South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Jun 8th 2005, 1:56 am
#16
Moved out bush!
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Chittering WA
Posts: 1,093
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Hi
Although we live in the North, hubby mainly works in the south, he actually said he prefers the north, mainly the layout and the English influence. He said there are parts south he really doesn't like the look of, but I guess it all depends on what you are used to.
In the UK one of our previous addresses had a drug dealer about 6 houses down the road and the road next to ours was basically where you wouldn't walk alone at night time. There are similar subburbs here but if you have ever lived in something similar you would probably think they where "not so bad" it all depends on the person. We came not far from Birkenhead and I wouldn't go walkies there at night, but I am a bit more realistic here, yep I probably have a dealer within a few houses and there has got to be a few local thieves nearby and I really don't care as long as they don't turn up on my doorstep.
As for weather, yep it seems to be getting cold and wet, the bad weather we had a few weeks back hit south more, and it would seem this is a more regular thing with the north missing the weather.
I'd certainly give most subburbs a go, but your jobs will probably mean if you are based south or north.
Jenny
Although we live in the North, hubby mainly works in the south, he actually said he prefers the north, mainly the layout and the English influence. He said there are parts south he really doesn't like the look of, but I guess it all depends on what you are used to.
In the UK one of our previous addresses had a drug dealer about 6 houses down the road and the road next to ours was basically where you wouldn't walk alone at night time. There are similar subburbs here but if you have ever lived in something similar you would probably think they where "not so bad" it all depends on the person. We came not far from Birkenhead and I wouldn't go walkies there at night, but I am a bit more realistic here, yep I probably have a dealer within a few houses and there has got to be a few local thieves nearby and I really don't care as long as they don't turn up on my doorstep.
As for weather, yep it seems to be getting cold and wet, the bad weather we had a few weeks back hit south more, and it would seem this is a more regular thing with the north missing the weather.
I'd certainly give most subburbs a go, but your jobs will probably mean if you are based south or north.
Jenny
Jun 8th 2005, 1:58 am
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Rockingham WA
Posts: 61
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Hi Anne
We are currently waiting for our visa to arrive .... and it's killing us ... so that we can move to Rockingham. We have some friends who have lived there for nearly two years and they really really love it. Like you, we bumped into a couple whilst out walking .. minding our own business!!, when they started talking to us about when they lived in Perth. We mentioned that we were moving there and then spent the next hour listening to horror stories. Like you I came away from this thinking where on earth are we moving to, but we decided that it was probably sour grapes as they had had to come back (for whatever reason). We have decided not to worry about it, and if for whatever reason we don't like it when we get there, we can always look for an area that suits us better.
Good Luck, race you to Rockingham !!
Karen
We are currently waiting for our visa to arrive .... and it's killing us ... so that we can move to Rockingham. We have some friends who have lived there for nearly two years and they really really love it. Like you, we bumped into a couple whilst out walking .. minding our own business!!, when they started talking to us about when they lived in Perth. We mentioned that we were moving there and then spent the next hour listening to horror stories. Like you I came away from this thinking where on earth are we moving to, but we decided that it was probably sour grapes as they had had to come back (for whatever reason). We have decided not to worry about it, and if for whatever reason we don't like it when we get there, we can always look for an area that suits us better.
Good Luck, race you to Rockingham !!
Karen
Jun 8th 2005, 2:20 am
#18
Scottish Aussie ©
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Belmont, Perth, WA
Posts: 2,009
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
This bloke you met sounds like The King of the Whingers.
He's obviously a bitter person for whatever reason, but that doesn't give him the right to get you all worried about moving over here.
Most of what he said is rubbish. Perth is by no means a perfect place, but the lifestyle is much better than what I had before.
Had to laugh at the, "bare feet" comment though.
Walking around in bare feet here is not seen as , "common" here. It's the norm! Everybody does it whether you live in Scumville or Millionaires Row.
Walking round a Perth shopping mall with bare feet in summer doesn't draw a second glance.
BTW, "South Perth" is the city suburb where I live. It's the area directly across the Swan River from the CBD and nowhere near Rockingham, which is about an hour's drive away from here.
You had me worried there for a bit when I read the thread title!
Good luck & don't listen to whingers like the one you met.
He's obviously a bitter person for whatever reason, but that doesn't give him the right to get you all worried about moving over here.
