20 Reasons Why

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia.
20 Reasons Why YOU Should Move to Australia.
www.BobinOz.com
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com
First Edition August 2009
Contact information:
Author: BobinOz You can contact BobinOz at: o!" o!inO#.com BobinOz.com is owned by:
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his eboo! is a"ai#ab#e $ree to anyone who enters their name and emai# address o"er at $$$. o!inO#.com%!lo& %$ you&re serious about mo"ing to Austra#ia' where are you going to #i"e( )et ideas $rom $$$. o!inO#.com Find out more about BobinOz o"er at $$$.!o!ino#.com%!lo&%a!out'me% %$ you $ind anything in this boo! to be incorrect' mis#eading or u*setting' or e"en i$ you +ust $ind a ty*o' %&d be rea##y *#eased to hear your $eedbac!. ,ontact me at o!" o!inO#.com
(e&al )isclaimer.
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-o *art o$ this re*ort may be re*roduced in any way whatsoe"er' inc#uding e#ectronica##y' mechanica##y' or by *hotoco*ying' recording or any other storage media without the e.*ress *ermission' dated and signed by the author or a re*resentati"e o$ the co*yright owners.
he author and *ub#ishers o$ this boo! ma!e no re*resentations or warranties in res*ect o$ its accuracy. hey wi## there$ore not acce*t any res*onsibi#ity $or any o$ the conse/uences o$ using any o$ the in$ormation *resented.
he o*inions gi"en here in are those o$ the author who is acting under good $aith. hese o*inions are based on the e.*eriences o$ the author and' in some cases' the research underta!en by him. 0sers are there$ore urged to see! #ega# ad"ice and a#ternati"e o*inions be$ore entering into any contract or ma!ing any *ersona# decisions regarding their $uture.
his eboo! is distributed $ree o$ charge and shou#d not be so#d.
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My )isclaimer:
1on&t b#ame me2 here' that&s co"ered e"erything. A#though % wou#d #i!e to mention +ust a cou*#e more *oints.
First#y' be$ore % mo"ed to Austra#ia' % did #i"e in Eng#and $or a#most 30 years4 it&s the on#y other country % ha"e e"er #i"ed in. 5o throughout this boo! you wi## see many com*arisons with Eng#and and re$erences bac! to Eng#and.
% ho*e anyone reading this boo! who doesn6t come $rom Eng#and can $ind a way to ma!e my com*arisons re#e"ant to the country in which you do #i"e. %n any e"ent' % do ho*e it does not s*oi# your en+oyment o$ this boo!. 5econd#y' % wou#d #i!e to *oint out that in s*ite o$ the im*ression % may gi"e' Eng#and was 7and sti## is8 a $ine country in which to #i"e. %t is +ust "ast#y di$$erent $rom Austra#ia' and rains a #ot.
han! you.
On with the boo!.
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*ore$ord.
+s Australia ,-he (uc.y Country/0

On the 92th -o"ember % boarded a *#ane at :eathrow that was bound $or Brisbane %nternationa# Air*ort. %t was a one;way tic!et. % ha"e now made Austra#ia my home a$ter ha"ing #i"ed in the 0< $or a#most ha#$ a century. Yes' aged =9> % /uit Britain $or good. But what&s it rea##y #i!e to #i"e in Austra#ia( 1oes it #i"e u* to the dream( %s Austra#ia rea##y ? he @uc!y ,ountryA( Bhen the Austra#ian author and $ormer editor o$ -ewswee! %nternationa#' Cro$essor 1ona#d :orne' coined the *hrase 7and wrote the boo! o$ the same tit#e8 bac! in 99D=' he was being ironic. he $u## conte.t was &Austra#ia is a #uc!y country' run by second; rate *eo*#e who share its #uc!.& But Austra#ia&s nic!name o$ ? he @uc!y ,ountryA stuc!' with most *eo*#e using it to describe the wonder$u# weather' the beauti$u# beaches' the nation&s good $ortune with go#d mines' its remoteness $rom wor#d troub#e s*ots and its genera# #aid;bac! #i$esty#e. E"en <y#ie Einogue' one o$ Austra#ia&s greatest e.*orts' sang ?% 5hou#d Be 5o @uc!y' @uc!y' @uc!y' @uc!y2
5o' what&s it rea##y #i!e(
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5ome may argue' and success$u##y' that % can&t *ossib#y !now enough about Austra#ia yet to answer that /uestion. But $ew can disagree that % am not we## *#aced to com*are Austra#ia with the 0<. ,6mon a#most ha#$ a century2 % am "ery $ami#iar with Eng#and. But in Austra#ia' % am undoubted#y sti## in the honeymoon *eriod. hat&s why % ha"e decided to ca## this the $irst edition. %$' or when my o*inions change' so wi## this e;boo!. hat way % ho*e to !ee* the in$ormation $resh' re#e"ant and com*#ete#y u*;to;date. )i"en my age' % am a**arent#y soon to enter ? he )rum*y CeriodA. Ey wi$e te##s me % a#ready ha"e' she e"en bought me a cu* to *ro"e it.
But am % grum*y here( -o' we## not as grum*y as % was in Eng#and. But % am sure' gi"en time' my grum*iness wi## increase. E.*ect #ater editions to be grum*ier. But #et&s not worry about that now' this is edition one. hey ha"e a F *rogramme here in Austra#ia' which % ha"e a $ee#ing has been running $or many years. %t&s ca##ed ?20 o 9A and is hosted by a rather surrea# #oo!ing Bert -ewton......
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%t&s a countdown *rogramme' *ure and sim*#e. You !now the sort o$ thing' ?Eost Embarrassing EomentsA' ?)reat Aussie 5ongsA' ?Best Austra#ian ,ommercia#sA in G seasons and around 30 e*isodes Bert&s co"ered it a##2 But he hasn&t co"ered A20 Heasons Bhy YO0 5hou#d Eo"e to Austra#iaA. 5o % wi##. @et the countdown begin2
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1um!er 20: 1o More )ou!le 2la#in& Salesmen

Ea!ing it into the to* 20 by the s!in o$ its teeth' we ha"e I-o Eore 1oub#e )#azing 5a#esmanI. his is *ower$u# stu$$ isn&t it( You6"e on#y read one #ine o$ the $irst reason and sti## ha"e 99 more reasons to go' yet you are a#ready scramb#ing to $ind the a**#ication $orms. % +ust need you to s#ow down $or a moment' so % can e.*#ain. 1oub#e g#azing in Austra#ia is /uite rare' certain#y in Jueens#and' a#though % understand some houses do ha"e it insta##ed. here are doub#e g#azing com*anies here in Austra#ia. 5o % sus*ect there are some doub#e g#azing sa#esmen. But % ha"e ne"er met one. Windo$s in Australia As a genera# ru#e windows are sing#e g#azed' but an essentia# addition to a## o*ening windows wou#d be the insect screens' which are a $i.ed mesh netting' to *re"ent mos/uitoes' $#ies' cicadas' coc!roaches and a## other airborne enemies $rom entering your home.
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But guess what( % ne"er met an insect screen sa#esman either2
Salesmen in Australia 5a#esmen' or genera##y sa#es*eo*#e % shou#d say' are a #ot #ess ?in your $aceA here than they are in other countries' *articu#ar#y Eng#and and the 0nited 5tates. % am sure the $o##owing wou#d not ha"e ha**ened in either o$ those two countries. Bhen we $irst arri"ed here we needed a new !itchen $itted and we $ound a store o"er at a retai# *ar! in Kinda#ee that so#d !itchens. %t on#y had two on dis*#ay. But we were to#d the sa#esman cou#d show us more designs but we wou#d need to #ea"e our name and te#e*hone number so he cou#d contact us. 5o we did +ust that. 1id we e"er hear $rom him( -o2 Be went to a store in Hoc!#ea who a#so had some !itchen cabinets on dis*#ay and said they cou#d a#so ma!e re*#acement doors to order. Again we needed to #ea"e our name and te#e*hone number. Again nobody ca##ed.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com Be $ound a com*any on the %nternet not too $ar away $rom us who s*ecia#ised in re*#acement doors direct. Be *ro"ided them with a## o$ our measurements and they came bac! with a /uote o$ around LM'000 which they said inc#uded rebui#ding the drawer unit. Be decided to go ahead and te#e*honed to *#ace the order. About an hour #ater somebody ca##ed us bac! and said Isorry' we got our /uote wrong. Be ha"en&t inc#uded the cost o$ rebui#ding the drawer unit' so it&s now LM'N00. %s that o!ay(I Be didn&t thin! so. 5o we cance##ed the order and % !ind o$ e.*ected a sa#es*erson to ca## us bac! at a #ater *oint to try and do a dea#. 1id anybody e"er ca## us bac!( -o2 Be $ound someone ca##ed Eaurice who s*ecia#ised in re*#acement !itchen doors and his ad"ert said that he wou#d come around and measure u* $or $ree. And he did. :e was around our house $or more than two hours with his ta*e measure. I%&## get bac! to you with a /uoteA he said. 1id he( -o2 Be began to rea#ise that things wor! s#ight#y di$$erent down here. Bac! in Eng#and' we wou#d be *estered by sa#es*eo*#e. :ere' i$ you want something done' you ha"e to *ester the sa#esman. 5o we did. Be *estered Eaurice $or his /uote unti# e"entua##y he admitted I% can&t $ind anyone to cut the doors $or your !itchenI. Eaurice6s business card said Iwe su**#y and $it re*#acement !itchen doorsI. Amazing2
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com %n the end' % straightened out a## the cabinets' re*#aced a## the door hand#es' re*aired the drawer unit and resur$aced it a## myse#$. % sa"ed about LM200 in the *rocess and' i$ % ha"e to say so myse#$' it didn&t #oo! too bad. 3state A&ents Be went house hunting $or a brie$ *eriod' +ust to see what e#se was a"ai#ab#e on the mar!et. Be "iewed houses being so#d $rom about $our or $i"e di$$erent estate agents and we to#d each o$ them we were considering *utting our home on the mar!et. 1id any o$ them *hone us bac! to as! what we thought o$ the houses they had shown us' or i$ we wanted to *ut ours on the mar!et( Kust one o$ them did' we&"e heard nothing $rom any o$ the others. What4s -his0 A )oor to )oor Salesman0 Eore *o*u#ar than doub#e g#azing is so#ar heating. About a month ago' a guy ho#ding a c#i*board wa#!ed u* our dri"e. % ha**ened to be in the garage at the time so % went out to greet him. I:ey' how are you doing(I % as!ed. Be don&t get many "isitors. I% am $rom a com*any ca##ed 5mart on o* and we se## so#ar *ower systemsI he said. Be##' % was a #itt#e ta!en abac!. his was the $irst e"er door to door sa#esman % had seen in Austra#ia. :e /uic!#y to#d me that the go"ernment were o$$ering a grant to anyone who insta##ed so#ar *ower. he norma# cost o$ insta##ation is L99'000. But i$ % signed u* $or the wor! with his com*any' they wou#d arrange the rebate direct#y with the go"ernment. he rebate is G0O.
On#y when the rebate was secured wou#d this com*any as! me $or the ba#ance' which wou#d be L2200. hey wou#d then $it the so#ar *ane#s and % wou#d sa"e' not shou#d sa"e' not *ossib#y sa"e' but BO0@1 sa"e DN3!w *er /uarter' which is L200. :e then as!ed i$ % was interested.
Yeah' sure % was2 % a#ready ha"e so#ar *ane#s that *ro"ide a## o$ my hot water' and it wor!s great. % e.*ressed a good dea# o$ interest but as % was in the midd#e o$ doing something' % as!ed him i$ he had any brochures. I% wi## emai# you the in$ormationI he said. 5ure enough' he did the "ery ne.t day. :a"e % e"er heard $rom him since( -o2 -ele5hone Sales Bhat you wi## get are #ots o$ te#e*hone ca##s $rom can"assers' but you wi## see it coming a mi#e o$$. You6## *ic! u* the *hone and say Ihe##oI and there wi## be a #ong si#ence $o##owed by a c#un! be$ore someone says Ihe##o' how are you today(I Fo##owed by P. I,an % s*ea! to the ownerI( Origina##y' my res*onse wou#d be to as! e.act#y what the ca## was about but that seemed to +ust ma!e them re*eat Ihe##o' how are you today(I Again % wou#d as! what the ca## is about. All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page 12
I:e##o' % am ca##ing $rom mumb#e mumb#e how are you(A Ee: I,a##ing $rom where(I I:e##o' % am ca##ing $rom incom*rehensib#e mumb#e again how are you(A Ee: ?@oo!' can you +ust te## me e.act#y what you want(A IYes' he##o' how are you today(I Ee: I*#ease +ust te## me what you wantI IYes' how are you today(I ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; %t&s a## "ery $rustrating and can on#y end by *utting the *hone down. hese te#e*hone sa#es *eo*#e ne"er actua##y get to the *oint. % thin! they are trained to estab#ish a re#ationshi* $irst. he ca##s are ob"ious#y coming $rom o$$shore ca## centres' hence the c#un!ing noise be$ore the connection. :a"ing witnessed the s!i##s o$ Austra#ian sa#es*eo*#e $irsthand' % can understand why com*anies try to em*#oy $oreigners to do the sa#es +ob $or them. But it doesn&t wor!. he good news is you can register your te#e*hone number here' at donotca## to get these ca##s sto**ed. Be#ie"e me' you wi## want to do that.
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com o!6s O# -i5s: Don't buy a house near the main road, it's not much fun when you leave windows open. Australia is a land of opportunity, especially if you can sell. Get your phone number registered with do not call.
1um!er 78: 9ot 9oliday )estinations Without 2ra!!in& Your :ass5ort

