Reaction To 10 Culture Shocks Moving to Australia From UK

[@SueNielsen-g9x]

The Clean up Australia campaign started in 1989 has had a huge impact. Annual clean up days attract heaps of volunteers. Kids were educated to not drop rubbish plus there are bins everywhere. .

[@Jeni10]

There are also ad campaigns where litter is frowned upon until you pick it up and pop it in the bin. There are plenty of bins around.

[@r.fairlie7186]

@@Jeni10Yes, and I think the slogan they use “Don’t be a tosser” is perfect

[@miniveedub]

I think the first few clean up Australia days people were really shocked by the tons and tons of rubbish collected and that went a long way to changing the mindset on littering. Now it has just become part of our culture to not litter. Like the old ad slogan said “don’t rubbish Australia”.

[@kazdean]

It started long before that. In the 70's they made it illegal to throw litter from a car and cracked down hard on it. They also started the "Keep Australia beautiful" campaign around the same time (1971).

[@Jeni10]

@ Yes, but the Clean-Up Australia campaign itself began in 1989, launched by Ian Kiernan, the environmentalist. He’s 84 now.

[@JanLotherington]

Thank goodness, my Great Great Great Grandfather John Barry was sent here as a convict. He ended up as the publican of a very famous pub in Raymond Terrace just north of Sydney. He helped many people in the area which was mainly farmland then. When he passed, more than 1,000 people came to honour him. I'm so proud & grateful my GGGrandfather survived & thrived in my Country, AUSTRALIA ❤

[@raymondhardy8468]

With littering yes there are fines, but majority of Australians respect our environment, its ingrained into us from a young age, put rubbish in a bin

[@FionaEm]

C'mon over, Matt 😊 You have the right attitude & sense of humour to feel at home in Australia. It's a great place to bring up kids, too.

[@patrickbrady447]

I live the other side of Australia in Perth, but I agree 100% with this young couple. Most of the parks are maintained by the local councils you pay you rates to them, and I believe the do a great job in providing and maintaining parks and beach fronts. As for used cars they have always held their value, I think this is because cars last a lot longer because of the dry climate.

[@miniveedub]

I can tell you’re from WA. I lived there for fifteen years before moving back to the east coast and I loved the low humidity there. The east coast tends to be more humid and cars do rust that little bit quicker than in WA.

[@lync8884]

Australians have a deep sense of respect and responsibility for our environment, fauna and flora. We don’t want to litter or harm our wildlife and flora and it’s been taught to us since birth 😉😘

[@elizabeth10392]

Yes, we do. Pity the mega rich don't.

[@fm6419]

​@@elizabeth10392that's rubbish

[@kazdean]

Only since the 70's when I was young it was common to throw drink cans an bottle from the car. Then they made it illegal and pushed the "keep Australia beautiful" campaign. It took a generation to lock in the cultural shit, now it is the new normal.

[@christophermurphy5454]

You may not be old enough but 50 yrs ago we weren't environmental friendly

[@JB-zs1oq]

@@christophermurphy5454 But we have certainly turned that around

[@iancremmins4727]

well that is what i call a positive couple, they see the best in everything, if you want to find misery you will find it but if you want to find peace and happiness we have that by the bucket loads, me at 65 ys and born and bred in Australia just a few days ago in the supermarket having the staff smiling at me, it just means so much to have that.

[@marionthompson3365]

Too right.

[@stevenbalekic5683]

Cars hold their values in Australia for longer because they don't rust away like cold regions. My car was manufactured in Dec 1992 (1993 model year) and has only begun to surface rust in one spot under the rear hatch...it was promptly sanded, cleaned and sprayed with white undercoat (car's white) and now it's rust free and unnoticeable.

[@barrybevis7028]

I lived in London in the early nineties and the first thing that I noticed was the amount of rubbish everywhere, it was terrible. I also complained about the constant grey skies. I didn't find the people particularly friendly either, however the further north I went the people got friendlier. I was actually born in Hertfordshire and came to Australia when I was eleven, so I was grateful for that. I've lived in Melbourne since 1964.

