The truth on Perth?!

[MacGyver]

1 hour ago, Blue Flu said:

I've touched base with you on the drug issue in Perth and my original statement stands. We have a major drug issue, not only in Perth, but in much of WA. As I have previously mentioned we are close to top in consumption of the dreadful drug Meth (ice) in the world. The sad thing it has become increasingly mainstream involved, people who by most appearances appear respectable and play the role well. 

I think Yagan Square is all too reflective  of too many outcomes in Perth including The Bell Tower. Although I give full points to the new museum . QE Quay, in my view has nowhere reached the potential we were led to believe such a structure would become. Not saying it's bad. Just not (yet) displaying potential which seemed to be completely transforming this city. The $5 billion waste of money at Yagan Square just further underlines poor outcomes in Perth or at least where expectations are dashed. 

The new university campus may well kick it off. Time will tell. But we need a greater diversity in population, than an over reliance in students in order to bring vibe and a buzz to the city IMO. 

I think we agree on the drug issue, just slightly disagree on the visibility of it and how mcuh it might or might not impact on someone living here. 

The main parts of Elizabeth Quay are only now being built, the corner building will bring signficiant additional food outlets and the opposite side is being developed now too. I think it will prove to be a success and a much needed focal point - in fact I think the success of EQ might have contributed to Yagan's woes, as people are drwn to EQ and the river, rather than Yagan as a place to meet/linger.

[Blue Flu]

35 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

I think we agree on the drug issue, just slightly disagree on the visibility of it and how mcuh it might or might not impact on someone living here. 

The main parts of Elizabeth Quay are only now being built, the corner building will bring signficiant additional food outlets and the opposite side is being developed now too. I think it will prove to be a success and a much needed focal point - in fact I think the success of EQ might have contributed to Yagan's woes, as people are drwn to EQ and the river, rather than Yagan as a place to meet/linger.

Perhaps you haven't been exposed to it as I have. In fact at the moment I believe it is being manufactured in the house next to me. Not to put a too finer point on it but other houses in the street as well. (neither is it a 'bad' area) Perth being close to the top user in the world, I'd suggest there is every chance one be impacted by it. It come in the form of rental. It could be kids cooking it up to sell as a means to not having to actually suffer the indignity of actually getting a job. Too easy to make, too protected meaning impossible to stop, and apparently very tempting for too many. Not forgetting the victims of those finding themselves addicted or those in positions of care often in danger of being attacked due to the form of drug this is. It is serious I'd suggest, very serious . A quick search of Murry Bridge in SA or Seattle (WA) USA reveals the damage being inflicted. 

I'd suggest Yagan Square was in a perfect position to catch passing trade if process done differently. A different alternative from QE Quay obviously, which was  scaled back from earlier plans considerably. I like the latter, but hardly a 'must' go when in city IMO. Some nights in summer very attractive with multi cultural families gathering, a place where they feel safe I expect , but does enhance the area. 

[Blue Flu]

1 hour ago, HappyHeart said:

Where did you find that stat?

Simply write in jindalee and demographics and it should come up. Just to qualify that was 2012 figure and location has small population. Mandarie I believe from recall has about 36% UK born population. 

[Marisawright]

4 hours ago, Drumbeat said:

There are certainly some areas where there are a large number of Brits but they are hardly ghettos  

They can be very nice with lovely houses but if they are inward-looking and resistant to becoming part of the community they're living in, then they are behaving like a ghetto. That's what I mean. 

[HappyHeart]

43 minutes ago, Blue Flu said:

Simply write in jindalee and demographics and it should come up. Just to qualify that was 2012 figure and location has small population. Mandarie I believe from recall has about 36% UK born population. 

Well according to the 2016 census it was 28%?

[TheBs]

Thank you everyone, I can see it is still quite a split opinion. 

I'm not from a big city and for me any kind of concert day out is an overnight stay.

I'm from a quiet coastal town, where the pubs still shut at 11pm, so by the sounds of it I think the lack of hustle and bustle won't be an issue, we love the beach and bike rides, and country walks, doesn't need to hilly.

Theres drug issues everywhere in the world I suppose, though meth isn't an issue in the UK I don't think it's more cocaine.

In my area there is a big issue with child trafficking and gangs using children as drug mules, there's no job prospects being a seaside town, unless you're prepared to commute, you're waiting for the next person to retire to fill their shoes.

