Simone

I of course have to object!!
First of all lots of holiday destinations west, north, centre and south too!!
Then of course it depends what type of holliday you want...

But I can say for nearly certain that the only thing you really can't have in WA is a snow holiday!!
And then a plus point of the west is that is less discovered by tourists and backpackers, so quiter, but also of course less built up/busy with houses, towns, cities.

OK, places to go:
http://www.westernaustralia.net/discover/index.shtml

You want hills: go to the Stirling Ranges in the south, or the Porongarups in the south, or the ranges in the north. Or the Hills in Perth.
You want snorkelling: go to Ningaloo Reef (Coral Bay/Exmouth area)

You want wild coasts? Try Kalbarri or the south coasts near Albany/Esperence.

You want dolphins: Monkey Mia, Rockingham/Mandurah, Bunbury.
You want wales: Albany (and the whole west coast)

You want forests/very big trees and green hills and wineries and caves: the whole south west.

You want wierd stuff: Pinnacles(above Perth) and Shell Beach(Shark Bay) and Wave Rock in the wheatbelt(Hyden).

You want tropical beach: Broome

You want outback, desert, ranges: See the Pilbara and Kimberelys

You want rafting/river: the Avon Valley/Toodyay area, east of Perth.

You want gold mine tourism stuff/ghost towns: see Kalgoorlie area

You want surfing: south west coast, Margeret River

You want an Island: Rottnest, and Pinguin Island near Rockingham.

You want 'culture': Perth, Fremantle, Toodyay, south west towns.....

You want stuff for kids(copied from the 5 months on thread):
Adventure World
Wet n Wild and other things like that (pools with slides)
Next to Wet 'n Wild there used to be a rollerskate hall?? It was Schmitt rd Kalamunda (we lived in the same street)
Underwaterworld (AQWA) in Hillary's
Scitech (West Perth?)
Ice skating
Whiteman park to the north of Perth, playground, park, train, kids activities, craftsshops etc.
A wildlife park, in/near Armadale?
Perth Zoo
King's Park (the playground and the water streams to play in)
National Parks (play in the rivers/streams, wildlife, Kalamunda, Lesmurdie, Serpentine Falls/Dam)
Perth Entertainment Centre: concerts, Walt Disney on Ice, basketball games etc
Perth Royal Show
Other playgrounds and parks
And probably more attractions that have been built in the last 7 years!
Oh, and museums of course!



Anyway, it all depends on what you're used to!

Vegemite Kids

No you haven't........... We're bringing our car down with us (big f*** off 4x4 plus roof top tent) and basically that will cover all our needs for holidays and long weekends.

Much more fun than camping in cold and wet Northern Germany !!!!!

Vegemite Kids

Way to go Simone! You tell 'em girl.

Anybody that thinks Perth doesnt have a lot going for it has obviously never been there.

Its just cultural snobbery IMHO !

janeyray

I think people 'feel Perth is isolated because it costs so much to visit other parts of Oz?. After all you will be earning $'s not pounds so $250 for a one way ticket to Brisbane may not sound much when it's converted to pounds but an each way ticket $500 x by however many in the family plus accomodation is very expensive when the average wage for people coming out here seems to be about $40,000. There are'nt many package holidays around that the UK are so use to choosing from.

I think Brisbane would be better for familys with teenage children, there really isn't much beyond life in 'Retirement Perth'

Also to the poster of the thread, if you're that undecided wouldn't you be better off taking a trip out here to visit both, maybe expensive, but not as expensive as choosing the wrong place to live

sarah d

How original

Scossie

I first came to Australia from Scotland 8 years ago doing the old travelling thing.
Started off in Melbourne, then Sydney, Mildura, Cairns, Port Douglas, Brisbane, Outback, then back to Melbourne.

Absolutely loved every minute of it, and have been smitten with Oz ever since.

Came back 4 years ago with my Wife on our Honeymoon to let her see Oz with a view to emigrating.

2 weeks in Melbourne & 2 weeks in Perth.

My Wife loved Melbourne and was as smitten with Oz as I was.

We then flew to Perth & stayed with a mate of mine who had emigrated 3 years before.

After only a few days in Perth we both said, "***** everywhere else to live in Oz,... Perth wins!".....

We went back to Scotland and did our application for PR.
It took a looooonnngggg time. (18 months after applying to DIMIA).

Emigrated to Perth WA, in May last year.
No regrets at all....

In our opinion we now live in the best City in the world.

Nuff said..........


Cheers......... John..........

sarah d

[QUOTE]Originally posted by janeyray
I think people 'feel Perth is isolated because it costs so much to visit other parts of Oz?. After all you will be earning $'s not pounds so $250 for a one way ticket to Brisbane may not sound much when it's converted to pounds but an each way ticket $500 x by however many in the family plus accomodation is very expensive when the average wage for people coming out here seems to be about $40,000. There are'nt many package holidays around that the UK are so use to choosing from.

This is exactly what I am concerned about Janeyray.
The wage of an electrician in Aus (from what I have read on these threads )is extremely low compared to england and with 3 children in tow will we be able to afford these flights-I doubt it!!!!

