I agree with the others its about how you *feel*. Another consideration is the range of temperatures over the course of the day. Perth is not particularly humid, and so even on hot days you will get quite a difference in tempeature between the night and the day time,unlike in the UK where it temperatures tend to only vary a few degrees. So whilst it may reach 20C on a winter's day, you also have to consider how long it is 20C for. What would be considered very warm days in the UK will soon find you reaching for the jumpers and coats, as the temperature diffference makes you feel cold.

Added to that and aside from the insulation issue, Australian homes are built to keep the heat out - wide verandahs, small windows, blinds,tiled floors,high ceilings etc stop much heat getting into the house when it is warm during the day. In winter this can be a disadvantage because no sunlight gets in the house to warm it up. And then a lack of central heating coupled with tiled floors and high ceilings means that it can take a long time to warm up a room when it is cold (it does regularly get down to 6/7C at night in winter and that does feel VERY cold to people in Perth).

Michelle

When I first arrived in Australia during winter, I spent a lot of the day at home applying for jobs etc from our flatmate's PC. I'd sit there wearing a hat, scarf and gloves as it was so cold (no luxuries like R/C aircon!). I'd then have a break and head off outside and expecting it to be just as cold - halfway down the road I'd been starting to feel very toasty! Everytime, I was fooled (yes, I was a bit half-witted).

Last year, we bought an electric blanket, a fleecy blanket, a couple of heaters and I got another hat. Our 70s unit in Bondi used to get as cold as my old place in Kent (but with no radiators to huddle against).

We now rent an old-fashioned terrace build c1880 which gets stifling some days in summer, but always warms up quickly when it's cold

I feel the cold really badly, so have had a few experiences in Melbourne and Adelaide - even Sydney - when I've shivered like its below freezing temperatures. But I know other people who find it mildly pleasant. I use it as an excuse to drink hot chocolate and vodka (not together of course...)