The truth on Perth?!

[Toots]

20 minutes ago, Parley said:

I don't think the OP is thinking of moving there so probably not very relevant ?

 

[Paul1Perth]

17 hours ago, Craig Colas said:

Any others you would recommend or have good knowledge about @Paul1Perth? Our flight out there is in November, staying with friends for a month while we get set up. Daughter will start school in January as well. She's had a year and half here so far but will be first year over there, she's only 5. We are looking North of the river Hillary's upwards. Commute doesn't matter to me as I will be FIFO as well most of the time. Wife is a nurse but will be agency for a while so not attached to one place and not working loads either so commute not too important. Just looking for a quiet area, good for kids with good schools, close'ish to the beach. 

Renting for a few years first, then once settled and have PR. It's the 491 Visa we have. Plan on then selling our UK house and buying here but wanted to rent in an area where we would look to buy. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi Craig. You won't be too far away from where we live. We're 10mins North of Hillary's. Great spot, any suburb around there would be nice, newer suburbs past Ocean Reef and as far as Yanchep now, thousands of new builds. I'd go for something Ocean side of Marmion if you can afford it. 

Although rentals are competetive there are some out there. New homes are being finished all the time so you should be able to get something where you're looking.

Joondalup Hospital would be handy for your wife and I know there's plenty of vacancies.

FIFO is pretty good money so that shouldn't be a major issue. My eldest is a FIFO sparkie on a rig.

Plenty of decent schools to go at, parkland galore, tennis courts (free), barbeques in just about every park and, obviously, a brilliant beach very close, icluding a dog beach if you have one.

Public transport is excellent from those suburbs into the City. Bus and train services very good. Train better than bus, more frequent.

Good luck, nice area.

[Blue Flu]

2 hours ago, Toots said:

I made two friends when I was there.  One was from Munich and the other was from New York.

Switzerland has been named one of the most unfriendly places according to a survey of expats around the world.  Three in ten people surveyed believe the Swiss are unfriendly towards foreigners.  

I was there long ago in the dim and distant past and the night life was dire then.  My friends and I used to nip over the border at weekends into Germany for some fun.

Yes but at least you had Germany within reach. CH by nature can be cold indeed towards foreigners. My  former French partner has lived there now for over fifteen years and it took years to 'fit in' besides needing to learn Swiss German dialect which was difficult. But she will on retirement be on a very favourable pension outcome which will enable a very comfortable life of travel and good living. But yes the Swiss can be frosty to foreigners especially. They have excellent working conditions in salary and pensions and not exactly keen on sharing this with others. Some quarter of the Swiss population if foreign born, while others I know live in Germany but work in CH, earning big bucks and are not always popular with Swiss. 

[Tulip1]

3 hours ago, Toots said:

 

That told you @Toots

[TheBs]

12 hours ago, Blue Flu said:

Great to hear that So Neighbours and Home and Away had no influence on decision making then.lol. 

Wait hang on I thought were documentaries

[TheBs]

21 hours ago, Unsurebutalwaysdiscussing said:

Wouldn’t you consider another city or town in the UK prior to moving to Australia?

Did you?

Those issues are all over the country.

London is my nearest city, and there's no way i'd be able to afford to live there, or would I want to, North of England is cheaper housing wise but this is reflected by the wages.

Maybe further south would be an option, but this country is slowly becoming more divided the gap between rich and poor is bigger, schooling opportunities don't measure up to Australia, and generally the way of life either.

There isn't anywhere in the UK I'd want to live, I want to leave and try and start a new life and fresh start, which is what most people I would thought have made the move wanted to do.

[Amber Snowball]

43 minutes ago, TheBs said:

Did you?

Those issues are all over the country.

London is my nearest city, and there's no way i'd be able to afford to live there, or would I want to, North of England is cheaper housing wise but this is reflected by the wages.

Maybe further south would be an option, but this country is slowly becoming more divided the gap between rich and poor is bigger, schooling opportunities don't measure up to Australia, and generally the way of life either.