[@splodge561]

You complained about the constant grey sky, who too? God?

[@Danger_Mouse3619]

This is something I just found out. In the UK you have to pay for air to do your tyres at a servo. Here it's free.

[@paulsandford3345]

Are you kidding?

[@Danger_Mouse3619]

@paulsandford3345 nope. They pay £1 just to use the tyre gauge to check their tyres. This is coming from a couple from the UK who couldn't believe air is free here.

[@planetdisco4821]

Frikn wat!? I rode my Harley into a tyre repair workshop this arvo on my way to work for night shift with a slow leak in my rear tyre as he was closing and he re-started the compressor and filled my tyre with no questions asked and didn’t charge me a cent. Because that’s exactly what I would’ve done if the situation was reversed. This wasn’t even in a small country town, it was in inner suburban Melbourne about 3 kms from the GPO. what the bloody hell is wrong with charging a quid just to check your tyres. Jesus Christ.l

[@hollybums89]

There's plenty of those dogs parks around with little obstetrical courses! What you said about Scotland feeling dreary is so funny because as an Aussie when I visited it literally blew my mind! The highlands were probably the most breathtaking scenery I have ever seen. I was there during December and loved the weather and all the different colours of browns and greens.

[@dianacasey6002]

Ah the highland are a different story. They are like a religious experience. I’m Scot/Australian and love australia but the Highlands are in my DNA.

[@louisaklimentos7583]

@@dianacasey6002Australia has beautiful scenery and Tasmania is stunning and breathtaking!

[@eurekaelephant2714]

It literally blew your mind? 😮😮 Sorry for your loss. 😂

[@dianacasey6002]

@@louisaklimentos7583 I know the only part if Australia I haven’t been to yet is Uluru. Other than that I have as they say been everywhere. If you aren’t Scottish or you haven’t been to the highlands you have no comparison. It’s like the bagpipes they stir a Scot’s heart and annoy everyone else. 😊

[@louisaklimentos7583]

@@dianacasey6002It is great that you have a great Scottish connection . My parents country is Cyprus and I never connected with it because my relatives never welcomed me . I have more of a connection with Australia than I do of Cyprus .

[@Rusty_Gold85]

Side note we know ciggy butts and bottles can start bushfires and we have Cataclysmic bushfires. There are idiots that cause roadside fires but they end up getting some time in the hotels with barbed wire

[@LoueeLouii917]

Just a bunch of happy convicts, happy that you sent us here 😂

[@Ken-er9cq]

Our registration in Australia is used towards roads and it is based on weight. We also have a tax on petrol that goes towards roads but the tax is less than most European countries. We do have some bad roads. The delay in getting cars was something that happened after Covid, and is now fixed.

[@KieferBradshaw]

Here in Australia a percentage of the petrol price goes to the Federal and State Governments to pay for new projects and the maintenance of major roads. Local roads are built and repaired by local councils paid through rates. Our roads here are generally very good, and all states are spending huge amounts on infrastructure, both roads and metro / rail / tram networks and buses at the moment. Australia is booming with investment.

[@nobodysbusiness566]

My old neighbours were from the U.K, one day I mentioned to the lady that I am Australian but my father is Scottish and I can claim his UK citizenship and then have dual citizenship and live there if I wish. I believe that is still the case unless laws have been changed. When I said that the lady looked at me as If I am deranged and said, Why would you want to? Her reaction and the look on her face told me so much, I am much better off here by the sound of it. This lady is educated and a Chartered Accountant, so she understands the costs of living and the differences in every day life beween Australia and England. I still would like to get over there one day and meet family in Scotland, I get the feeling that I will come back wanting to kiss the ground finally realizing just how good I have it here. After chatting in chat rooms on a dialy basis since the internet begun and before that on BBS'S I believe we Australians are like spoilt rich kids who don't realize how spoilt, rich and blessed we are to have been born here.

[@BC55201]

People like yourselves coming to Australia is our pleasure!

