Brisbane or Perth?

[ravenousbugblatterbeast]

I've hijacked someone else's thread about moving to Brisbane, but have a more specific question which hopefully some of you can help me with. I initially thought the job I had applied for was based in Perth, and since we'd been to Perth and thought it was a lovely clean city (although a little isolated and I'm a little concerned that there's not much to do beyond Caversham, Hillarys, Freo, Rottnest and the Sea Life Centres), and we know a couple of people there, we were happy planning our what-ifs. Now it seems it's preferable I be based in Brisbane, where we haven't visited as a family (DH went there years ago while backpacking but can't remember much apart from the heat and humidity).

So, can I have your views please, argue your corners! We're not ones for much nightlife, DS is 8 so we'll want to settle him into a school area and not move (ideally). We're feeling hot here in Blighty today when it's 27 degrees - we were in Perth when it was nudging 40 and TBH it was bearable, but can't imagine what it would be like with the humidity in Brisbane.

Also, (and finally!), we can't ignore the floods earlier this year. It seems that the rainy season is January/Feb, which is also the big school holidays. Are the hols therefore a bit pants for kids in Brissie, and do you end up having to travel elsewhere to get away from the rain, or is it in fact, on average, not so bad and while it might rain every day, it stops and life goes on.

Please help!!

.... rain... are you coming from the uk/.. and your concerned about rain??? really?...yes it does raiun here... last summer was the wettest in many years! it tends normally to rain in bursts.. and its still warm! rain is well forecasted you can therefore plan around the wet stuff quite well. There are inside things to do here too! and the pool is great even in the rain!flooding is only an issue if you live in a flood prone area... so a great time now when flood levels are still fresh knowledge...
the temperature is something you do acclimatise to.. shivering here when it hits below 20! .. everyone strugggles above 35 .... aussies are more weather obsessed that brits even!
well we love brissie... so those are the plus bits...
id say nail .. on .. head.. it rains.. it stops.. winge about humidity... it rains again.. etc :0) then we complain about winter being.. too dry ... too cold....

Well yes, I admit, originally hailing from Wales it is a little pot calling the kettle black to complain about rain, but as it's such a huge move I didn't want to overlook potential problems, but as you say you get used to the heat and humidity, mostly...!

Ravenous we are iminently relocating to Perth. TBH I think Perth and Brisbane are very, very similar. I have not lived in both but have friends who have and I think the positives/negatives are pretty similar. Our dear friends are 1 Brisbanite/1 Perthite married couple, have lived both, and have just recently returned to Perth on the basis of economic opportunity. They say it is a tossup, and that Brisbane is no more lively than Perth! But funnily enough they do hate the humidity in Brisbane. Perth is very dry.

On things to do: I would be the first to put my hand up and say that I am not in the Perth Boosters Club (I think it's fine, we're going for work reasons, DH from there, but would not choose it myself). But I think you may be selling it a bit short! There is quite a lot to do, especially with kids, and especially if you like the outdoors. Outdoor movies in the summer, a great arts festival, way more headline acts hit Perth then you would ever imagine, and of course Marg River for weekend breaks. My particular axe to grind on the Perth is Far Too Quiet front is that expat Brits all seem to congregate in some very distant suburbs (which have advantages: like the fact that you can get a big house near the beach) but they are very, very distant suburbs with nothing to do but beach. I would not be able to live in Hillarys or north, or the southern suburbs either (even though I can see the appeal for others). I'd rather have a smaller, more centrally located place near some city life, which does exist in Perth.

Also for kids: Kings Park? Scitech? Art Gallery WA and the State Library? All have great activites. My nieces, who are 8 and 10, seem to have hordes of things on....