Kath - can we come with you in your campervan

Simone - one of my questions was "is there much to do in Perth besides the beaches" I think you might have answered that Thanks

Thanks to you all for your views on this subject,
Like Mairi and Chris have said "wherever we decide will be better than sunny Gt.Yarmouth"
I guess at the end of the day everyone has their own opinions on which is the "best" part of Aus and it is up to us to find out as much as we can about both before making a final decision - thanks again
SARAH(mrs indecisive!!!!!)

Simone

Ohhh, cool!
We want to get a station sort of car, so we can camp in the back!
And we already have a tent and stuff.

I was just thinking, most people from Europe are more used to taking packaged holidays, by plane etc.
I THINK people in Oz do more camping (or no holiday at all).
Well, we only went camping in Oz in our 9 years there, which is reflected by my list I guess.
After a year we went around Australia in a campervan for 4 months, and after that it was just normal camping(one or 2 weeks or weekends). In 9 years we only went back for one holiday to Holland.

And even in those 9 years there are a LOT of places in WA I haven't been or seen properley.
Like Rottnest Island(never been!!)
I also have never been to central Oz(uluru)!!
While living in the southwest btw, my year 7 school camp was to Kalgoorlie and my year 9 school camp was to Perth.
Oh, and my parents put us kids in a week summer camp once and that was in Rockingham (sailing, abseiling, mountainbiking, canoeing to Pinguin Island)

Anyway, that might give you lot a better idea

Simone

I think I may agree. But mostly in this situation, where the kids are already used to more 'entertainment'.
If kids are used to Perth/WA from a young age, then that's that. (usually) Because it's all relative.

I think it is a VERY big risk migrating with kids about above the age of 12 anyway. It's often so much harder to make friends the older you get, because other kids have already formed pairs and groups.
Of course there will be a lot of exceptions!

russell deane

There are a lot of places in this country that I haven't been to. Because things are close to you doesn't mean you will go there.

I live in great Yarmouth and there is a pleasure beach with loads of rides and stuff for the kids to do. The last time I went there was about 3 years ago. We only go there when friends from far away with kids come to stay.

Perth will be just the same eventually I suppose. Although I do hope to have no mortgage so I will have more money to do stuff.

Russell

dotty

I dont know if many people have missed this point. Australians themselves think Perth is very isolated. Even the very cheap houses cant tempt most.

Speak to Australians who have been there, sometimes for for a year or so of mining work, or those that have been tempted by the cheap housing most have returned.

My husband has lived there, his first description to me was its lovely, clean, nice beaches, but go a couple of hours in any direction and what have you got Nothing.

Simone

Yep, that was my point!

Yeah, I guess I can imagine that if they are used to the eastern states...
And if you go out and about a lot in the UK...

It does depend on the people though, I guess I got it from my parents, camping/nature. Of course we went to enough museums too, but still. When went around Oz in 1987 we spent about 1 or 2 days in Sydney, 2 in Melbourne and 5 in Brisbane(but that was because our campervan was at the garage)
I remember a post from you Dotty about all the things you did/would do in London, then of course it is a big difference.

I've just realised that the reason why I don't find Perth isolated is because I've lived in far more isolated places in WA.
- Bidyadanga (Kimberleys, 2 hours south of Broome) 10 months
- Nullagine (Pilbara, in between Port Hedland and Newman, about 2 hours ) 10 months
After that a town with 4000 people in the southwest, 350 km from Perth, and that felt like we were back in civilisation!
Was trying to find a map showing Bidyadanga and came across this:
See the top story! Sounds like agreat place for you Dotty
http://www.geha.wa.gov.au/rural/geha...gehanews06.cfm

And more down the bottom is one about a bad cyclone that hit Bidyadanga. We also had one up there, but it wasn't very bad. It was fun, swimming in the backyard, and the dirtroads turned into rivers

ok, getting slightly of track now...sorry.
Just want to say that northwest WA is to isolated for me too! The southwest however...we'll see!

Megalania

Whether or not you read the Disclaimer Notice, you have now been warned and all British Whingeing Birthrights Rights have been Irrevocably Revoked.

Pommie Perth Whingers will be Mercilessly Pilloried buy anyone so inclined.

If you do not like Perth or the vastness of Western Australia your only recourse will be bodily self-removal.

Florida_03

Snorkel and lead boots come to mind...

ssmith

Hooray someone has written what I have been saying for ages. One of peoples main reasons for returning is UKs closeness to Europe! How often to people jet off to Europe once a year annual holiday. What about the other 50 weeks of the year. We live 10 minute walk from pristine clean empty beach with clear aquamarine water and every time I go (about 4 times a week) I say people in Uk pay thousands to come to a beach like this for 2 weeks of the year. We have been here 2 years in April (Perth) and dont feel like we have anywhere near explored all WA has to offer, because you still have to go to work,shop for essentials, do the garden, decorate and run the kids around just like UK. Its not like being on one long holiday where you run out of things to do. But once you do have time to do what you want WE THINK that WA is wonderful for scenery etc.