Possible Perth Posting... whats it like over there?

[MilkOnTap]

Hi Ladies :wave:

Hubby has just got home from a 6 month deployment and after a nice long chat about the ups and downs of Sydney life I have decided that I've had enough. The only option we have though is to go to Perth.

So far all I heard about Perth (Rockingham/Scarborough specifically) has been positive, but I still want to ask the questions! I am still a little unsure as my family are in Melbourne, friends are in Brisbane, his family are in Canberra and his friends are in Adelaide - so Sydney is a lot more central to all of those places than Perth is...

1. Do you feel isolated from the rest of Australia at all?
2. How do you rate the lifestyle? (I grew up on the Sunshine Coast, QLD)
3. Do you know any military families over there? How do they cope?
4. Are the people nice? (Dont take this the wrong way - I just find Sydney people stereotypically to be 'too busy' to help the little old lady who fell over on the road)
5. What is the weather like?

So many questions! But I know you Perth-Mums will do your best!


Cheers,
Ally

[Chickadee]

Ally, We lived in Perth for 4.5 years. All of it in the Western Suburbs and within a 10 minute drive of Scarborough and the barracks near Cottesloe.

1. Do you feel isolated from the rest of Australia at all? Yes, a bit, because to fly east means a fairly hefty airline fare. But I may not be the best person to judge because I'd never lived on the east coast and didn't miss not being able to visit family on this side.

2. How do you rate the lifestyle? (I grew up on the Sunshine Coast, QLD) It's excellent. If you stick to the western suburbs you can have a lovely beach lifestyle while still being close enough to get into the CBD easily. Culture is probably a bit limited relative to Sydney. Scarborough itself is a bit touristy.

3. Do you know any military families over there? How do they cope? No, sorry.

4. Are the people nice? Generally yes. Though it can be a bit "cliquey". A lot of people I met still hung out with their high school friends, so it can be hard to meet people as an outsider to that. But having the military contacts may help with that.

5. What is the weather like? Excellent!! Hot dry summers (up to 40o) but if you stick to the coast and choose your house carefully then you can usually catch the bit of ocean breeze. Winters are non-existent in my opinion.

[blessedmummy]

yeah... im not a perth mum but i do know what its like in perth.. the weather is usually nice,sunny most days and can get cold in the winter(but not as cold as melbourne or sydney!) the people are fairly nice and friendly, bit busy for me though to live.. but the outer areas are really nice, especially the rural type areas as you go out of perth(this is the north way) like swan valley and gnangarra(sp?) and a few other areas also. i have family who live there and they love it, so, yeah.. hope this helps in some way...

Me25
DH25:kiss:
EMily3:smiliedance:
Clare22months:smiliedance:
another bub someday....yay!!:smiliedance:(have to keep ya posted on that one!...have to wait a few years sigh....)

[LittleBoysRock]

Hi Ally,

I am a Perth girl and have to say it is a wonderful place to live. Everybody we know who has visited here from the east coast has said how lovely it is.

To answer your questions:
I dont feel isolated at all. One thing that does make us feel a bit left out here is that not all bands/plays/musicals come here. A lot do but some only go east.

I know three military families and they cope wonderfully. They havent mentioned anything being a problem outside of the normal military complaints.

I have found people here to be very friendly in most cases. People still stop to talk to one another and help each other. People will help esp if you ask, eg. for directions etc.

The weather is fairly mild most of the time. Winter is not too cold (rarely in the (-) overnight) and summer is pretty hot. Perth isnt a dry heat, it is humid and I think we would normally have maybe 4/5 40 degree days per summer.

I love it here, wouldnt want to live anywhere else! If you do move, I would be happy to show you around. :)

[cmd'smum]

YES YES PLEASEEEEEE MOVE HERE!!! See how isolated I feel? haha....on a more serious note...

1. Yes, sometimes I feel isolated because I live far from my family and friends in Sydney.But then I remind myself of the reasons why I wanted to leave sydney in the first place! :D

2. Lifestyle is fantastic...can't brag enough about it. Especially for couples wanting to raise a family (like yourselves )

3. Sorry, can't help with this one!!!

4. Generally yes. One thing i've noticed is that they stare alot (no offence) You don't really get this in Sydney. Also people are more laid back......

5. Weather is fantabulous :) Hardly any humidity unlike sydney!!

Now my own 2 cents worth.

Plus, you're not in a diff country, you can visit Eastern States when you like...theyre only a few hours away...really not that far after all!!!

