grub of a drug (meth) 

[HappyHeart]

1 hour ago, Blue Flu said:

Bikies are one part of the equation. Syndicates other than bikies are making massive bucks from the meth trade (as well as other drugs, cocaine seems to have topped the list now) I can wager a bet many most likely would not know they are living next to one. My case is no isolated incident , but the only solution longer term will be to move. The people manufacturing present as very middle class. Usually with young children as props and often have professional backgrounds. Usually get busted? No chance. The big problem being those making it (meth/ice) from home. It's easy and everywhere and nowhere close to being brought to heel. If anything becoming more sophisticated as to be increasingly 'mainstream'. As I've said before, there is a reason Australia leads the world in this grub of a drug (meth) 

We know when there are goings on in our street. I live with the world biggest curtain twitcher. Could identify all the neighbours in a line up. I don’t pay that much attention. He’s writing down plate numbers and spotting trends....thwarted detective....gets a bit tiresome but he’s usually right. 

[Blue Flu]

22 minutes ago, HappyHeart said:

We know when there are goings on in our street. I live with the world biggest curtain twitcher. Could identify all the neighbours in a line up. I don’t pay that much attention. He’s writing down plate numbers and spotting trends....thwarted detective....gets a bit tiresome but he’s usually right. 

Worth their weight in gold believe me, unless of course purely being nosey but still...... In my case besides the neighbouring house which became hyper active around meth with cars coming and going most the night , midnight 'gardening' in the burying of drugs, lots of violent altercations which resulted in frequent police presence, but no cessation of meth production, it was only brought to my attention some five months ago the degree of houses doing drugs. We must use the word 'alleged' but rather obvious. I don't know if that was a good or bad thing being alerted to the extent of what's going on. Sometimes ignorance is indeed bliss . The original neighbours from hell departed finally but the over all issue remains. It is what it is. 

[Paul1Perth]

On 16/06/2021 at 09:55, Dan Not Dale said:

Hi There,

Apologies, could be a long read. I’m looking to hear the experiences of people who are back and forth between Australia and UK or those that have never really made their mind up.

A little context first.

I’ve been in Melbourne 7 years next month, based in Melbourne. Met someone on a working holiday. She did 18 months in UK so we could do visas here. We now both have a UK and Australian passport. 

I miss home intensely and visit every year, do 3 week holidays (pre covid). However, after 15 days I’m often ready to come back to Melbourne. I don’t know if it’s the stress of cramming everything in or the emotion of it all and seeing parents age etc but I’m aware I’m ready to come back often when I visit. 

Although strangely, I dislike Melbourne. The tv and radio telling us it’s the best place in the world on a daily basis doesn’t make it so. It probably is great if you are in a decent suburb, but we have little desire to take on $800,000 debt to be in a good one. The roads and traffic are terrible. People seem far from happy in general. Vast swaths of it are a complete eye sores. I’m often left scratching my head at supposedly ‘beautiful’ spots too.

Ive felt extremely lucky to be here throughout this pandemic. I don’t want to bash the place, it’s been great and welcomed me. 

My opinion has been that Australia is the better option because our salary is higher and house is bigger. I feel wealthy here despite a modest salary. I rarely feel financially stressed. That wasn’t the case in UK. Personally that’s where the benefits end for me.

When we go home and I walk the streets I am beaming, it’s so beautiful, the small tree lined streets, the old buildings. I can’t explain how great it feels.

Does anyone else relate? Do you change your mind regularly, will the beauty of the green tree lined streets be forgotten when I’m scraping ice off the windscreen in January before driving to work? Will I pine for my nice house in a boring Melbourne suburb when it costs me £100 to fill the petrol tank.

Does going back to a smaller house become an issue? Does it ever matter? Hose prices look absolutely mad across the south of England.

I hope I haven’t rubbed anyone up the wrong way. I don’t want to bash Melbourne. I can’t help but think the constant population growth is detrimental to its existing population. I don’t see it improving as a place to live.