Most of what he said is rubbish. Perth is by no means a perfect place, but the lifestyle is much better than what I had before.
Had to laugh at the, "bare feet" comment though.
Walking around in bare feet here is not seen as , "common" here. It's the norm! Everybody does it whether you live in Scumville or Millionaires Row.
Walking round a Perth shopping mall with bare feet in summer doesn't draw a second glance.
BTW, "South Perth" is the city suburb where I live. It's the area directly across the Swan River from the CBD and nowhere near Rockingham, which is about an hour's drive away from here.
You had me worried there for a bit when I read the thread title!
Good luck & don't listen to whingers like the one you met.
Jun 8th 2005, 2:24 am
#19
Where I want to be
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: In my own head
Posts: 3,220
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Hi Anne
Friends of my sister in law (She is in Perth) live in Rockingham, and have done so for about 15 years. They are fanstastically happy there, she would never move back to UK. And that is not because she can't afford to.
They have a lovely house, with a pool, and air con. The air-con does not get used much at all, and they certainly do not sit huddled round it in the summer. They have 3 children, 2 of whom go to a private school. This is not because they are rich but because the private school fees are cheaper than the nursery fees they are paying for the youngest! Their children, and their friends are nice, polite and well brought up.
They have all been over here to visit parents and friends etc and have said that they wouldn't come back because they love it over there so much. They went for the lifestyle it could offer, ie the outdoors stuff, having a pool in the backyard, etc.
Just last year, her sister and family emigrated too, and they love it too.
The thing is, not everything suits everyone, and you have to find a place that you like and want to settle in. Just because I said to you "don't ever go to Milton Keynes their road system is crap cos of the amount of roundabouts" doesn't mean you shouldn't go and have a look for yourself and make your own mind up.
There must be more to it than he came back after 6 months because he didn't like it. Did he give it a fair chance? Did he have a job? Did he come back due to homesickness?
You only get one shot at life, and if you don't go for it, you may just end up saying "what if?"
Friends of my sister in law (She is in Perth) live in Rockingham, and have done so for about 15 years. They are fanstastically happy there, she would never move back to UK. And that is not because she can't afford to.
They have a lovely house, with a pool, and air con. The air-con does not get used much at all, and they certainly do not sit huddled round it in the summer. They have 3 children, 2 of whom go to a private school. This is not because they are rich but because the private school fees are cheaper than the nursery fees they are paying for the youngest! Their children, and their friends are nice, polite and well brought up.
They have all been over here to visit parents and friends etc and have said that they wouldn't come back because they love it over there so much. They went for the lifestyle it could offer, ie the outdoors stuff, having a pool in the backyard, etc.
Just last year, her sister and family emigrated too, and they love it too.
The thing is, not everything suits everyone, and you have to find a place that you like and want to settle in. Just because I said to you "don't ever go to Milton Keynes their road system is crap cos of the amount of roundabouts" doesn't mean you shouldn't go and have a look for yourself and make your own mind up.
There must be more to it than he came back after 6 months because he didn't like it. Did he give it a fair chance? Did he have a job? Did he come back due to homesickness?
You only get one shot at life, and if you don't go for it, you may just end up saying "what if?"
Jun 8th 2005, 2:32 am
#20
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: The hills, Perth WA
Posts: 589
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Originally Posted by Scossie
Had to laugh at the, "bare feet" comment though.
Walking around in bare feet here is not seen as , "common" here. It's the norm! Everybody does it whether you live in Scumville or Millionaires Row.
Walking round a Perth shopping mall with bare feet in summer doesn't draw a second glance.
Are ye gonna come out for a beer barefooted?. Go on. I dare ye.
Jun 8th 2005, 2:39 am
#21
Scottish Aussie ©
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Belmont, Perth, WA
Posts: 2,009
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Originally Posted by Muzza04
Are ye gonna come out for a beer barefooted?. Go on. I dare ye.
Have done for afternoon beers in the summer though...
Are you coming along for beers with Bordy when he's over
here on July 15th?
Last edited by Scossie; Jun 8th 2005 at 3:03 am.
Jun 8th 2005, 2:51 am
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: The hills, Perth WA
Posts: 589
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Originally Posted by Scossie
Not in the weather we're having at the moment Muzza!
Have done for aftermoon beers in the summer though...
Are you coming along for beers with Bordy when he's over
here on July 15th?