Plus there are heaps of Perthies on the hub and we can show you around. We can do pg and baby stuff together!!! AND you can come to our Perth girls night outs!! :smiliedance:

[JnA]

1. Do you feel isolated from the rest of Australia at all?

No.


2. How do you rate the lifestyle? (I grew up on the Sunshine Coast, QLD)

Excellent. Clean living, great beaches, fabulous weather.. much like your home I guess. (my time on the sunshine coast was short but felt 'familiar' IYKWIM)


3. Do you know any military families over there? How do they cope?

Yes, one, they seemed fine. (although they are in Kal now dong civvie jobs)


4. Are the people nice? (Dont take this the wrong way - I just find Sydney people stereotypically to be 'too busy' to help the little old lady who fell over on the road)

we can be ;) Seriously, I find Perth people to be the nicest most friendly to strangers that I have ever met (And I have travelled and lived in a few different places and countries) But, like anywhere, you have to seek out your firendships. There are a number of bubhubbers in Perth.. with regular meetings.


"5. What is the weather like?"

I love it.. but I was born and raised here. As a comaprisson I found Brisbane too muggy, Sydney too gritty, Melbourne too cold, Hobart waaaaayyy too cold and Darwin too monsoony. Not that I'm saying anything is wrong with living in any of those places, but for me the weather wasn't a selling point.


Hope that helps

[kirstenriley]

Hi :wave:

We moved here from melb nearly 3 mths ago and its a big change!!!! So here are my answers to your q's.


1. Do you feel isolated from the rest of Australia at all? - Yes, only because we didnt know anyone here, and you dont get a lot of news from other states.

2. How do you rate the lifestyle? (I grew up on the Sunshine Coast, QLD) From what i can gather it is extremely family orientated which is great, no shopping on sundays (even most supermarkets) which takes a bit of getting used to...lol

3. Do you know any military families over there? How do they cope? No sorry

4. Are the people nice? (Dont take this the wrong way - I just find Sydney people stereotypically to be 'too busy' to help the little old lady who fell over on the road) I have to say YES, the ones i have met anyway. I have had workmen make sure my pram and i cross the road safely (that was a big what the??....couldnt imagine that happening in syd or melb, they would rather watch you get run over....lol) and of course the bubhubbers are very helpful with info that you need:hugs:

5. What is the weather like? I only started putting jumpers on about 2 or 3 weeks ago! havent experienced the summer yet, so that will be my challenge!!

Good luck and maybe see you over here!!!!

[Bron]

Ally!!!!

I live in Perth! Yes I do, and I'm lovely.

Isolation:
Yes and no, the airfares cost, but with internet and those new fangled telephone jobbies, it is very easy to communicate.

Lifestyle:
Terrific. Particularly in summer. Outdoor movies, outdoor theatre, outdoor concerts, outdoor dining....... Relaxed, laid back, lovely beaches.

Milary families:
Yes, I've known a few. There is great support within the army communities here. And most of the barracks are near the beach.

Nice people:
HELLO!!!! How nice am I???? :laughing:

Whether:
Divine. A bit rainy in winter, but the spring, autumn and summer are second to none.

[MilkOnTap]

Thanks for your responses ladies! Much appreciated! Hubby has had a nice read too and I think we have some nice LOONG talks ahead... What fantastic conversation for our honeymoon tomorrow :hugs:

[toblerone]

1. Do you feel isolated from the rest of Australia at all?

Not really, a lot of our family is here though and the other 1/2 are in Sydney and Melbourne. Flights to go over there aren't that expensive but phone calls & email are even cheaper :hugs:


2. How do you rate the lifestyle? (I grew up on the Sunshine Coast, QLD)

Fantastic lifestyle - the Perthies are generally very friendly & easy going, kids get a lot of freedom & because of the weather a lot of outside playtime. I've only ever visited Sydney and am planning a trip to Melb at the end of this year, but from what I've seen I'd want to raise my kids in Perth. I love it here.

3. Do you know any military families over there? How do they cope?

Nope sorry.

