# What's life in Perth really like - do you really feel isolated?



## kendalg (May 23, 2009)

Would be interested in knowing what life in Perth is really like. There seems to be a lot of Brits moving there recently so it must have plenty to offer. The articles I've read all say that people feel isolated - is this true? Also does the weather get too hot sometimes and you just dream of a cooler day? It also states that Perth has a high crime rate compared to Sydney and Melbourne. Has anyone had any problems with crime around them? Are there any areas to avoid or recommend. Any info would be great. Thanks Kendal.


----------



## anj1976 (Apr 24, 2008)

hi k

i suggest searching the forum for similar topics, this was discussed in teh recent past, from what I remember 

cheers
anj


----------



## Bavarian (May 19, 2009)

Hello,

I have only moved here 3 weeks ago, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I don't feel isolated at all. However, everybody is different, so I hope you get some more input from other people.

As far as crime is concerned, I feel I haven't been here long enough to comment.


----------



## Colindp (Jul 6, 2008)

Hi,

I arrived in Perth just at the tail end of summer (end of Feb) it's terrific......went from -8 in the UK to +35, I don't feel a bit Isolated and find plenty to keep us all amused. Crime not experienced much of that and hopefully I won't, but I suppose it's still early days, I seen on the news more crime wise in the Sydney!!!

I like it here very much I live in a lovely area in the hills with a great view over the to the CBD in the distance and literally just around the corner is a National Park great for Walking & Cycling.....


----------



## kendalg (May 23, 2009)

How far is Swan View to CBD? Can you get a half decent house in the region of $400-450k? What about beaches are you near to any? How long does the really hot weather last for? Would you recommend this area to bring up two kids aged 8 and 11? Sorry for all these questions. We were originally thinking of Melbourne but after seeing a couple of programs on TV about Perth we were pleasantly surprised. We think in the Spring next year we will take a trip out to Oz and stay in Perth for first half of the week then fly over to Melbourne to see it also. I've visited Sydney in the past and toured from Brisbane upwards a long time ago with my Dad. Thanks


----------



## Colindp (Jul 6, 2008)

To be honest I have not driven to the CBD from home, however the station is only 5 minutes away and the train journey takes about half hour and that is only because it stops at every stop I would think you could get a very nice house for that amount to be honest I am on a 457 visa so at the moment we are not looking to buy until we get residency sorted At the moment we are renting and I pay $400 a week for a huge 4 bed house with a pool, huge outdoor deck, all the bedrooms apart from one are double. 

We have only been here since the end of February so can't really comment about the hot weather I am told that the really hot stuff starts around mid Jan and lasts right through to march, when we arrived 26 Feb it was 35-37 and that lasted for about 5-6 weeks. I think it's a great area for your children there are schools just down the road, within walking distance from us, the John Forrest National Park is 100m up the road and we often get Kangaroos from the park grazing on the front lawn.

I guess it must be about 45 minutes to the coast and with so many beaches you are bound to find one you like, we often visit Hillary's Boat Harbour with the marina, aquarium,shops,restaurants and cafes.

If you do come over to Perth next spring you are welcome to get in touch and we will give a your a tour around the area....


Regards


Colin...








kendalg said:


> How far is Swan View to CBD? Can you get a half decent house in the region of $400-450k? What about beaches are you near to any? How long does the really hot weather last for? Would you recommend this area to bring up two kids aged 8 and 11? Sorry for all these questions. We were originally thinking of Melbourne but after seeing a couple of programs on TV about Perth we were pleasantly surprised. We think in the Spring next year we will take a trip out to Oz and stay in Perth for first half of the week then fly over to Melbourne to see it also. I've visited Sydney in the past and toured from Brisbane upwards a long time ago with my Dad. Thanks


----------



## kendalg (May 23, 2009)

Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it. We would love to be given a guided tour - that's very kind of you. It will just be my husband and I. We are leaving the kids with my mum and dad as we wouldn't get half the things done and seen with the two of them around. We are just waiting for a policy to expire so once the money comes in we can look at the best dates to come out. Did you do a research trip before you made the final trip? If so what should we include in our time out in Perth?


