Off Topic: Favourite Australian City

131 responses to “Off Topic: Favourite Australian City”

1. 

   bob

   March 12, 2013 at 11:05 am

   let the flame wars… begin!

   Reply
   1. 

      cesario

      March 12, 2013 at 11:10 am

      agreed…
      I currently live in sydney, iv been to melbourne several times and i hate it… any town that makes you do a ‘hook turn’ should be closed… got a heavy fine for that night… so syd/bris FTMFW!

      Reply
      1. 

         bob

         March 12, 2013 at 11:12 am

         Hook turns are only in the CBD. They’re there so trams can go through unobstructed. Just FYI.

         Reply
      2. 

         cayal

         March 12, 2013 at 11:15 am

         Considering Sydney didn’t put any thought into their roads, I wouldn’t be complaining about hook turns (which I agree, are ridiculous).

         Reply
         1. 

            Salt

            March 12, 2013 at 11:29 am

            Hook turns are great. Their only bad if you don’t understand what to do (ie most Sydney drivers)

            Reply
            1. 

               chi

               March 12, 2013 at 12:29 pm

               lol i dont get the logic of turning right from a left lane …. which idiot came up with that stupid idea ?
               there is a traffic light for a reason guys if u want to giveway …. lolol

            2. 

               kizza

               March 12, 2013 at 12:58 pm

               To avoid creating traffic jams so one guy can do a right turn from the right lane when the lights go back to red? Also holding up the already unreliable tram system? Or to prevent Sydney drivers from witlessly driving into oncoming traffic?

            3. 

               defiant

               March 12, 2013 at 1:20 pm

               What I really hate about it, Is that if more then two or three people need to turn right and its a dual lane (on each side) intersection, you end up blocking the traffic in the left lane anyway until you can turn, Thereby making everyone behind you wait for another set of lights.

            4. 

               Lam

               March 12, 2013 at 4:26 pm

               To clarify: Hook turns aren’t for the cars, they’re for the trams. And the cars safety (getting rammed with a tram is sort of awkward)

2. 

   jimu

   March 12, 2013 at 11:05 am

   Dunno, only been to Sydney, Perth, Brisbane & Adelaide.

   Some I was very young some I visited only for short.

   Hard to say. I used to love Brisbane, but it just isn’t the same 🙁

   Reply
3. 

   batguy

   March 12, 2013 at 11:05 am

   I live in Sydney and like it. I like Melbourne. Brisbane and Adelaide are OK but I haven’t spent all that much time in either to have an informed opinion.

   Can’t we all just be friends?

   Reply
   1. 

      batguy

      March 12, 2013 at 11:11 am

      Though if I had to rank them in terms of cricket grounds (my main purpose for interstate travel) I’d say Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane – but reverse Melbourne and Sydney if the crowd is small.

      Reply
      1. 

         trjn

         March 12, 2013 at 11:13 am

         You rank Brisbane that low? The ground with one of the few non-drop-in pitches remaining in the country? The damned pitch that has been a curse for the Brisbane Lions? Were their knee injuries for nothing?

         Reply
         1. 

            batguy

            March 12, 2013 at 11:20 am

            Mainly speaking in terms of character and surrounds as a spectator, in which case the GABBA felt a bit underwhelming. Adelaide Oval is gorgeous and wonderfully placed (well, was when I was there about 5 years ago before all the renovations), the colosseum of the MCG is awe-inspiring when it’s full, while the old buildings and members’ section of the SCG (which I’m lucky enough to enter) lend it a fantastic character. The GABBA is good because we win there.

            Reply
            1. 

               trjn

               March 12, 2013 at 11:34 am

               The Gabba holds a special place in my heart because I’ve been going there since before they installed the lights.

               I remember running around the standing area collecting pogs from the bottom of Coke cups. I remember being there for the first night game. I remember yelling “Tigers are chicken legs!” as a child before running on to play Auskick. I remember the Southern Stand being built. I remember standing behind the goals when the Mark of the Century was taken. I remember being hit in the face by an errant shot on goal by Jason Dunstall.

               I remember the victories, the defeats. I remember queueing outside the ground during a preliminary final so that I could claim a spot in line for Grand Final tickets and hearing the noise of the crowd from every goal, mark and free kick. I remember the last final that was player there against Carlton, where Brisbane managed to desperately find their way to a massive comeback victory.

               I remember spending time with my family, with friends. I remember one horribly wet night where the Lions played Geelong and I sat there with some complete strangers having the time of my life as we laughed at the terrible display in front of us.

               Yet none of that compares to the awe of being at the MCG on Grand Final day.

            2. 

               batguy

               March 12, 2013 at 11:37 am

               That definitely makes a big difference. I obviously don’t hold it dear to my heart, because I don’t even remember that it’s a contracted Gabba rather than an abbreviated GABBA 🙂

            3. 

               trjn

               March 12, 2013 at 11:41 am

               Woollongabba Stadium or the Brisbane Cricket Ground :p

               That was only a fraction of what I remember from that ground. It never really sunk in until just now how much I value that place. It’s going to suck to leave Brisbane and not be able to go there whenever the Lions are playing.

            4. 

               batguy

               March 12, 2013 at 11:46 am

               I don’t follow AFL *that* much, but I’ll join you at the SCG when they play Sydney on 5th of May if you like?

            5. 

               trjn

               March 12, 2013 at 11:50 am

               @Batguy I’ll be there.

4. 

   grimmace

   March 12, 2013 at 11:09 am

   I love many things about Sydney, but these days it pisses me off more than anything, and cant wait for my next opportunity to move as far away as possible, and probably never come back.

   Melbourne would be the best city if it was where Sydney is or just had the more stable weather Sydney normally enjoys. Still, a tempting place to move to.

   Reply
5. 

   andre

   March 12, 2013 at 11:09 am

   I’ve only ever been to Sydney.