4. Are the people nice? (Dont take this the wrong way - I just find Sydney people stereotypically to be 'too busy' to help the little old lady who fell over on the road)

If the sydney stereotype is "too busy", the perth stereotype is "friendly & easy going" :)

5. What is the weather like?

Fantastic! Hardly any rain, lots of sunny days in winter but it does get pretty hot in summer - 35-40 degree days. We do have water restrictions in summer at the moment because of the lack of rain, but the good news is theres always plenty of sun to enjoy our fantastic beaches :thumbsup:

[Rhoxie]

1. Do you feel isolated from the rest of Australia at all?
Isolated - not at all.. Its not that kind of feeling its more reassuring that the hussle and bustle is going to stay over that side of the country :)
2. How do you rate the lifestyle? Lifestyle is very family and friends orientated. Sundays are pretty sacred over this side of the country (just about all the shops are closed apart from the odd IGA or Deli). Sundays are for family, community sports, kids, friends, BBQs & Relaxing. The hardest part about moving to WA is adjusting to the laid back atmosphere and as our lifestyle revolves around family and friends you need to make friends and get involved with stuff to 'settle in' . Nightlife is not very lively over here.
3. Do you know any military families over there? How do they cope?
Not personally but from what I can gather the Rockingham way families are a great support for new transfers to WA
4. Are the people nice? Generally Yes (but I'm biased) :D I know most of my neighbours, School mums are down to earth and chatty, Playgroup mums are lovely, sporting groups will take anyone who has a heartbeat, my local coles checkout ladies recognise the regulars and are usually cheerful and chatty.
5. What is the weather like? Pretty Darn good. Doesn't rain alot -start of spring to end of autumn you can pretty much do with out a jacket. Summer can hit 40 but it's usually a dry heat not a tropical heat.

[JEP88]

I have lived in Perth now for five years and my husband is involved with the navy base at Garden Island so I can give you a little feed back.

1. Do you feel isolated from the rest of Australia at all?
To be honest yes. Our family and friends are scattered from QLD, SA & NSW. The airfares are just too expensive especially now that bub is getting older and we have found that we end up spending all our holidays visiting people rater than just having a relaxing break.

2. How do you rate the lifestyle? (I grew up on the Sunshine Coast, QLD)The lifestyle is brilliant. It is very water oriented with many people owning boats of some type. We luckly get many inviations from friends and it is brilliant with both ocean and river.
3. Do you know any military families over there? How do they cope? The militray families are a very close knit community. They look out for each other and ensure that you are settling in well. On the flip side of that it can be a little suffocating at times but perhaps that was because I wasnt use to it to start out.

4. Are the people nice? (Dont take this the wrong way - I just find Sydney people stereotypically to be 'too busy' to help the little old lady who fell over on the road)
Mostly lovely people. they can have their cliques but once you are friendly with people the social circles are great.

5. What is the weather like? At times windy which my husband loves as he is a mad keen kitesurfer. Sunny most of the time and doesnt rain all that much. I would say that the weather is very similar to Sydney.

We have recently decided to return to the eastern coast and it has been an extremely hard decision. After our DD was born we just felt that we needed more support from family and close friends. Our social circle was definately kid free and Madison has made a huge difference with her arrival. I will be extremely sad to leave but am looking at the bigger picture.

All I can say is try it out. We came for 6 months and stayed for 5 years.

[MilkOnTap]

Thank you so much for the rest of your responses - especially JEP88. My hubby is based at Garden Island too though currently serving a posting to HMAS Ballarat. Our family are scattered too, and with our hopes to fall pregnant soon there is a LOT to consider. But like you said, we wont know unless we try it.

He only has 3 years left of his contract to the navy - so we can definitely leave after 3 years minimum (always reassuring to know there is a loop hole if need be!) My biggest concern is the $ to see family and friends... might have to work on that one...

[xkwzit]

Hiya PL

Being a Qld girl who spent 3 years living in Perth I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents too:

1. Do you feel isolated from the rest of Australia at all?
Yes, a bit but only when you need to travel back. But at least now there are some direct flights between Perth and Bris-vegas.

2. How do you rate the lifestyle?
I believe that you will love it. It is very family / couples oriented and there are stack of ppl who go to WA for work, so there is often ppl to hang out with and have orphan Christmas's together etc. The beaches are FABULOUS and so close to the city, but get used to going in the morning, swimming isn't so fun when the Doctor is in (more about that later...)

4. Are the people nice?
I think you will find that the ppl are pretty friendly. Like Brisbane, Perth still has a bit of big country town feel about it, ppl seem more laid back and relaxed. I find Perth quite sim in many ways to Brisbane.

5. What is the weather like?
The weather is pretty marvelous. Can be hot in summer, but it's a dry heat, you won't find it hard to cope with. There tend to be about 2 weeks in February when the Fremantle Doctor is on leave and it doesn't cool down much at night - that's no fun, but its only literally for 2 weeks. Winter is windy and wet (all the rainfall for the year in 3 months), but it also doesn't last too long. It is still a great time to go and visit the wineries (there's not many tourists and for some reason, the locals tend to hibernate in winter)

HTH (I think that you would LOVE it)