E"erybody en+oys a good ho#iday e"ery now and again. Bhen % #i"ed in the 0< % did tra"e# /uite e.tensi"e#y around Euro*e. As much as % #o"e Austra#ia' Euro*e is sure#y the wor#d&s most di"erse continent. 5o % wanted to see as much o$ it as % cou#d. But the one downside o$ e"ery ho#iday was that it began and ended with the sometimes #engthy *rocess o$ getting through border contro# and' more o$ten than not' boarding an aero*#ane. Bith that' o$ course' wou#d come with the a#most ob#igatory de#ays' threats o$ stri!es' the usua# baggage rec#amation nightmares and a## the stresses associated with that. Bhi#st you won&t want to ho#iday in Austra#ia $or the rest o$ your #i$e i$ you come here to #i"e' you won&t be ab#e to resist it $or the $irst $ew years. For how many years that wi## #ast' % don&t yet !now. But % do !now we ha"e *#enty to see here. 1o you !now how much $un it is to +ust #oad u* the car' +um* in the dri"er&s seat and hit the o*en road( -o *ass*orts to grab' no tic!ets to chec!' no $oreign currency to e.change' no /ueuing at air*orts' no interrogation by ,ustoms and no de#ays.
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com -o' your ho#iday starts the second you start your car. -o worries about whether you&## get to the air*ort on time' not running out o$ *etro# is about as stress$u# as it gets. Be disco"ered the +oys o$ this !ind o$ ho#iday on our $irst e"er Austra#ian road tri* which %&m sure many o$ you ha"e read about on my b#og. Be co"ered =NN= !m but we ha"e a #ot more yet to do to co"er this great country. %t&s di$$icu#t to !now how #ong it wou#d ta!e to run out o$ ideas. %$ you "isit the Austra#ian ra"e##er website and ta!e a #oo! at their #ist o$ the to* 900 towns or their 900 things to do in Austra#ia be$ore you die' that wi## *robab#y !ee* you going $or many years. Or sim*#y c#ic! on their destinations tab on the menu and chec! out their to* recommendations countrywide or by searching each state se*arate#y. % do #o"e road tri*s but de*ending on where in Austra#ia you #i"e and where you want to go' sometimes it does ma!e sense to catch an air*#ane. % am in Brisbane' so i$ % want to see Certh' un#ess % ha"e a cou*#e o$ months to s*are' %&m going to need to get on a *#ane. But catching a *#ane here is #i!e getting on a bus' +ust a #ot more e.*ensi"e. Air*ort security is sti## high' but you won&t need to arri"e two hours or so be$ore the $#ight' as you o$ten do with internationa# de*artures. 5ome Austra#ian ho#iday destination suggestions are: he )reat Barrier Hee$ *retty $ish and cora#s. he <imber#ey6s stunning scenery' wi#derness and gorges. Broome -orthBest Austra#ia coasta# town where bush meets the sea. he )reat Ocean Hoad more bush meets the sea *#us a stunning dri"e. All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page 1&
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com he Bhitsundays sai#ing and access to he )reat Barrier Hee$. he :unter Fa##ey ; wine region and Bo##emi -ationa# Car! B#ue Eountains ; g#ass bottomed s!y car and ca"es. Chi##i* %s#and ; Cenguin Carade' !oa#as and sur$. <angaroo %s#and ; uni/ue wi#derness andP !angaroos( asmania ; +ust in case you want to be co#d again.
his is +ust a sma## sna*shot o$ things to do in Austra#ia. % thin! it may be a $ew years yet be$ore % +um* on an internationa# $#ight. %t may be two or three years be$ore % get a domestic $#ight. For our ne.t ho#iday' % $ancy dri"ing north towards ,airns' *erha*s e"en *ast ,airns and a## the way to ,a*e Yor!. Be sha## see. On#y when % ha"e e.hausted the *ossibi#ities that are in Jueens#and and -ew 5outh Ba#es wi## % consider getting a domestic $#ight $urther west. And i$ % got on a $#ight' % might go toPPPP
Eount Be##ington :obart
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Certh Bestern Austra#ia
Ade#aide A#though % might *re$er to dri"e.
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1arwin sounds nice2
P. And where"er this is.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com o!6s O# -i5s: Rediscover driving holidays, the open roads of Australia really are that open. Plan ahead. here are some fantastic holiday lets available right there on the beach if you boo! in advance. "efore you come to Australia, see as much of #urope or America, depending where you live, as you can before you leave.
1um!er 7;: Australia (oves S5ort.

Austra#ians #o"e their s*orts and they are *assionate about them. For a country with such a sma## *o*u#ation' they ha"e had some remar!ab#e successes. hat *assion $or s*ort seems to be a signi$icant *art o$ Austra#ian cu#ture. Ey daughter' who is on#y $i"e years o#d' too! *art in her $irst s*orts day about a month ago. About two wee!s be$ore that' she went on her $irst cross country run. Bhat struc! me about it was how e.cited she was to ta!e *art in both o$ these e"ents. 5he *articu#ar#y #o"ed the #ong +um* and was "ery *roud o$ what she had done. Cride in s*orting *er$ormance is something Austra#ians seem to *ossess natura##y. 5choo#s in Austra#ia ta!e their s*ort /uite serious#y and most o$ the ones % ha"e seen ha"e #arge attached *#aying $ie#ds to *ro"e it. Bhen % was sti## going to schoo# in Eng#and' 7which % assure you was a "ery #ong time ago8 *art o$ our schoo# $ie#d was so#d to *ro*erty de"e#o*ers. % !now that trend has continued' but what % don&t !now is how many schoo#s in the 0< sti## ha"e signi$icant s*orts $ie#ds attached. -ot many' % wou#d guess. Austra#ia&s resu#ts in the O#ym*ic )ames' $or e.am*#e' *ro"e that they can *unch way abo"e their weight. 5ince the O#ym*ics started' Austra#ia has won 9M9 go#d' 9MN si#"er and 9DN bronze meda#s.
he 0nited <ingdom' with a *o*u#ation three times greater than that o$ Austra#ia' has won 299 go#d' 2DG si#"er and 233 bronze meda#s. % ma!e that a mora# "ictory to Austra#ia. %n terms o$ wor#d achie"ement' % be#ie"e Austra#ia is the 9Mth most success$u# country in the O#ym*ics. he who#e Austra#ian way o$ #i$e seems geared $or s*ort. Bhen the wee!end arri"es' $or many $ami#ies it is the cue to attach the boat to the towbar' *ut the bi!es and the sur$boards on the roo$' *ut the !ids in the bac! and head o$$ to ha"e some $un. :orse riding is a#so huge#y *o*u#ar o"er here and you won&t need to tra"e# $ar to get to the nearest stab#es. O$ course' i$ you #i"e on acreage' you can bui#d your own stab#es out the bac!.
-O my bac! garden.
Austra#ia&s $a"ourite s*orts inc#ude swimming' tennis' cric!et' rugby' Austra#ian ru#es $ootba##' go#$' the )rand Cri.' 7with Austra#ia Ear! Bebber notching u* his $irst )rand Cri. win in )ermany in Ku#y 20098 horse racing' bas!etba## and netba##. 5ur$ing' no not the one you do on the %nternet' is a#so huge#y *o*u#ar and the Hi* ,ur# Cro he#d at Be##s Beach in Fictoria is one o$ the to* *ro$essiona# sur$ing e"ents on the ca#endar.
-ot the Hi* ,ur# Cro
hey ha"e e"en started to dabb#e in *ro*er $ootba##' the one with a round ba##' which they un$ortunate#y ca## soccer. 5ince the $ormation o$ the ?:yundai A;@eagueA in 2003' the Austra#ian nationa# $ootba## team has /ua#i$ied $or both the 200D and 2090 Bor#d ,u*s. hey catch on $ast2 Yes' s*ort *#ays a ma+or *art in the #i"es o$ most Austra#ians. 5o $orget your B%%6s' your 156s' $orget -intendo' $orget C#ay 5tation' when your !ids get here you can introduce them to something ca##ed Ithe great outdoorsI and get them to *artici*ate in some rea# s*orts. Austra#ia is Action#and2 But des*ite a## o$ that' Austra#ia sti## gets thum*ed regu#ar#y by -ew Qea#and 7*o*u#ation = mi##ion8 at Hugby. ,an6t win Rem a##2 o!6s O# -i5s: $f you're a football nut, li!e me, you may want to consider getting into rugby or A%&. 'therwise you won't have much to tal! about with the Aussies. Draw the line at cric!et though. (ou)ll want to !eep your self* respect. "rush up on +,tate of 'rigin+ and + he "ledisloe -up+
1um!er 7<: Outdoor *estivals and 3ntertainment.