[@baobo67]

As a traveled Ozy note there are no charges for toilets. Also no TV licenses which cause so many issues, They thought of it back in the day but did not bother. Also GST the equivalence of VAT is only 10% against vat 20% Cheers

[@Reefsider-fq4sk]

When TV started in Western Australia in 1959 they did have TV license fees. I can remember as a young child a man coming to the door one evening at 7 or 8pm to check we had a license. I recall kids at school saying they had the tv down low so the license guy didn't hear it lol. I was lucky, we had a TV from the first day, but many who didn't would gather around shop windows to watch. I remember watching Crusader Rabbit, a cartoon which played at the begining and also at the end of each days transmission. The test pattern was just as mesmerising.

[@baobo67]

@@Reefsider-fq4sk Hah, Did not know that. Thanks for the walk down memory lane, Our first TV was hired and Black and White and I recall Midday Movies Superman and cigarette adds, Also tricky aerials. Those were the days, Cheers

[@davidb1630]

Not exactly, back in the 1960s we had TV licences and the inspectors came to your door between 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm to catch people watching TV after Tea. But in the 70s they cancelled TV licences.

[@mikldude9376]

@@baobo67 And dont forget Epic theatre on the weekends , and the wrestling :) .

[@heatherfruin2371]

​@@davidb1630SA didn't have TV licences.

[@JohnJ469]

Just as a point. We do have very long roads so we actually put corners and bends into them to stop drivers from falling asleep at the wheel.

[@unoriginalsyn]

They seemed like a nice couple 😊

[@robertclothier3597]

They did didn't they

[@Bellas1717]

We have a dog park with an obstacle course in our little Sydney suburb, it's next to the children's playground. Love watching the dogs jump over the little hurdles (or run under them). There's also a raised wooden walkway along and over the little creek, so you can see the plants and animals below without disturbing them. Along the balustrades, there's gorgeous wood carvings of the native animals that can be found there so you know what to look for. I love that you kept the bloopers in. So normal. Kept me smiling. Cheers.

[@nicoledemorton1052]

This is very very Sunny Coast coded - a lot of it doesn’t apply everywhere (especially the weather)

[@anthonyj7989]

That depends if you like the high humidity in summer that Queensland people seem to forget about. I think spring and autumn is the best time of the year - down south.

[@oceanreefer2626]

Come to Perth, we have the most sunshine and rarely is it humid.

[@raymondhardy8468]

Yes vehicle registration depends on size of car.. This goes towards road infrastructure and repairs

[@cassieoz1702]

There are taxes built in to petrol prices too, that contribute to road maintenance. It's part if the debate about EVs, how to tax them to account for their wear and tear on roads

[@Realist-m9c]

Registration fees are not actually used for ANY road maintenance. It is mainly, insurance, stamp duty, admin fee, GST. It is a common misconception, but none of this is for road infrastructure. Roads are funded by general taxes, fuel taxes, GST, and council rates.

[@mars-basecommandermr6620]

We're BITTER on LITTER in Australia

[@russellgreet2550]

one thing they didn't mention in queensland - public transport in SEQ only costs 50c, no matter how far you go- you can go 300k's from gympie down to the NSW border on the gold coast for 50c (it would take you about 5 hours though)

[@theoztreecrasher2647]

And don't the rest of us who live in the other 90+% of the State just love to see the wealth generated in our areas going solely to that good cause while the Main Roads Dept adds another couple of acroprops under the Highway 1 bridge over the Barron at Kuranda to make sure it will bear the weight of the politicians' annual fishing safari up here.

[@pamelabaars6896]

Aldi in Australia you pack your own.

[@peterfromgw4615]

Same situation as with supermarkets in Germany. Grüße aus Australien. Tschüss.

[@brackenboy6321]

Coles and Woolies you have the option of staffed checkout or self serve. I go self serve as I prefer to pack my own bags logically.

[@robynbellamy7548]

That was lovely. I’m a South Australian (sixth generation) and love it here but that review reminded me of just how lucky we are. ❤❤❤

[@timinglis340]

"Yet to experience a pothole." Come to the Latrobe Valley... Our potholes get so big they don't fill them, they just paint lines in them and call them dips. 🤣🤣🤣

[@heatherfruin2371]

Before the Clean Up Australia campaign we had the Keep Australia Beautiful campaign.

