What is your least favourite city in Australia?

[dajop]

Comparing Melbourne to New York is simply laughable.

Well the Melbourne CBD does have a bit of a feel of an individual neighbourhood within NYC.... that's probably about it.

If I were to pick a US city to compare Melbourne to, it would have to be Chicago.

 

[drron]

Notice no-one has mentioned Mackay :shock::shock::shock:

Just returned from 3 weeks in MKY.ROK wins that contest.
Very loyal those Melburnians.MEL though is important to me-as a transit point to DPO

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Whoops!!
:evil:
How could I forget
ALICE SPRINGS!!!!!

Bloody good thing this dump is in the middle of the country and no one in their right mind would ever want to make an effort to actually go (let alone stay) there.

Didn't ya go to Bo's?

The locals in Alice are a tad more spirited than their cousins up north in Darwin.

 

[kamchatsky]

For me it would be Canberra.

I have been offered jobs multiple times there for the last few years, and I just could not stand the "planned and organised" boredom over there. Everytime I went there I remembered why I didn't want to stay there.

On the other hand I love Sydney, even with the "planning mess" over there.

 

[QF WP]

I agree that there are good points and bad about most of the cities that I have visited, however these are my Top 3.

ROK has to come close to the worst (or most boring?).

MEL for having the airport being the furthest from the CBD (and therefore the most expensive to get to/from).

SYD because I whilst I love visiting, I always love leaving

 

[markis10]

Didn't ya go to Bo's?

The locals in Alice are a tad more spirited than their cousins up north in Darwin.

LOL, I was listening to the council debate in Alice about pedestrian crossings and how they should be looking at advising tourists that is optional to give way to Pedestrians, about 5 minutes into the debate someone actually piped up and mentioned it was the law to give way to pedestrians .

Must say it was quite spirited in Darwin on July 1, not sure if it was the crackers or the US sailors on town, hope its a bit quieter this week!

 

[Fantic125]

All and none of them.

With each of the cities I've visited I have generally enjoyed being in a different environment, each having their own subtle differences to where I grew up.
Like them or loathe them, each one teaches me something and helps me become a better person.

 

[serfty]

...
MEL for having the airport being the furthest from the CBD (and therefore the most expensive to get to/from). ...

What? $9 by train/tram/bus or $12 by Skybus?

 

[JetLagged]

Just for mentioning - did anyone see the latest of the GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD sies this evening on AUnitie - its a BBC production - after places like London, Paris and Rome, tonight was on, wait for it .... Sydney. The beaches, the atmosphere, the food, the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the largest harbour in the world, etc etc etc. Suppose they didn't have time to mention the mountains, the wineries and the like!

 

[JetLagged]

I find Adelaide generally boring and Sydney is overcrowded.

Actually, nlagalle, the figures are much closer than one might think:

Melbourne: 3,900,000
Sydney: 4,339,000

So only 500,000 in it - and Melbourne is catching up fast due to a perceived real estate benefit - though that is rapidly changing as well.

 

[Hvr]

For me it would be Canberra.

I have been offered jobs multiple times there for the last few years, and I just could not stand the "planned and organised" boredom over there. Everytime I went there I remembered why I didn't want to stay there.
.

I agree totally and while I have had some good work experiences here including getting to fly a bit for work I will go back to MEL at the drop of a hat.

 

[Skyring]

If Queenstown were a city, that would be it.

I used to hate Melbourne with a passion, despite spending my early years in Williamstown. That was during the Cainer years and I would spend four hours and more commuting to and from Cerberus - in the cold, dark and rain. Different now. The galleries, bookshops, little arcades, Fed Square. I love it!

Sydney. Balgowlah Heights in the early Nineties. There's a buzz about Sydney. Hate the traffic, love the views. Home to the Evil Bookshop. Reminiscent of SF. On the whole, I approve. West and South - no thanks!

Brisbane. High school and uni. It's certainly groan up since then. Paddington with the quaint shops and the spreading figs and Mount Coot-tha in the background. Loved it then and now. Logan City mostly wasn't there when I was. Place to avoid. Not too much "park" in Park Ridge any more.

Adelaide and Perth are exotic places for me. A few quick visits. Good points to both. Adelaide for the planned centre and the hills, Perth for Kings Park and Freo. Nothing world-shakingly horrible.

Canberra. Anyone thinks it's boring hasn't seen the taxi queue in Civic at three on a Sunday morning. My favourite city in all the world. Wide, uncrowded roads, great stretches of parkland, excellent institutions. Transport problems and an incompetent local government take the shine off.

Rockhampton. I love Rocky. In winter, as a place to get away from Canberra's chill. We've got two houses there, and there's nothing like strolling down the river bank past some of those grand old buildings, pleasantly full of the best steak outside Texas. But in summer, avoid!

