Positives about living in Australia

[Thedramasummer]

So after seeing a glut of negativity regarding Australia I though I would try balance with a bit of positivity!

Please no shit throwing or nasty unfounded comments.

A beautiful country with the most interesting animals.
Egg laying mammals? ☑️
The most venomous snakes?☑️
Beautiful and noisy birds?☑️
I even enjoy the spiders here!

What do others love about Australia?

I live in Oz. I've missed the negative comments. I love it here and before I came I was the most English person ever....I still love things about England like snow, history, comedy, architecture but here...it's brilliant

I love the sea and how close we are to it
The generally friendly and casual nature of people
Big gardens
Big houses
amazing food and produce...much fresher here
Yes to the birds...parrots in my garden!

I've never been but I'm going to take part anyway

Koalas and quokkas and all the other glorious animals
Those wrought iron balustrades and verandas that look recognisably Australian
Wonderful vineyards
Cate Blanchett
Access to Tim Tams
All that wild open space.
Melbourne (always looks like such a beautiful city)

The wineries are vast and wonderful! I live in SA which has 2 of the best wine regions.

I only lived there for a year but it was a great year. I loved the birds and the beaches, tim tams, lamingtons and chicken salt on chips. And I got to see Cate Blanchett in a play which was pretty cool!

David Berry

Crocodiles

Love the Salties!

Mullets I’ve not seen such a fantastic variety to mullets before 😅

Does 'My grandkids are likely to be Aussies' count?
My DS1 moved there ..probably permanently, a year ago to be with his financee. We adore her..and her family who are so lovely and so welcoming (they came here, and she lived with us for 2 years)

I'm missing them so much and can't wait to visit! I am happy that my son is hoping to become an Australian Citizen!

another Brit living in Australia here.

parrots everywhere - but boy are they noisy
pelicans hanging out on lake in front of my apartment
dolphins in the river
great food in even the smallest cafe
friendly people
driving slower
wide roads made for cars
bigger parking spaces
easy access to health care, can always get to see GP the next day

so many fine things here - obviously negatives too, there would be anywhere.

Also great people with ties all over the world.

The medical system vs the NHS - so much better for routine care. You can choose your GP, go at a time that suits you, go on the weekend etc. I can't comment on hospitals etc as I haven't experienced that aspect of care here.
You don't see nearly as much of the nasty incivility that you do in London - spitting, littering etc
Public transport is clean
People will talk to you to pass the time of day and staff will greet you in shops, no faces like thunder.
Life just seems much less stressful and crowded than in London etc etc

Yes its not the UK. The UK has its strengths too. But to enjoy living somewhere, you need to focus on what THAT place does best, rather than compare constantly.

Wonderful place to live. Loads of facilities offered by the councils, clean streets, friendly happy people, beautiful beaches and parks, great pay (for us who earned rubbish salaries in the uk), sunny climate, pretty houses and streets, surprising amount of culture compared with the stereotype, great education system, great health care (although be prepared to pay), great food.

I'm an expat - why I love living in Oz. The open spaces, weather, low crime, friendliness. Outdoor activities, education system, less drugs and thugs (probably depending on area). Low population density. Generally people are better at following rules (eg COVID).

Birdsong for 12 months of the year.

Free bbq’s in local parks, national parks and beachfronts.

Guaranteed education. If you turn up at your local government school, that school has to take you in.

Drive through bottle shops.

Verandas on the house. So useful.

@TheSandgroper

Birdsong for 12 months of the year.

Free bbq’s in local parks, national parks and beachfronts.

Guaranteed education. If you turn up at your local government school, that school has to take you in.

Drive through bottle shops.

Verandas on the house. So useful.

Everything on TheSandgroper's list!!!

OMG, the bird song. Took me some time to get used to it again after returning here from the UK, waking me up from 5.30 am, lol! But it's wonderful to always be able to hear birds.

And the BBQs, my friends in the UK all thought it was weird when I told them about them.

Local school having to take your DC if you live in their area is wonderful. Classes are also not as full as those in the UK, and it seems schools are better funded.

Generally - COVID aside - nowhere seems too far, because people seem to be more willing to travel I think. Driving 8 1/2 hours to another state was a doddle compared to driving in the UK - clear roads with hardly any traffic, lots of places to stop to stretch your legs.

Low income is much higher than low income in the UK, and the benefits system is more supportive. I lived far poorer in the UK than I do here.

AFL - I didn't realise how much I missed it!!!

I could not believe drive-through off licences/ bottle shops, I lived here 5 years before realised they were exactly that.

The milder and shorter winters, where it doesn't get dark earlier than 5.45pm even on the shortest day.

Sydney Harbour.

Positive and optimistic nature of the people. You'll never hear an Aussie say, "Typical!"

Fresh produce aisle in the supermarket looks like an Italian market.

Local meat, wine and cheese are all excellent.

Elections are on Saturdays and you can vote somewhere that's holding a sausage sizzle.

Easy access to nail bars and manicures!

@TheSandgroper

Birdsong for 12 months of the year.

Free bbq’s in local parks, national parks and beachfronts.

Guaranteed education. If you turn up at your local government school, that school has to take you in.

Drive through bottle shops.

Verandas on the house. So useful.

Do you not have any of that in the UK? Add that to the miserable weather and it's no wonder the Brits are a cranky bunch!

The beaches ( photo 800mtrs from my house!!)
The native animals bloody kangaroos everywhere
Dolphins
The weather
The laid back lifestyle
Local schools having to take you but you can apply for out of area ones ( private seem cheaper)
Beautiful country side
@Thedramasummer Margret River has better wine🤣🤣
I can see a GP today if need be . I might have to wait a couple of hours but still, I can see my own GP generally within the week.
Bunnings sausage sizzles

Nobody knows or cares what "class" you are.

• Well funded public health care
• Affordable private schools
• Relatively higher wages for trades/pink collar jobs
• Less constant whinging and negativity
• People are much more straightforward and direct in their communication style (my very English passive aggressive parents drive me mad - just tell me what you want!)
• More helpful and cooperative work colleagues
• Nice public spaces - you could never have public BBQ facilities in the UK, teenagers would urinate and graffiti all over them

It's not far to get to New Zealand

@Aebj can’t beat the barrossa for me!

Yes Bunnings Snags!

Blue skies
Parrots everywhere (even though they are bloody noisy)
Casual and friendly people
Big houses compared to the UK
Climate that lends itself to outdoorsiness
Healthcare system - I can get a same day appointment with a GP at my practice and with the GP of my choice within a few days
Weird and wonderful animals - if a camel is a horse designed by a committee what the hell were they on when they designed a kangaroo???
The thrill I get every time I see a wallaby or kangaroo
Easy access to nature, even if you live in a city
Bunnings sausage sizzle
Long distance driving is easier (short distance too probably)
Free bbqs in parks and playgrounds (fulfilling the Australian Human Right to BBQ)

A PP mentioned nobody ever says ‘typical’! So true! It is no worries or too easy

Sunshine. I hate winter and love summer, no matter how hot it gets.
Fans in bedrooms.
Bunnings sausage sizzle naturally. I quite often go to Bunnings with my dh just for a sausage.
Big houses on big blocks
Sitting in my backyard having a bbq and a wine in the sun
Private health care. I had the most fantastic care with my last baby. Felt like I was in a hotel and midwives were so lovely and caring.
Private schooling. My kids school is fantastic.
Amazing wine and local produce.
You can have a very different experience holiday wise depending on which state you go to. Snow, rainforests, beaches. I know people think we're so far away from everything but it's not one giant country of sameness.

Sunshine, nature,postive outdoor, lifestyle, sports and cleanliness.