[@brackenboy6321]

My beagle and I love our dog parks. On the Sunshine Coast there are many to choose from, they are all fully fenced with some having a single area while others have two separate areas, being for big dogs and little dogs. They have a shelter with seats and taps with drinking bowls. At the entrance there are poo bag dispensers provided by the council and of course a rubbish bin. There are three dog parks within a 5km radius from me and they are also a great way to meet people with a common interest - our dogs.

[@Jackie-vz2yf]

I go to a dog park a couple of times a week. There are several in Adelaide (where I live). At the dog park and other small parks and green areas near where I live free compostable bags are available. You can then pick up after your dog and put it in a “green bin” to be disposed of with other organic waste. It is then composted and re-used to improve soil quality.

[@Sharyn-x8e]

Also in Adelaide. Plenty of top quality dog parks and dog friendly beaches.

[@heatherfruin2371]

I live within walking distance of a huge State park which has a dog park, an Australian wildlife park, an area to fly your model aeroplane, a miniature train track, lots of ovals with BBQ's, a couple of playgrounds, lots of walking/cycling share tracks, a cafe and a few transport museum and we hardly ever go there! We must get there more often. The entrance is not within walking distance.

[@elizabethpilarski1076]

No pot holes! 😅 Depends on where you live and how good your council is. The roads where I live are worse than they were 40 years ago (except for some of the main roads). The streets are getting very narrow with time. Damage to cars is quite common and gets dangerous for pedestrians. My cause of death will be 'death by pothole drowning' 😅 Most common complaint in my area.

[@sophitsa79]

I found there's a difference by state. I live in Melbourne and we have terrible bumpy roads. Perth roads are amazing and Adelaide is really good. Not as knowledgeable about Brisbane and Sydney

[@pauldobson2529]

South-west Victoria…there are potholes on all the roads…it’s generally a quite wet region, but the highways get ripped to shreds by the cattle and timber trucks.

[@Designer22]

I live in Sydney. We have quite a pot hole problem after an extended rainy period and the council takes an age to fix them. As others have said, it depends where you live in Oz. Reminds me of the old joke that one particular pot hole didn't seem that deep as there was already a car in it.

[@BobWobbles]

The Sunshine Coast is a beautiful part of the world. I recommend you go up the hill and spend some time in the hinterland, it's well worth a look.

[@davidharris7431]

And a couple hundred years ago you guys were like life in the colony, 7 years transportation etc , and we were like hehehehe

[@Sighman]

Thanks to the fine weather here, cars don't rust out in 4-5 years. If it's been looked after, it's going be as good as new even when it's 10 years old.

[@lillibitjohnson7293]

Qld in summer is way too humid for me. I hate sweating every time you move to do anything lol

[@Reefsider-fq4sk]

Agree re Qld but Sydney can be very humid too I hated that about it.

[@lillibitjohnson7293]

@ not as frequently though. Qld is always humid comparatively

[@lyndabignell9660]

Sorry I'm laughing out loud. We drive to Melbourne to see family and the 'motorway' from Ararat onwards is soo bad for hazards. We were following a truck and could tell when a hazard ie very bad road surface was coming up because the truck swerved. Also driving down the cosdt road same thing. However I agree that we are generally a 'clean country '. Also unusual to see cigarette butts thrown out of moving cars. Smoking is seen as antisocial.

[@9459viola]

Dont forget we are a big island and the weather can vary heaps depending where you live. Queensland can be very humid which can be hard to take. Tassie/Vic and parts of NSW get snow and very cold in winter.

[@vladislavfeldman6562]

The road tax started wit a 3 x 3 cents a litre road tax added on to fuel, I think it was in the late 80's in NSW. It was only supposed to be for 3 years. It ended up being a permanent fuel tax of 9 cents a litre, of which most of the funds are not even spent on the roads.