Outdoor music $esti"a#s aren&t anything new. % went to my $irst $esti"a# o"er at Heading way bac! in 99N3. o* o$ the bi## were Bishbone Ash. % remember it rained and % had to ta!e she#ter in a :are <rishna tent. he #ast $esti"a# % went to in Eng#and was )#astonbury. Be can a## remember the scenes o$ re"e##ers s#iding around in the mud can&t we( Fortunate#y $or me % went in 9992 when the weather was abso#ute#y stunning. %t was aboutPP. % can6t remember but it was hot' sunny with c#ear b#ue s!ies. Bou#d it sur*rise you to #earn that in Austra#ia they ha"e a #ot o$ outdoor $esti"a#s and entertainment( And that 90O or more o$ the time it&s hot and sunny with c#ear b#ues s!ies. Outdoor Cinema he $irst time % noticed this was with ro*$est' which % b#ogged about at the time. Basica##y it is a short $i#m $esti"a# which is simu#taneous#y broadcast at se"en outdoor cinemas throughout Austra#ia. %t turns out that outdoor cinemas are /uite big here in Austra#ia. he biggest ones are at 5ydney where they ha"e them at Bondi Beach' ,entennia# Car!' the Botanic )ardens with stunning "iews o"er#oo!ing the harbour and o"er at 5ydney O#ym*ic Car!. %n Ee#bourne they ha"e the Hoo$to* ,inema on to* o$ ,urtin :ouse' another at 5t <i#da and they a#so ha"e one in the Botanica# All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page 2
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com )ardens. Brisbane has a cou*#e and there&s one in Ade#aide and another one in 1arwin. Music *estivals % !new music $esti"a#s were rea##y big here and % a#so !new music $eatured /uite *rominent#y at most outdoor e"ents. )reen$est was a## about sa"ing the *#anet but they sti## had room $or three music stages.
One o$ the stages at )reen$est
:ere are +ust a $ew ma+or $esti"a#s that ta!e *#ace in and around BrisbanePP. Buddha Birthday Festi"a# ; 5outh Ban! Car!#ands' it has *er$ormers' $un $or !ids' wor!sho*s and ri"er$ront $irewor!s. -oosa @ong Bee!end Festi"a# this 90 day $esti"a# has #i"e *er$ormances' $ood $rom -oosa&s #oca# restaurants' music' dance and $i#m. Jueens#and Eusic Festi"a# a ce#ebration o$ wor#d music' this is Austra#ia&s #argest biennia# music $esti"a#.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com Fa##ey Fiesta is Brisbane&s biggest street *arty and is a showcase $or musica# acts both #oca# and nationa#. Bood$ord Fo#! Festi"a# ; is the biggest $o#! $esti"a# in Austra#ia. Eore than 2000 *er$ormers and =00 e"ents o"er si. days. 1on&t $orget to your tent.
5ma##er $esti"a#s $rom this year inc#udePPPPP 5oundwa"e 09 ; about =0 di$$erent bands inc#uding -ine %nch -ai#s' A#ice in ,hains' B#oodhound )ang and more. F $esti"a# 09 ; $eaturing <i##ers' 5now Catro#' <aiser ,hie$s' and a#so inc#uding' wou#d you be#ie"e' Eadness and he :uman @eague. Future Eusic Festi"a# with Basement Ka..' Cau# Oa!en$o#d and Hichie :awtin as we## as )rand Easter F#ash. And that&s +ust a "ery sma## sam*#e. On to* o$ that there are a huge number o$ "enues to go and see #i"e bands in and around Brisbane ,ity. -ow ta!e that nationa#. ,hec! this out i$ #i"e music is your thing. here is a #ist o$ % be#ie"e a#most 900 di$$erent "enues o$ #i"e music e"ents ta!ing *art across Austra#ia on a regu#ar basis. And %&m sure they sti## don&t ha"e it a## co"ered. %$ you #o"e $esti"a#s but hate s#iding around in the mud or standing in the rain' then Austra#ia is the *#ace $or you. o!6s O# -i5s: %orget what many years of programming tell you about outdoor festivals, here in Australia they are fun. &oo! in your local free paper .you will get one/ for news of local outdoor festivals. $gnore the two previous tips if you're thin!ing of moving to asmania. ."rrrrr/. All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page 2&
1um!er 7=: -he 9ealth Service> 9os5itals and :ar.in&. :ar.in&0

% near#y dro**ed this entry and re*#aced it with something e#se. You&## see why as you read it. 5o' who has the best hea#th ser"ice( %s it Austra#ia or is it the 0<( % rea#ised to answer that /uestion wou#d ta!e the wisdom o$ a I<inseyI or the authority o$ a I@ord 5te"ensI to write a $u## re*ort' and not the dabb#ings o$ a BobinOz. But dabb#e % wi##. *irst> my e?5erience of the health service in the U@. % had the same doctor $or *robab#y 23 years and ne"er rea##y had a *rob#em with him. Bhen % went' waiting time cou#d "ary between 93 minutes and an hour and a ha#$. But when % did get to see him' he was usua##y "ery $ast to ma!e his IdiagnosisI' write out a *rescri*tion and say Ine.t2I As $or accident and emergency' somewhere % used to go on a more regu#ar basis than % wou#d ha"e wished than!s to *artici*ating in $i"e aside $ootba## twice a wee!' it&s di$$icu#t to $ind anything *ositi"e to say about it. % once went there at about G:M0 *.m. on a 5unday with a sus*ected 7con$irmed8 bro!en #eg and got home at ten to si. in the $o##owing morning. % don&t thin! % e"er got in and out o$ A S E in under $our hours.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com % once had an o*eration on my !nee to re*air my cruciate #igament and' not ha"ing *ri"ate medica# insurance % waited 9M months $or the o*eration. Again' that&s too #ong to wait. % a#so had a $air bit o$ e.*erience o$ being re$erred to Is*ecia#istsA on account o$ strange goings on with my sense o$ sme##. Or rather' the #ac! o$ it. % $ound that system e.cruciating#y s#ow too. Ey doctor wou#d write a #etter to the s*ecia#ist and a cou*#e o$ months #ater %&d get one bac! te##ing me that my a**ointment had been set $or another $our to 90 months in the $uture. %$ that s*ecia#ist then thought % shou#d see a di$$erent s*ecia#ist' they wou#d write bac! to my doctor and recommend that he writes to the new s*ecia#ists and there goes another si. months. 1o$ my e?5eriences in Australia. Baiting times to see my #oca# doctor seem much shorter and when % do see him' he has more time to chat. he "isit itse#$ is $ar more sociab#e. Bhi#st my Eng#ish doctor seemed to ha"e a system o$ ?One A**ointment T One Eedica# Crob#emA my Austra#ian doctor seems to be !een to see i$ there is anything e#se he can he#* me with whi#st % am there. % no #onger *#ay $i"e aside $ootba## here in Austra#ia' so $ortunate#y % ha"e not yet e.*erienced an accident and emergency ward. But it is s#ight#y di$$erent here in so much as they a#so ha"e ?emergencyA doctor surgeries o*en $rom Nam to 99*m as we## as hos*ita#s with emergency de*artments.
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5o i$ you come out in a rash on a 5unday morning' $or e.am*#e' then the emergency doctor wi## *robab#y be ab#e to he#* you. You wi## need to *ay' but i$ you are entit#ed' you&## get a rebate. %$ you brea! a #eg' then you wi## need to go to the hos*ita#&s emergency ward. But here they sti## ta#! in terms o$ waiting three or $our hours. % used to dream o$ such short waits in Eng#and. hey a#so dea# with the Ire$erred to a s*ecia#istI scenario di$$erent#y here. %&"e been su$$ering $rom dry crac!ed s!in on my hands since arri"ing here in Austra#ia' it ne"er ha**ened in Eng#and. But then Eng#and is not an o"er#y dry *#ace. Anyway' my doctor *rescribed me some medication but at the same time said he wou#d write out a #etter o$ re$erra# $or a s*ecia#ist. :e to#d me this re$erra# #etter wou#d be ready the ne.t day $or co##ection but in the meantime % shou#d ca## the s*ecia#ist to ma!e my a**ointment. As he said Iit may ta!e a month be$ore you get to see him' by which time my medication may ha"e wor!ed. %$ it does' +ust cance# your a**ointment with the s*ecia#ist. But i$ it doesn&t' you don&t want to be wasting time waiting.I -ow that&s di$$erent2
Eany *eo*#e in Austra#ia ha"e *ri"ate hea#th insurance. A $riend o$ mine *ut a circu#ar saw through his hand a whi#e bac! but recei"ed e.ce##ent hea#thcare than!s to his L200 a month contribution to *ri"ate hea#th insurance' which co"ers his $ami#y o$ $i"e. But he te##s me that i$ he hadn&t got the insurance' he wou#d ha"e sti## been $i.ed u*. %t wou#d ha"e +ust ta!en #onger. 5o which hea#th ser"ice is better( % don&t !now' as! I<inseyI or I@ord 5te"ensI $or a *ro*er answer but BobinOz says there&s nothing much wrong with the hea#th ser"ice here. But my best guess is' i$ you don&t ha"e *ri"ate hea#th insurance you wi## sti## get treatment. And it might +ust *ossib#y be /uic!er than the treatment you&d get in the 0< under the -ationa# :ea#th 5er"ice. %6## #ea"e the #ast word on that to these statistics: Austra#ians are now the second #ongest #i"ing *eo*#e on earth. A baby born in Austra#ia today can e.*ect to #i"e to G9.= years o$ age. hat6s N9 $or boys and G= $or gir#s. %$ you want to #i"e #onger' go to Ka*an.
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:ar.in& Bhen % considered ditching the hea#th ser"ice entry' this was what % was going to re*#ace it with. But % decided to ta#! about the hea#th ser"ice a## the same and !ee* *ar!ing in too. 5o here we ha"e it' in +oint *#ace at the 9Dth. his is something that BobinOz can answer. Car!ing is de$inite#y chea*er here and much easier. %n $act' *ar!ing is *retty much $ree e"erywhere e.ce*t the ma+or city centres and outside Ec1ona#d&s at 5ur$ers Caradise. he *ar!ing re*ort: Austra#ia "ersus the 0< by BobinOz. Austra#ia wins2 here' % ha"e $ound my #e"e#. o!6s O# -i5s: $f you move here to Australia and want private health insurance, sign up within 01 months of arrival. (ou will get a better rate for doing that2 'therwise your premium is loaded by a percentage for every year you are above 34. $nclude dentistry too, because you)ll be smiling more out here. hrow your par!ing meter !ey ring timer in the bin.
1um!er 7A: S$immin& :ools -hat Are *U1 -o S$im +n.

