Australia for School?

[Cybix]

North-west australia is stunning?

south-west is even more so...

if you like Wine... you cant go past the south-west!

and if you like beer, well... you'll get a good drop ANYWHERE in this country hehehehe

 

[Abstract]

^^Most of your beer isn't so good, though. Cascade, Boags, Coopers Special Old.......that's not a lot of good beer, and it's not cheap for a 6 pack of any of these ($18-20 AUD for a 6-pack!!!)

Yeah, NW Australia is gorgeous. They didn't give Dolphin Bay its name for no reason. And there are only so many places in the world......even in Australia.......where you can be sitting on a dock at night and have 2 dolphins and a massive turtle swimming underneath, trying to play with you, or just curious about what you're doing.

If you're going to travel north of Perth, I promise this and more. This is just from snorkelling as well, which is a super-cheap activity.

But again, I don't really recommend Perth as a city. It's nice, but not my 1st recommendation since it's far from everything else and isn't the warmest place. North of Perth is warm, but Perth itself isn't always so.

 

[Dazzler]

I've lived in:

• Sydney (I was born there!)
• Wagga Wagga (a very large country town halfway-ish between Sydney and Melbourne)
• Melbourne (one of the best cities on the planet)
• a coastal town north of Sydney called Port Macquarie (great place to retire to - you'll live a longer life because nothing EVER ***** HAPPENS THERE!)
• Gold Coast (good place to party, not so great to live)
• Brisbane (where I am now, and have been for more than a decade).

I'd recommend Brisbane as THE place to live, based on experience; I find it's a good compromise between Sydney and Melbourne, with many of the benefits and a lot fewer of the downsides. You're an hour's drive away from two of the premier beach resorts of Australia, in Surfers Paradise and Noosa (close enough for a night out without having to spring for a motel). Brisbane has a pretty good year round climate, reasonable shopping and some world class restaurants and pubs (the famous Breakfast Creek Hotel for steak cannot be beaten!). There's a vibrant nightlife, Australia Zoo's up the road... excellent schools, heaps of sporting events... U2 played here last night...

 

[gadgetgirl85]

I've lived in:

• Sydney (I was born there!)
• Wagga Wagga (a very large country town halfway-ish between Sydney and Melbourne)
• Melbourne (one of the best cities on the planet)
• a coastal town north of Sydney called Port Macquarie (great place to retire to - you'll live a longer life because nothing EVER ***** HAPPENS THERE!)
• Gold Coast (good place to party, not so great to live)
• Brisbane (where I am now, and have been for more than a decade).

I'd recommend Brisbane as THE place to live, based on experience; I find it's a good compromise between Sydney and Melbourne, with many of the benefits and a lot fewer of the downsides. You're an hour's drive away from two of the premier beach resorts of Australia, in Surfers Paradise and Noosa (close enough for a night out without having to spring for a motel). Brisbane has a pretty good year round climate, reasonable shopping and some world class restaurants and pubs (the famous Breakfast Creek Hotel for steak cannot be beaten!). There's a vibrant nightlife, Australia Zoo's up the road... excellent schools, heaps of sporting events... U2 played here last night...

Problem with Brisbane is the traffic Shocking to get around the city. However, Brisbane has some good universities some of the best I think. QUT, UQ

 

[Dazzler]

Problem with Brisbane is the traffic Shocking to get around the city. However, Brisbane has some good universities some of the best I think. QUT, UQ

I wouldn't say Brisbane has traffic problems any more extreme than any other large city that has experienced an exponential growth over a decade.

Recent weeks have seen Brisbane experience a major traffic issue - but that was as a result of a just-before-peak hour closing of two major egress points for safety reasons.

I've certainly spent longer in traffic jams in Sydney trying to get across the Harbour Bridge than I have trying to get across Brisbane!

 

[Chundles]

I wouldn't say Brisbane has traffic problems any more extreme than any other large city that has experienced an exponential growth over a decade.

Recent weeks have seen Brisbane experience a major traffic issue - but that was as a result of a just-before-peak hour closing of two major egress points for safety reasons.

I've certainly spent longer in traffic jams in Sydney trying to get across the Harbour Bridge than I have trying to get across Brisbane!

Yeah, Sydney has the competition all sewn up for traffic problems. It's both the oldest and largest city in the country so not only is it poorly planned but it's massively crowded to boot.

Sydney makes getting around Melbourne look positively easy. Not that it isn't, I love going to Melbourne purely for the fact that you can get where you want to quickly and comfortably. Sydney public transport is abominable.

 

[gadgetgirl85]

Yeah, Sydney has the competition all sewn up for traffic problems. It's both the oldest and largest city in the country so not only is it poorly planned but it's massively crowded to boot.

Sydney makes getting around Melbourne look positively easy. Not that it isn't, I love going to Melbourne purely for the fact that you can get where you want to quickly and comfortably. Sydney public transport is abominable.

THAT I agree with. Went to Sydney on holidays a few years back the traffic was atrocious

 

[aswitcher]

Some thoughts.

Sydney has a lot to see and do. Your going to have more memories of Australian icons here than other cities.

Try and get into a selective, Christian or private school. Safer, better education.

Avoid the Outer West and inner city for living or schooling. Better schools (mostly), safer, leafy suburbs.

 

[cleanup]

It's his dream mate, he's just getting the info.

One of the greatest reasons for moving to a new country is "Because I want to." Don't begrudge this guy of trying to organise a dream of his in a mature and thoughtful manner.

I don't resent him at all. I'm an expatriate as well. I'm just thoroughly confused at how he can simply do this with such conviction and certitude.

Also, I think that, Australia or not, suddenly switching schools, not to mention, education systems, for your senior year alone can be an unwise decision academically.

 

[Chundles]

I don't resent him at all. I'm an expatriate as well. I'm just thoroughly confused at how he can simply do this with such conviction and certitude.

Well why wouldn't he?

He wants to come here to go to school, if he can figure out the logistics then he should by all means do it. If his folks say "no" then fine but they can't say "no" to him right off the bat - if he's got everything sorted then they're more than likely to say "yes."

I don't understand why you think it's not his decision to make? For all we know his folks have already said yes and he's figuring out where to go.

I admire his conviction and I'm sure his folks would too.

EDIT - I agree that coming out here for year 12 is a bad idea, the systems are just too different. That's why I'm advocating him coming here for Uni instead.