I’ve made no friends here in 7 years so I realise I could be the problem. Still close with friends back home and I’d be welcomed back in the circle with open arms I’m sure.

Does anyone relate, do you fear you’ll want to be back in Australia 2 months after you’ve returned to UK?

Thanks, Dan

 

 

 

You could try somewhere else in Aus. Melbourne is my 2nd least favourite City in Aus, Canberra is my least favourite.

Melbourne doesn't have that good weather, housing is expensive, local beaches are average, City is busy, traffic is awful.

Plenty of places to choose from with just about whatever climate you fancy. You sound young enough to give anywhere a try. WA is screaming out for all sorts of workers at the moment, specially in oil, gas and mining. That's where the big salaries are too.

Get a flight and come over for a look.

Don't know where you lived in the UK with nice tree lined streets, sounds nice but my recollection of where we were from, near Stockport and Manchester doesn't trigger memories of tree lined streets.

Edited June 23, 2021 by Paul1Perth

[Paul1Perth]

On 17/06/2021 at 17:50, Dan Not Dale said:

Yep I agree. I have been told that one giant soulless suburb would be a good description of Perth. Is that unfair? I’ve been twice but barely left the same suburb both times, seems nice. Trip and living always different tho.

and yes I think we could have a phenomenal life in Brighton, South Yarra or similar suburbs. Better than UK. A lot of debt needed tho so yes, we’ve ended up in a soulless one

That description of Perth would be totally unfair. There are soulless suburbs for sure. You wouldn't be able to get us to move to somewhere like Ellenbrook for a million dollars. In fact anywhere we couldn't be in walking distance of a beach would be too far. That was important to us when we came so we rented for a year and had a good look round. 

We bought in our suburb in 92, in the same house now, love the place. Plenty of coffee shops, pubs, fantastic beach 10 minutes walk away, small shopping centre with hairdressers, restaurant, coffee shop, bakery, bottle shop, doctor, dentist, physio about 2 mins walk away. Very quite suburb, traffic noise virtually non existant.

We have a great bunch of friends, met mostly locally through the surf club. Joined for the kids when they were young and met several people doing the same. Same interests, mostly sports related and we've had the same friendship group for years. Still meet new people as we're still members of the surf club. It's been brilliant for the kids, they both loved it and both still have friends they made there. 

Where did you stay on your Perth visits? If not the City itself I would be heading for somewhere like Scarborough as a visitor. Specially in summer.

[Blue Flu]

On 23/06/2021 at 10:41, Paul1Perth said:

You could try somewhere else in Aus. Melbourne is my 2nd least favourite City in Aus, Canberra is my least favourite.

Melbourne doesn't have that good weather, housing is expensive, local beaches are average, City is busy, traffic is awful.

Plenty of places to choose from with just about whatever climate you fancy. You sound young enough to give anywhere a try. WA is screaming out for all sorts of workers at the moment, specially in oil, gas and mining. That's where the big salaries are too.

Get a flight and come over for a look.

Don't know where you lived in the UK with nice tree lined streets, sounds nice but my recollection of where we were from, near Stockport and Manchester doesn't trigger memories of tree lined streets.

I'd say Melbourne far superior for night life and as a city in the sense of CBD. It has far more vitality and more suitable to anyone used to something akin to city living. The weather though poor by Australian standards, is still better than UK. Many don't like excessive sun anyway. 

If in mining sector or oil and gas WA would be better though. Manchester has a vibe, that won't be replicated in Perth easily. Perth has the beaches and water sports. All depends what's important. Not forgetting the massive drug in WA. 

 

[Craig Colas]

@Blue Flu Do you have a personal vendetta against Perth? Every post you put is constantly about crystal meth. Now I understand you might have had a bad experience being near to some activity, but drugs are found in every city in the world. Perth would come no where near the rates of drug use found in Manchester and Liverpool etc. Sure you get the odd bad suburb but labelling all WA with having a drug crisis is exaggerating and misinforming the OP.