   It was nice.

   Reply
6. 

   shl

   March 12, 2013 at 11:10 am

   Born and live in Sydney but prefer Melbourne. There’s just more culture and things feel closer to each other.

   Hated all the other cities. Having travelled the world I wouldn’t even classify them as cities.

   Reply
   1. 

      mikeockertz

      March 13, 2013 at 6:36 pm

      Troll guy is a troll.

      Reply
7. 

   hulkhogan

   March 12, 2013 at 11:10 am

   Sydney is the best brahs. Just cos its the most populated/most shit to do/most “cultured” or “sophisticated” or whatever you wanna call it/etc.
   But queensland and surfers is pretty cool too.

   Reply
   1. 

      transientmind

      March 12, 2013 at 12:10 pm

      Surfers? Oh god, really? The place looks like a handbag store, there’s so much human leather walking around. The most violent, debased clubs in the state, where idiots go to pick up 16yr old girls and get their punch on, where the cops are the most corrupt, where you’ll see the most needlessly flashy sports cars filled with wankers who want you to see them…

      Sydney acts like it wishes it were LA. And the number of washed up food/music/art snobs who ended up there because they couldn’t hack it in Sydney only serve to highlight how the Gold Coast wishes it were Sydney.

      Reply
      1. 

         iamthebryce

         March 12, 2013 at 6:46 pm

         As a Gold Coaster, I can confirm this.

         Reply
8. 

   Westy

   March 12, 2013 at 11:14 am

   Sydney = Busiest and most crowded city in AU, but everything is available to you
   Melbourne = A smaller version of Sydney
   Adelaide = A smaller version of Melbourne
   Canberra = A smaller version of Adelaide
   Queensland = Holiday destination, people seem more laid back
   Darwin = Bloody hot, but a great spectacle
   Perth = Never been, can’t comment
   Hobart = Never been, can’t comment

   Reply
   1. 

      Salt

      March 12, 2013 at 11:30 am

      Its Brisbane champ, in case you’d forgotten Queenslands Capitol City.

      Reply
      1. 

         kizza

         March 12, 2013 at 1:02 pm

         It’s “capital”, mate. In case you’ve forgotten that “capitol” is a place where the legislative assembly meets.

         Reply
   2. 

      negativezero

      March 13, 2013 at 1:43 pm

      Actually at current growth rates, Melbourne will be bigger than Sydney in a few years.

      Reply
9. 

   dire_wolf

   March 12, 2013 at 11:19 am

   Melbourne sort of feels like a hole at times, but there’s some really cool places there if you know where to look. It’s also got a great layout so it’s easy to navigate.

   Can’t really comment on Sydney since I was only there a day or two as a kid and can’t really remember anything about it. Same with Hobart, went as a kid, can’t really remember it.

   I struggle to even call Canberra a city, it’s more like a collection of poorly placed houses.

   Reply
10. 

    gunnie

    March 12, 2013 at 11:21 am

    I moved from Perth to Sydney 4 years ago, and at first I didn’t really like Sydney, but it grew on me.. I think u really need to live there a while to start enjoy living there. Perth will always be my home as my family and close friends are there but every time I go back I find myself missing Sydney.

    Reply
11. 

    cayal

    March 12, 2013 at 11:22 am

    Melbourne – by far the best.
    Hobart – quiet, quaint
    Brisbane – a bit boring, Gold Coast is cool though
    Adelaide – went when I was young, a bit boring.
    Sydney – Never known a city to suffer from TPS like Sydney. Wow do they suffer an inferiority complex, especially when another team beats them in League. Small-minded, horribly designed city. Over-rated.

    Reply
    1. 

       batguy

       March 12, 2013 at 11:26 am

       Your face is over-rated. Yeah, I went there. It’s my inferiority complex showing.

       Reply
    2. 

       mccawsome

       March 12, 2013 at 11:49 am

       From all the Sydney bashing here I think it may be the other way round on the inferiority complex.

       Reply
       1. 

          batguy

          March 12, 2013 at 11:56 am

          That’s pretty much what my accumulated position is, as a completely partial observer. But saying that “Sydney doesn’t actually care what Melbourne thinks” is considered cliché itself – even if it’s completely true.

          What is also true is that Sydney hates Brisbane purely due to State of Origin. Because fuck Queensland.

          Reply
       2. 

          mikeockertz

          March 13, 2013 at 6:49 pm

          Really? I always thought Victorians were the middle children of Australia. Whenever Sydney does something, holds an event, public works, whatever, Victorians seem to spoil or downplay it, no matter what it is. Whenever Adelaide does something, they usually ridicule it, then do the same thing, just on a larger scale then suddenly it’s awesome and original (Grand Prix, Comedy festivals). Whenever I’ve heard them mention Tasmanians, it’s usually in some reference to some distant land or orcs and mutants, so, to me, they’ve always just come across as pretentious, attention seeking and insecure, specifically, their celebrities and political leaders. That said, whenever I’ve hung out with Victorian buddies, I’ve had a fantastic time there! So many nooks and crannies to explore. Lots of great Greek food! Surprising number of XXX theatres…

          Reply
    3. 

       phlaiman

       March 12, 2013 at 12:03 pm

       “Wow do they suffer an inferiority complex, especially when another team beats them in League.”

       I’ve never understood this sentiment. As far as I can tell, most Sydneysiders couldn’t care less about other capital cities and it’s just not something your average person even mentions. Contrary to opinion, we don’t all sit around talking about how much better we are than everyone else and usually any conversation about visiting another city is pretty positive. Meanwhile I hear constantly from people from other states talking about how much Sydney sucks and how stuck up we all are.
       I used to get phone calls from people I know in Brisbane bragging about some loss in the State of Origin, my response is generally “I didn’t even know this game was on. Sorry.” 1. I hate League and 2. I hate people that think they’ve gotten some sort of victory over someone else just because they live within a 25KM radius of a winning sports team.