----------



## Colindp (Jul 6, 2008)

No problem your most welcome... This is in fact our third overseas move and to have some help when you arrive even if only on a recce trip can make all the difference. 
To be honest on all our overseas adventures we have never done a research trips beforehand but have always been lucky... 

If there is anything else we can help with please don't hesitate to get in touch...

Regards

Colin...... 



UOTE=kendalg;173561]Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it. We would love to be given a guided tour - that's very kind of you. It will just be my husband and I. We are leaving the kids with my mum and dad as we wouldn't get half the things done and seen with the two of them around. We are just waiting for a policy to expire so once the money comes in we can look at the best dates to come out. Did you do a research trip before you made the final trip? If so what should we include in our time out in Perth?[/QUOTE]


----------



## The Campbells (Feb 7, 2009)

Hi

We came here in Feb and the only time we feel isolated is when we hear of our UK rellies jumping on planes to Europe. Other than that it's great here and it's got everything you could ever want to do. You will find a good house easily for between $400-500 dollars. If you can get referees whom estate agents can contact then do so as the application forms to rent a house are complex. The crime rate depends on which suburb you are in - so far we've been lucky but we know of people who haven't. It hasn't put them off though!


----------



## kendalg (May 23, 2009)

Can you recommend any suburbs then where crime isn't a problem and has plenty to offer. If we can get a handful of recommended places then it will make our research trip that little bit easier next year.


----------



## sue101 (Aug 11, 2008)

Hi there, I have not been on the forum for a while, and have only just seen all your questions about Perth. We have been here since Feb also on a 457 visa, and also not buying until we have our PR sorted out.(hopefully soon) we have, however, looked at various suburbs and houses to give us an idea. At the moment we are staying in Duncraig, which is 5 mins to the beach, however, my partner has to commute into the city every day, and does not enjoy the commute that much. When we decide to buy, we will either buy closer to the city, or near to the beach. I think we will end up buying a property close to the beach and in the northern suburbs. As far as crime goes, well I am from South Africa, and as yet, I am still in the "honeymoon" phase. We have not had any bad experiences since been here, but a friend of ours had their car "egged" the other night, while parked outside someones house that they had gone to for a bbq, but that has been the sum total of "crime" that we have experienced. As for bringng up children here, what a wonderful place, could not be better I reckon. I do not have children, but there are parks everywhere, and if you live close to the beach, there are parks on the beach for them. There are pathways on the pavements for peoople to walk along and just in general, I really do believe that it is a great place to bring up children. 
Back to the suburbs, I think North of the river is best, especially if you have children, and you can get really good houses in newish areas like Clarkson, Landsale etc. Very good deals, and the standard house here, is 3/4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, media room, theatre room, lounge kitchen, double garage, laundry, open plan lounge/kitchen.
Good luck and hope that Perth is as kind to you as it has been to us.


----------



## kendalg (May 23, 2009)

Thanks for the message. I really fancy north of the river also. Its getting a good area with a good secondary school that I'm finding hard at the moment within our price range. We will be visiting in April so will have a good look when we are out. Thanks Kendal


----------



## Andrew and Julie (Oct 23, 2010)

*Did you make the move to Perth*

Hi

Just reading your post on here and wondering if you actually made the move out to Perth?

We (my husband and two young sons) are currently trying to make the move to Perth. We also are planning a reccie for early next year.

Can you give us any advice which would make our situation easier as there is a lot to sort.

Regards

Julie




kendalg said:


> Can you recommend any suburbs then where crime isn't a problem and has plenty to offer. If we can get a handful of recommended places then it will make our research trip that little bit easier next year.


----------



## Weebie (Sep 16, 2009)

Northern Suburbs are a bit nicer I think.


----------



## Verystormy (Nov 6, 2010)

Hi Andrew and Julie.

We have been in Perth just over 2 years now and love it. Couldnt imagine ever going back to the UK to live.

Having a glance through these posts maybe i can answer a few questions:

Weather. Perth is hot and dry in the summer and we are still in Spring and we had a 37c last week. Winter is relativly cold and wet. We love the long summer days here and spend lots of time on the beach or having bbq's. The wet winter is also better than the UK as it is at least partly welcome - for my lawn if nothing else and we like to head down to Margaret River in winter and stay in a cottage with a log fire. Very cosy.

