Mikeyc

PS

Oh, and as for your Brighton Beach you rave about (see here - http://www.terraxtreme.de/australia/...hton_beach.jpg )
It’s not my cup of tea, I wouldn’t even call that a “beach”.

Now, here is a Gold Coast beach - http://cache.virtualtourist.com/1391...Gold_Coast.gif

I know where I’d rather swim.

Mikey

Nu-Shooz

Love your signature Mikey

The Crow

To OP - as Buzzy says - listen to people who actually LIVE there
Melbourne is superb

BristolBeary

Not trying to wind you up honest... but that is the perfect example of why I prefer Perth. Call me someone stuck in the dark ages or whatever you want but all those massive buildings lined up down the beach is my idea of hell.

Imagine the the over crowding when the photographer hasn't organised to get everyone off the beach for that nice brochure shot

As for original question all I can offer is that Brisbane or Sydney would likely be your best option. Whatever you do for a living though would be my highest priority when deciding on a location.

Buzzy--Bee

Correct.

Because everything else is just a pipedream without an income. That's why we originally chose Melbourne, we didn't really know about the stunning beaches and countryside when we first chose Melbourne.

We are so glad we didn't listen to all the rubbish spouted by people who had spent the occasional weekend in Melbourne, about how it was cold and grey and like Manchester! It was all just stereotypical bullshit!

I absolutely love it here!

Buzzy

Mikeyc

Queensland has nice non-built up beaches - http://www.queensland-australia.com/...aven-beach.jpg . I just showing the Gold Coast as that has a beach and other things to do, right on the door step.

As much as I hate Perth (with a passion) the beaches are still nice over there, lovely infact – definitely nicer than Melbourne, I used to go to Scarborough and Yanchep Lagoon. Perth also has the beach weather; the reason why Brisbane/Gold coast would be better for the OP is because they requested that the city have entertainment, which Perth doesn’t

Mikey

bcworld

For all its crassness, once thing Gold Coast beaches never are is crowded.

What is scary though it why lies behind that awesome coastal strip. I stayed down at Broadbeach for the night 2 weekends ago and had to go down to pick up someone from GC airport on the Friday night. Driving down the Gold Coast highway to Coolangatta was a thoroughly miserable experience. Beat up old buildings, hookers thumbing a lift and packs of hoodies milling around in the dark just like the UK! It was grim!!

BristolBeary

Now that's a stunning beach

Buzzy--Bee

Seems to be a few places in Australia you don't like, maybe that's why you are headed back to Europe for good.....

Buzzy

Mikeyc

No, just Perth. I never said I did'nt like Melbourne, just said I would'nt live there. You really need to get over this.

Mikey

Janna and Nick

Out of interest, why are you heading back to Europe MikeyC?

Mikeyc

Miss it. Simple as that.

It’s home for me and Australian aint. I’ve lived in Australia on and off since I was 11 – hopped back and forth about 9 times. lol. Home is where the heart is, it’s time to call Europe home.

Lets not go off topic, eh.

Mikey

BadgeIsBack

Can't say that Melbourne is literally dirtier than other cities. It might seem ''dirty'' if the weather was gray, or if you visited some suburbs which are more cluttered and grainy than others like Footscray etc but then the beauty of Malvern, Hawthorn is the opposite. The harsh Australian sun does seem to clean things, I can tell you. I found the UK looked alot dirtier than Melbourne, and Melbourne seemed very clean when we got back. My first day in Melbourne was on a 40 degree Nov day and it sparkled....the next week it rained and then it did go down in my opinion as a *visitor*. The biggest mistake you can make with Melbourne is not to see life in Melbourne as a resident. I've been there done that too.

St Kilda in my opinion is Australia's most overrated beach so I kind of agree on that one. It is more of a area on the bay targetted at young professionals and a particular demographic and scene than a beach.

BadgeIsBack

It really is about opinion then, because that GC beach looks like a crass Vegas Next To Sea. Brighton looks like a beach in the south of France or Med.
Where locals go to dip.

FWIW, I prefer remote Tropical beaches like those found much further N of SE Qld and not necessarily in Australia(!) like Mexico or the Caribbean.

cheers

Mikeyc

Don’t we all.... Unfortunately remote tropical beaches don’t usually come with jobs close by. lol

Mikey