       Reply
       1. 

          cayal

          March 12, 2013 at 4:28 pm

          Seriously, have you ever dealt with the die-hard League supporters about Storm? NONE of them want their game to expand beyond Sydney, if Melbourne win, they’re salary-cap cheaters and are still doing it. It is amazing how incredibly dense these people are.

          Reply
    4. 

       thom

       March 12, 2013 at 12:04 pm

       I can’t agree with anything you say about Sydney. Usually its the other way around – people go on about how much better Melbourne is than Sydney, when frankly neither rate by world standards. And hardly anyone cares about sports here. Not even league, which gets pretty lousy attendance.

       Reply
       1. 

          brentyj

          March 12, 2013 at 1:55 pm

          Melbourne doesnt rate by world standards?

          *Cough* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_most_livable_cities *cough*

          Reply
          1. 

             spenceradams

             March 12, 2013 at 2:00 pm

             Yeh I have to add my *coughs*, the world consistently rates Melbourne. What were you basing that comment on? Some sort of secret world meeting?

             Reply
             1. 

                cayal

                March 12, 2013 at 4:22 pm

                Legion of Doom

12. 

    MrGaz

    March 12, 2013 at 11:24 am

    Can’t say. I’ve been to more places overseas than in Australia. Looking forward heading to Melbourne on June for the first interstate trip ever.

    Reply
13. 

    n0neoftheab0ve

    March 12, 2013 at 11:26 am

    My favourite city is the one I’m living in now: Brisbane, I lived here for a few years at the turn of the century moved away to Victoria and couldn’t stay away. It’s the perfect pace of life (unlike the often frantic Melbourne) and is a great pkace to raise kids!

    I also love Canberra, lived there for 5 years during the N64 era, it is an amzing example of urban design.

    Reply
    1. 

       Boomzzilla

       March 12, 2013 at 11:36 am

       I love that you chronicle your life in video game console generations, by that yardstick I spent my Mega-drive years in Sydney and loved it but it’s too much of a rat-race to spend your whole life there but great when your young, Melbourne’s a bit more chill and I find easier to survive and even prosper in, but still has that big city feeling that others lack.

       Reply
14. 

    phlaiman

    March 12, 2013 at 11:27 am

    Born and raised in Sydney. Went to Perth for work and I think I like it the most out of all the cities. No idea about nightlife, but it’s a beautiful city that has obviously been planned really well.
    Melbourne does have a great culture about it, I’m not sure if I would rank it above or below Sydney – I’ll just say that they are extremely different.
    Brisbane – lol

    Reply
15. 

    brentyj

    March 12, 2013 at 11:30 am

    I’m from Melbourne and actually really like Sydney. I could live there for a little while, but I would have to come home after a year or 2. Something feels just a bit generic about Sydney. ‘Culture’ is an overused and pretty vague word, but Melbourne really does have more of it. We’ve had to to become interesting in other ways because lets face it – we dont have the beaches of QLD or Syd – and are severely lacking in iconic monuments. Our weather is notoriously average too, but melbourne has an awesome vibe that I love.

    Having said that, I work in the CBD so I among the thick of it every day. If I was suburb bound I may think differently.

    Reply
    1. 

       perforatedear

       March 12, 2013 at 11:58 am

       What about the earthquake disaster zone that is Fed Square?

       Reply
       1. 

          brentyj

          March 12, 2013 at 1:58 pm

          I lol’d

          Reply
16. 

    light487

    March 12, 2013 at 11:31 am

    I like the different cities for different reasons.. like Brisbane for instance is a great city for those who like to bike around or are quite active (I’m not.. but I get that vibe).. It’s all built around the river and the low density of people there is great… it’s also quite annoying though when you try to go shopping on the weekend and find everything closed early and other things like that.

    Sydney is great for many conveniences but really deserves it’s “rat race” title. There’s not as much of a community and public facility feeling to Sydney as in Brisbane.. Sydney has a more modern city outlook but I find the people are more closed off and private (in general) than in the other cities.

    Melbourne is a great place for shopping in general.. not just in terms of fashion but also markets for fresh food and other goods. The trams really make it an odd place to visit for someone who doesn’t live there, especially the difference in how you drive around the city (e.g. move into the LEFT lane when you want to turn RIGHT etc).

    Hobart is.. well… small.. and that’s its charm.. not much to say about Hobart as it has been many years since I visited but I got a very strong sense of it being a modern city but tiny and a bit of a blend of Melbourne and Sydney.

    Reply
17. 

    dnr

    March 12, 2013 at 11:32 am

    Brisbane no 1, its a very attractive looking city as well as the fact that the weather is almost perfect, you get hot days and cold days, but the temp is always bareable. (flooding asside)

    Melbourne looks like a Ghetto anywhere outside the city, and some places in the city, too many people as well.

    Sydney never sat right with me just not a good city, too crowded and too aggro.

    Adelaide is full of crazies, and just reminds me of a big Darwin, both very unatractive cities.

    Reply
    1. 

       stilkinson

       March 12, 2013 at 11:42 am

       I don’t think enough people realise Brisbane exists. Plus the flooding has obviously been a bit of a problem. But I’d rather live anywhere in the north half of Aus than any of the major cities south of the Tweed. Too cold, dirty, busy, rainy and agro down there. Just chill the fuck out Australia, come to QLD, and act like you’ve supported our Origin team all your life.

