Originally Posted by Pat-Mags

Hello folks... I've been living here for the past 24 years, moved here from Ireland. It's been a fantastic experience watching Perth grow from a town to a major modern city with the perfect lifestyle to go with it.
Right now we are planning to move again, this time to Spain. Want to get back to europe and closer to home again.

My opinion of Perth... It's a fabulous, clean, vibrant city. Friendly people, plenty to do. The perfect lifestyle for young families who love the beaches, outdoor life, sports minded, cafe/restaurant culture. Good standard of schools and planty of work in the resources industry for trades people. Don't believe the press for one minute that the boom is slowing. I work in the resources industry and work is plentiful. Someone mentioned a salary scale of 70K. That's about average although in the mining industry expect it to be above 100K. Average rent in the metro area $500-$600 for a house and suburbs around $400-$500. So you could very easily manage with one person working.

If I had one piece of advise, and this is from many years watching people come and go and come back again, becasue their expectations and the reality of living here didn't match. When you arrive, you won't know anyone, make friends as soon as you can, network, get out. These may be your partners work colleagues, the other parents from your children's school... whatever. The most common thing I hear from new arrivals is the feeling of isolation and homesickness, no matter what independant frame of mind you arrive with. Things will be different, rest assured of that. I've heard people complaining that vegetables taste different, so does chocolate, yes there are mosquitos during the summer and they bite, flies everywhere, the relentless heat, (getting into your car after it's been sitting in the sun for as little as 10 minutes in 40c is a challenge) but then there is air conditioning and bug spray and trust me... go with the flow, embrace the place, love it.

I know there is plenty of information here regarding Perth, but if there is anything missed and you want to know I will try to find it for you.
ohh and why am I leaving...? i miss the culture of europe, I've given it 24 years and now it's time for a change.
Pat

Originally Posted by Pat-Mags

Someone mentioned a salary scale of 70K. That's about average although in the mining industry expect it to be above 100K. Average rent in the metro area $500-$600 for a house and suburbs around $400-$500. So you could very easily manage with one person working.