Have done for aftermoon beers in the summer though...
Are you coming along for beers with Bordy when he's over
here on July 15th?
count me in
Jun 8th 2005, 3:27 am
#23
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,337
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Think its all been said !
See you all in perth next year
See you all in perth next year
Jun 8th 2005, 4:21 am
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2003
Location: Perth
Posts: 204
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Hey, I live south of Perth and I'm happy!
I haven't lived in the UK for a while but if I was considering, say, Surrey, wouldn't I meet someone somewhere who would put me off it? If the reason why and my dream was big enough, I'd give it a go on my terms anyhow.
I haven't lived in the UK for a while but if I was considering, say, Surrey, wouldn't I meet someone somewhere who would put me off it? If the reason why and my dream was big enough, I'd give it a go on my terms anyhow.
Jun 8th 2005, 9:43 am
#25
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,873
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Thanks for all your kind comments everybody. I am not wearing rose tinted specs anymore but at least I have not got fogged up goggles either!!
Anne
Anne
Jun 8th 2005, 10:19 am
#26
Tribu dei Chihuahua
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Port Kennedy -near the dolphins
Posts: 1,414
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Originally Posted by Anne4Terry
Plans are all going well to go and join family out in the Rockingham area and we have all been getting very excited looking forward to the prospect of a new life. Until we went to watch our son's game of cricket last night. To say we have had the smiles wiped off our faces would be an understatement.
We were approached by another parent (no we don't know him) who had heard of our plans. He has just come back from living in Rockingham for 6 months and had absolutely nothing good to say about South Perth at all.
He said that all of the children there are exceptionally badly behaved. The small ones swear like troopers and the parents do nothing about it, the older ones drive round the housing estate doing wheel spins at 2 in the morning. He reckons that people have no standards at all, are completely lower class and think nothing of walking round the shopping centres in bare feet. He also complained that the place is over run with English. Hmmm, wonder where the bad standards are comng from then!! He said that the kids can't be bothered to put in any effort at school and have absolutely no respect for authority whatsoever.
THIS IS WHAT HE SAID - NOT US
He then went on to complain about the weather.
He said you can't go do things outside because they have winter there like in the UK and it is coled and wet. Then in the summer it is too hot and everyone stays indoors huddled round the air conditioning.
Personally, I don't think that 6months is anywhere near long enough to give things a try. He also said that he had been there 6 times for a holiday before going to live. Well why bloody go back there then if it's that bad!! He also reckons that all the English south of Perth wish that they could come to live in UK but are too poor now to do so.
The trouble is that I feel completely deflated now and am panicking about if we are doing the right thing taking our bright, polite son away from here to live in, what he makes sound, a nightmare. We went there in October and although it may not be the land of milk and honey I can't say that I saw it as being that bad. I know my sister who has lived there for 17 years says that the private school is better than the state ones but it can't just be all about schooling surely? He made it sound like one HUGE great big down and out troublesome council housing estate. Don't want that to sound snobby, I just don't know how else to describe it apart from a den of eniquity I guess.
Please someone tell me it IS nice living there and that we won't regret it
Anne
We were approached by another parent (no we don't know him) who had heard of our plans. He has just come back from living in Rockingham for 6 months and had absolutely nothing good to say about South Perth at all.
He said that all of the children there are exceptionally badly behaved. The small ones swear like troopers and the parents do nothing about it, the older ones drive round the housing estate doing wheel spins at 2 in the morning. He reckons that people have no standards at all, are completely lower class and think nothing of walking round the shopping centres in bare feet. He also complained that the place is over run with English. Hmmm, wonder where the bad standards are comng from then!! He said that the kids can't be bothered to put in any effort at school and have absolutely no respect for authority whatsoever.
THIS IS WHAT HE SAID - NOT US
He then went on to complain about the weather.
He said you can't go do things outside because they have winter there like in the UK and it is coled and wet. Then in the summer it is too hot and everyone stays indoors huddled round the air conditioning.Personally, I don't think that 6months is anywhere near long enough to give things a try. He also said that he had been there 6 times for a holiday before going to live. Well why bloody go back there then if it's that bad!! He also reckons that all the English south of Perth wish that they could come to live in UK but are too poor now to do so.