       Reply
    2. 

       aegis

       March 12, 2013 at 12:11 pm

       yeah, yeah, DNR, sook more about Darwin – you just couldn’t handle it – too much excess body fur ;P

       Reply
       1. 

          dnr

          March 12, 2013 at 12:26 pm

          Hahaha, your just jelly that you’re stuck there and i escaped 😛

          Reply
          1. 

             cyphix

             March 12, 2013 at 12:39 pm

             Shut up you… 😛

             Reply
          2. 

             aegis

             March 13, 2013 at 10:26 am

             dude, i came BACK to Darwin – couldn’t stand that state you moved to 😛

             Reply
             1. 

                dnr

                March 13, 2013 at 2:45 pm

                you’re doin it wrong 😛

             2. 

                aegis

                March 14, 2013 at 10:11 am

                to quote Lana: NOPE! =)

18. 

    effluvium-boy

    March 12, 2013 at 11:38 am

    I like to think that if Newcastle rose from its grave it would be my favourite city.

    Reply
19. 

    stilkinson

    March 12, 2013 at 11:39 am

    Brisbane Represent!

    On a serious note, I would like to put my two cents in for Brisbane. It’s an awesome chilled out city, only without all the serial killer issues of Adelaide. Cairns, Townsville, Port Douglas and Cook Town would have to be some of the best places in Aus to live, except for the rain season, the crime rate and the often overlooked social issues in those places. They’re more like the best places to visit.

    But QLD didn’t even get a mention, I mean, COME ON!

    Like the state in the six-thousand-dollar suit is not worth a mention!

    Reply
    1. 

       beardshamans

       March 12, 2013 at 2:24 pm

       “only without all the serial killer issues of Adelaide.”

       We’ve had some famous anecdotes of serial killers, but to call it a problem is definitely an overstatement.

       Adelaide’s quite nice to live in. It’s easy to get around (especially when compared to Sydney) and Glenelg is wonderful.
       It’s just the trial version of Melbourne, really.

       Reply
       1. 

          spanner

          March 12, 2013 at 2:38 pm

          Adelaide got about a third of the way through filling its “CBD” with CBD-like buildings and then said “nah, stuff it, let’s make the rest of it single-storey suburban houses, car dealerships and vacant lots.”

          Reply
          1. 

             beardshamans

             March 13, 2013 at 5:18 pm

             True, but as someone who doesn’t like too much urban, but just enough to not feel out of touch, it’s a great place to live.

             Reply
          2. 

             mikeockertz

             March 13, 2013 at 6:55 pm

             Nah, laws were passed to prevent the cluttering of the skyline… 🙁 Wouldn’t want to miss all that exciting and spectacular horizon.

             Reply
       2. 

          stilkinson

          March 13, 2013 at 2:30 am

          Yeah, I know. The serial killer thing was a joke. Bad taste, I know, but then this is the internet.

          Reply
20. 

    lockinvar

    March 12, 2013 at 11:40 am

    Sydney – Hate. I avoid going there at all costs – with the exception of Glebe, I think the place is one giant shit-hole.
    Melbourne – Like the culture, like the CBD, good food, but don’t think I’d want to live there. Too many hipsters but at least they’re nice.
    Brisbane – great climate, probably the best in Australia (recent floods withstanding), but the entire place has no feel. It’s just a generic metropolis.
    Perth – Never been, everyone says its great. Too far away for me – seems almost a different country to the rest of Aus.
    Hobart / Tas – never been but everyone who I know has raves about it. Several relatives and friends have moved there over the last 10 years.
    Townsville – really good place to go for university and a prosperous but industrious town. Great place to live, shit place to visit.
    Cairns – Awesome. If you can stand the heat, this is where you should live. Beautiful, lots of stuff to do (whether you’re a tourist or local), and generally good people – friendly and laid back. Personally I like the amount of backpackers in Cairns – good backpacker bars with people to talk to – always lots of good looking young Europeans wandering around town 🙂 Cheap flights to Asia for a week off.

    Reply
    1. 

       stilkinson

       March 12, 2013 at 11:44 am

       Yeah, I agree, but if you’ve ever lived up north you would know that the crime rate is insane. Cairns is the crime capital of Australia, on a per capita basis. My mates who still live there get stuff stolen from their house/car on a weekly basis, but it does depend on what area you live in.

       Reply
       1. 

          lockinvar

          March 12, 2013 at 11:55 am

          I do live in Cairns currently and it really does depend on where you live. I’m guessing he lives in one of the three M’s (Mununda, Moorabool and Manoora) AKA “the hood”… don’t live there. Tell him to move to Edge Hill, one of the northern beaches.. or practically anywhere else!

          Reply
          1. 

             stilkinson

             March 13, 2013 at 2:32 am

             Respect, Cairns is still one of my favourite places in the world, despite its problems.

             Reply
21. 

    virus__

    March 12, 2013 at 11:40 am

    In terms of capital cities, i’ve only been to Brisbane and Melbourne. Melbourne by far I prefer, i’ve never liked Brisbane, I don’t know why, just don’t.

    Reply
22. 

    n0neoftheab0ve

    March 12, 2013 at 11:41 am

    Also Sydney is dead to me since they got rid of Australia’s Wonderland

    Reply
    1. 

       batguy

       March 12, 2013 at 11:47 am

       But we’re getting a Wet’n’Wild!

       Reply
       1. 

          virus__

          March 12, 2013 at 11:55 am

          It’s only a clone of what we have here on The Gold Coast, don’t get too excited 😛

          I wouldn’t be surprised if this also see’s Sydney getting Sea World & Movie World, since they’re also owned by Roadshow Village.

          Reply
          1. 

             batguy

             March 12, 2013 at 12:02 pm

             Yes, but it’s a clone that I can visit without having to get on a plane. So that’s good enough for me!

             Reply
             1. 

                light487

                March 12, 2013 at 3:12 pm

                Indeed.. even if it were just a clone, which according to the media it isn’t, I will be glad to get proper water park here in Sydney.. yes, there is Manly Waterworks.. but after Mt Druitt Waterworks closed and then Australia’s Wonderland died (not that it was a water park anyway).. there wasn’t really a proper water park to go to..

