Biking in Aussie

**kerryg** · 14th December 2005, 11:21

I'm thinking about chucking in my horrible job in the new year (when my house sells), I've had a gutful, and heading over the ditch for a look around, part holiday, part checking out employment and housing etc etc. Maybe for a month or so.

So I wonder whether anyone has any comments or advice or experience about these points:

1. What's the employment situation like in Australia (very very generally, as in % of unemployed, general economic situation).
2. Best place(s) to go from the point of view of having best prospect of work plus decent lifestyle,good climate,(I've heard Perth is real nice), affordable housing etc
3. Best places for biking (I'm assuming Alice Springs would be a bit flat and boring not to mention hot...)
4. Anyone had a tour around over there and can recommend a route (note spelling)
5. Worth taking my own bike or better to rent/buy one there?
6. Anything else relevant.

Any advice gratefully received and bling awarded.. Cheers!

**Sniper** · 14th December 2005, 11:29

Originally Posted by kerryg

3. Best places for biking (I'm assuming Alice Springs would be a bit flat and boring not to mention hot...)

It is, but it is also in the NT which has no speed limits on the open road.

Depends on what job you want to do and where you want to live. Personally I would go to Alice, I like the hard desert and I love catching snakes, spiders, reptiles ect.

Brisbane and Sydney are good for getting a job, it is quite expensive to live there though. Thats all I can offer from when I was talking to a couple of people. Good luck though

**zadok** · 14th December 2005, 12:36

I've been living over in Perth for the last 20 years K.g. W.A has the lowest unemployment in Oz. It seems like if you want a job you can get one. As my brother in law found out, the pay is at least 50% better than $10 Tauranga.

Housing was at bargain prices up to about a year ago. Still reasonable compared to some places but.

The weather is quite good and it never gets particularly cold in winter.

The roads in the South West are quite good for riding. I love the roads here. Coro Loop was brilliant.

Downside is that it is miles from anywhere else. Very remote.

Haven't really checked out bike prices here in N.Z, but I have a feeling Perth is cheaper.

**kerryg** · 14th December 2005, 13:01

Thanks Marty. I'll PM you shortly with a few questions (hope you don't mind).

Cheers

Kerry

**mstriumph** · 14th December 2005, 13:45

Have also been living in West. Aus. for a number of years ............ on a few acres near a small tourist village about an hour's drive from Perth [ie a bit more 'country' than Marty].

Ditto ditto everything he said about housing and employment with the addition that its got great beaches, a laid-back lifestyle and good roads. Remote? yes ..... i quite like that ... and it's easy to hop up to HongKong or Singapore for a long weekend if you feel so inclined.

Give me a shout when you are over here if you like - mebbe I can meet up with Marty an you for lunch or something iffen you'd both like [bout time i caught up with Marty anyway methinks .... we keep narrowly missing each other!]

marion

**mstriumph** · 14th December 2005, 13:47

Originally Posted by SpeedMedic

Just stay away from the beaches and the movies and anywhere else the Lebs are. They might mistake you for a Skippy

that's sydney isn't it?

**kerryg** · 14th December 2005, 14:02

Originally Posted by mstriumph

Ditto ditto everything he said about housing and employment with the addition that its got great beaches, a laid-back lifestyle and good roads.

Cheers Marion. Sounds like Perth has to be high up on the list of places to check. I've got some distant rellies there too...I might have to look them up.
I'll PM you when my plans firm up.

Al · 14th December 2005, 16:02

Anybody know what the scene is like in Darwin?
Strong possibility we may land up there sometime in the near future!

Al

**Big Dave** · 15th December 2005, 03:04

I spent 18 months in Perth and hated it.
End of the earth. Straight roads, straight people and i was so glad to be straight out of there. Except for the 2 days of dead straight road (or the 6 hour plane ride) to get anywhere.
Compared to NZ the motorcycling absolutely sucks. That's the fact jack.
You won't find anywhere better to ride a bike than the shakey isles.

A kiwi in darwin? - the way you guys freak out when the temp hits 27c - Ha! Like to see you at 47c and 100% humidity.

Noth coast of NSW - SE Qld at least has a mountain or two (hills compared to here) and a decent road here or there.

Tassie is much like NZ - mountains. green and ferny - but a lot colder than Akl.

**zadok** · 15th December 2005, 05:29

Originally Posted by mstriumph

Give me a shout when you are over here if you like - mebbe I can meet up with Marty an you for lunch or something iffen you'd both like [bout time i caught up with Marty anyway methinks .... we keep narrowly missing each other!]

marion

Sounds like a great idea.

Big Dave: I must take that pic you wanted from Kings Park as well. I'll do it when I get back, while I'm still on holidays.

Al · 15th December 2005, 05:45

A kiwi in darwin? - the way you guys freak out when the temp hits 27c - Ha! Like to see you at 47c and 100% humidity.

Originally from the North East coast of South Africa, so temp of 47°C is not scary, nor is the 100% humidity......
Have never freaked out about the "heat" in Auckland, never had much to freak out about!

Al:spudbooge

**SixPackBack** · 15th December 2005, 06:04

I lived on the Gold Coast for 5 years and both Brisbane and Townsville for a year each.
Virtually unlimited roads to explore and lots of wide open spaces, watch out for the 'roos' and the cops, buy a bike there and enjoy.
Miss both Aussies and Australia!

**Lou Girardin** · 15th December 2005, 07:09

50,000 Kiwis can't be wrong. OZ seems to have all the good stuff we do (and more) and less of the bad.

**number33** · 15th December 2005, 10:00

Aussies no good. NZ's far better. 99% of city slicker Aussies are mouthy and obnoxious. Queensland cops are corrupt Kiwi hating arseholes. Aussie's full of racists because there's lots of dagos, wogs, chinks etc... Victoria is a shithole for motorbiking. Ditto NSW. The heat in Darwin is a killer. The pubs up there are full of vomit, urine, and shit. Perth's full of faggots, so you may as well be back in Auckland. No difference. Sydney's a stinking fumy rathole. Brisbanes a sweltering dump surrounded by scorching desert. If you go to Kalgoorlie you'll find a route but it won't be straight. Cheaper up the Cross. The outback's fine if you enjoy red dust, termites, 55 deg heat and gigantic biting ants. You'll blow all ya money on sub-standard piss, and come crawling back home on the bludge and broke.

**kerryg** · 15th December 2005, 10:11

Originally Posted by number33

Aussies no good. NZ's far better. 99% of city slicker Aussies are mouthy and obnoxious. Queensland cops are corrupt Kiwi hating arseholes. Aussie's full of racists because there's lots of dagos, wogs, chinks etc... Victoria is a shithole for motorbiking. Ditto NSW. The heat in Darwin is a killer. The pubs up there are full of vomit, urine, and shit. Perth's full of faggots, so you may as well be back in Auckland. No difference. Sydney's a stinking fumy rathole. Brisbanes a sweltering dump surrounded by scorching desert. If you go to Kalgoorlie you'll find a route but it won't be straight. Cheaper up the Cross. The outback's fine if you enjoy red dust, termites, 55 deg heat and gigantic biting ants. You'll blow all ya money on sub-standard piss, and come crawling back home on the bludge and broke.

Soo...you're not that keen on the place then...??:spudwhat:

Fair enough. There is that "grass is greener" thing to be wary of I know.