The trouble is that I feel completely deflated now and am panicking about if we are doing the right thing taking our bright, polite son away from here to live in, what he makes sound, a nightmare. We went there in October and although it may not be the land of milk and honey I can't say that I saw it as being that bad. I know my sister who has lived there for 17 years says that the private school is better than the state ones but it can't just be all about schooling surely? He made it sound like one HUGE great big down and out troublesome council housing estate. Don't want that to sound snobby, I just don't know how else to describe it apart from a den of eniquity I guess.
Please someone tell me it IS nice living there and that we won't regret it
Anne
Jun 8th 2005, 8:21 pm
#27
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Secret Harbour, WA
Posts: 154
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Originally Posted by Anne4Terry
Plans are all going well to go and join family out in the Rockingham area and we have all been getting very excited looking forward to the prospect of a new life. Until we went to watch our son's game of cricket last night. To say we have had the smiles wiped off our faces would be an understatement.
Anne
Anne
Dear Anne
Please don't let the ramblings of one negative person put you off. I know it is hard before you get here because you want to hear any information good or bad to form a balanced opinion but I know that I was worried about getting too excited and listening only to the good things to the point that I started to believe more of the negative things that I'd read (even people saying you couldn't get any decent cheese
). Now you know really that it was just his opinion and this is just mine but we have been here since September 2004 and are all very happy and settled. Originally we stayed in Ocean Reef when we came out to validate our visas and although I could quite happily live north or south because of work we came south to live and I do find it quieter here than the North which is what we wanted. We came from a 'nice' quiet village in West Sussex with a very low crime rate, 'nice' school etc etc. Now depending upon where you settle around Rockingham it is still possible to achieve this. Just like any other town there are good and bad suburbs to live in and I think that maybe he didn't live in a very good one. We are in Secret Harbour (10/15 mins from Rockingham, but still a suburb of it) and it has a primary school where I have yet to hear anybody swearing (except me that is when I can't park within half a mile of the school, I tend to mutter under my breath rather a lot !!).I have a feeling that this man that you met would have had something to moan about even if he had settled in the Northern suburbs and I do wonder, if he thought that Rockingham was the root of all his problems, why on earth didn't he just move up north instead of returning to the UK. Take it all with a huge bucket of salt. Its all about your expectations and what you make of it. We certainly get out and about all the time in the summer (but I like the heat); beaches, swimming, picnics, bike rides, parks - you name it!! We have used the air-conditioning on only a handful of days as there is generally a cooling breeze anyway. We have just got into our first winter and it has been pouring most of the day. When we arrived in September it was chilly in the mornings and evenings but we had mostly lovely sunny days, so the way that I look at it is that even if June/July/August aren't brilliant by late September it will be picking up again and at least you are guaranteed a summer here and as someone else mentioned Spring and Autumn are lovely. We've just had a beautiful warm sunny weekend unlike anything you would have in a UK winter.
Rockingham and Mandurah both have lots of things to do for families, even the New Years Eve celebrations were family orientated with fireworks at 9pm and 12pm so that people with kids could see them before they went home. Yes, there is crime and I'm not sure I'd want to walk around some places in the late evening but I wouldn't do that in London either. The benefits for me completely outweigh the negatives, I love my life here. Only time will tell if you do too, but I wish you all the best and I'm sure I WILL see you here one day.
Best wishes.
Sam
Jun 8th 2005, 11:08 pm
#28
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,873
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Originally Posted by The Thorpes
Dear Anne
Please don't let the ramblings of one negative person put you off. I know it is hard before you get here because you want to hear any information good or bad to form a balanced opinion but I know that I was worried about getting too excited and listening only to the good things to the point that I started to believe more of the negative things that I'd read (even people saying you couldn't get any decent cheese ). Now you know really that it was just his opinion and this is just mine but we have been here since September 2004 and are all very happy and settled. Originally we stayed in Ocean Reef when we came out to validate our visas and although I could quite happily live north or south because of work we came south to live and I do find it quieter here than the North which is what we wanted. We came from a 'nice' quiet village in West Sussex with a very low crime rate, 'nice' school etc etc. Now depending upon where you settle around Rockingham it is still possible to achieve this. Just like any other town there are good and bad suburbs to live in and I think that maybe he didn't live in a very good one. We are in Secret Harbour (10/15 mins from Rockingham, but still a suburb of it) and it has a primary school where I have yet to hear anybody swearing (except me that is when I can't park within half a mile of the school, I tend to mutter under my breath rather a lot !!).