23. 

    jacksonwryan

    March 12, 2013 at 11:42 am

    My favourite city is the internet.

    Reply
24. 

    dogcat

    March 12, 2013 at 11:42 am

    Melbourne born and bred.
    PROS: Its a great city when it isnt AFL season.
    CONS: Fuck AFL. Western suburbs are shit holes.
    As for Sydney.
    PROS: CBD looks pretty.
    CONS: Western Sydney is a shit hole.

    Reply
25. 

    Paul T

    March 12, 2013 at 11:43 am

    Stay away from Adelaide. It’s like they decided to put all the weird people of the country there and give them nothing to do.

    Reply
    1. 

       mikeockertz

       March 13, 2013 at 6:57 pm

       Still bitter we kicked you out for dry humping all the farm animals you could find? :p

       Reply
26. 

    bish

    March 12, 2013 at 11:46 am

    Anywhere is better than this cold hellhole that is Canada.

    Reply
    1. 

       shane

       March 12, 2013 at 11:58 am

       Come home, Bish!

       Reply
27. 

    Tristan Damen

    March 12, 2013 at 11:48 am

    I’ve only been to Melbourne for a combined total of about 2 months, but it beats Brisbane and the Gold Coast hands down. Can’t wait to move to VIC in a few year’s time.

    Reply
    1. 

       virus__

       March 12, 2013 at 11:50 am

       I hear you there. The Gold Coast whilst pretty, there’s a lot wrong with it. Just not having a decent public transport system fucking sucks.

       Reply
28. 

    shane

    March 12, 2013 at 11:49 am

    Ehhh, I dunno.

    I don’t like Sydney. There are too many people there.

    I really liked Adelaide when I visited there, but that was only for a weekend, and I was working most of that time.

    Brisbane is okay, but the weather there is too mental.

    Melbourne feels like a ‘cool’ city, but doesn’t really strike me as a place to live. Possibly because it has the same population as Sydney, and possibly because I loathe AFL.

    Canberra is too freaking expensive.

    Hobart is fucking amazing, but I’ve only spent three days there. I hear Tas schools are disappointing, though.

    I haven’t been anywhere else.

    Reply
    1. 

       benj

       March 12, 2013 at 12:26 pm

       “Tas schools are disappointing” doesn’t even begin to describe it. It’s amazing what you hear that you’re meant to learn in primary/high school that I’d never even heard about before.

       Reply
29. 

    sox

    March 12, 2013 at 11:50 am

    The one I live in

    Reply
30. 

    trent

    March 12, 2013 at 11:51 am

    Sydney and Melbourne are slightly different but fairly equivalent
    Perth- like a smaller, cleaner Sydney
    Adelaide = A shit hole, the CBD consists of one block pretty much
    Canberra = A cultured but desolate town
    Brisbane= Nice but not much there, fairly generic
    Darwin = Haven’t been
    Hobart = Quaint cultured town, MOMA is a big boost
    Launceston- worst city in Australia

    Reply
31. 

    mccawsome

    March 12, 2013 at 11:53 am

    I prefer the smaller towns than any of the capitals (though I have only done the east coast).
    You just seem to get a more laid back community vibe in a small town than any of the cities.

    Reply
32. 

    kermitron

    March 12, 2013 at 11:57 am

    Well I’ve only ever lived in Sydney but I visited Brisbane and didn’t like it. I visited Canberra and I’m pretty sure it is the most boring place on the planet. Pretty, but boring. I tend to assume I would not like Darwin or Adelaide for reasons similar to Brisbane, but conversely Perth seems quite nice.

    That leaves Melbourne.

    When I was in my late teens/early 20s I thought Melbourne was awesome. I loved how things were laid out and accessible, it didn’t seem as crowded, the people generally seemed nicer, etc. It left a good impression on me the first time I visited and I visited several more times. Sydney began to annoy me for not being as cool, I liked my Melbourne friends more.

    Then… I just changed. It was like a switch was flipped on my 26th birthday. Melbourne seemed like a “nice to visit, no need to live there” kind of place. I’d lost interest in all the things I’d liked about the place and new things had not appeared to fill in the gap. I don’t think I’d hate to live there, but I can’t imagine leaving Sydney now.

    A side note on leaving Sydney, my wife and I went to a birthday party in the Lane Cove/Ryde area on the weekend and having grown up in Ryde she became nostalgic and expressed how much she missed living there. We then had this conversation:

    Me: Well, maybe we’ll buy a place here when we win the lottery.
    Her: Pfft, if we’re rich we’re not going to live in this shithole.
    Me: Where would we live then?
    Her: I don’t know, a big loft apartment in New York City?
    Me: You’d seriously want to live in America?
    Her: Sure, the health care system isn’t as shitty if you actually have money to pay for stuff.

    Reply
33. 

    grandmasterb-funk

    March 12, 2013 at 11:58 am

    GO PERTH

    WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON TERRIBLE STATUES OF CACTUS

    EDIT: AND IF YOU THINK I’M JOKING

    Reply
    1. 

       bish

       March 12, 2013 at 12:15 pm

       Cactii, or Cactuar hiding in disguise, biding their time?

       Reply
34. 

    sweep

    March 12, 2013 at 12:00 pm

    I’ve lived in Melbourne all my life, I find it an easy city to get around driving, Adelaide and Brisbane also pretty easy to get around. I’ve found Sydney roads incredibly confusing but the public transport system is good (though expensive) and I’ve been quite happy to stick to that the last few times I’ve been there, it’s so nice being able to take a train to and from the airport. Mobile reception in the subway is also nice. Melbourne is in desperate need of both.

    I agree hook turns in the CBD are stupid and would be confusing to anyone that’s not use to them, not sure how other cities with trams handle this.

