Gav_71

Have been here for nearly 5 months now and it has become increasingly obvious to me that the Ozzie attitude to Brits, particularly on the bar scene down here on the Gold Coast, is pretty bad.

I have never been a trouble causer and am proud to say I have never got into a fight in a bar or come to think of it, anywhere since I was at school 20 yrs ago!! However, I cant help but notice that there seems to be some very angry young men (and women) on the Gold Coast. I have experienced quite a lot of hositility from people while out having a few beers. Luckily I am sensible enough and streetwise enough to extract myself from these situations without it turning too nasty. It has begun to worry me a little and has put me off going out on the Coast. Dont get me wrong, the Ozzies I work with have been awesome and really friendly. It just seems that once u add beer, a lot of anger and racism emerges! Pretty sad really!

Brisbane is a different matter and on the whole, people up there have been really friendly and sociable.

Anyone else experienced similar?

Gav

busterboy

Here in the grand Metropolis that is Melbourne, I must admit that we have had no problems.

Do you think that you might be drinking with idiots?

Gav_71

Not at all! I just think the Gold Coast is pretty rough to be honest!

Like I said, Brisbane is fine! Must just be a GC thing!

Gav

busterboy

Must admit that I have never been there. Nearest has been the reassuringly expensive Sunshine Coast resort of Noosa.

There are a lot of posters here from the GC, perhaps you need to change your group? (Although the posters on here are likely to be just as rough)

Gav_71

Its not the people I hang out with! They are fine and mainly Ozzie! Have just had a few little situations where I have been at the bar or outside having a smoke and have had people crack onto me and turn nasty when they hear the accent.

Maybe I just have one of those faces! LOL!

Gav

Dave_Kent

I don't think it's you. I think it's the Gold Coast/Surfers - it's like the Aussie equivalent of Blackpool or Southend (bit prettier of course )

Most people are not like that.

D

Gav_71

Yeah think u r probably right mate!

I can live with it, just an observation and wondered if it was just me!

Gav

Hutch

You meet bell-ends everywhere. Biggest set-to I ever had was in a bar in New York. Third generation 'Irishman' heard my accent and started bigging up the IRA, giving it the old Bobby Sands eulogy. He got in my face, slagged off the English etc - despite the fact that the closest he'd clearly ever got to a real Irish experience was dyeing his hairpiece green and wearing a shamrock t-shirt on St Paddys day ...

Bernieboy

Looking at your pic Gav i have to assume its your face

Bernieboy

Ha ha spot on Hutch,as a first generation paddy and from a big Republican estate,ie the real deal,i had shit from plastic paddys in NY for actually being from Ireland and what did i know about the war etc etc during st Pats,WTF

cockney pommy

what accent exactly do you have?
southerner , northerner, posh, feral?(like mine)

JR230898

Mate, It is a phenomenon I have run into in...London...Manchester...Glasgow...Cardiff... Johannesburg
...Durban...but never in, Asia, the rest of Africa, Germany, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Austria, or most other places I have been to.

I put it down to it being a caucasian + alcohol induced problem and anyone with a different accent becomes targetable. I have only ever been physically challenged/threatened/involved with by white english/afrikaan speaking drinkers in different parts of the world. Never have I been challenged by anyone from black Africa, Asia, or the Latino part of the world when I have been out on the 'turps'. What have been other people's experiences?

Maybe a factor of drinking on the Gold Coast is that you might not be among locals. They might be coming in from other parts of Australia and be on holidays. If you've been having trouble down on the coast to date, avoid Schoolies. I am sorry you have had to suffer such experiences.

bu1lder

GOD what am i gonna do with my BAAAAAAARNSLEY accent?

Centurion

Interpreters are available for a charge. May be handy to take one with you when trying to order in restaurants and the like.

sammyg

Must admit, we've been out in Surfers/Broadbeach etc quite a few times and never experienced this issue.

Infact when people hear our accent they sometimes ask us where in England we are from and tell us where they have been!!

Very friendly peeps really!