Bhen % was a young chi#d % went to schoo# in 5outhend on 5ea. here was a #itt#e %n$antsUKunior 5choo# in the 5outhchurch area that % attended unti# aged 99. @uc!y me2 %t had a swimming *oo#. % can&t remember my teacher6s name' % can&t remember any o$ my $riends6 names' % can&t remember which c#ass % was in' % can&t remember the co#our o$ our schoo# uni$orm and % can&t remember what my c#assroom #oo!ed #i!e. But % can remember that b#oody swimming *oo#2 % can remember it was an abo"e the ground *oo#' % can remember it was situated in the $ar bac! #e$t corner o$ the *#aying grounds' % can remember that the wa##s were *ainted #ight b#ue and the ste*s were on the right;hand side o$ its rectangu#ar sha*e. But more than anything' % can remember it was $reezing2 Outdoor swimming *oo#s and Eng#and don&t rea##y mi.. But an outdoor swimming *oo# in Austra#ia' now that&s $un2 :ere' swimming *oo#s cou#dn&t be more di$$erent. :ere' you +um* into a swimming *oo# to coo# down' not to ma!e your #i*s turn b#ue.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com o?in& )ay 200A his was our third ho#iday to Austra#ia and we were round my brother;in;#aw6s housePP
1ovem!er 200< Fact: on Eonday 92th -o"ember at 90 o&c#oc! in the e"ening we got on a $#ight $rom :eathrow bound $or Brisbane' "ia 5inga*ore. Fact: around 2D hours #ater' at 9 a.m. on the morning o$ Bednesday the 9=th o$ -o"ember 7Austra#ian time8 we arri"ed at my brother in #aw&s new house' which a#so had a *oo#. Fact: at around 90 o&c#oc! in the morning' a$ter my three;year;o#d daughter had $#own o"er 99'000 mi#es' the #ure o$ the *oo# became too much $or her and she went in $or a swim with her cousins... P err' and a cou*#e o$ choco#ate @abs2
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com Our -ew :ouse. Kust a $ew days #ater we were christening our new swimming *oo#P
And in #ess than $our months o$ #i"ing in Austra#ia' my daughter' E#izabeth' cou#d swim without armbands $or the $irst time. Yes' swimming *oo#s wor! we## in Austra#ia. o!6s O# -i5s: ,wimming pools are not that e5pensive to run. "ut swimming pool parts are hugely e5pensive. Doing regular pool maintenance will help avoid those e5pensive brea!downs.
1um!er 7B: Children6s :lay Areas and )o& :ar.s

,hi#dren&s *#ay areas are e"erywhere. @et me +ust i##ustrate that by showing you a## the chi#dren&s *#ay areas c#ose to where % #i"e. :ere is one that is o"er the road' +ust a $ew minutes wa#!:
:ere&s one that is +ust around the corner' about $i"e minutes wa#!. All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page '(
:ere&s one that&s at the to* o$ our hi##' which is about se"en or eight minutes wa#!.
And here6s the one where my wi$e wi## ta!e our daughter a#ong with our dog' Baggy. All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page '&
%t6s got the Brisbane Hi"er behind it' which we now ca##PP..
he ,hoco#ate Hi"er
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com hey come to this *ar! because it is a #o"e#y chi#dren&s *ar!. %t&s got a $#ying $o.' swings' s#ides' a sand *it and some c#imbing $rames. ,hi#dren ha"e birthday *arties here on a regu#ar basis. here are barbecue $aci#ities' $ree o$ course' the ri"er in the bac!ground andP. -he )o& :ar.. 1og Car!s are an abso#ute#y $antastic idea. -ot +ust $or the dogs' but $or the chi#dren too. :ere&s why. A 1og Car! is the on#y *#ace a dog is a##owed to run around o$$ the #eash. 5o we ha"e *ar!s $or chi#dren and we ha"e *ar!s $or dogs. hat means it is i##ega# $or a dog to run around o$$ the #ead in a chi#dren&s *ar!. :ow wonder$u# is that( Bac! where % used to #i"e in Eng#and' a *ar! was a *ar!. ,hi#dren *#ayed and dogs wa#!ed' "ery o$ten o$$ the #eash. %$ you&"e e"er been in a *ar! #i!e that with a young chi#d' and seen a Hottwei#er charging towards him or her whi#st the dogs owner is attem*ting to ca## it bac!' you&## a**reciate +ust how good this is. And 1og Car!s are e.ce##ent $or the dogs too. Because instead o$ ha"ing a cou*#e o$ dogs wa#!ing in any one o$ the 90 surrounding *ar!s' you a## get 20 dogs a## turning u* at the same *ar!. 1o you ha"e any idea how e.citing this is $or a dog( %nstead o$ +ust one other bottom to sme##' your dog now has a choice o$ 99 other bottoms. his is dog :ea"en2 %&m not sure about e"ery 1og Car!' but our one has a community noticeboard and e"ery now and again they *ut on an e"ent $or the dogs. @ast year' the dogs had a ,hristmas *arty2 Each dog owner had to bring a doggy *resent' wra**ed o$ course' and *ut it in the #uc!y di* bo..
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he 1ogs6 ,hristmas 1inner and 5ni$$.
O$ course Baggy went' he got a s/uea!y rag do##' and he sti## *#ays with it now.
Another *ar! at ,#e"e#and
his *ar! got into a $ight with a tree2
o!6s O# -i5s: 6ids love birthday parties in the par!, and so do adults. he house doesn't get wrec!ed7 8nli!e in the 86, teenagers here have not yet started drin!ing boo9e in the par!s and smashing bottles. $f you are a dog owner and you li!e to let your dog cr:p anywhere, Australia is not for you. ry %rance7
1um!er 7C: *or&et :u!sD

%t too! me a whi#e to get into this one.
ar!ecues Are +nE
Bhen % #i"ed in Eng#and' going to the *ub was /uite sim*#y *art o$ the tradition. -obody in the wor#d does *ubs better than the 0<. On the other hand' Austra#ia are *retty bad at the who#e *ub thing. here is no such thing as a traditiona# Austra#ian *ub. Be##' i$ there is' it&s #i!e a Bee$eater *ub or a K1 Bethers*oon&s *ub. E.ce*t instead o$ the tea! or oa! tab#es with so#id wooden chairs' you can substitute the !ind o$ tab#e and chairs you used to sit on when you ate your schoo# dinners. Yes' most Austra#ian *ubs are that bad. % am *robab#y not being $air here' because % get the im*ression the *ubs in the Brisbane suburbs do not accurate#y re$#ect the a"erage Austra#ian *ub countrywide. Brisbane is com*arati"e#y new com*ared to the other cities. he *ubs % saw in Ee#bourne were much better. Be mustn&t $orget a#so that Austra#ia is much more than $i"e or si. cities. here are thousands o$ sma## communities with *o*u#ations o$ between 300 and a $ew thousand *eo*#e' and centra# to most o$ those communities is the *ub. %$ you rea##y want to ma!e the *ub a centra# *art o$ your #i$e' %&d go and #i"e in one o$ those rura# #ocations. But #et&s $ace it' *ubs in Eng#and aren&t what they used to be' than!s #arge#y to see the big *ub chains who are ta!ing o"er the All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page 2
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com industry. he traditiona# Eng#ish *ub is now a dying breed. 3nter the Australian !ar!ecue. Barbecues $or brea!$astPP.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com Barbecues $or #unchPPP
Barbecues on the beachPP
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com Barbecues in the *ar!P..
And barbecues in the mountainsPP.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com Bith a mountain "iewPP.
O$ the cityPP.
E"en though it was a grey day' we sti## had a good barbie2
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com % no #onger miss *ubs because we seem to be going to a *arty about e"ery three or $our wee!s. %t&s what *eo*#e do when there aren&t *ubs to go to' and it is much more $un. And i$ e"er % do $ind myse#$ *ining $or the *ub en"ironment again' there is a#ways the #oca# 5*orts and Hecreationa# ,entre. o!6s O# -i5s: "uy a great big gas barbecue, charcoal is fun, but not practical. $f you really thin! you can)t live without a pub, choose your house based on it being near one. "ut chec! the pub out first7 Prepare to ta!e your turn hosting some parties.
1um!er 72: Australia is a (and of O55ortunity