    Reply
35. 

    redartifice

    March 12, 2013 at 12:01 pm

    Man, there’s a lot of Adelaide bashers in this thread.

    Adelaide is a really nice place to live as a twentysomething, it’s just not great as a teenager. At the moment, we’ve got the Fringe and Arts festivals running. We’ve got a number of nice bars. You can drive across town in 40 minutes, and at night in even less time. You can always find somewhere to park in the city.

    All these things aren’t great to teenagers, but once you’ve got a degree of autonomy, Adelaide is great

    Reply
    1. 

       braaains

       March 12, 2013 at 12:18 pm

       Yeah, I agree. Adelaide is a great place for kids and adults. Just not so great for those in between. Very lively place when there are festivals etc going on, and nice and chilled out and relaxed when they aren’t. And only a cheap, 1 hour flight if you want to hop over to Melbourne for a weekend when you do get the urge to spend some time in some place a bit larger.

       For me, favourite city to live in is definitely Adelaide.

       Favourite city to visit would be Melbourne. But I’ve been to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Perth and like them all in different ways. I really don’t think there’s a “bad” capital city in Australia from my experience. They all have their own pro’s and con’s, generally the good outweighs the bad, which ones you like more than others depends more on what you’re looking for at that particular point in time. I think it’s more telling to hear the negatives about a place from the people who actually live there rather than people who form an opinion based on a weekend they spent there or something like that.

       Reply
    2. 

       batguy

       March 12, 2013 at 1:18 pm

       I said that you have the best cricket ground!

       Reply
       1. 

          redartifice

          March 12, 2013 at 2:04 pm

          It is nice, just a pity it looks like a bomb site at the moment. It’ll be great when AFL is on.

          Reply
36. 

    micngu

    March 12, 2013 at 12:05 pm

    I’ve been to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Brisbane is nice and has that nice homey feeling to it, but outside of that, I feel there’s not too much and is lacking that “oomph” Probably nice for families to settle down. Sydney has a nice mix of that city and beachy feeling but when I was there, I felt an overwhelming sense of everyone and everything being related to tourism.

    My vote goes to Melbourne – it has a pretty unique atmosphere, great coffee and food culture, some cool architecture and the surrounding suburbs are all pretty varied and easily reachable.

    Reply
37. 

    thom

    March 12, 2013 at 12:05 pm

    My 2 cents: Sydney has the best food, Melbourne has the best bars.

    Reply
    1. 

       phlaiman

       March 12, 2013 at 12:39 pm

       I would agree with this. Sydney is incredibly underrated for food. I have travelled the world and I think the average meal in Sydney is definitely amongst the best.

       Reply
       1. 

          thom

          March 13, 2013 at 6:32 pm

          I seriously haven’t been to a city with as good a food culture – we have this awesome mix of options for every taste that I just haven’t seen anywhere else.

          Reply
38. 

    starchild_killer

    March 12, 2013 at 12:10 pm

    Ive only ever lived in perth so I have no pint of reference

    aparently its not actually small as far as population goes….its just got less actual “city” and more urban sprawl

    Reply
39. 

    randomhypnotica

    March 12, 2013 at 12:13 pm

    I was born and have lived in Melbourne all of my life, so I really like it.

    Sydney – The roads are insanely confusing, but otherwise a nice, clean city.

    Melbourne – The city is filled with Culture and Art, and the roads are easy to navigate. There are some slummy suburbs…. But where i live it is actually a really nice and clean suburban style area. Also, there really is a thing called Melbourne Weather. I have never experienced it anywhere but here, and it can go from hot and sunny to freezing rain within a day.

    Brisbane – It feels really relaxed and more like a holiday than a city i can imagine myself living in.

    Adelaide – Never been, but looks very peaceful and relaxing.

    Darwin – Boiling Temps

    Hobart – Really cold, but very fresh and feels like a giant community.

    Canberra – Never been.

    Perth – Never been.

    Reply
40. 

    badger

    March 12, 2013 at 12:13 pm

    Hmm… well, having at least visited, if not lived in, every capital city in Australia, Melbourne is far and away my favourite. Great food, culture and people. The CBD has a better layout than Sydney (it’s a simple, relatively small grid… hard to get lost), and while I feared hook turns at first they’re good once you get the hang of them.

    True story: When I first moved to Melbourne I would meticulously plan out my routes so that I never had to do hook turns. I ended up doing spirals through the city, continually turning left until I got to my destination 😛

    Reply
41. 

    benj

    March 12, 2013 at 12:20 pm

    Launceston. (Yeah no.)

    From where I’ve been, Melbourne.

    Reply
42. 

    Well Traveled

    March 12, 2013 at 12:23 pm

    Well firstly I’ve lived in all locations for 3+ years (except perth that i’ve only visited).

    I love the fact that all posters so far have left 0 comment on Canberra.

    Keep out, Canberra’s strength is that its the best kept secret of Australia.

    It’s a pissing contest if you go for pro’s and con’s for each/any city. It does however come down to a persons life style & cost of living.

    This is where Canberra comes up trumps, you can do what you want whilst working both in private and public sectors. High spendable income *(probably the most important thing).

    There are perks to having 350-400k pop, multiple small cbd’s to keep the good and the bad from becomming to concentrated, a society that is not anti change, not to many minories faulking up progress & development, A pro consolidation/density increase mantra instead of urban sprawl (which has ruined most other “cities”).

    I will admit that I am bias as i’ve chosen to settle/start a life/family here in Canberra (but with my family in all other major cities (except perth, just friends there) I find it interesting when comparisons are made.

    So… to sumarise… SSSSHHHHHHH!

    CANBERRA BLOWS, YOU SHOULD ALL KEEP AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE!