There isn't anywhere in the UK I'd want to live, I want to leave and try and start a new life and fresh start, which is what most people I would thought have made the move wanted to do.

I think it’s a leap of faith. You just have to go for it and give it 200%. Then you’ll know. It might be an expensive mistake but it might not. It was good to me but I worked bloody hard. I assume you’re not expecting a fabulous new life to just be handed to you and it sounds like you want to move so accept it will be expensive and stressful and crack on. Give it your best shot! I would say to listen to the advice on the type of visa you choose though, people do sometimes think that they will find a way to stay and are devastated when they can’t. Good luck.

[Marisawright]

52 minutes ago, TheBs said:

schooling opportunities don't measure up to Australia, and generally the way of life either.

Actually, that is just not true.  In general, education standards in the UK are as good as, and in some cases better than, Australia.  The benefit of Australia for kids is usually seen as the outdoor, sporty lifestyle.  When it comes to further education, kids have much less choice in Australia than in the UK.  

Whether the way of life in Australia suits you better is a personal thing.  It's not better for everyone. You only need to look around these forums to find lots of people who migrated, discovered they liked their old way of life in the UK better, returned and are very glad they did. All countries have pro's and con's and Australia is no exception.  It's easy to see it with rose-coloured glasses when you're thousands of miles away.  However, as you have family here,  you're likely to have a more realistic view than many.

And as Amber said, I do hope you noticed my post about the type of visa. It got a bit lost among all that talk of Switzerland and rental crises.

Edited September 2, 2021 by Marisawright

[TheBs]

3 minutes ago, Amber Snowball said:

I think it’s a leap of faith. You just have to go for it and give it 200%. Then you’ll know. It might be an expensive mistake but it might not. It was good to me but I worked bloody hard. I assume you’re not expecting a fabulous new life to just be handed to you and it sounds like you want to move so accept it will be expensive and stressful and crack on. Give it your best shot! I would say to listen to the advice on the type of visa you choose though, people do sometimes think that they will find a way to stay and are devastated when they can’t. Good luck.

Thank you.

No we're not expecting it to be easy, we have a financial back up plan for if it does go wrong or it's not what we thought.

It is a massive leap of faith, and one I think you just have to try or forever wonder what if x

[HappyHeart]

I do so believe in leaps of faith. Life is so very short. What's a life lived without risk? Make the most of your opportunities and regret nothing. Choices denied to many. 

Edited September 2, 2021 by HappyHeart

[TheBs]

5 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Actually, that is just not true.  In general, education standards in the UK are as good as, and in some cases better than, Australia.  The benefit of Australia for kids is usually seen as the outdoor, sporty lifestyle.  When it comes to further education, kids have much less choice in Australia than in the UK.  

Whether the way of life in Australia suits you better is a personal thing.  It's not better for everyone. You only need to look around these forums to find lots of people who migrated, discovered they liked their old way of life in the UK better, returned and are very glad they did. All countries have pro's and con's and Australia is no exception.  It's easy to see it with rose-coloured glasses when you're thousands of miles away.  However, as you have family here,  you're likely to have a more realistic view than many.

And as Amber said, I do hope you noticed my post about the type of visa. It got a bit lost among all that talk of Switzerland and rental crises.

I didn't no, I got a bit confused how it escalated to Switzerland

Thank you for your information on school, though what I meant was probably what you're saying, sport opportunities, outdoor living etc, I'm more interested in life opportunities than education, as in, i want my kids to be happy and success for me isn't measured on how high an education they have.

We have contacted two migration agencies who have given us prices, and are both MARA registered. One I found through this site and one I found myself.

Hopefully we get the right Visa for us.

As I said in my other comment we have a financial back up plan, though hopefully won't need it, but I am wary of coming on the wrong visa and not being able to stay.

[Cup Final 1973]

Having taught in both countries, I second what Marisa posted.