I have a feeling that this man that you met would have had something to moan about even if he had settled in the Northern suburbs and I do wonder, if he thought that Rockingham was the root of all his problems, why on earth didn't he just move up north instead of returning to the UK. Take it all with a huge bucket of salt. Its all about your expectations and what you make of it. We certainly get out and about all the time in the summer (but I like the heat); beaches, swimming, picnics, bike rides, parks - you name it!! We have used the air-conditioning on only a handful of days as there is generally a cooling breeze anyway. We have just got into our first winter and it has been pouring most of the day. When we arrived in September it was chilly in the mornings and evenings but we had mostly lovely sunny days, so the way that I look at it is that even if June/July/August aren't brilliant by late September it will be picking up again and at least you are guaranteed a summer here and as someone else mentioned Spring and Autumn are lovely. We've just had a beautiful warm sunny weekend unlike anything you would have in a UK winter.
Rockingham and Mandurah both have lots of things to do for families, even the New Years Eve celebrations were family orientated with fireworks at 9pm and 12pm so that people with kids could see them before they went home. Yes, there is crime and I'm not sure I'd want to walk around some places in the late evening but I wouldn't do that in London either. The benefits for me completely outweigh the negatives, I love my life here. Only time will tell if you do too, but I wish you all the best and I'm sure I WILL see you here one day.
Best wishes.
Sam
Please don't let the ramblings of one negative person put you off. I know it is hard before you get here because you want to hear any information good or bad to form a balanced opinion but I know that I was worried about getting too excited and listening only to the good things to the point that I started to believe more of the negative things that I'd read (even people saying you couldn't get any decent cheese
). Now you know really that it was just his opinion and this is just mine but we have been here since September 2004 and are all very happy and settled. Originally we stayed in Ocean Reef when we came out to validate our visas and although I could quite happily live north or south because of work we came south to live and I do find it quieter here than the North which is what we wanted. We came from a 'nice' quiet village in West Sussex with a very low crime rate, 'nice' school etc etc. Now depending upon where you settle around Rockingham it is still possible to achieve this. Just like any other town there are good and bad suburbs to live in and I think that maybe he didn't live in a very good one. We are in Secret Harbour (10/15 mins from Rockingham, but still a suburb of it) and it has a primary school where I have yet to hear anybody swearing (except me that is when I can't park within half a mile of the school, I tend to mutter under my breath rather a lot !!).I have a feeling that this man that you met would have had something to moan about even if he had settled in the Northern suburbs and I do wonder, if he thought that Rockingham was the root of all his problems, why on earth didn't he just move up north instead of returning to the UK. Take it all with a huge bucket of salt. Its all about your expectations and what you make of it. We certainly get out and about all the time in the summer (but I like the heat); beaches, swimming, picnics, bike rides, parks - you name it!! We have used the air-conditioning on only a handful of days as there is generally a cooling breeze anyway. We have just got into our first winter and it has been pouring most of the day. When we arrived in September it was chilly in the mornings and evenings but we had mostly lovely sunny days, so the way that I look at it is that even if June/July/August aren't brilliant by late September it will be picking up again and at least you are guaranteed a summer here and as someone else mentioned Spring and Autumn are lovely. We've just had a beautiful warm sunny weekend unlike anything you would have in a UK winter.
Rockingham and Mandurah both have lots of things to do for families, even the New Years Eve celebrations were family orientated with fireworks at 9pm and 12pm so that people with kids could see them before they went home. Yes, there is crime and I'm not sure I'd want to walk around some places in the late evening but I wouldn't do that in London either. The benefits for me completely outweigh the negatives, I love my life here. Only time will tell if you do too, but I wish you all the best and I'm sure I WILL see you here one day.
Best wishes.
Sam
Sending you some karma for a nice post.
