Originally Posted by Hutch

I used to get up at about 8:00am look outside and wonder where the hell everyone was. Then one morning I went surfing at 6:00am and there everyone was - out power-walking, taking the pooch for a walk, walking into town, mowing the lawn. Got to the beach and there was about 80 people in the surf - most I'd seen prior to that had been 20 or so. So I just started changing my hours - going to bed a bit earlier and up a bit earlier. We have daylight savings here in NSW (29th of October is changeover day this year) but even then I can't say an extra hour or so's daylight in the middle of summer is of any great interest to me. Last summer we sat out every evening with a glass of something cool and it was great - didn't much like the Christmas Bugs much, but all the flies etc are easily dealt with by those zapping lights and a couple of citronella candles. :)

Originally Posted by thatsnotquiteright

Melbourne gets dark at 8.45 around the summer solstice. That is sunset times remember, you still get a bit more light for more.

Almost reason enough to make it a destination - lots of Poms complain about lack of light. I've realised I don't care how hot it is - warm enough, and light is what I enjoy the most. I'd trade 45 minutes off a British June day for a Melbourne summer and winter.

Flies or mossies not enough to warrant staying indoors on a summer's evening.
I don't know anyone who would stay inside all evening due to it.