Isolation. It depends, it is harder to go to other countries / cities than it is in the UK, but i dont feel it too much. Only when planning holidays. But WA has so much to offer that going abroad isnt a big deal. Everything from whale watching in the south west to swimming with whale sharks in ningaloo.

Crime. Like all big cities Perth has a few bad areas and avoid them and all should be well. Of course crime can happen anywhere but i feel safe here.

Cost of living and house prices. Perth is expensive. Housing has reduced a bit lately and many tip that it will come down further, but at the moment you will not get a nice house for $400k somewhere close to the city. What we have chosen to do is live south near Mandurah. A small sea side town 50 minutes from central Perth. This allows us to have a good house next to the beach. Groceries and household bills are high, but the quality is good and some things are cheaper such as steaks and sea food are good value. Pertol if comming from the UK is cheap. The council services are excellent, for example last christmas, our bin empty day fell on christmas day and new years day, so was dreading not getting emptied. Wrong, Christmas and new years day morning there they were. I took choclates out to them  

Social scene. Perth can be a bit quite. Not a big entertainment city. People tend to be into bbq with a beer more than big nights out. If you were comming from London you could get bored. Most people are also into sports in some way. For me its surfing and things. We do have a increasing food scene, not as many great places as Sydney but improving all the time.

Transport. Cars are reasoble value, some seem cheaper and some more expensive. Probaly to do with the proximity to asia from some brands. Car tax is great as its cheaper than the UK and includes 3rd party insurance. Roads are modern and well maintained - far better than the UK. Though driving standards are a lot lower. Public transport is excellent. Buses in central Perth are free. I used to commute 100km each way to work by train and bus. In the UK it would have cost me about $75 a day, here it cost $13 a day and in over a year i never had a single late bus or train and the train runs every 10 minutes day and night. And get this. Because they recognise that Christmas is a time that families like to get together and also have a drink, the public transport runs on Chritmas day!

Hope this helps


----------



## Andrew and Julie (Oct 23, 2010)

Verystormy said:


> Hi Andrew and Julie.
> 
> We have been in Perth just over 2 years now and love it. Couldnt imagine ever going back to the UK to live.
> 
> ...


Thanks for this information, it's greatly appreciated.

Regards

Andrew and Julie


----------



## gsukumar27 (Oct 23, 2013)

Hi guys
Recenlty i got my visa for 190 WA perth. Planning to move in september am just worried about one thing that i job market. myself do not want to stick to one Particular field as i know its very hard to get in to a good field. So need your suggestions like how about job prospects in any field which field is easy to find or get in. Also, if possible help me or suggest me that is it good if i can learn some courses and come there. What type of courses is helpful to get a job in perth.


----------



## Meet Bhatia (Jun 23, 2015)

*Moving to Australia but confused where to??*

Hi...
Im from India n soon Im going to migrate to Perth with my family. I have heard that Melbourne is cheaper place than Perth. I want to know about rents of houses n about job prospectus. Im totally confused to move Perth or Melbourne.


----------



## BngToPerth (Apr 6, 2015)

Meet Bhatia said:


> Hi...
> Im from India n soon Im going to migrate to Perth with my family. I have heard that Melbourne is cheaper place than Perth. I want to know about rents of houses n about job prospectus. Im totally confused to move Perth or Melbourne.


That depends on where you want to stay in Perth. Yes staying near CBD is mighty expensive. 

Plus there were days when mining was at boom during that era people employed in mining used to earn massively. 
Just for a example A Burmese Heavy Mining Transport guy who stayed in front of my house used to earn closed to 200k and got a villa with pool quite close to CBD. This trend in turn shot up the real estate values and the prices came close to that of Sydney.

But not anymore there is deep recession and you can easily witness that in Perth, Jobs are harder to come by and depends on whats your occupation and especially how is your connection the later point is very important here than the Eastern Cities.
A decent 2 bedroom house will cost you around 300 to 350 per week within a perimeter of 10 km from CBD.

Prices in North perth are cheap but i wont advice you. Let me know your budget and i can tell you the places you can choose.

If you are from IT related background and dont have any contacts here close your eyes and move to Melbourne as it is Non Existence here


----------