[Amber Snowball]

2 hours ago, TheBs said:

I didn't no, I got a bit confused how it escalated to Switzerland

Thank you for your information on school, though what I meant was probably what you're saying, sport opportunities, outdoor living etc, I'm more interested in life opportunities than education, as in, i want my kids to be happy and success for me isn't measured on how high an education they have.

We have contacted two migration agencies who have given us prices, and are both MARA registered. One I found through this site and one I found myself.

Hopefully we get the right Visa for us.

As I said in my other comment we have a financial back up plan, though hopefully won't need it, but I am wary of coming on the wrong visa and not being able to stay.

In fairness you are lucky it was only Switzerland and not an argument about lemons and sausages!

I moved when my son was 11. He repeated yr 6 in Victoria and then to high school. I have to say I was pleased with the very whole person, rounded approach out there. Not upset with the school education there at all. 
University was a whole different matter and they were in equal parts useless/shady/unhelpful. I don’t know what university’s in the UK are like as a comparison, they could be equally shonky. 

[newjez]

6 hours ago, TheBs said:

Did you?

Those issues are all over the country.

London is my nearest city, and there's no way i'd be able to afford to live there, or would I want to, North of England is cheaper housing wise but this is reflected by the wages.

Maybe further south would be an option, but this country is slowly becoming more divided the gap between rich and poor is bigger, schooling opportunities don't measure up to Australia, and generally the way of life either.

There isn't anywhere in the UK I'd want to live, I want to leave and try and start a new life and fresh start, which is what most people I would thought have made the move wanted to do.

I've been to Switzerland. Very clean.

Perth is very clean too.

I grew up in Perth. School, uni, early working life. I currently live in southern UK, but try and visit Perth every year.

Don't compare education. You can find good and bad schools in both. Obviously, in both countries, you pay more to live near the good schools.

Zombie suburbs? Perth gets hot. Most people actually use their garages to keep their cars. You get in your car, open your electric garage door, go somewhere, come back, open your garage door again... people don't tend to spend a lot of time out in the street. Very different from the UK, where you may know all your neighbors. In Perth, you might never see your neighbors. Fortunately, there are other ways of meeting people.

Sport. If you like sport, especially water sports, you will like Perth. Great way of meeting people. Find a friend that has a boat. Get a house with a pool.

It is very different from the UK. If you can accept that and move on, you will like it. People who go looking for a warm UK in Perth will be disappointed.

WA stands for wait a while. Nothing happens fast. Learn to be patient. Slow down. Enjoy life. People say the time difference between WA and the eastern states is about 30 years. Not always a bad thing.

Drugs. I have family members who have drug issues. Don't take drugs. Educate your kids about drugs. Don't take drugs. Avoid people who look like they have taken drugs. You'll be right.

Don't drink and drive. Police are everywhere. You will get caught. Don't speed. You will get caught. Perth people don't know how to drive very well. Accept it and try to avoid them running in to you.

Did I mention it gets hot? The sun really burns. Wear a hat. Use suncream.

Chill out and enjoy it. It can be a great place. But you will enjoy it more if you adapt to it, rather than trying to get it to adapt to you. 

[Marisawright]

Brilliant post, @newjez

[Parley]

6 hours ago, newjez said:

 

Zombie suburbs? Perth gets hot. Most people actually use their garages to keep their cars. You get in your car, open your electric garage door, go somewhere, come back, open your garage door again... people don't tend to spend a lot of time out in the street. Very different from the UK, where you may know all your neighbors. In Perth, you might never see your neighbors. Fortunately, there are other ways of meeting people.

 

In my street in Melbourne, we and most people moved into it around 25 years ago, the street was actually extended so all new houses.

Back then it was like you said new families with young kids and 1 or 2 cars per family  parked in garages.

Fast forward to now, all the kids are 20 something adults. Some of the houses have 5 cars and they are all parked along the side of the street.
Parking is becoming a problem too in the older parts of the street and suburb generally. Older houses are getting knocked down and replaced with 2 townhouses. Not enough parking leads to cars parked everywhere on the streets.

