Good to hear about the rain. Water tables being lowered was an issue in Perth when I was there. God it was dry!
It's funny really. A lot depends on your personal circumstances when you get an impression of a city. I had a ball in Sydney but then again I was much younger. People would invite me to parties, and sometimes I'd walk in off the street and invite myself to one that was going off, just for fun...it was how it all rolled in those days. Nobody ever asked me to leave. The Olympics were a buzz. People were in constant party mode, hardly any work got done.
A friend observed that in Sydney everyone wants to know where you live, and in Melbourne everyone wants to know where you went to school. Funnily enough I've never been asked the latter but it is very establishment in many circles. So it must depend on what circles you mix in.
I must admit when I was in Perth I was working on some litigation and there was a lot of pushback about me coming in and very quietly telling them where they went wrong (well, I was right...what could I do? avoid the topic? We had to win and I made sure of that.) So it wasn't as friendly at the workplace. Some warmed to me but it was intensely political.
I am admitted to practice in WA so we'll see. Never say never. Perth people were very warm I must admit and if you called to make an appointment at the doctor, the receptionist wouldn't let you off the phone unless she was totally convinced you could get there. Before googlemaps but still...
Been up until late obsessing about the property market. I do think Perth is indeed set for a massive boom, and that will spread to the market no doubt about that. Melbourne is going to very slowly ...go cactus. Chinese students are a huge element of the economy. Unless Daniel Andrews performs miracles with the trade war between China and the US and Morrison pulls his head in. The Chinese basically got worried that Australia and the US would make them pay for the costs associated with Covid-19. It could have been handled better.
The exodus to the Victorian regions won't change that trend. There is however going to be a bit of a gold rush as new technologies are being used. So some regional cities like Ballarat and Bendigo will benefit. Melbourne city is not going to recover this is a long term trend with the working from home thing. I don't want to go inland too far. Fires are going to remain a big issue. Need to be near the sea.