his is /uite a di$$icu#t one $or me to substantiate. But o$ course' % wi## try. %t seems to me that Austra#ia rode through this wor#dwide recession better than most countries. he Austra#ian recession was a bit #i!e the Austra#ian winter. %t came and then whoosh2 %t was gone again' a## in a $#ash. As % write this' unem*#oyment in Britain stands at N.GO' ha"ing risen by another 220'000 in the /uarter u* to the end o$ Kune 2009. he Io$$icia#I $igures $or unem*#oyment say 2.=M3 mi##ion *eo*#e are out o$ wor!. :ere in Austra#ia' unem*#oyment stands at 3.GO as at Ku#y 2009. O$$icia# $igures here ta#! in terms o$ numbers o$ *eo*#e em*#oyed' 7current#y 90.G mi##ion8 rather than the number o$ *eo*#e out o$ wor!. But i$ my maths is correct' Austra#ia current#y has around D30'000 *eo*#e unem*#oyed. One o$ the unusua# things about Austra#ia is that there is no chea* #abour. Britain has chea* #abour $rom Eastern Euro*e and America has its own bac! garden' with chea* #abour coming *redominant#y $rom Ee.ico. Austra#ia +ust doesn&t ha"e an e/ui"a#ent. % don&t want to get *o#itica# here' but %&m +ust trying to under#ine the situation.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com Australia 9as Resources. Austra#ia has bau.ite' coa#' iron ore' co**er' tin' si#"er' uranium' nic!e#' tungsten' minera# sands' #ead' zinc' diamonds' natura# gas and *etro#eum. % was ha"ing dinner once with an o#der 7and wiser8 Austra#ian b#o!e a whi#e bac! and he said P.. IYes' Austra#ia has #ots o$ resources' but do you !now the one resource they don&t ha"e enough o$(I Cutting on my most serious inte##ectua# $ace % re*#ied I% dunno.A ?Ceo*#eA he said. Kust to under#ine a## o$ this' here are some o$ my e.*eriences since arri"ing in Austra#ia. )ardeners 7not #andsca*ers or designers8 charging a minimum o$ L=0 an hour. %t too! us eight months to get somebody round to $i. our e.terior b#inds. As a#ready mentioned' we cou#dn&t get anybody to su**#y and $it re*#acement !itchen doors. Be cou#dn&t $ind a *#asterer to do any wor! at a##. 5a#esmen do not se##. 75ee -umber 20 abo"e8. Fi"e months to get someone to $i. an e.terior roo$ su**orting *ost. A swimming *oo# com*any re$used a L90'000 reno"ation +ob because they were too busy. Eight *hone ca##s to get somebody to come and #oo! at our air;conditioning.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com hat&s a## +ust o$$ the to* o$ my head. % !now there are more e.am*#es. -one o$ these *eo*#e are #azy' they +ust a## ha"e more wor! than they can hand#e. 5o they +ust *ic! and choose their +obs. Add to that the Austra#ian tradesman&s 7tradies8 *enchant $or not turning u* and you can see what it&s #i!e trying to get things done around here. Bhen % $irst arri"ed and % was #oo!ing through the c#assi$ied ads $or *eo*#e to do some o$ the wor! % needed' the sa#es s#ogan o$ many o$ the ad"erts was P. +;e really do turn up7+ % as!ed one o$ the #oca#s here why so many ad"erts inc#ude that sentence. And the answer was sim*#e. Because so many tradies rea##y don&t turn u*. 5o i$ you don&t mind wor!ing and you do turn u* and es*ecia##y i$ you ha"e a s!i##' Austra#ia rea##y is a #and o$ o**ortunity. o!6s O# -i5s: urn up and you)d already have the edge on the average Aussie tradie. %ollow up and you)d already be ahead of the average Aussie salesman. Get ready to do some D$(.
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1um!er 77: Clothin& F One Minute and You6re )ressed

)etting dressed in Austra#ia is an e.traordinary /uic! a$$air. :ere&s how it wor!s $or me. 9. Cut on *ants. 2. Cut on shorts. M. Cut on ;shirt. And %6m done2 %$ %&m going out' % wi## need to $ind my crocs. Eind you' % am a b#o!e. he $airer se. may need to e.tend my three ste* dressing *rocess to a $ourth or $i$th ste*. Bhere % #i"e' in Brisbane' e"en in winter my dress doesn&t change that much. 5horts are a#ways sti## worn during the day but the on#y di$$erence with winter 7a## $our wee!s o$ it8 is % might *ut on some +og bottoms in the e"enings when the tem*erature dro*s a bit. Bhen it gets rea##y co#d' % wi## grab a sweat to*. And it&s not +ust me' ta!e a #oo! at some o$ these *ictures ta!en o$ com*#ete strangers' s#a* bang in the midd#e o$ winter. 92th o$ August 2009 to be *recisePP
5o those were $rom winter' but this ne.t *hotogra*h was ta!en during the summer' bac! in February.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com You see' hard#y any di$$erence. )ress Code: Australian Style. Ey M ste*s to getting dressed may be a #itt#e tongue in chee! but the rea#ity is Austra#ia has one o$ the most re#a.ed dress codes % thin! % ha"e e"er come across. A suit and tie is a rea# rarity out here. % ha"e seen them' but % am hard *ressed to thin! where. % ha"en&t seen them much in the business wor#d' that&s $or sure. ,hinos and a short;s#ee"ed shirt being more common there. One o$ the beauties o$ #i"ing in Austra#ia is that you can go to a re#ati"e#y *osh restaurant dressed in shorts and a ;shirt and #oo! no more out o$ *#ace than a guy wearing a tie and shirt. You wi## a#so be acce*ted e/ua##y' irres*ecti"e o$ what you wear. here are e.ce*tions though and some *#aces *ut u* a dress code. %&"e seen it in a $ew *#aces and it norma##y goes #i!e this.
Dress Code
+o,s #ust be wor" at all ti#es.o tho"gs allowed/
@et me e.*#ain a## that to you. You can&t enter without some !ind o$ "est or ;shirt. And thongs' out here' are $#i*;$#o*s. 5o' *ut a to* on and don&t wear $#i*;$#o*s. And you&re in2 hat6s it2 :ow hard can that be(
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com % +ust remembered the #ast time % saw somebody wearing a suit and tie.
o!6s O# -i5s: &eave your heavy duty coats at the charity shop if you're moving to Australia. &eave your not so heavy duty coats at the charity shop if you're moving to "risbane. "ring your suits and ties if you fancy doing a -harlie -haplin impersonation in the city.
1um!er 70: -he )iversity of Wildlife and :lant (ife.