It is the one bad thing about where i live,

[Marisawright]

15 hours ago, TheBs said:

I am wary of coming on the wrong visa and not being able to stay.

@TheBs, I gave you a bit of a bum steer in saying that nurses have a rare opportunity to get a visa right now - I recall an agent posting to say that priority applies only to temp visas, which ideally you don't want.  Things change though, and with Covid finally escaping in Australia, they might loosen their attitude.  Good luck.

[Blue Flu]

7 hours ago, Parley said:

In my street in Melbourne, we and most people moved into it around 25 years ago, the street was actually extended so all new houses.

Back then it was like you said new families with young kids and 1 or 2 cars per family  parked in garages.

Fast forward to now, all the kids are 20 something adults. Some of the houses have 5 cars and they are all parked along the side of the street.
Parking is becoming a problem too in the older parts of the street and suburb generally. Older houses are getting knocked down and replaced with 2 townhouses. Not enough parking leads to cars parked everywhere on the streets.

It is the one bad thing about where i live,

I can relate to that. Exactly what is happening in the inner city in Perth. Little regard for ascetics though . it is becoming an odd combination of   older houses, gradually being replaced by multiple town houses. The result being so many cars now parking beside the curb, slowing traffic It's one bad thing of a few but definately will become the norm over time. That at extraordinary large houses, for the size of block built on. 

[Paul1Perth]

On 31/08/2021 at 07:30, Blue Flu said:

A native West Aussie here with a lot of overseas working experience and sadly say Perth deserves a lot of the bad rap. It's a city built on the resource industry and boom/bust cycles and fast money. It does posses generally great weather and in my view hard to see much of an attraction if not interested in beach or at least aquatic sports in some way. (even if only fishing)

Appearances often give out an impression of being more 'relaxed' than really is. There are, Believe me a host of issues around crime and the drug issue is way out of hand. But besides obvious  clearly impacted people highly visible in the City, Fremantle, and a few choice suburbs much is hidden. We are among the top cities, along with Adelaide for meth (ice) in the world. The streets have been 'cleaned up' in recent times somewhat (witnessed it in Fremantle) out of public gaze , but that and homelessness are indeed issues that have escalated over recent years.

Perth just spent some $5 Billion developing an area called Yagan Square  in the heart of the city. It reconnected the Centre (CBD) with Northbridge the entertainment area, and was supposed to give Federation Tower a run for it's money in Melbourne. I'm afraid a grand failure. Almost all business has left. (it was full of eateries and the like and open less than two years) It became an area inflicted by undesirables and witnessed on numerous occasions suspected drug dealings being undertaken. AS with much in Perth the prices were found wanting. No idea of what they intend to do with it but a further bad sign to Perth's plans. I recall the so called Cultural Centre a little further away open decades back (80's) to great enthusiasm by those responsible, only to become a place where many would fear to tread after dark, due to too many dark places and anti social elements lingering. 

There are numerous people I've met, that either will not go or don't feel comfortable in the entertainment area Northbridge , at least after hours. Same goes for public transport after I suppose about 8PM.  

The suburban sprawl will not suit all and results in Perth being among the most car dependent cities on earth. The 'smallness' of the place can be disconcerting. Often meet people know as in reality there are not a lot of places to go to wine and dine in the sense of areas. (considering the size and sprawl) It is rather expensive to eat out or at least can be. It was something we did with regularity in the 90's only to prune back somewhere in the 2000's as things became ever more expensive. 

 

I've never felt uncomfortable on public transport, no matter how late at night. I think if I had been travelling out to Armadale, which I've heard can be dodgy, might be different. Going North out of Perth is fine.

Never felt any problem in Northbridge either, don't stay till 4 in the morning or anything but when I've been there late it reminds me of Spain in the 70's.

I was at the Badlands bar last weekend to see a Pearl Jam cover band. Great night, packed good atmosphere, no trouble, band didn't start their last set till after midnight so a late one. Uber home with friends, quick service to say how many people were around.