I guess we won't know till we're there, but with two kids in tow, you just want it to be right, not necessarily perfect but right enough, to warrant leaving the UK, and not up-haul again to go to a different state.

My family live in Joondalup, obviously they love it and have been there 20+ years, so I just wondered what an "outsiders" perspective was. 

[Blue Flu]

2 hours ago, HappyHeart said:

Well according to the 2016 census it was 28%?

I wonder why the sudden drop from five years previously? Or if indeed an error? Now I must dig it out in way of explanation to what I was referring? The figure I quoted was from The Australian, if you type in Jindalee British born, the first heading should read the 43% or whatever it was. It is  is behind a pay wall so cannot send the full article but will seek out  another source which I'll look for and send but  don't recall at moment.  . 

Edited August 31, 2021 by Blue Flu

[Blue Flu]

1 hour ago, TheBs said:

Thank you everyone, I can see it is still quite a split opinion. 

I'm not from a big city and for me any kind of concert day out is an overnight stay.

I'm from a quiet coastal town, where the pubs still shut at 11pm, so by the sounds of it I think the lack of hustle and bustle won't be an issue, we love the beach and bike rides, and country walks, doesn't need to hilly.

Theres drug issues everywhere in the world I suppose, though meth isn't an issue in the UK I don't think it's more cocaine.

In my area there is a big issue with child trafficking and gangs using children as drug mules, there's no job prospects being a seaside town, unless you're prepared to commute, you're waiting for the next person to retire to fill their shoes.

I guess we won't know till we're there, but with two kids in tow, you just want it to be right, not necessarily perfect but right enough, to warrant leaving the UK, and not up-haul again to go to a different state.

My family live in Joondalup, obviously they love it and have been there 20+ years, so I just wondered what an "outsiders" perspective was. 

I would never hazard to say Perth would not be to your liking. It does sound you may well find it to be your type of place. As for drugs, while they are in most every place and I have experienced a lot of it, I have never come across what I have in recent times in Perth. Not those taking it but making it and an area where it is entrenched and what's another way of saying tolerated? Just extraordinary, nothing more I can say but that. 

[Craig Colas]

@TheBs We are moving to Perth in November this year with two small children. I would take what you hear on any forum especially this one not to heart. Blue Flu mentions meth on every post going, seems it's his favorite past time. The people who say there are lots of soulless suburbs live in flats in the middle of the city and have never lived in a quiet area. Just have to look at the problems with the UK and future problems, to realize you are doing the right thing for you and your family. 

Have to ask yourself why people still post on these forums once they have emigrated and living their life in Australia. They will take the moral ground and say they are helping people. But deep down I feel a sense of (I'm in Australia and we don't want anymore people here, this is our dream and we are special). 

I come from a quiet coastal town in the UK as well so know where you are coming from.

Good luck with your move, you won't regret it!!

[Marisawright]

15 minutes ago, Craig Colas said:

@TheBs We are moving to Perth in November this year with two small children. I would take what you hear on any forum especially this one not to heart. Blue Flu mentions meth on every post going, seems it's his favorite past time. The people who say there are lots of soulless suburbs live in flats in the middle of the city and have never lived in a quiet area.

Yes, there ARE soulless suburbs.  That's just a fact, the same as there are soulless suburbs in any other city of the same size.   There are also plenty of nice suburbs.    

If you look at my post, I said that the negative posts are often people who ended up in the soulless ones.   Unfortunately, instead of trying another suburb, they judge their city based on the horrible place they're living in, and assume everywhere else is just as bad. So you have to look at where people are living when reading negative posts. 

 I know what you mean about Blue Flu.  I sympathise with their trauma, but it's like anything. Once something affects you directly, you see it everywhere.  If it doesn't, you're pretty oblivious.

[Marisawright]

2 hours ago, TheBs said:

Thank you everyone, I can see it is still quite a split opinion. 

I'm not from a big city and for me any kind of concert day out is an overnight stay.

I'm from a quiet coastal town, where the pubs still shut at 11pm, so by the sounds of it I think the lack of hustle and bustle won't be an issue,

I think you are right. 

[Craig Colas]

7 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Yes, there ARE soulless suburbs.  That's just a fact, the same as there are soulless suburbs in any other city of the same size.   There are also plenty of nice suburbs.    