[@rosssmith6205]

Ah, Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast. Multi millions just spent on the Bruce Highway. Even to Gympie a few kms further.the road is great. Then check out the 1,600+kms to Cairns. 2 lane track, road works everywhere. NO! not new roads, patch work temporary repairs the whole way. In fact our local,(Qld) road safety network, RACQ.) just voted this road as the worst in Australia. Queensland has 2 zones, "The Great South East" and all the remainder can get stuffed.

[@fisher898]

Sorry. Our mistake. We thought you still rode horses up there 🤪

[@AndrewBlucher]

It's always nice to get an external viewpoint.

[@clivegilbertson6542]

G'day Mate!Where I used to live in Sydney had really well maintained roads but here on the Central Coast of NSW we are in pot hole Central! Not so much the main roads but all of the local streets in my area...Horrible! Cheers!

[@fm6419]

Yes! I am there too now and commented. It's a common subject here lol

[@elizabethpilarski1076]

That's because we don't even have a council on the Central Coast. Got in that much debt that rates have gone up and still nothing gets done. 😔😡

[@clivegilbertson6542]

@@elizabethpilarski1076 In case you missed it we had Council elections back in September but nothing will get done until they pay off the well over 80 million the Council owes...The more it changes the more it stays the same...

[@fm6419]

@@elizabethpilarski1076 Umm, there was recently an Election and actually stuff is being done. It can't happen overnight ;)

[@heatherharvey3129]

Perth metro area roads are usually well maintained but we live in the wheatbelt, just under 100kms from the city centre, and the so called Great Southern "Highway" that cuts through from Great Eastern Highway heading southwards until it cuts into Albany Highway, just north of the state's south coast , is the responsibility of the state's Main Roads Department and it is a shocker in so many places. Major freight route with heavy vehicles in addition to cars and caravans. You know it's bad when most of the roads within a small town of just over 2000 residents are in better condition than a state highway.

[@lynneclarke6265]

I always liken Australia to Yorkshire, where I'm from. The south is cold and they keep to themselves. In Yorkshire neighbours are almost all happy to have a chat. My dad was in the Army and mum always said she never knew even close neighbours when we he posted to a southern barracks.

[@pamelabaars6896]

Dog parks are getting more common. We have our fair share of idiots throwing rubbish out of cars.

[@stendecstretcher5678]

Especially in Narangba.

[@raymondhardy8468]

Yes dog parks are common here

[@bluedog1052]

I like this couple; I've been following their journey for a while now. Yes, with vehicle rego, size, engine capacity will determine the price you pay. Just keep in mind, their culture shocks is from a perspective of living on the Sunshine Coast, so probably 40ish Km's North of Brisbane, it's a nice area and not comparable to living in the suburbs of a major city, but not too far off.

[@laurencefielder]

we left the UK in June 1971 the best move ever made love Australia

[@pageup213]

Dog parks are common. Most of the time they're broken up into two sections - one for the large dogs, another for the medium to small sized dogs.

[@alwynemcintyre2184]

Depends on where you live in Australia, police response times can vary

[@overworlder]

Roads are generally pretty good but I have come across some country areas where the roads are not well maintained. Once I drove from Singleton to East Gresford to Dungog to Stroud and the roads were appalling. Which was weird because on the same journey I went Crookwell to Bathurst and the roads were absolutely immaculate and even being upgraded. After that through the Bylong Valley and the roads seemed fair enough. The local NSW MP for the Dungog area needs to get their act together.

[@noelineatterbury822]

Just remember rural roads can be affected by the weather …. 3 floods in 2 years can destroy the roads and it takes times to repair. Main roads are the states responsibility and road crews come in and do the work and local councils try to do as much as possible with limited resources and staff …. Unfortunately people do not want to live in small country towns unless born in the area.

[@overworlder]

those roads around Dungog hadn’t seen work for decades. the pavement had disintegrated I don’t think the Crookwell-Bathurst road is more used though. But it was a NSW liberal minister in that seat …

[@wyattfamily8997]

To drive from Sydney (East Coast) to Perth (West Coast) is around 4,000 Kilometers. A section of this is referred to as the Nullabor Plains (between South Australian and Western Australia), on this, you can drive for A DAY at 110 kilometers per hour, IN A STRAIGHT LINE.