% ha"e ta#!ed about the di"ersity o$ Austra#ian wi#d#i$e a great dea# o"er at my b#og' *rimari#y in the category IAustra#ia&s Bad hingsI.
ai*an: H0-2
5o there is #itt#e need to re*eat myse#$ here about the sna!es' s*iders' shar!s' crocodi#es' !angaroos' gec!oes' bees' *raying mantis' coc!roaches' #izards' $rogs' ants' was*s' $#ies' moths' !oo!aburras' *ossums' cicadas' cane toads' giant beet#es' mozzies' midges and *arrots. Or the stone$ish' cone snai#s' *#aty*uses' echidnas' ;<'A777 ,top it will you7 ;e get it. % !now a #ot o$ *eo*#e are concerned' no' "ery worried' about what they might bum* into here in Austra#ia. But again' *#ease don&t All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page ((
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com worry. % ha"e e.*#ained this many times on my b#og' you may as we## worry a## day about being struc! by #ightning. %nstead' embrace the beauty o$ the wi#d#i$e here in Austra#ia. One o$ the $irst boo!s % bought when we arri"ed here in Austra#ia is ca##ed IBi#d#i$e o$ )reater BrisbaneI. %t&s *ub#ished by the Jueens#and Euseum. % ho*e they don&t mind me /uoting an e.tract $rom the bac! co"er. ?Residents of the Greater "risbane Region are privileged to live in one of the richest natural environments in Australia. %rom high mountain rainforest to the barest cityscape, the region is home to an astonishing variety of wild creatures, large and small, seen and unseen. ;orms, snails, spiders, insects, fish, frogs, li9ards, sna!es, birds and mammals, many of them rare or endangered, survived alongside the region's 1.= million human inhabitants, sharing their homes, bac!yards, par!s and bushland. ;hether biting ants, brilliantly coloured birds, or tiny marsupial mice, our native animals are impossible to avoid.A And -he :lant (ife. %6m no Cercy hrower' 7he was a $amous gardener in the 0< $rom a zi##ion years ago8' but e"en % a**reciate some o$ the *#ants out here. %t&s di$$icu#t not to' e"erything is so #ush and so green $or much o$ the time and then becomes so brown and so dry $or the rest o$ it. %t&s $ascinating. Be inherited a garden that was reminiscent o$ a sma## +ung#e. Kust ta!e a #oo! at a $ew o$ these *#antsPPPP..
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Be a#so get tri$$ids but they were out o$ season at the time o$ writing.
o!6s O# -i5s: Respect the wildlife but don't be fearful of it. &earn as much as you can about our creatures so that you !now whether to say +Ah, that's cute+ or to say +Aaargh7> and run li!e "illyo. he same with our plant life, some of it is poisonous. "rush up on the baddies and wear gloves when gardening.
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1um!er 8: )rivin& ' (ess -raffic> (ess Road Ra&e and Chea5er :etrol
% was astonished whi#st watching I20 o 9A' the F *rogramme mentioned in the $oreword' when in at number 9N or 9D in an edition ca##ed IEadness and Ee#tdownsI was road rage. Hoad rage( :ere in Austra#ia( hey ha"e no idea2 he worst % ha"e e"er seen' and % ha"e been #oo!ing out $or it' is a wai"ed $ist or a raised midd#e $inger. About three times % ha"e heard somebody hon! their horn' but %&"e ne"er rea##y seen who hon!ed or why they hon!ed or who they hon!ed at. Bac! in the 0<' it was much easier to trace the source o$ the hon!ing. Kust #oo! $or the red;$aced dri"er whose tem*#e was about to e.*#ode' he&d be the one dri"ing the car with *#umes o$ tyre smo!e behind him. %$ you&re sti## ha"ing di$$icu#ty trac!ing him down' +ust #oo! in the direction $rom where the noisy whee# screeching is a#most' but not /uite' drowning the sound o$ $ou# #anguage which is $i##ing the air. A Road Ra&e O55ortunity Missed. Bhen we went to Eoo#oo#aba' there was $ree *ar!ing on the beach in a *rime #ocation. 5o' +ust #i!e in a car *ar! in Eng#and 7e"en *aying car *ar!s8 i$ someone was about to #ea"e' another car wou#d +ust sto* behind' and wait to $i## the soon to be "acant s*ace.
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com %t was my $riend' @isa' who was *re*aring to re"erse out o$ this *ar!ing s*ace. But with three !ids to *ac! into the car it too! her some time. 5he didn&t rush herse#$ either' she seemed ob#i"ious to the $act that a car had sto**ed behind and was waiting $or her *ar!ing s*ace. And behind that car was s#ow#y bui#ding u* a #ong #ine o$ cars. % watched this situation with some $ascination. @isa too! $u##y $i"e minutes' *ossib#y more' be$ore she $ina##y got in the car and $ired it u*. By this time the #ine o$ cars behind her was about M0 to =0 #ong. -ot one o$ those cars hon!ed their horn. -ot one2 And Austra#ia has a road rage *rob#em( O5en Roads. o Austra#ians' a tra$$ic hots*ot is anywhere where you ha"e to s#ow down because there are other cars about. Anything that ta!es more than 90 to 93 minutes to get through is a tra$$ic +am. But $rom what % can see' these !inds o$ situation are *retty much restricted to the ma+or cities and their immediate surroundings during rush hour on#y. 5o here is the ma+or di$$erence. %n Eng#and e.*ect tra$$ic +ams on the E9' the E23' ED' E3' EM' E anything. E.*ect tra$$ic i$ you&re dri"ing $rom ,he#ms$ord to 5outhend. E.*ect tra$$ic i$ you&re dri"ing $rom @i"er*oo# to Eanchester. E.*ect tra$$ic i$ you&re dri"ing $rom 5under#and to -ewcast#e. E.*ect tra$$ic. % ha"e watched the sunset $rom the E23. :ere in Austra#ia you may $ind tra$$ic i$ you are in 5ydney' Brisbane' Ee#bourne' Ade#aide 7*ossib#y8' Certh or ,anberra. Other than that' the roads are c#ear.
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com Cart o$ the $un o$ road rage is that you need a rea##y bad tra$$ic +am with "ery #ong de#ays to wind you u* $irst. You +ust can&t beat sitting nose to tai# $or more than an hour in co#d' rainy and grey conditions to *ut you into the *er$ect mood $or *unching somebody&s #ights out. 5omehow' dri"ing a#ong an o*en road' with no tra$$ic' bri##iant b#ue s!ies and beauti$u# scenic surrounds +ust doesn&t create the same $ee#ings o$ aggression.
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And the *etro# is chea*er2 Bhat more cou#d you as! $or(
A$ter dri"ing in Eng#and $or M2 years' dri"ing here in Austra#ia is a sheer de#ight. % #o"e it2 Any Austra#ian reading this wi## be wondering what ca"e % #i"e in to thin! there is no road rage and no tra$$ic +ams in Austra#ia. But % su**ose e"erything is re#ati"e. %&m sure there is more tra$$ic and troub#e on Austra#ian roads today than there was say' 90 years ago. 5o com*ared with how it used to be' *erha*s tra$$ic is IbadI. But %&d say you don&t !now when you ha"e it so good. o!6s O# -i5s: &eave your road rage, if you have it, bac! in #ngland, you won)t be needing it here. Prepare for a ma?or change in the way you feel about driving. ry not to laugh when Australians complain about traffic.
1um!er ;: Schools
hey hey hey hey hey hey sti## ha"e Iassemb#yI ; they ca## them *arades. sing the Austra#ian nationa# anthem. insti# *ride in Austra#ia. nurture a *assion $or s*ort. a## seemed to ha"e #arge *#aying $ie#d attached. a## #oo! *retty good too.
%n the *icture o$ the schoo# abo"e' you can +ust about ma!e out the schoo# bui#ding' to* #e$t. Behind the tennis courts are the #arge green *#aying $ie#ds. his schoo# is 20 minutes $rom the city centre.
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C#aying $ie#ds' some c#imbing $rames at the bac! and the schoo# to the #e$t.
Eost o$ the schoo#s % !now o$ in Eng#and are chaos at around G.=3 in the morning with cars a## o"er the *#ace' strugg#ing to $ind somewhere to dro* o$$ their young chi#dren. hat same chaos is re*eated at around M *.m. in the a$ternoon. hat sort o$ chaos doesn&t ha**en here. Eost o$ the schoo#s ha"e *#enty o$ room around them and those that don&t ha"e #arge car *ar!s in their own grounds. But again' as with tra$$ic +ams' schoo#s in the centre o$ cities may be di$$erent. 5choo#s are a#so $ar more communa# here' in as much as they are o$ten as!ing $or "o#unteers to he#* around the schoo#. Carents are a#so encouraged to sit in the c#assroom $or an a$ternoon and he#* out. All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page &
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com hey don&t ha"e schoo# dinners #i!e they do in the 0<' but some schoo#s do run a canteen !nown as a Ituc! sho*I. Again' these tuc! sho*s are run by "o#unteers. ullyin&. Bu##ying does ha**en in schoo#s and o$ten i$ it does' the #oca# *o#ice are ca##ed in to #ecture the gui#ty chi#d. %n $act' such an incident hit the nationa# news the other wee!. he incident was described #i!e this +An older girl bullied a classmate in the toilets, while the younger girl too! photos on a mobile phone.> he 5tate 5choo# eachers 0nion&s 1a"id <e##y said bu##ying shou#d not be ta!en #ight#y. +;hen the police get involved it sends home a message to all concerned that it is indeed serious,+ he said. BOB2 %magine that in the 0<. +Good afternoon <ac!ney police station, how can $ help you@+ +Ah yes, good afternoon. $t's the school here, there's been some bullying in the toilets, we'd li!e you to come down and tal! to one of the older girls. 'h, and bring A he ,un> with you, this is a big story, $'m sure they'll be interested in the scoop +.
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Brisbane Boys6 ,o##ege
o!6s O# -i5s: Get involved, volunteer, be part of your child's school. Get good at ma!ing pac!ed lunches. $t is mandatory to pac! sunscreen and a hat for your child. he motto is Ano hat no play7>
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1um!er <: Australia F +t6s -he 2reat Outdoors.

5omebody' somewhere a#ong the #ine' ca##ed Austra#ia I he )reat OutdoorsI ; and it is. % ha"e gi"en ?Austra#ia %t6s he )reat OutdoorsA its own *osition here at number se"en in my countdown' sim*#y because it deser"es a mention a## on its own. %t is so in$#uentia# in how much % #o"e Austra#ia. But i$ you #oo! at a## the entries so $ar' and you wi## a#so see in entries yet to come' there is a theme o$ outdoor #i$e in a#most a## o$ them. -umber 99: :ot :o#iday 1estinations Bithout )rabbing Your Cass*ort ; a## the suggested ho#iday destinations are o$ great outdoor *#aces. -umber 9G: Austra#ia @o"es 5*ort. ; A## o$ the s*orts % ta#! about are outdoor s*orts. -umber 9N: Outdoor Festi"a#s and Entertainment ; s*ea!s $or itse#$. -umber 93: 5wimming Coo#s hat Are F0- o 5wim %n ; % am ta#!ing about outdoor swimming *oo#s. -umber 9=: ,hi#dren6s C#ay Areas and 1og Car!s ; a## are outdoors' o$ course. -umber 9M: Forget Cubs' Barbecues Are %n2 ; Barbecues may be IinI but they sure ta!e *#ace outdoors. -umber 90: he 1i"ersity o$ Bi#d#i$e and C#ant @i$e ; that wou#d be outdoor wi#d#i$e and *#ant #i$e' un#ess something cree*s in to your house2 -umber 9: 1ri"ing ; @ess ra$$ic' @ess Hoad Hage and ,hea*er Cetro# ; more great outdoors.
But e"erywhere has an outdoor #i$e. Bac! in Eng#and there was an outdoors too2 But here is the big di$$erence. All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page &)
he outdoors o$ Eng#and wou#d more o$ten than not be either co#d' wet' windy or grey. Eore o$ten than not' $or the *eo*#e who do not !now Eng#and' means around N3O o$ the time. 75ource: %&m guessing28 Eng#and does ha"e a summer' they had one in 99ND. But since then' the summers ha"e tended to be more #i!e brie$ sunny s*e##s. You ha"e heard o$ I5easona# A$$ecti"e 1isorderI or ?5.A.1.A ha"en&t you( Be## not many *eo*#e ha"e around these *arts. Because out here' e"ery day seems to be hot' sunny with c#ear b#ue s!ies. )#orious#y c#ear b#ue s!ies. @i!e thisP.
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com And because it is so hi##y around here' you wi## o$ten $ind yourse#$ dri"ing *ast stunning "iews #i!e thisPP.
%t&s rea##y hard to wa!e u* $ee#ing miserab#e here in Austra#ia' than!s to the great outdoors. o!6s O# -i5s: "uy a house with a good outdoor eating area. "uy a hat that you really li!e. $f you en?oy being miserable, you)ll need to raise your game to !eep it up out here.
1um!er =: Australia versus 3n&land on Crime.