Anne
Jun 8th 2005, 11:15 pm
#29
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,873
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
Originally Posted by squeezzii
Hi anne just thought I'd put in my tuppenceworth on thi interesting thread.We visited rockingham last year (and many other areas) and we thought it was a nice place, that bloke obviously was expecting some place unlike any other town I've lived in. True, there may be hoons or bad language (I didnt come across any myself) but I think that its just a part of the world we live in.We want a better life when we get out there and although it may have been put to you in a REALLY negative way theres bound to be some not-so-great things about wherever you end up,I mean no one on this site has ever said the place was perfect,it is inhabited by people after all and sometimes they can be a pain in the a**e, I think what I'm trying to say is where I live in leafy surrey there are kids riding round on their scooters in packs and a local pub is known as a druggie paradise and there is graffitti around too, oh yeah lets not forget that Bluewater has just banned hoodies cos they are considered undisirable/threatening but essentially none of these things affect me or my family or have directly encroached upon our lives, and given the right encouragement and support theres no reason why my kids shouldnt continue to be the great kids that they are! hope havent bored you to death,I for one cant wait to get there! p.s. would be interested to know which bit of surrey you are in keep your chin up
Hi squeezi
We live in a village on the outskirts of Farnham. Rated 3rd happiest village in England last year!! That is, of course, if you are an executive with the flash car, 5 bedroomed house and exclusive skiing holidays every year to go along with the summer trips to Mauritius.
All tongue in cheek. It really is beautiful here but we are definitely not one of the many affluent rich that live around here and that makes life very hard trying to fit in. I think there must be a higer contingent of Jones's living here than in Wales
One of the reasons that we want to leave actually. People here a very materialistic and, I find, rather false. You are classed on what you have not who you are. We have enjoyed the benefits of excellent schools and a low crime rate but also suffer at extortionate council tax etc. Not everyone who lives here is rich but the local authorities don't seem to take that into account.
Sorry if this all sounds a bit negative. It is not meant to be. The last thing I want is to sound like the guy who moaned to us about Rockingham to then return to living here
Anne
Jun 9th 2005, 12:04 am
#30
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10
Re: South Perth takes a verbal bashing!!
[QUOTE=Anne4Terry]Hi squeezi
HI Anne,
Having read all the other replies the best thing I can probably advise is not to buy a house too soon. Rent for a while and have a look at lots of other aresa. We moved to Rockingham/Port Kennedy when we first arrived and thought it was great. After a couple of years though there are things that begin to bug you about it.
The bare feet thing is not the norm all over Perth. Whenever I go to Carousel or Garden City Shopping Centre I never see people in bare feet or kids in their P.J's in the supermarket at 8pm on a school night??!? This is a common occurence in Rockingham.
It is not very safe at night, the beach is lovely during the day but there are a lot of kids who hang out there at night, which is a shame as this is where the cafe's are.
It is certainly not the best area in Perth to live. The attraction for the British is cheap big houses with pools (yes I did have one there and still have one now only we are in a much better area, my opinion I know).
I also found lots of the people there very insular, it is not uncommon to find teenagers or young people who had only been to the City once or twice in their whole lifetime. It's only a 50 min drive!!
If you can cope with the bad things then you will probably love it, just don't commit yourself without doing your research first, which as lots of us learn can only really be done once you have been living here a while. Keep an open mind. Obviously if you have friends and family there then influences you a great deal and you'll settle better.
To sum up, if I had my choice again I would have gone to the Northern suburbs (jobs stopping us now) or gone to the East coast.
HI Anne,
Having read all the other replies the best thing I can probably advise is not to buy a house too soon. Rent for a while and have a look at lots of other aresa. We moved to Rockingham/Port Kennedy when we first arrived and thought it was great. After a couple of years though there are things that begin to bug you about it.
The bare feet thing is not the norm all over Perth. Whenever I go to Carousel or Garden City Shopping Centre I never see people in bare feet or kids in their P.J's in the supermarket at 8pm on a school night??!? This is a common occurence in Rockingham.
It is not very safe at night, the beach is lovely during the day but there are a lot of kids who hang out there at night, which is a shame as this is where the cafe's are.
It is certainly not the best area in Perth to live. The attraction for the British is cheap big houses with pools (yes I did have one there and still have one now only we are in a much better area, my opinion I know).
I also found lots of the people there very insular, it is not uncommon to find teenagers or young people who had only been to the City once or twice in their whole lifetime. It's only a 50 min drive!!
If you can cope with the bad things then you will probably love it, just don't commit yourself without doing your research first, which as lots of us learn can only really be done once you have been living here a while. Keep an open mind. Obviously if you have friends and family there then influences you a great deal and you'll settle better.
To sum up, if I had my choice again I would have gone to the Northern suburbs (jobs stopping us now) or gone to the East coast.
