craigsa Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 Sarah (My new Fiancee') and I visited Perth this past weekend. I actually proposed in Kings Park (Did you know that it's the largest city based park in the world....even bigger than New York's central park?) on Saturday night. Here's my very brief comparison (It may not be 100% accurate as it's based on my previous 2 visits and a long weekend and not living there for an extended period of time). The aim is to provide insight to others and also encourage debate if you disagree with anything as I want to make an informed decision when and where to move. *Disclaimer - I haven't necessarily listed all the areas of comparison, but only those pertinent to me at this stage in my life. e.g. Melbourne would beat Perth hands down on indoor entertainment, clubs, coffee shops, etc. But I would think Perth would beat Melbourne in outdoor activities, so it really depends on what stage you are in your life. PERTH - Pros - More Sunshine (Apparently the most sunshine out of all the cities in Aus)- Houses within 12km from CBD are more affordable - Starting from around $500k- Much better beaches- Closer to SA- Almost all ardens seem to be well maintained - Roads seem wider and more spacious- Almost everyone I walked past in suburbia was polite and greeted- Didn't spot any freaks . (Melbourne is full of tattooed, pierced young kids that speak to themselves and hit tram windows. To be fair, I lived in St Kilda, so was probably exposed to more of it that suburbia)- City parking seems to start at around $16 per day. Not sure if they also offer things like Early Bird parking, but I think the same in Melbourne during mid week would start around $30+PERTH - Cons - Mitchell Freeway is not pretty during peak times (But then neither are any of the Freeways in Melbourne)- Job market smaller and quite 'clicky' (At least in my field...IT)- Rental seems to be higher (Obviously depends on area). But we currently pay $300 per week for a new 4 bedroom house in a good area that's 22km from CBD. A similar house in Ocean Reef seems to start at $470-$500 per week- Tap Water doesn't seem as drinkableBased on the rental vs buying. If all goes according to plan, we'd try buy asap and looked at houses in Scarborough, Doubleview, Wembley Downs, Duncraig AND suburbs closer to CBD (But further from ocean) bayswater, inglewood, mount lawley, mount hawthorn. Any advice on these areas or others would be appreciated. Again, these are only my views, but would be interested in your experience and thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Short&Tall Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) Sarah (My new Fiancee') and I visited Perth this past weekend. I actually proposed in Kings Park (Did you know that it's the largest city based park in the world....even bigger than New York's central park?) on Saturday night. Congratulations on your engagement - what a lovely setting for a proposal.My favorite memory of Kings Park is setting out for an early morning walk through the park. I was here on a short visit. I was walking along and realised that the park was massive + I was in the middle of a heavily tree and bushy area with little visibility around me + there were very few people around.I had a bit of a panic attack about being unsafe and stupid - then after about 10 mins walking I came across an elderly lady also walking along the paths. I felt a complete idiot after asking here whether it was safe to walk around the bushy areas - she laughed and said she had been doing it for years and never heard of a problem. Its a favorite memory as it really hit home that this country is a whole different place than RSA! I look forward to going back to Kings Park one day and doing a proper walk in those bushy areas. The glass bridge also scared the life out of me but for other reasons!Oh I could do with where you rent in Melbourne - "$300 per week for a new 4 bedroom house in a good area that's 22km from CBD" we are about 15km from the city in a 2 bed flat (OK we are a few km from the beach) but are paying $365/wk Melbourne!It says a lot for rush leasing when you first arrive - wish we could have taken longer and we will move somewhere larger and/or cheaper when our year lease is up. Congratulations again. Edited February 7, 2012 by Short&Tall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KangaRoux Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 Sarah (My new Fiancee') and I visited Perth this past weekend. I actually proposed in Kings Park (Did you know that it's the largest city based park in the world....even bigger than New York's central park?) on Saturday night. Here's my very brief comparison (It may not be 100% accurate as it's based on my previous 2 visits and a long weekend and not living there for an extended period of time). The aim is to provide insight to others and also encourage debate if you disagree with anything as I want to make an informed decision when and where to move. *Disclaimer - I haven't necessarily listed all the areas of comparison, but only those pertinent to me at this stage in my life. e.g. Melbourne would beat Perth hands down on indoor entertainment, clubs, coffee shops, etc. But I would think Perth would beat Melbourne in outdoor activities, so it really depends on what stage you are in your life. PERTH - Pros - More Sunshine (Apparently the most sunshine out of all the cities in Aus)- Houses within 12km from CBD are more affordable - Starting from around $500k- Much better beaches- Closer to SA- Almost all ardens seem to be well maintained - Roads seem wider and more spacious- Almost everyone I walked past in suburbia was polite and greeted- Didn't spot any freaks . (Melbourne is full of tattooed, pierced young kids that speak to themselves and hit tram windows. To be fair, I lived in St Kilda, so was probably exposed to more of it that suburbia)- City parking seems to start at around $16 per day. Not sure if they also offer things like Early Bird parking, but I think the same in Melbourne during mid week would start around $30+PERTH - Cons - Mitchell Freeway is not pretty during peak times (But then neither are any of the Freeways in Melbourne)- Job market smaller and quite 'clicky' (At least in my field...IT)- Rental seems to be higher (Obviously depends on area). But we currently pay $300 per week for a new 4 bedroom house in a good area that's 22km from CBD. A similar house in Ocean Reef seems to start at $470-$500 per week- Tap Water doesn't seem as drinkableBased on the rental vs buying. If all goes according to plan, we'd try buy asap and looked at houses