    It’s to costly, it has no attractions, its uneducated, it has no possibility of high paying career paths, it is the worst city to raise your kids in, its the dirtiest most polluted city in Australia, it’s weather is irratic and suffers from huge varience, its prone to all floods and hail storms, its traffic is horrible and will result in 4 hour drives from north to south, its public transport system is non existant(that is actually true 😛 ), there is no culture or arts, the nearest snow field or beach is atleast a 20 hour drive!, it’s full of brain dead dopey people – so is horrible for meeting potential partners.

    Hmm, I think that should do it.

    Reply
43. 

    Daviot

    March 12, 2013 at 12:31 pm

    Brisbane
    We have the best Streetpass group

    Reply
44. 

    Taggrip

    March 12, 2013 at 12:32 pm

    I’m in all of the major cities except Canberra a couple of times a year for business.

    Melbourne and Sydney are both great places to visit and I have close friends in Brisbane and Adelaide. But Perth is the only city I’d ever want to call home.

    Reply
45. 

    Neo Kaiser

    March 12, 2013 at 12:34 pm

    Any place is better then the fucking country.

    and at least Sydney has that Mask guy.

    Reply
46. 

    distantdrop

    March 12, 2013 at 12:34 pm

    Melbourne

    I’ve never been to the other cities so my opinion is fairly biased.

    Reply
47. 

    Bob

    March 12, 2013 at 12:44 pm

    Hobart! The summer’s hot & dry, the winter’s cold; living is cheap and the lifestyle is relaxed. I wouldn’t live anywhere else, and everyone I know comes home sooner or later.

    Reply
48. 

    Jake

    March 12, 2013 at 1:06 pm

    Sydney has a mono-rail which makes it the most lame of all cities in the world, i think the Gold Coast does too…but i don’t count the Gold Coast as a city. Its a collection of Bogan filled Estates and high rise apartments.

    Reply
49. 

    slyph

    March 12, 2013 at 1:27 pm

    I left Brisbane. Couldn’t stand the weather.

    Melbourne is ace, if incredibly expensive. The weather’s still shit, but winter lasts longer.

    Hobart’s nice,and all, but I can live without it.

    Reply
50. 

    unicron

    March 12, 2013 at 1:27 pm

    Melbourne is my favourite city. Way more culture, and the sports/events capital of Australia. Plus if you’ve never been to the MCG on Grandfinal day or the Boxing day test, you haven’t lived.

    Sydney has more iconic landmarks and the harbour is very cool, but the road system was invented by someone clearly on drugs, and I could NEVER live there because of the hate filled radio hosts and my distain for the ‘sport’ of Flogby.

    Reply
51. 

    chuloopa

    March 12, 2013 at 1:29 pm

    Geelong is best. 😛

    Reply
52. 

    belfast_ripper

    March 12, 2013 at 1:41 pm

    From the perspective of someone who has lived in them all its : Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin, Sydney, Adelaide, Cairns, Alice Springs and then Canberra (I can’t comment on Perth/Hobart as I have never lived in those two)

    Each has there highlights and I maybe only rank sydney so low because I now only travel there for work (usually for one week a month) but honestly as an immigrant of you Aussies dont know how lucky you are to have such a great country to argue about! but I do have to say that Melbourne is the best by far and away and Canberra is crap (apart from the galleries)

    Reply
53. 

    greeney

    March 12, 2013 at 1:44 pm

    u clever little troll Giz!

    Reply
54. 

    Jubs

    March 12, 2013 at 2:46 pm

    I’ve only ever been to 3 cities: Perth, Melbourne and Vancouver.

    I like stuff existing around me so Perth is by far my least favourite. I loved Melbourne when I went there for the first time a month ago. The roads are insane though. It was harder to get my head around Melbourne’s road rules then it was Vancouver’s and that’s an entirely different continent.

    Reply
55. 

    mrtaco

    March 12, 2013 at 3:45 pm

    I’ve been around to most of them, for visitation of internet friend purposes. Not Perth or Darwin though, nobody lives there 😛

    Brisbane I probably liked least as a city. Though I did have a lot of fun up there. Melbourne is alright… I think I like it more for the people that are there than anything else though. Yeah, it’s a little nicer than Sydney I guess, but… eh. I live in Sydney so I’m biased towards it. I absolutely ****ing hate it so much of the time, and think it’s absolutely being driven into the ground with horrible stupid decisions and whatnot… but I’m familiar with it and the greater surrounding area, so it’s my most preferred 😛

    Even though I never pass a chance to rip on it, I think Adelaide is secretly my favourite. So laid back, so cheap, so easy to get around. And it’s kinda cute how their “city” is more or less just Parramatta.

    Reply
56. 

    vapor

    March 12, 2013 at 3:59 pm

    Hobart. Anytime I start to think it’s slow and boring, I head over to Melbourne or Sydney, and within a few days, I miss the home town.

    Reply
57. 

    headlock

    March 12, 2013 at 4:57 pm

    Depends what you like and what you’re used to. I’ve lived in Adelaide most my life and wouldn’t have it any other way. I can be at awesome beaches, the best wine regions in Aus or the city in 30 min depending which way i go when i leave the house. The roads where i live are amazing to drive, it’s cheap to live (comparatively) and the people are laid back. Food is great, beer is great and it’s not too crowded but big enough to have everything you need. I love Perth for the same reasons, it’s cleaner but more remote. Melbourne and Sydney are cool, and much more interesting as cities – but i wouldn’t want to live in either. Never been to brisbane itself but QLD is great for a holiday. Weather is too crazy to live there though. Canberra, Hobart and Darwin?… probably not for me.

    Reply
58. 

    shackas

    March 12, 2013 at 5:11 pm

    I was born in Alice Springs, grew up in Tassie, spent most of my life in Melbourne and now live in Sydney.

    What I really hate is you can’t say anything bad about a city when you’re in it.

    I mention to my Sydney friends that the roads here are crappy, the coffee is awful or the city looks like it needs a good clean and I get an unreasonable amount of abuse thrown at me.