,rime is e"erywhere. 5o are statistics $or crimes. :ere are some that % $oundP.. here were DD= !i##ings and 3N3 attem*ted !i##ings in the 0< in the year 200GU09. here were 2DD !i##ings and 2=9 attem*ted !i##ings in Austra#ia in the year 200DU0N. here were 2NN $ata# stabbings in the 0< in 200GU09. here were 90 $ata# stabbings in Austra#ia in 200DU0N. here were 2G='000 domestic burg#aries in the 0< in 200GU09. here were N='200 domestic burg#aries in Austra#ia in 200DU0N.
1ot much in it> is there0 But the statistics get a #ot worse $or Austra#ia when you ta!e a #oo! at the $igures $or ra*e. According to the $igures %&"e #oo!ed at' 92'9D3 *eo*#e were ra*ed in the 0< in 200GU09. %n Austra#ia % be#ie"e the $igure is somewhere in the region o$ 9D'000' a#though % don&t ha"e the e.act numbers.
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com But in a wor#d #eague tab#e showing ra*es *er ca*ita $or D3 di$$erent nations' Austra#ia comes third 70< 9Mth8' on#y 5outh A$rica and the 5eyche##es are worse. According to the same source' Austra#ia is the wor#d #eader when it comes to sto#en cars *er ca*ita. he 0< comes third. hat source a#so has a category ca##ed ?tota# crime "ictimsA' here&s what they say about that category.
AD#%$B$ $'B2 People victimi9ed by crime .as a C of the total population/. Data refer to people victimi9ed by one or more of 00 crimes recorded in the survey2 robbery, burglary, attempted burglary, car theft, car vandalism, bicycle theft, se5ual assault, theft from car, theft of personal property, assault and threats. -rime statistics are often better indicators of prevalence of law enforcement and willingness to report crime, than actual prevalence.
,'8R-#2 8B$-R$ .8nited Bations $nterregional -rime and Dustice Research $nstitute/. 1441. -orrespondence on data on crime victims. Earch. urin> 5o who to*s that chart( :ere&s the one two threePP.. V9 V2 VM Austra#ia: M0.9O -ew Qea#and: 29.=O 0nited <ingdom: 2D.=O
5ource: www.nationmaster.comU % ha"e no idea who 8nited Bations $nterregional -rime and Dustice Research $nstitute are but %&m sure the $igures are reasonab#y accurate' a#beit based on o#d data $rom 2002. 5o now it no #onger #oo!s #i!e there&s Inot much in itI and more #i!e Austra#ia has a worse crime rate than Eng#and. 5o why do % ha"e it in here as reason number si.(
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com Because 7drum ro##8 it feels safer7 % am aware how *athetic that sounds so % sus*ect % need to e.*#ain it a #itt#e better. First o$$' %&"e ne"er been a great $an o$ statistics and crime statistics are *robab#y more dodgy than most. %$ % want to co##ect statistics on rain$a##' % stic! a buc!et out into the o*en and % buy myse#$ a ru#er. Bhat can *ossib#y go wrong( %$ % am co##ecting statistics on crime' then $irst#y that crime has to be ?re*ortedA and second#y whoe"er it was re*orted to has to ?recordA it. As one -ew Qea#ander commented about the tab#e which re"ea#ed his country second highest in the Itota# crime "ictimsI #istPP I am in New Zealand and while we don't consider crime to be a big issue the low crime rate means the police spend more time looking for it. You are far more likely here to be brought before a court for a minor issue than in say UK where I am also familiar! where you will "ust be let off with a warning. I also know that a minor assault in UK is not a 'recordable' offence whereas in NZ it is.# Fair *oint % say. 5econd#y' it&s easy $or me to say Iit $ee#s sa$erI' but what do others thin!( Bhat better *#ace to go to $ind out than at a $orum $u## o$ *eo*#e who used to #i"e in the 0< and now #i"e in Austra#ia. % $ound comments $rom: $ woman who was a police officer in %irmingham for eight years when she li&ed in the UK' she said that she found $ustralia to ha&e less crime than the UK and that she felt safer here. $nother woman who acknowledged that $ustralia wasn't crime free but said that she felt much safer here than in the UK. (he was happy to walk her dog in the dark here because she would meet people happy to say hello' instead of yobs getting drunk. All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page )2
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com $ man who said he had ne&er felt unsafe here in $ustralia. )e also pointed out that the distance between pubs and houses meant you didn't see drunken louts walking home' unless you li&ed right in the city or inner suburbs. $nd probably most interesting of all was a comment from a woman who asked her *+,year,old daughter what she liked best about li&ing in $ustralia. -n the &ery top of this girls list of things was .I feel safe here going out.. $nd these people didn't li&e in a .bad. area in /ngland before they mo&ed to $ustralia. 5o it&s not +ust me' other *eo*#e $ee# sa$er here too. %nc#uding the 9=;year;o#d gir# o$ that #ast /uote ; and it is her statement that % thin! is the most encouraging in regards to the state o$ #aw and order in Austra#ia. here is a cu#ture o$ teenagers hanging around outside o$ sho*s in the 0< which hasn6t yet ta!en a gri* here. And % don&t thin! it wi## e"er ta!e a gri*. :ousing is so much more s*read out here' *eo*#e do not #i"e on to* o$ each other. 5o you can&t +ust wa#! $or three or $our minutes and +oin u* with the rest o$ the gang. And i$ you cou#d' it *robab#y wou#dn&t be much $un. here wou#dn&t be enough *assing $oot tra$$ic to ha"e $un with. Because most *eo*#e wou#d dri"e to the sho*s on account that they&d *robab#y #i"e at #east a cou*#e o$ c#ic!s away. 7 hat6s Aussie s*ea! $or 2 !i#ometres8. You may thin! a 30 year o#d man #i!e myse#$ c#ear#y doesn&t get into the !ind o$ areas where troub#e is #i!e#y to ha**en. 5o what do % !now( Be##' % ha"e been to the city many times to u*ho#d that great British tradition o$ going on a *ub craw#. %&"e been in the bars unti# M am in the morning4 %&"e got the #ast bus home at 92:93 am with a## the other drun!s4 %&"e eaten !ebabs in the streets at 2 am4 %&"e watched the FA ,u* $ina# #i"e in the ear#y hours with D00 other chanting $ootba## $ans4 but % ha"e sti## ne"er seen a hint o$ troub#e. But that6s not to say that there isn6t troub#e' because in certain notorious hots*ots' there certain#y is. For e.am*#e' on the )o#d ,oast' at 5ur$ers Caradise' you won&t want to be mi.ing it with the All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page )'
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com !ids on the beach' or around the ma## a$ter midnight on a Friday or 5aturday night guzz#ing down the a#co*o*s. 5imi#ar troub#e s*ots are at Ee#bourne' main#y around the centra# business district and in 5ydney you wou#d *robab#y want to a"oid a $ew areas inc#uding <ing&s ,ross and the bac! o$ 5urrey :i##s #ate at night. Brisbane&s Fortitude Fa##ey can turn a bit ug#y at times' as can ,anberra6s ,i"ic' Certh6s Fincent 5t and Ade#aide6s :ind#ey 5t. But these are a## in ma+or city centres and !nown $or their high concentration o$ drin!ing "enues. <ids go there to ha"e $un but end u* drin!ing too much and sometimes it goes *air sha*ed. %t is e"erybody&s choice to a"oid those sorts o$ areas #ate at night i$ they wish. % thin! those choices are reduced in Eng#and because there are more ?city centresA they seem to be e"erywhere. % !now this has not been my most con"incing cha*ter. % actua##y considered *u##ing it out' but decided it is too im*ortant a sub+ect' +ust #i!e the hea#th issue' to s!i*. 5o it stayed in and what&s more' it stayed at number si.. Bhy( Because +ust #i!e the others ha"e said abo"e' whate"er the statistics say about Austra#ia and des*ite those city troub#e s*ots' genera##y s*ea!ing Iit $ee#s sa$erI here. o!6s O# -i5s: (ou can stare at stats all day long about crime in Australia, but only by living here will you see how much safer it feels. Avoid those city trouble spots. Gang culture is not in evidence on the streets.
1um!er A: :eo5le 5er SGuare Mile.

As we head into the to* $i"e' we are entering areas that ha"e been we## discussed on my b#og' $or ob"ious reasons4 we are now #oo!ing at the $i"e things % #i!e the most about Austra#ia. % ha"e certain#y mentioned this be$ore' but nonethe#ess it is at number $i"eP..
Yes' +ust se"en *eo*#e *er s/uare mi#e. he bene$its o$ that are end#ess. Be&"e a#ready mentioned #ess tra$$ic on the roads' *ar!ing being easier' but did % te## you the /ueues at the <entuc!y Fried ,hic!en are much shorter( 5ometimes you can go to a *ar! and ha"e it a## to yourse#$. Bhen % go to my #oca# *ost o$$ice' there are ne"er more than two or three *eo*#e in $ront o$ me. 5ame at the ban!. )oing to the su*ermar!et in Eng#and' $or me' used to be a bit o$ a nightmare. hose *#aces wou#d get so crowded. hen' once you were done with your sho**ing' it was time to try and IguessI which o$ the 9D chec!outs had the shortest /ueue. All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page )(
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com A$ter deciding it was chec!out number $i"e' you wou#d ma!e your way there with great s*eed on#y to see two other sho**ers a**ear $rom se*arate ais#es +ust nanoseconds be$ore you secured your s*ot at the end o$ that /ueue. 5o you wou#d choose a di$$erent /ueue' yes the one where the ti## ro## wi## run out. %&m not saying we don6t ha"e /ueues here at the su*ermar!et' but they are shorter that&s $or sure. As % *ointed out in my b#og *ost when % ta#!ed about the *o*u#ation o$ Austra#ia and its size com*ared with the 0<P.. he 0< 7*o*u#ation D0 mi##ion8 wou#d $it into Austra#ia 7*o*u#ation 20 mi##ion8 M9 times. R-u$$ said. o!6s O# -i5s: Bone needed hereF ?ust en?oy the space.
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1um!er B: +t4s All One i& Wra5around eachE

% am' o$ course' aware that the same thing cou#d be said about Eng#and. %t is actua##y a $act that you are ne"er more than N0 mi#es away $rom the beach in Eng#and. But do they #oo! #i!e thisPPP.
Or thisPP.. All Rights Reserved Worldwide 2009 Web Products Pty Ltd Page ))
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Or thisP..
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Austra#ia has 2D'NM3 !ms o$ coast#ine with N'000 beaches. %$ you inc#ude the coast#ine o$ asmania and some o$ the #arger is#ands that be#ong to Austra#ia' it&s actua##y =N'0N0 !ms o$ coast#ine. By my ca#cu#ations i$ e"erybody in Austra#ia a## went to the beach on the same day' it sti## wou#dn&t be as crowded as 5outhend Beach was when % was a !id.
5outhend beach 99D= busy huh(
Bithout a doubt' Austra#ia is the *#ace to be beside the seaside.
o!6s O# -i5s: "eaches are not as commercial here as they are in the 86, so ta!e an es!y .cool bo5/ with some supplies. $f there are lifeguards on the beach, swim between the flags. (ou can drive your car on some beachesGG..
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1um!er C: -he :rice of 9ouses.