[@Fiona-zc6oz]

Plenty of potholes where I live on the New South Wales Coast. I think Queensland had better roads decades ago due to the multi-millionaire building investment up there. I remember being a tourist in the 70s, 80s

[@kathleenmayhorne3183]

The uk has a lot more housing from yesteryear, which was not made for folk who were as well fed as folk nowadays, so yes your spaces are smaller, and folk are taller. My SIL from the UK says aussies are spoilt, they have much bigger spaces. Queensland does have a wet season, as in 3 months or so when it rains, almost constantly. Folk say they've never seen anything like it, they are tropical storms, lightning, thunder, can be hail, the works, not just a bit of a shower. Brisbane has some terrace houses, from the early days. Stairs are just about 12 inches wide, going up the wall. Only good for folk who were around 3 to 5 feet tall, if you were well built. You may have to shuffle up, leaning on the wall, sideways. Now 9 foot ceilings and up and 3 feet wide steps, or metric equivalents are standard. Older doors are too narrow for wheelchairs, but newer ones have to be wide enough.

[@None-y2f]

Are Aussies spoilt or are the British deprived?

[@OzPoliceScandals]

@11:05. - I'd agree, every country has issues with Police, and Australia has some issues with secrecy and disclosures... but the foot soldiers are generally more agreeable than the bobbies.

[@ianmcelhinney1530]

Regarding clean parks etc, these guys are on the Sunshine Coast, most of which is brand spanking new low density housing.

[@willdsm08]

People from the UK have to remember one thing, Australia is huge. The whole of the UK can fit into the State of Victoria which is the smallest mainland state. It takes 9 hours to drive from Melbourne to Sydney, and 19 hours to drive from Melbourne to Brisbane. like I said, it's big.

[@laurawallis7093]

Also some major shopping centres you do have to pay for parking. I think its 2hrs free and then $2 per our after.

[@mooneepondsmassive7016]

The thing I noticed last time I was in England was the poor state of the roads, then two days later I was driving in Denmark and Sweden and the roads were just so much better

[@glennmcc64]

Fuel is taxed, the more you drive, the more you pay. You can let the dog off the leash, there can be problems when the wrong dogs are there. The hold up for new cars started in the covid times. I think is better now.

[@geofftottenperthcoys9944]

I say good morning etc to nearly everyone I pass in the street.

[@debkendall]

Dont think they have been here long enough- it isnt perfect everyday - because Qld rainy season is now

[@abelhansen]

They are right i live in Australia 😊😊 Brisbane 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@elliskaranikolaou2550]

Most Australians take it for granted. I am a Perth resident, Western Australia. I went to the UK and Europe for 2 months, 2008. It was only then that I realised how good we have it here. Perth is spotless compared to the UK and Europe. The only downsize is the heat. Today it reached 42 degrees' (107 Fahrenheit). You literally need to stay indoors with the aircon going to survive.

[@davidmccarthy6390]

Our roads are funded by a different body depending which road it is. National highways are federally funded and generally in good condition, non national highways are funded by the states and are also generally good. The rest are funded by ratepayers via their local council, and these ones can be a bit of a lottery. Some council areas are great, others are complete shite at it, and those council areas would make Brits feel right at home. lol We generally fund roads in Australia via fuel excises (taxes). Each state has different tax regimes, but the federal government also get their cut on any fuel sale. It is quite corrupt how its run, but compared to the UK it'd be "streets ahead". lol

[@davidmccarthy6390]

We've had many initiatives to clean the joint up, from "clean up Australia", which is armies of volunteers going around their area and picking up all the trash -very popular and siccessful. The current campaigns tag line is "Don't be a tosser". lol

[@EmptyCages1964]

We smile because we know how blessed we are to live on this beautiful land. Aboriginal land 🖤💛❤️

[@toomanywindturbines7411]

Such a massive country obviously has very long and straight roads and rail tracks.Such a beautiful country with so few people, weird rush hour in cities.