in Scarborough, Doubleview, Wembley Downs, Duncraig AND suburbs closer to CBD (But further from ocean) bayswater, inglewood, mount lawley, mount hawthorn. Any advice on these areas or others would be appreciated. Again, these are only my views, but would be interested in your experience and thoughts.Hi,We also moved from Melbourne to Perth, best move ever!!! I had a reply to a previous post on the same issue with some of my reasons (see below)!I agree with all your Pro's & con's except the water!!! What is wrong with the water?"Personal experience, might be different for other (different folks different strokes):Melbourne way too busy for me, weather sucks, always traffic, nanny state, we were right in the City I must add, no open spaces, driving with Trams sucks, cables everywhere, no nice beaches close to City, had more of a indoor City feeling rather than an outdoor live the Life Sunshine feeling (if this makes any sense)Perth opposite of above, more laid back people tend to be more frindly and actually greets you when walking by in the streets, my daughter goes to the local park with Bicycle etc. etc.Perth definately more outdoor orientated, Sunshine, great weather, nice beaches loving Perth at the moment"Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koos VDM Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 If you are looking for IT work in Perth, PM me. There are many saffers here in IT who can help! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigsa Posted February 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Hi,We also moved from Melbourne to Perth, best move ever!!! I had a reply to a previous post on the same issue with some of my reasons (see below)!I agree with all your Pro's & con's except the water!!! What is wrong with the water?Thanks for the congrats. Sarah (My Partner) had a good laugh at your post, as she also looked at me with a blank expression when I said the water tastes better in Melbourne. Well, another ex-melbournite agreed with me, but maybe we're just "precious" Other than the taste of water though, it seems our views were almost identical. Glad you agreed....it makes me even more ready to get my A#$ over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigsa Posted February 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 If you are looking for IT work in Perth, PM me. There are many saffers here in IT who can help!Thanks Koos. I'll definitely PM you. Even if we can't find something, would still be keen to catch up when I'm there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maritana Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Hi CraigSA,I live in Kalgoorlie in central WA but I have been to Melbourne for holidays a number of times. My thoughts are as follows. Melbourne has most of the major sports events AFL Grand Final, Grand Prix, Tennis & Horse Racing to name a few. I was impressed with the Melbourne's public transport system trains & trams. Better shopping for the ladies ie. Upper Collins St, Little Collins St, Chapel St etc. Better reputation in relation to restuarants, arts facilities etc. Perth definately has better beaches and it's scenery is the equal or better than Victoria. I also consider the Swan River is a definate plus as compared to the Yarra River. To summarise Melbourne is a great place to visit (espec sport events) but I prefer to live in WA (I was born & bred in WA so I am biased). Best wishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koos VDM Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Hi Craig, be glad to. I have a lot of people sending me messages now requesting help for work...the answer is usually:1. Join Linked in if you haven't already. There are groups like Australian IT Industry and sub groups like WA IT industry. Headhunters and Recruitment agencies scour Linked in for candidates - make sure your profile reflects your best assets and they will request connections. Also, if you know someone in Oz that you worked for, get them to recommend you on Linked in, it helps.Linked in also posts many jobs!2. Forums - I have found two jobs on http://forums.whirlpool.net.au. 3. Personally, I would say call people, chat to them and then send them your CV. Often it gives them an idea of your ethnicity which helps - I won't elaborate on that.I use a service called Rynga - go see www.rynga.com. I phone my family in SA regularly and the calls normally only costs a 5c flag fee if I phone landline to landline. SO here in Oz, anything 02 03 07 & 08 is landline and 04xxxxxxx is mobile. 13 12 13 and 1300 numbers are also free local etc but I don't think you can call them internationally anyway. Use the Phone to Phone option on Rynga or if you have a fast internet, you can use the Iphone/Android VOIP client.If I think of anything else, I will put it down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21yearsoutofrsa Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 The biggest issue about Perth, in my opinion, is that it's a boom or bust city.When resources are going great guns, like they are now, the city prospers, but when resource demand slows it goes backwards much quicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koos VDM Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 15 years out of RSA - maybe but when the Resources sector takes a hit, all of Australia feels it. Go look at the Income per State lately - WA & QLD is carrying the rest of the country.Also, with Oil and Gas increasing in presence in WA, the bump should be a bit smoother.Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigsa Posted February 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Thanks Koos. I am currently in Melbourne, so calling Perth isn't a major issue. I'm also all setup on Linkedin and have been contacted regarding a few roles. However, considering the market in Perth is relatively small, I don't just want to move for any role. I also agree with you regarding most of Aus relying on the mining industry and have also noticed massive growth in the energy sector recently. Add to that the proximity to Asia, and I don't think the risk is much higher than any other city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigsa Posted February 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Hi CraigSA,I live in Kalgoorlie in central WA but I have been to Melbourne for holidays a number of times. My thoughts are as follows. Melbourne has most of the major sports events AFL Grand Final, Grand Prix, Tennis & Horse Racing to name a few. I was impressed with the Melbourne's public transport system trains & trams. Better shopping