% wrote a *ost about house *rices on my b#og and % thin! it is the on#y *ost % ha"e written that ga"e me a headache2 rying to com*are house *rices between Austra#ia and the 0< is not easy. % got into a right mess trying to *ro"e Austra#ian houses were chea*er. %t seemed the more % tried to *ro"e it the dee*er the ho#e % was digging $or myse#$. Bhat ma!es it e"en more tric!y is the *rice di$$erentia# in the 0< between some areas' in *articu#ar the o$ten ta#!ed about at -orth; 5outh di"ide. But here in Austra#ia' in many ways' we ha"e the same thing. :ouses u* north' where the crocodi#es are' are much chea*er. 5imi#ar#y' houses -O in one o$ the si. ma+or cities are a#so chea*er. %$ you want to #i"e in a sma## in#and town' e.*ect to *ic! u* a bargain. 5o' % decided % didn&t want to gi"e myse#$ another headache trying to com*are houses' this time % am going to a**roach it di$$erent#y.
@i!e thisP.
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com 3?am5le 7 1etached. hree bedrooms. One bathroom. )arage. On 9092 s/uare metres o$ #and. =D !m $rom Brisbane.
:rice: HC0A>000 AU)
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com 3?am5le 2 1etached. Four bedrooms. hree #i"ing areas. Outdoor s*a and barbecue area. -o neighbours in sight. Einutes $rom E9 and schoo#s. Beauti$u# gardens. 5ec#uded. On o"er se"en acres o$ #and. == !m $rom Brisbane.
:rice: H;<8>000 AU)
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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com 3?am5le C 1etached. Fi"e bedrooms. wo #i"ing areas. ,#ose to sho*s and beach. On 33D s/uare metres. 90G !m $rom ,anberra.
:rice: H280>000 AU)
What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com he house % used to #i"e in bac! in the 0< can be seen on my b#og in another *ost % did about house *rices. he house % bought here in Austra#ia cost two thirds o$ the *rice % so#d the one in Eng#and $or' is on #and at #eased si. times bigger and the house itse#$ is twice as big inside com*ared to my o#d one. here' % wi## #ea"e it $or you to decide' based on where you #i"e' i$ houses are chea*er here or not. %&m done and no headache this time2 o!6s O# -i5s: Research house prices for yourself over at this Australian Real #state portal. %orget the +south facing garden+ syndrome, people here buy houses based on how shaded the outdoor area is. $f you need help deciding which area to live in, chec! out www."obin'9.com and ?oin the membership area.
1um!er 2: -he Weather.

his won&t ta!e #ong.
% +ust #o"e the weather here. he s!y 7near#y8 a#ways #oo!s #i!e thisPP..
But is it too hot( Be##' not $or me. A$ter a#most 3 decades o$ Eng#ish weather' which com*rises o$ course o$ main#y grey' du## s!ies' drizz#e' 7Austra#ia doesn&t do drizz#e8' wind' co#d and out and out rain when it&s not drizz#y' the continuous sunshine is a rea# treat. :ere in Brisbane' the summers seem to a"erage out at tem*eratures o$ around M2W,. hat&s certain#y not too hot $or me. But on a rea# hot summers day it can reach around =0W,. Yes that is hot' but % sti## #o"e it. %n 5ydney and Ee#bourne' summers can be e"en hotter. But it is certain#y more seasona# down that way' they de$inite#y ha"e co#der winters. % ha"e a#so been to#d that ,anberra and a *#ace ca##ed Armida#e can get rea##y /uite co#d. You can read about the *#aces that get snow' on my b#og. % ha"e said it be$ore' but it is worth saying again. 1u## and grey e/ua#s de*ressing. 5unny with c#ear b#ue s!ies e/ua#s ha**y. 5o $or me' the weather is the second best reason to mo"e to Austra#ia.
-o time $or Bob6s Oz i*sP.. too e.citedPP.
Beaches third' the weather second' what cou#d *ossib#y be number one( hisPPP.
1um!er 7: A -otal (ifestyle Chan&e.

Bhen % thin! about what it&s rea##y #i!e to #i"e in Austra#ia' and es*ecia##y when % try to com*are it with how my #i$e used to be in Eng#and' % can thin! o$ on#y one thing. ota# #i$esty#e change. %t&s e"erything that % ha"e discussed here and more. %t6sP. -o Eore 1oub#e )#azing 5a#esmen :a"ing a huge country to e.*#ore. @i"ing in a ?can doA country that #o"es its s*ort. Outdoor entertainments. E$$icient hea#thcare and no *rob#ems *ar!ing. Kum*ing in the swimming *oo#. ,hi#dren&s *#ay areas e"erywhere. Barbecues. @i"ing in a #and o$ o**ortunity. Bearing shorts a## the time. @o"ing the wi#d#i$e. 1ri"ing on the o*en roads. ,ute #oo!ing schoo#s with #arge *#aying $ie#ds. he outdoor #i$e. Fee#ing sa$er. -ot being o"ercrowded. he beauti$u# beaches. he big s*acious houses. he g#orious weather.
But $ar more than a## that' and most im*ortant o$ a##' it&s s*ending much more time with my $ami#y. Austra#ia is a country that is +ust *er$ect $or $ami#ies. Bhen we were in Eng#and it was a#ways a strugg#e to thin! o$ things we can do as a $ami#y. But here' we ne"er run out o$ ideas. E"ery wee!end we do something as a $ami#y and it&s not going to the sho*s2 Be&d go to the beach' or we6d go to the mountains' we6d ha"e a *icnic' or we6d ha"e a barbecue' or we&d go $or a dri"e in the countryside or we6d go to an outdoor e"ent. here is a#ways something on' we&"e been to the E!!a' we&"e been to )reen$est' we&"e been to the Broo!$ie#d 5how' we&"e been to the #oca# schoo# $ete' we&"e been to Jueens#and 1ay in the *ar!. Be&"e been to a c#assic car show in ,#e"e#and' we&"e been to a regatta on Bribie %s#and' we&"e been to beaches e"erywhere' we&"e been to theme *ar!s' we&"e been to the zoo' we ha"e been to so many *#aces.
he regatta on Bribie %s#and
%n Eng#and the *rob#em seemed to be $inding something to do' here the *rob#em is deciding what to do $rom a## the o*tions. 5i. months a$ter arri"ing in Austra#ia' % ce#ebrated my 30th birthday o"er at 5ur$ers Caradise. But % don&t $ee# #i!e %&m 30' % $ee# #i!e % ha"e +ust been born2 % e.*ected a #ot o$ things mo"ing to Austra#ia' but % didn&t e.*ect that.
o!6s *inal -i5: %$ you get the chance to mo"e to Austra#ia' ta!e it2
,heers and than!s $or reading. Bob
www.BobinOz.com
What It's Really like to Live in Australia.
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Contact information:
You can contact BobinOz at: o!" o!inO#.com
his eboo! is a"ai#ab#e $ree to anyone who enters their name and emai# address o"er at $$$. o!inO#.com%!lo&
%$ you&re serious about mo"ing to Austra#ia' where are you going to #i"e( )et ideas $rom $$$. o!inO#.com
Find out more about BobinOz o"er at $$$.!o!ino#.com%!lo&%a!out'me%
%$ you $ind anything in this boo! to be incorrect' mis#eading or u*setting' or e"en i$ you +ust $ind a ty*o' %&d be rea##y *#eased to hear your $eedbac!. ,ontact me at o!" o!inO#.com

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What Its Really Like To Live In Australia.

20 Reasons Why YOU Should Move to Australia.

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

First Edition August 2009

Web Products Pty Ltd PO Box 10 2 !e"#ore $L% 0&9 Australia

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

his eboo! is distributed $ree o$ charge and shou#d not be so#d.

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

On with the boo!.

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

+s Australia ,-he (uc.y Country/0

5o' what&s it rea##y #i!e(

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1um!er 20: 1o More )ou!le 2la#in& Salesmen

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

But guess what( % ne"er met an insect screen sa#esman either2

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1um!er 78: 9ot 9oliday )estinations Without 2ra!!in& Your :ass5ort

Eount Be##ington :obart

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

Certh Bestern Austra#ia

Ade#aide A#though % might *re$er to dri"e.

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1arwin sounds nice2

P. And where"er this is.

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1um!er 7;: Australia (oves S5ort.

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

-ot the Hi* ,ur# Cro

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1um!er 7<: Outdoor *estivals and 3ntertainment.

One o$ the stages at )reen$est

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1um!er 7=: -he 9ealth Service> 9os5itals and :ar.in&. :ar.in&0

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1um!er 7A: S$immin& :ools -hat Are *U1 -o S$im +n.

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1um!er 7B: Children6s :lay Areas and )o& :ar.s

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

he 1ogs6 ,hristmas 1inner and 5ni$$.

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

Another *ar! at ,#e"e#and

his *ar! got into a $ight with a tree2

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1um!er 7C: *or&et :u!sD

ar!ecues Are +nE

Barbecues on the beachPP

And barbecues in the mountainsPP.

E"en though it was a grey day' we sti## had a good barbie2

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1um!er 72: Australia is a (and of O55ortunity

What Its Really Like To Live In Australia. www.BobinOz.com

1um!er 77: Clothin& F One Minute and You6re )ressed