hi you can try taking a trip out to the country to york, or new norcia or try a picnic at north dandalup dam a really lovely place to visit, also serpentine and pinjarra (there are wineries), try going to wooraloo and having a look at the dancing horses..try dwellingup for a weekend escape or moore river, you could also go south to yelgorup eco park or footprints eco park for weekends away... I have lived in perth for 30 plus years and i love it there are always things to do!! try the visitors centre on line or visit postcardswa this great state has so much to do and so much to offer if you really want to explore..we live in the most isolated city in the world but that dosent mean its the most boring either..

You can go to Singapore or KL really cheaply now. Just did a quick check, and a weekend return to Singapore on Tiger can be had for under $350. Flight time is roughly the same as to the east coast. I'd rather go there than Sydney or Brisbane.

Maybe you need to take up some new sport and join a club, so that although you may be in the same place at the weekend you have people to do stuff with and start to belong. Would you like to learn to surf, snorkel, dive, kayak, skydive, drive a boat, 4WD? There are classes and clubs for each of these and many others. There are eco clubs where you can travel to nice destinations and clear paths, save creatures etc. There are nice places up north to visit, but a bit distant. But yeah, if you need to get out, fly to somewhere else.

Not meant as a criticism of Perth or Oz for that matter but the distance from 'anywhere' does come into play. When I lived in Bristol I used to go out on a Friday night every couple of months or so in Dublin. Fly out Friday afternoon and catch the first flight back Sat morning. Cost... about 25quid return.

It's one of the few disadvantages of living at the bottom of the world......

Yes. It is. But I'm not arrogant enough to think that my opinion must automatically be true for everyone else.

Very sound advice...

Even sounder advice.

Me too...well perhaps not love entirely but i know my way around it and with what looks like some very turbulant times ahead i intend to continue at least until mid 2010 here and postpone arriving at a decision until after an extended break in Europe.(move to Melbourne or Sydney or really still belong to the European world)

Completely agree. This weekend I have been diving, next weekend will be wakeboarding. 2 weeks ago I was snorkelling and doing offroad driving. The weekends can't come round quickly enough for me, there is always a tough choice of what to do every weekend. But if you don't like doing that sort of thing then Perth probably isn't for you.

Yes all very nice for what it is although a number of things are to a greater or lesser extent similar,especially what is on offer by the sea.
Perhaps it is me but i find Mindarie Quays, Hillarys,and the like, a little stirile,even sanitized and just a tiny bit boring.
Swan Valley is good,enjoy DuckStein,A german eating and drinking place there but again how many trips can one make there in a year?

Well of course goes one would have assumed with out saying this same measure can be applied to any number of things in life surely?
Some folk enjoy a more active life style others prefer a place displaying a more reflective,creative or even artistic
side with a far greater choice of possible alternatives in interests and more diverse social contact possibilities than is immediately apparent here.
Nought to be annoyed about really just people searching out different things.

Totally agree.

No, people are not seeing things that you are not. You are seeing the reality. Perth, unless you are into the offroading or the ocean is boring once you have done the things on your list.

I would say it is one of the MANY disadvantages.

You are not alone with regards to your comments about breaking down the barriers...Takes time....the sprawl goes a long way in retarding to a degree social contact.
Perth may be fantastic for some namely couples with young children (up to 16 or so)was going to say for the elderly..but not sure one does not see too many around and about....For singles,et al perhaps benefits less pronouced?

The thing that gets me is the touchiness of the West Aussies. I have lived in a lot of cities all around the world, I am doing a project that has put a lot of money into the local economy and when I suggest areas where Perth could learn from other places I am met with a barrage of abuse: "if you don't like it then F**K off back"

Unbeliveably parochial!