If you look at my post, I said that the negative posts are often people who ended up in the soulless ones.   Unfortunately, instead of trying another suburb, they judge their city based on the horrible place they're living in, and assume everywhere else is just as bad. So you have to look at where people are living when reading negative posts. 

 I know what you mean about Blue Flu.  I sympathise with their trauma, but it's like anything. Once something affects you directly, you see it everywhere.  If it doesn't, you're pretty oblivious.

Yes I agree people usually just have a knee jerk reaction and move back to the UK rather than moving in Australia. Like you say good and bad suburbs everywhere, guess it’s what your used to! 

[Marisawright]

5 minutes ago, Craig Colas said:

Yes I agree people usually just have a knee jerk reaction and move back to the UK rather than moving in Australia. Like you say good and bad suburbs everywhere, guess it’s what your used to! 

....and if you've never lived in a big city, you don't realise how hugely different the various  suburbs can be, hence the warning.  I will always love Sydney, but there are huge tracts of it where I'd simply refuse to live, ever. Yet those same suburbs can seem attractive to the migrant because they have spanking brand new houses at affordable prices. 

[Bulya]

9 minutes ago, Craig Colas said:

Yes I agree people usually just have a knee jerk reaction and move back to the UK rather than moving in Australia. Like you say good and bad suburbs everywhere, guess it’s what your used to! 

They just don’t get how different Australia is in every state/territory.  As I’ve said for years, Australia isn’t a country, it’s a franchise!

[Blue Flu]

39 minutes ago, Craig Colas said:

@TheBs We are moving to Perth in November this year with two small children. I would take what you hear on any forum especially this one not to heart. Blue Flu mentions meth on every post going, seems it's his favorite past time. The people who say there are lots of soulless suburbs live in flats in the middle of the city and have never lived in a quiet area. Just have to look at the problems with the UK and future problems, to realize you are doing the right thing for you and your family. 

Have to ask yourself why people still post on these forums once they have emigrated and living their life in Australia. They will take the moral ground and say they are helping people. But deep down I feel a sense of (I'm in Australia and we don't want anymore people here, this is our dream and we are special). 

I come from a quiet coastal town in the UK as well so know where you are coming from.

Good luck with your move, you won't regret it!!

Well I would say take note of what is being related and this forum is certainly not to be scorned at , if anything should be praised for people actually writing from own experience who not only live here but are from here. I consider the fact that meth is among the highest use in the world something to note especially being so evident in my area as it is. 

No soulless suburbs are but that and should not be confused necessary with a quiet area. Equally one just has to look at the problems in Australia and future issues, to arrive at the realization that issues exist in all places and Australia won't be the cure for that. No one knows what may or may not be best for family, further down the track. 

No nothing to do with not wanting other people to come here. It's about expressing the life as find it. Certainly not a dream. Australia is hard work, more so these days, but can work for some but no guarantee. Doubt if high moral ground gets a look in.  

[Blue Flu]

24 minutes ago, Craig Colas said:

Yes I agree people usually just have a knee jerk reaction and move back to the UK rather than moving in Australia. Like you say good and bad suburbs everywhere, guess it’s what your used to! 

It's very expensive to move within Australia, but some do indeed move. Others I expect come to the realization that Australia is probably not for them and return. There are always those that never should have left home in the first place. It takes all sorts.

[HappyHeart]

23 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

....and if you've never lived in a big city, you don't realise how hugely different the various  suburbs can be, hence the warning.  I will always love Sydney, but there are huge tracts of it where I'd simply refuse to live, ever. Yet those same suburbs can seem attractive to the migrant because they have spanking brand new houses at affordable prices. 

All that glisters is not gold. 

Edited August 31, 2021 by HappyHeart

[Craig Colas]

6 minutes ago, Blue Flu said:

Well I would say take note of what is being related and this forum is certainly not to be scorned at , if anything should be praised for people actually writing from own experience who not only live here but are from here. I consider the fact that meth is among the highest use in the world something to note especially being so evident in my area as it is. 

No soulless suburbs are but that and should not be confused necessary with a quiet area. Equally one just has to look at the problems in Australia and future issues, to arrive at the realization that issues exist in all places and Australia won't be the cure for that. No one knows what may or may not be best for family, further down the track. 