    If I’m in Melbourne and I say it’s full of hipsters, the general populous are arrogant and they take their sport way too seriously and again I get abuse hurled at me.

    I don’t think any city in Australia, or the world for that matter, is perfect.

    I think we are all way too sensitive and can’t handle even the smallest amount of criticism when it comes to our cities.

    Reply
59. 

    Ben “Falkirion”

    March 12, 2013 at 6:05 pm

    I favor Melbourne. Grew up here and love the city, despite the fact public transport/roads are a mess. Rail network needs to be ripped up and redone (Which would be great for me, I work in the rail industry)

    But I have visited Brisbane, Launceston and Adelaide. Love Brisbane for the heat and how well the road network works, and the fact the hinterland isn’t too far out of the way so some great views to be had from up there. Launy I loved because its green. Friggin cold but very very green. And Adelaide, good food and a decent public transport network but I haven’t seen the city proper.

    Want to visit Perth and Darwin, and finally get around to seeing Sydney proper rather than just the bloody airports terminals.

    Reply
60. 

    mythamphetamine

    March 12, 2013 at 8:56 pm

    Groote Eylandt.

    Reply
61. 

    ic-1101

    March 12, 2013 at 9:39 pm

    Sydney is stunning at times…the city, that is, looking out over the harbour out to the bridge.

    Beyond that, it’s not quite to the standard of Melbourne. I grew up in “Mexico”, lived in Sydney for 6 years, and came back to Melbourne feeling especially out of place because my standards were much lower and I didn’t quite get why people were so particular about their coffee and food.

    The bar life is far more innovative and comparable to world standards (Melbourne bars consistently rate with the best bar cities in the world), whereas Sydney nightlife is just kind of “there”: a bunch of wannabe Hollywood stars wearing fashion months, sometimes years behind Melbourne.

    Melbourne will eventually overtake Sydney, at least in terms of population.

    Sydney is great in its own way, but I think that beyond sheer beauty, Sydney’s heart doesn’t quite sustain the culture — fashion, food, nightlife — that Melbourne has, does, and will continue to.

    Reply
62. 

    ic-1101

    March 12, 2013 at 9:44 pm

    And “it feels like a proper city” is kind of why I don’t “get” Sydneysiders.

    A city is not defined by the size of its downtown area, or the amount of skyscrapers it has, or the hustle and bustle it may or may not have.

    Rather, it is defined by what makes it special.

    If you think Melbourne is just spread out suburbs, I assume you think LA isn’t a “city”? Or Boston? What about Amsterdam? London?

    Melbourne has more of an identity in embracing many different identities. Sydney has one identity, and it’s kind of boring.

    Reply
63. 

    Trael

    March 13, 2013 at 11:02 am

    I quite like Canberra, but that might have something to do with the fact I don’t like going out that much.

    Reply
64. 

    informedgamer

    March 13, 2013 at 1:27 pm

    Lived in Melbourne, then Sydney, now Canberra.
    By far, Canberra is my favorite. One of the best party cities just shy of the gold coast during schoolies, since everyone is 18-25 and generally either studying or working.

    Reply
65. 

    mikeockertz

    March 13, 2013 at 7:12 pm

    Always wanted to check out Brisvegas and Perth. They have the nation’s hottest girls and for different reasons. :p

    One thing I don’t quite get is that whole ‘East Coast accent’ thing. From North to South, I don’t understand why you all speak with a similar accent to Juila, not as pronounced at the Northern and Southern edges, but definitely there. Whenever I hear political leaders from Vic or NSW speak, they’re always throwing an extra syllable in (Show-en = Shown, Flow-en = Flown, etc), it’s nasally as shit… just bugs the living shit out of me! It could just be your political leaders and people on TV/Radio. Perth, Adelaide, most of Tassie, the accent is fine, But the East Coast… it’s just weird shit.

    Reply
66. 

    flunkus

    March 14, 2013 at 3:11 pm

    I’ve been to Adelaide, Brisbane, and I frequent Melbourne a great deal. I live in Sydney.

    All I can say is that I’d leave Sydney for Melbourne any day. The other two… not so much.

    I find that the people in Melbourne are generally nicer and cleaner than the people in Sydney. I have no qualms with walking around Melbourne’s CBD at 3AM in the morning, but I’d never do that in Sydney.

    Melbourne’s ‘grid’ layout is easier to navigate, with the trams accentuating that. Sydney in comparison would likely look like a toddler’s drawing from above, tiny one-way streets mixed in with huge three-way streets at very acute angles. Couple that with Sydney’s physical geography (read: fuck-loads of hills) and you have a pedestrian’s nightmare.

    My girlfriend lives in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, so I think I have a fair view of what it’s like living in both cities, and not just a ‘holiday’, ‘honeymoon’ view of Melbourne.

    In saying that, I do live in Western Sydney, but I critique only the city.

    Reply
67. 

    musikresponse

    March 15, 2013 at 1:36 pm

    I love Melbourne to pieces and would rank it above any of the cities I’ve been to in Australia. I am a born and bred Victorian though, and have lived in Melbs for over 10 years so I may be a little biased. I also prefer colder weather to hot weather so that my skew my opinion as well.

    That said, I actually like Sydney – the city itself is stunningly beautiful, but it’s the people who let it down. I have been there many, many times and the people (in general) seem quite stuck up and unwilling to go out of their way for anyone. Cuturally, Sydney has nothing on Melbourne either.

    I’ve only been to Brisbane once, it was pretty to look at, nice skyline but everything closes so early. wassup with that? That really holds it back as a destination, I could never live there.

    Have never been to Adelaide/Perth/Hobart/Darwin etc so cant really comment.

    Also have to laugh at people thinking hook turns are hard. Very easy and a good idea. Lets trams through and means traffic doesnt bank up in right hand lanes.

    Reply