[@louiseclifford5184]

We have dog parks and dog specific dog beach areas.

[@starwyn7]

Wow, I need to move to Queensland. No potholes? There’s six just in my street alone 😂 I found the opposite with the friendliness. I was not interested in London but I took my daughter there when she was 10 and I absolutely fell in love with the place because of how friendly and helpful everybody was. Especially when using the tube. Rather than direct me places, because I was constantly lost, they would actually walk me to where I needed to go, every time.

[@aromadoe]

The dog parks are 'off leash' parks. It gives dogs in units and small homes a chance to run and socialise with other dogs.

[@eurekaelephant2714]

Costs of living here - weigh it up first! Housing, rentals. There are people living in tents. The other things are worth it. If its going to come down to similar costs of living in the two countries, well maybe pick Aust. for the good things missing from the UK

[@Aussie-63]

I think we are a country that has no problem calling someone out for tossing rubbish. Shame is a great weapon againts Tossers, as they are known here. If you don't respect the land , the Flora and the Fauna, you will be shown the Doora.

[@andrewh.8403]

I like this couple. They've settled not far from me.They're not experts but just telling it as they see it and it's fun seeing how others experience what I take for granted sometimes. Back in '90 and '92 when I visited the UK, I had left Oz in 9 month non stop stint of rain and cloudy days. We were going bonkers. It was making the news about how it was effecting us mentally. I go to the Ol'Dart, and they'd been experiencing 9 straight months of sunny days. They were going bonkers. It was making the news about how it was effecting people mentally.

[@Flirkann]

Motor Tax can be up to 50% of the non-insurance fees and levies, and depending on the state/territory can vary by GVM/Engine Capacity/Vehicle Classification. Also varying by State/Territory, Compulsory 3rd Party Insurance may be included in the registration costs (MAIB Premium) or require your own insurance provider to include additional liability coverage themselves or on behalf of the MAIB (Green Slip Coverage)

[@kateorwell7203]

Australia doesn't have road tax, tax rates are quite high and it's included in that.

[@chriskelly9476]

Yeah dog parks are everywhere. They're usually fenced so you can let them off leash. There's usually one or two in each suburb. I have 3 within a 10 minute drive from my house. And police response times vary greatly. Sometimes you can wait hours. I was a cop and we were so undermanned and busy one particular night shift that we never even got around to attending a burglary callout. The poor homeowner had to wait for day shift to come out.

[@heatherfruin2371]

Customer service? Not at Bunnings 9:31 or The Good Guys if you're buying a kettle, yes if you're buying an expensive item. Lots of self service at Coles and Woolworths. When I visited the UK I loved how green the countryside was. It's unfair to compare the road system as the UK has a small land mass and a much larger population. A lot of roads follow ancient animal tracks or so I was told. There's a big problem with mental health issues and domestic violence here. Housing is becoming unaffordable. I don't mean to be negative but no country is perfect.

[@eurekaelephant2714]

Yes dog parks are the norm across the cities and regional towns. Its so dogs can have excercise and fun off lead, in a safe fenced area, and often the dogs enjoy playing with the other dogs. I met some nice dog owners there too lol

[@cassieoz1702]

Ive NEVER waited 6 months to buy a car (unless i had picky requests or during covid supply issues)

[@richardl772]

We’re pretty friendly. I live in a block of flats with aussies/poms/french/indian/ukranian/croatian/Italian/lithuanian. Friendly crowd…..

[@auzknightps4482]

I liked this video they were different. You should do it mate but heat is an issue here too. Will hit 40s next month already 30s in Melbourne now and that's considered cold

[@rossalynsmith5253]

In Sydney the parking is not really free. Shopping centres the first 3 hrs are free ans then the rest you have to pay.

[@allenwheatley1900]

All these parks are built and maintained by local councils. The parks tend to vary based on the council but in general they are nice places. Dog parks ( Dog Off Leash Area) vary from intricate and interesting to simply fenced off areas within council parks. All have water and bowls for the dog guests and seats and tables for the paw parents.

