Brisbane or Perth?

Question

My family and I are moving to OZ, but we are just not sure if we should move to Perth or Brisbane.... any suggestions as to which is better as far as weather, work, social activies, schooling etc?

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Thanks for the responses! I have one more question.... I have heard that the water restrictions on Brisbane are fairly bad - is this tha case?

Answer 1

Both are fantastic placs to live and raise kids. The ONLY disadvantage of living in Perth is it's relative isolation from the rest of Australia's capital cities. The distance tends to make travel costly and time consuming, and the cost of food is a little higher.

If that doesn't worry you - Perth is a stunning city with great weather, a growing job market, excellent schools and friendly people. Good food too!

See
http://www.lookatwa.com.au/
http://www.international.uwa.edu.au/sesa/perth
http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/

If money & distance are a concern - choose Brisbane. Again, great weather, friendly people. Plenty to see and do & again, depending on your line of work, usually no major problem finding a job.
See
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/
http://www.brisbanecitylife.com.au/bcl/
http://www.ourbrisbane.com/living/

Welcome to you and your family in advance. You'll love it downunder :=)

***RE water restrictions in Brisbane - actually, they're not too bad. Residents are being heavily encouraged via significant rebates to install rainwater tanks and water-saving appliances to reduce wasteage.

We have had some decent rainfall lately and will get more - our typical "dry" season is coming to an end. Really, the restrictions are not a major inconvenience to most residents - they just mean we have to be more aware of when and where we waste water, and take steps to avoid adding to the problem.

Answer 2

The water restrictions in Brisbane should ease in the next two or three months as the wet season arrives. Brisbane gets most of its rain in the summer/autumn while Perth gets it in the winter. Perth is also on water restrictions, by the way. Perth is a great city but it is rapidly becoming Australia's most expensive. It is also a long way from anywhere else. My choice would be Brisbane.

Answer 3

I moved to Brisbane from the UK 24 years ago and would never think of going back, the climate is good, there is everything here that you need and you can get to most of the other cities on the eastern seaboard in a couple of hours. We are told that we have about 1500 people from the southern states moving up here every week and those that don't move here, consider it to be the premier holiday state.

I have friends from Nottingham who came out here and moved to Perth, they lasted only 6 months before moving back, they said they missed family.

I would recommend that you come out for a holiday before you decide to make the move, we did and because of that, we knew what to expect.

If you do move out here, you will find the first year or so unsettled, because of the differences, which although being small add to a sense of homesickness.

If you feel like going back, make an effort to stay here long enough to get Citizenship (3 years I think) that way you have the option of returning later without too much fuss.

Personally for us it was the best move we ever made, I hope it will be for you too, Good Luck.

Answer 4

I don't know Brisbane so I can't compare. However, I currently live in Perth and I really enjoy it. Are you moving from the US? If yes, Perth is something like San Diego, California - beautiful weather, nice views, laid-back lifestyle. But I should warn you that the cost of living is high across Australia. Homes here cost as much as in the major cities in the US (near the state capitals like Perth homes often run over a million AUS$). In addition, food and clothing also costs more.
But I think it's worth it.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll enjoy your time in Oz wherever you go.