for the ladies ie. Upper Collins St, Little Collins St, Chapel St etc. Better reputation in relation to restuarants, arts facilities etc. Perth definately has better beaches and it's scenery is the equal or better than Victoria. I also consider the Swan River is a definate plus as compared to the Yarra River. To summarise Melbourne is a great place to visit (espec sport events) but I prefer to live in WA (I was born & bred in WA so I am biased). Best wishes.Agreed, but what we realised was that we now seldom attend these events, so would rather have the overall better outdoor lifestyle. Melbourne transport is VERY dependent on where you are and also what times you use the transport. The trams are also a nightmare if you drive along the narrower roads as the create traffic jams. Shopping is certainly better in Melbourne, but I find with the cost of shopping in Aus, ordering online and having goods delivered to my doorstep works better for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almost Aussie Posted February 10, 2012 Report Share Posted February 10, 2012 - Job market smaller and quite 'clicky' (At least in my field...IT)Say no more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigsa Posted February 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2012 Say no more...haha...so, I assume my comment was spot on? I see you're in Joondalup - Do you travel into the city everyday? I went as far as Iluka last weekend when I visited, but it seems there's some good property in Joondalup, but I thought it might be too far. Was leaning towards bayswater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candivw Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 Joondalup has a train line right into the city, it would take you no time if you caught the express train into town, remember parking will cost you $20 a day ... Not many companies provide parking in the city to employees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigsa Posted February 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 Joondalup has a train line right into the city, it would take you no time if you caught the express train into town, remember parking will cost you $20 a day ... Not many companies provide parking in the city to employeesThanks Candivw. Any idea how long it would take? I tried google, but no luck. I believe the train from Bayswater takes about 7-10 minutes, which is decent. I normally like going to gym first, so a car is much easier, but I guess we can't have everything. Well, we can, but then need to sit in traffic for hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candivw Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 (edited) Thanks Candivw. Any idea how long it would take? I tried google, but no luck. I believe the train from Bayswater takes about 7-10 minutes, which is decent. I normally like going to gym first, so a car is much easier, but I guess we can't have everything. Well, we can, but then need to sit in traffic for hours I recon around 20 minutes, Bayswater is quick I used to live there. But bear in mind you will need to also catch a CAT bus in the city unless you are walking distance of the station. I am willing to bet there is a gym in the city you could join and that would make it easier Edited February 14, 2012 by candivw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BevF Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 It's been so long since I posted ... Life happens! We've been here in Melbourne for 2 and bit years, very settled ... and I have now received a job offer based in Perth! We undertook a LSD mid-May and liked what we saw.Finding a rental, schools, etc - this time round we're a bit wiser.If someone can advise on the following, I'd be grateful - would it be quite easy with public transport to travel from Joondalup (or thereabouts) to Subiaco? Or, would I need to catch two trains?Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emille Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 - Tap Water doesn't seem as drinkablecraigsa will agree with you on that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizmo Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 (edited) We live 20km north of Perth. I usually catch the train into the city - Perth city has 2 stations and you can hop on any bus in the city for free (just in the city though - as soon as you go out of the city, you get charged). There are a number of gyms in the city itself, so you would easily be able to use public transport. Although I use public transport, I have traveled into the city by car a number of times in peak traffic. Coming from 20km north on the Mitchel freeway, it never took me over 40 minutes (although I believe coming from the south is bad). Perth does not have a lot of parking and it is really expensive. The only people I know with work parking bays are directors and partners of firms. Cheapest public parking I know of (at the river) will cost you at least $20 per day (and it fills up early and is not central). Public transport is definitely the way to go and as with many 1st world countries is the normal means of transport. Train trip from Edgewater station (20 km north) takes 22 minutes on an express train and 25 minutes on a normal train.Water taste is dependent on where you live for some reason. We first stayed in Subiaco near the city. I don't drink water alone usually - so when we first arrived I couldn't understand why Nescafe instant coffee tasted so awful until I had my first glass of water maybe a week after we arrived. Honestly, it tasted like antiseptic - like TCP! I am glad to say that the water in the Northern suburbs tastes much better, although it is not as nice as the water from the western cape. A cheap Brita water filter jug completely solves that problem though.Yes, I agree, the market here is very much based on who you know, but there are a lot of South Africans who stick together and help each other out re contacts and networking. Edited July 2, 2012 by Gizmo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigsa Posted August 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 craigsa will agree with you on thathaha....I'm still struggling to adjust to the water. I find myself getting creative when I get thirsty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlette Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Sarah (My new Fiancee') and I visited Perth this past weekend. I actually proposed in Kings ParkCongratulations!! It sounded very romantic, all the best with all the wedding planning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.