[@ChristineStopp-g7f]

Yes she is very special 'Waltzing Matilda '...... I would love 💕 you to jump to the 2000 Olympics, listen to John Williamson sing waltzing Matilda and you will hear the real Australians sing. And how much we love waltzing our Matilda . It will give you goose bumps. It's very Australian G

[@paulwhillas6494]

Australians do mostly take pride in, and care of, their environment. However, largely, local councils maintain parks roadsides and facilities. They are well funded by comparatively high property rates due to high house and land values and have money to spend on parks facilities etc. I live in a small town but it has excellent and well maintained playgrounds, sporting facilities, parks etc. Strrets are well maintained, there are regular rubbish pick ups for both general rubbish and recyclables. Grass is mowed Trees are well maintained.

[@mikldude9376]

Yes we are a bit spoiled with our roads generally , you can find some shires that are a bit less caring about roads though with very average condition , Even as an old retired trucky , i still love doing road trips across the country . If you follow highway One around the coast of Austraila , it is about 9000 miles , so on this gigantic island if you cannot find a good beach , there is something wrong :).

[@ausmac5287]

Sadly the road comment is not the general state. Where I live the local roads are frequently in a bad state, they are currently resurfacing a road that had become almost unuseable after years of neglect. The major roads and highways are good but the local roads, often not. It depends on how much money any council has for roadworks. Yes, most places are pretty clean, people do tend to use rubbish bins. I stayed in Manchester for a few months years ago and I missed the sky and the light. Coming home was like a huge inrush of light and warm air.

[@shazza160]

And that smell of gumtrees

[@alwynemcintyre2184]

Housing blocks are getting smaller here, back gardens are getting smaller almost comparable in size to UK back gardens

[@overworlder]

Second-hand car prices spiked during covid because imports of new cars were interrupted, and they're only now returning to normal.

[@barnowl.]

Please note that the especially tropical, and part of the year sub-tropical, up north areas in Australia are similar to Malaysia as they are hot and humid. For more bearable climate the temperate zones may suit you better. (Australia has about seven climate zones.) Australia is a big country so there is 'elbow room' even in the big cities.

[@maryrosecarroll4558]

Yes we have enclosed dog parks and also “dog off leash “ beaches

[@zaclang6472]

One thing I like about the UK though, is that the motorway exits are numbered

[@Realist-m9c]

In WA there are many stretches of road that are 20kms long without a single corner.

[@shazza160]

Yep

[@Fiona-zc6oz]

Sunshine Coast is lovely but not the cheapest region. Also could be too much hot sun for you.

[@wallywombat164]

If it's not top secret Matt, what do you do for a livin mate?

[@Zygon13]

Wow plenty of potholes where i am in Newcastle and surrounds.

[@doubledee9675]

"Road tax" - differs from State to State (or territory dor that matter). It may sound odd to British ears, but there is a whole range of subjects that was left to State authority when the country was united as a federal country.

[@Rusty_Gold85]

The Main Roads are funded by State Govts with some Federal Funds depending on if its a project ( like boring a tunnel road) . The side roads off the main roads and Highways into the City burbs are repaired by Councils which get money from Council Rates on your property. They can sometime get Federal and State to do up a section> The Country Shires also get to look after the other roads that are not the main links roads under Federal or State Control. Overall they have to coordinate with all the utilities if there is major changes as they are not under a central umbrella of command but they have a inter connecting systems of contact

[@Simon-RucknRideAUD]

The government actually employs people to do garden work and rubbish removal. You pay a road tax when you get petrol and on your rego. I can ride my motorcycle 60% of the year at worst cause. The weather is pretty good. I live in Canberra half way from either the coast or the snow so I can get the best of both worlds in a way.

[@tacofry4768]

Potholes are everywhere. Just usually not on main highways or somewhat populated cities. Most outskirt urban areas or smaller roads have tons (in my experience) 😅 Soft edges is the biggest threat on highways especially in tropical places cause if you're towing you're likely gonna literally sink on the edge of the asphalt haha