[MARYROSE02]

On 17/06/2021 at 20:37, HappyHeart said:

I’ve only ever visited Melbourne twice and not seen beyond the CBD. That didn’t thrill me tbh. 
 

House prices very much depend on your needs and where you want to live. We live 35 mins from the city and house prices are average 500k in our suburb. 
 

Rush hour is a pain. If I’m driving back from the office after 4pm it’ll take me an hour to get home. If I get on the road before that 45 mins. 30 outside of rush hour. Same in the morning and it’s worst from say 7 till 8.30am. The train is a good option. A lot of people park at train station and commute in that way. 
 

Infrastructure not too bad. Freeway goes up to Butler which is about 50 mins out from City with extensions planned to start soon. My husband works at the airport and recent works have shaved a good 10 mins off his commute. 
 

Id recommend Perth but I’m biased. What’s your lifestyle like? What are you looking for?

I’d describe Perth as a clean, modern, pretty city with stunning coastline and bush in equal measure. If you like the outdoor lifestyle it’s perfect. It’s very quiet in comparison to Melbourne. 
It’s diverse with the coastal burbs having a very different feel to the hills and the outer burbs respectively. 
 

That's pretty well my impression of Perth. I arrived there in 1978, loved it, but couldn't get a job and ended up in Sydney.  40 years later I went back to Perth for two trips, three months apart, seven and six weeks. I spent most of my time in South Perth, plus 2 weeks in Applecross, a week in Northbridge, and a couple of weeks in the country to the south and east.

I admit to patronising Perth (in a positive way?!) by saying Perth's rush hour would not even get a mention on the Sydney radio traffic reports. But I liked driving in Perth whereas Sydney has a seven day, all day rush hour. Exaggerating I know.

I was thinking of moving there, "emigrating" in a way, but the second of my visits was a reality check. I still liked it but I have friends and family in Sydney.

I spent eight months in Surfers Paradise in 20 / 21 before coming back to Sydney three months ago to "sort things out" then go back there.  Covid-19 has sorted me out instead.  I could have gone but I postponed it for two weeks so I could get my 2nd Pfizer jab (25th June, Lockdown Day!) I had a chance to go to Perth too.

@#$% happens. 

PS I have ping pinged too, doing 12 years back in England but since coming back to Sydney in December,  2008, I've not been back. Last week I cut another tie by putting my UK home up for sale. I get my England fix via Optus Sport and the Daily Mail.

Edited June 25, 2021 by MARYROSE02

[Blue Flu]

12 hours ago, Craig Colas said:

@Blue Flu Do you have a personal vendetta against Perth? Every post you put is constantly about crystal meth. Now I understand you might have had a bad experience being near to some activity, but drugs are found in every city in the world. Perth would come no where near the rates of drug use found in Manchester and Liverpool etc. Sure you get the odd bad suburb but labelling all WA with having a drug crisis is exaggerating and misinforming the OP.

As a West Australian I do have a grievance or personal vendetta when it comes to the drug ice in  Perth and WA generally. Well spotted. Also upsetting is the facilitating  or at least lack of action by those with the means to bring change to a situation crying out for it. Not sure why you are attempting to play it down. It is a crisis. Pretty fair the matter is expressed on such forums as pre warned is pre armed. . You may care to explain just why Perth was and remains the number Uno capital of The World in the grub meth (ice) drug after Adelaide. Manchester has nothing on Perth for the use of meth, and that it purely to what I refer. They have their own drug problems but it is not meth. I have no idea how it is tolerated there and to what degree. But what I know through neighbourhood Watch it is everywhere and has escalated around me over recent years. I know it is a major problem in country WA. Mandurah, Bunbury (a few years ago a meth capital) Albany as well as seriously impacting  Aboriginal communities in places like Broome . If don't believe me just ask most young people. They will know or able to access meth with the greatest of ease. Easy to find as advertise on line. 

One thing I can safely inform you is no exaggeration on my part. If anything far worse than I articulate. 

Edited June 26, 2021 by Blue Flu