No nothing to do with not wanting other people to come here. It's about expressing the life as find it. Certainly not a dream. Australia is hard work, more so these days, but can work for some but no guarantee. Doubt if high moral ground gets a look in.  

What is a soulless suburb then? Because I think I need it explaining to me. I'm thinking our definitions of quiet and soulless differ quite a lot. Everyone is different and at different stages within their life. I'm young, have a young family. Couldn't pay me £200,000 a year to live in London, Manchester, Birmingham and places like that, dumps if you ask me. I once got offered a big contract to work in the Congo, didn't take it obviously, but probably would have over some big cities. 

Might sound strange, some people just like to go to work, come home in a quiet neighborhood, walk on the beach and do the odd activity at the weekend. 

Surely more expensive to move back to the UK rather than try somewhere else first? I agree the move isn't for everyone and some maybe shouldn't have made the move in hindsight, but they will never know unless they try. End of the day its only money and you rebuild. Granted it becomes more difficult the older you get. 

@HappyHeart I prefer the stairway version rather than Shakespeare "All that glitters is gold"  

 

[Dusty Plains]

54 minutes ago, Bulya said:

As I’ve said for years, Australia isn’t a country, it’s a franchise!

No its not a franchise. Its a commonwealth. Big difference.  

[calNgary]

9 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I don't think you can draw that conclusion at all, because you don't know what kind of UK and Irish people.

One of the things I often hear is that there's a kind of British ghetto in some Perth suburbs--a bit like the British ghettos in Spain, where people have left the UK but live in a little British bubble and have no interest in belonging to the country they've moved to.   

Regardless of the who, what where or why, the stats stand, there are more people living in Perth who are English or Irish born than in Sydney,. These people would have a better idea on living Perth than someone sat at the other side of Australia/ or the world who has never even lived there.

You cannot discount them because they live in an area popular with Poms,lol,, how on earth do you know the OP or others who ask about WA don't want that exact thing...  

  Cal x

[Bulya]

13 minutes ago, Dusty Plains said:

No its not a franchise. Its a commonwealth. Big difference.  

Went way over your head, as expected…

[Dusty Plains]

6 minutes ago, Bulya said:

Went way over your head, as expected…

You said that Australia "is not a country"? Suggest you look way up over your own head. 

[ali]

10 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I don't think you can draw that conclusion at all, because you don't know what kind of UK and Irish people.

One of the things I often hear is that there's a kind of British ghetto in some Perth suburbs--a bit like the British ghettos in Spain, where people have left the UK but live in a little British bubble and have no interest in belonging to the country they've moved to.   

What does that mean? It comes across as either derogatory or condescending.  I think you'll find 'little Britain's' in any state and not unique to WA (just as you'll find older populations of Italians/Greeks/Eastern Europeans.  I think many would find you using the the term ghetto a little offensive.

[MacGyver]

1 hour ago, Craig Colas said:

What is a soulless suburb then? Because I think I need it explaining to me. I'm thinking our definitions of quiet and soulless differ quite a lot. Everyone is different and at different stages within their life. I'm young, have a young family. Couldn't pay me £200,000 a year to live in London, Manchester, Birmingham and places like that, dumps if you ask me. I once got offered a big contract to work in the Congo, didn't take it obviously, but probably would have over some big cities. 

Might sound strange, some people just like to go to work, come home in a quiet neighborhood, walk on the beach and do the odd activity at the weekend. 

Surely more expensive to move back to the UK rather than try somewhere else first? I agree the move isn't for everyone and some maybe shouldn't have made the move in hindsight, but they will never know unless they try. End of the day its only money and you rebuild. Granted it becomes more difficult the older you get. 

@HappyHeart I prefer the stairway version rather than Shakespeare "All that glitters is gold"  

 

If you enjoy this lifestyle you will likely find somewhere near Perth that will be a very good fit. Nowhere is perfect, there are always compromises. Perth is neither heaven nor hell but a very good life can be found here. One of the members who posts regularly (Paul) lives in a northern beachside suburb and loves it, he might have helpful advice on areas for you.

Good luck on your adventure

[Bulya]

32 minutes ago, Dusty Plains said:

You said that Australia "is not a country"? Suggest you look way up over your own head. 

You’re not getting this…