Gold Coast. Went to school there (briefly), now a frequent visitor to inlaws. Surfers itself is pretty horrible, as are the vast tracts of housing inland. But give me a nice place near Bilinga, with that grand golden beach stretching away and away, and the nearby airport limiting the highrise, well, that's a slice of heaven right there. And the hinterland, as mentioned, has some wonderful places. I wonder if Paradise Valley, where my aunt lived, is still as delightful?

Goulburn. I spent three months there once, and all I'll say is that being able to walk down the streets of any Australian city, free and easy, that's worth a lot. We really have it good here.

Bundaberg. My first six months in Queensland, back in a Sixties winter, fresh off the plane from Essendon. I thought it was pretty exciting then, but I've been back once or twice, and you'd probably have to pay me to live there.

I think any of the larger cities has good and bad points. There are things to love, things to whinge about. But hey, like life itself, avoid the bad bits if you can - you only get one shot at life, might as well make the most of it. You want a quarter-acre in Blacktown or a tiny flat in Mosman with a harbour view. Take your pick.

On that note, having a bit of money makes a big difference. Apart from having the new secret ASIO headquarters going up at the end of the street - and doubtless doubling my property value in a few years - my suburb is pleasant and green, close to all the good bits. I walk the dog along Anzac Parade of a weekend, and I look at those extraordinary vistas, and I think that I am sooo lucky to live here!

But maybe a place in Paris, or high on a San Franciscan hill...

On the other hand, a slum in Mumbai might not seem too harsh to those living out of hand luggage, crowded into a narrow metal tube. What's really important in life? Champagne in a sparkling flute served by a smiling waitress, or the fizz of life itself?

 

[brett-au]

Adelaide, with its 14 day heatwaves and traffic so stupid that 40kph road work limits don't work and they had to lower the speed limit.

Not been to ROK. Sounds nice ;-)

I find Sydney traffic to be difficult, but there is enough to see, do and eat to keep anyone happy. Although, I don't work in the city as I find that too crowded.

 

[k_sheep]

Just for mentioning - did anyone see the latest of the GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD sies this evening on AUnitie - its a BBC production - after places like London, Paris and Rome, tonight was on, wait for it .... Sydney. The beaches, the atmosphere, the food, the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the largest harbour in the world, etc etc etc. Suppose they didn't have time to mention the mountains, the wineries and the like!

I did see that, mr sheep and I cracked up laughing. There's 4 of my least favourite cities in the world, right there.

Mind you, I like Mackay so there's no accounting for taste

 

[Groundfeeder]

Cairns, armpit of Oz.

Don't forget Port Augusta - the geographic a#sehole of Australia

 

[farmer]

Just for mentioning - did anyone see the latest of the GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD sies this evening on AUnitie - its a BBC production - after places like London, Paris and Rome, tonight was on, wait for it .... Sydney. The beaches, the atmosphere, the food, the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the largest harbour in the world, etc etc etc. Suppose they didn't have time to mention the mountains, the wineries and the like!

I rest my case. The BBC is always right. The commentator Rhys Jones even got a bit teary after visiting Sydney and a citizenship ceremony implying he would like to become an Australian citizen living in...........SSSSydney!!Where the best Olympic Games ever were staged by those lazy residents.

Pitt Street Farmer

 

[Skyring]

Don't forget Port Augusta - the geographic a#sehole of Australia

In the days of Federation, when every city wanted to be the capital - at least until the city councillors realised it meant giving up control to the Commonwealth - Port Augusta mounted a strong campaign as being the port closest to the geographical centre of Australia.

Another worthy effort was Lake George - on the way to Canberra - where a sort of inland Venice was proposed, with lagoons and canals to float the nation's leaders to their deliberations.

Hobart got in on the act too, proposing a bridge that would end the mainland's isolation.

 

[Skyring]

I rest my case. The BBC is always right. The commentator Rhys Jones even got a bit teary after visiting Sydney and a citizenship ceremony implying he would like to become an Australian citizen living in...........SSSSydney!!Where the best Olympic Games ever were staged by those lazy residents.

I saw that too, on a rare night off after watching Top Gear. There was one fabulous shot of the city lights against a post sunset sky. I love the view looking back from the Opera House of an evening.

Perhaps the BBC got a better look at the place - with the seaplane rides and the Macquarie lighthouse - than most of us. Still, Sydney, at least around the harbour and the beaches, is a treasure.

Hong Kong next week. There's a city to make you gasp!

 

[turtlemichael]

Cairns, armpit of Oz.

That must make Brissy the crotch?

 

[medhead]

Don't forget Port Augusta - the geographic a#sehole of Australia

Really I'd apply that description to the iron triangle as a whole. I find port arguta to be the pick of the iron triangle, especially with the more upmarket housing that has been developed on the waterfront.