[Red Rose]

Perth is a funny one. I found it incredibly unfriendly and parochial whereas I found Sydney, which is a lot bigger and busier, incredibly friendly. It is very subjective though and everyone's mileage will vary. 

[Paul1Perth]

On 01/09/2021 at 22:07, MacGyver said:

I don’t know if it’s true or not but a real estate agent told us the rental market has been cooling slightly, particularly townhouses and apartments closer to the city. Northern suburbs do seem to be popular just now but they could always look for something more compact and central and use it to enjoy/get to know the city and explore preferred suburbs to the north. Then look to move to that suburb when the lease ends and the market has possible eased off a bit.

I think a fair few people will leave Perth when the borders eventually open, whether that’s FIFO workers no longer staying in WA to avoid closed borders or people desperate to travel overseas and/or move back to UK etc be closer to family again.

Do you reckon. I think it will be the other way round with people moving from Sydney, Melbourne to Perth.

[Paul1Perth]

21 hours ago, TheBs said:

Wait hang on I thought were documentaries

Thank goodness Home and Away isn't. More murders, deaths, explosions and crime than anywhere I've been.

The real Australia is much nicer.

[MacGyver]

33 minutes ago, Paul1Perth said:

Do you reckon. I think it will be the other way round with people moving from Sydney, Melbourne to Perth.

The numbers might cancel each other out. I do think some fifo workers have decided to shift family over and stay in WA in a rental rather than fifo to the east coast. They might stay, but more than likely return when it’s all over. I think for some, closed borders has led to a realisation they would rather be closer to family in the UK.

On the other hand, students will flood in and a backlog of new migrants will flood in, having had their own realisations during Covid that they want to move overseas and visa approvals recommending - migration is big business for the government and they’ll want it back up and running ASAP.

[Blue Flu]

14 hours ago, Red Rose said:

Perth is a funny one. I found it incredibly unfriendly and parochial whereas I found Sydney, which is a lot bigger and busier, incredibly friendly. It is very subjective though and everyone's mileage will vary. 

I'd be inclined to go along with that. A world much its own creation and not very interested in outsiders beyond using then to further own advantage. I've never 'lived' in Sydney but have visited several times , once for a longer duration and did detect a more favourable vibe there,  for want of another way to put it. But from friends living there or had lived there, I know also can be  an incredible stressful place with an onus on work and income. I guess along the lines of what London became. (London was a pretty chilled out city in late seventies, hard to imagine I know,)

Perth meanwhile gives out the initial impression of being 'chilled' , but is on many levels a strange sort of 'up tight' conservative place, where conformity is somewhat necessary to survive a very cliquish environment. People largely keep to themselves, don't warm readily, making relationships hard to get above ground level. 

Obviously others may differ in experience and perhaps in comparisons depending probably past experience and where from.  In my view a very  superficial surface sort of place , built too much around greed and money , where any search for depth may well result in disillusionment or worse but many won't care. 

Be sure though the sun will shine most days  , the Indian Ocean will look superb, the obvious signs of mining wealth prosperity will in the way of city towers will add to that impression, but for the more vigilant among us, other factors may give a different picture at the reality under the surface. 

 

[Blue Flu]

14 hours ago, MacGyver said:

The numbers might cancel each other out. I do think some fifo workers have decided to shift family over and stay in WA in a rental rather than fifo to the east coast. They might stay, but more than likely return when it’s all over. I think for some, closed borders has led to a realisation they would rather be closer to family in the UK.

On the other hand, students will flood in and a backlog of new migrants will flood in, having had their own realisations during Covid that they want to move overseas and visa approvals recommending - migration is big business for the government and they’ll want it back up and running ASAP.

Migration is big business indeed and is basically what keeps the charade of high house prices, near stagnant wage growth going, while lowering living standards  gradually over time in the process. The question needs to be asked. "Are we better off now than twenty five years ago? " Immigration is obviously a bonus when used     the way intended and not abused in order to suit vested interest groups for own purposes. Australia has long prospered from it. Turbo immigration on the other hand is having the opposite outcome.