Best regional city (non-capital) in Australia

[FreoGirl]

loved Byron Bay, but it was sooo crowded.

I also love Prevelly (Margaret River), Esperance and Coral Bay.

 

[Power Raid]

Western Australia is tough.

Mandurah, if you can classify it as regional, is absolutely awful. No atmosphere, awful looking, and full of absolute scumbags.

Bunbury is the same. Full of poms as well.

Then there are a bunch of smaller country towns with plenty of nice architecture, but plenty of nothing as well.

Albany is an okay place. Hated growing up there but in retrospect, it's not too bad. At least it isn't Balga or Midland or, yeah, Bunbury. The best swimming beaches that I've seen (never been up North, so sue me) and a lot of open space, plenty of grouse pricks like fishing and stuff, so if you're into that... Pretty average people, though.

Just goes to show, we need to develop our WA regional centres with the royalties for regions.

Merging Busselton and Bunbury into one giant city would be possible. It could be achieved be offering fly in fly out workers a tax rebate if they based themselves out of busselton. This of course this would require an upgrade in airport infrastructure but doing this could enable Margaret River tourists access to an international airport 30 minutes from the vineyards.

Geraldton could be another growth region being the centre of excellence for nuclear power, reprocessing and uranium transport. It has the port, it has a massive requirement for cheap base load with all the magnetite, has WAs largest uranium deposits on its door step and if the power station was built 200km south of geraldton it could deliver power to perth as well.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Just goes to show, we need to develop our WA regional centres with the royalties for regions.

Merging Busselton and Bunbury into one giant city would be possible. It could be achieved be offering fly in fly out workers a tax rebate if they based themselves out of busselton. This of course this would require an upgrade in airport infrastructure but doing this could enable Margaret River tourists access to an international airport 30 minutes from the vineyards.

Geraldton could be another growth region being the centre of excellence for nuclear power, reprocessing and uranium transport. It has the port, it has a massive requirement for cheap base load with all the magnetite, has WAs largest uranium deposits on its door step and if the power station was built 200km south of geraldton it could deliver power to perth as well.

WA in terms of size and some established cities is seriously the best place for regional growth. I know Albany's a part of something, and as a result there's visibly more Indian and African migrants. Hopefully it's a conscious thing. The worst thing about country WA is the people. Change that and you've got some really nice towns.

 

[The_Reaper]

WA in terms of size and some established cities is seriously the best place for regional growth. I know Albany's a part of something, and as a result there's visibly more Indian and African migrants. Hopefully it's a conscious thing. The worst thing about country WA is the people. Change that and you've got some really nice towns.

WA needs regional growth. Having everything increasingly concentrated in Perth is bad for Perth (which is not coping with the expansion) and bad for regional WA.
Nobody will ever want to live in the Pilbara but Geraldton, Bunbury and Albany would be places to look at.

Power Raid do you know why they didn't just expand Geraldton's port facilities instead of going down the Oakajee route?

 

[Power Raid]

WA needs regional growth. Having everything increasingly concentrated in Perth is bad for Perth (which is not coping with the expansion) and bad for regional WA.
Nobody will ever want to live in the Pilbara but Geraldton, Bunbury and Albany would be places to look at.

Power Raid do you know why they didn't just expand Geraldton's port facilities instead of going down the Oakajee route?

No I don't.

but one of my partners who worked on the northwest iron ore alliance was called in when the mid west development was falling over to find a solution.

I will ask on him on Tuesday

 

[nobbyiscool]

What a confusing thread. Some crap posts. Some months-old bumps. Weird.

Also weird is that "Australia's regional capital" is excluded from voting!

Not that I would've voted for Canberra... I might be biased having grown up there, but Launceston is great. Picturesque and beautiful. Has most of the amenities of a bigger city. Everything in Tassie is a maximum of 3 hours away. Most of the people are friendly. (Not so good if you need a job though).

I really like Gosford as well. Great place for fishing and boating. The people are friendly. Only a bit over an hour away from Sydney.

I also like Mooloolaba. Very close to Brisbane. Also very beautiful. Also great fishing and boating. I'm just not sure about a town where most of the people you see are also tourists, and the only locals you meet are in shops, bars and hotels.

 

[Power Raid]

What a confusing thread. Some crap posts. Some months-old bumps. Weird.

Also weird is that "Australia's regional capital" is excluded from voting!

Not that I would've voted for Canberra... I might be biased having grown up there, but Launceston is great. Picturesque and beautiful. Has most of the amenities of a bigger city. Everything in Tassie is a maximum of 3 hours away. Most of the people are friendly. (Not so good if you need a job though).

I really like Gosford as well. Great place for fishing and boating. The people are friendly. Only a bit over an hour away from Sydney.

I also like Mooloolaba. Very close to Brisbane. Also very beautiful. Also great fishing and boating. I'm just not sure about a town where most of the people you see are also tourists, and the only locals you meet are in shops, bars and hotels.

and great beer

 

[Mancey]

Western Australia is tough.

Mandurah, if you can classify it as regional, is absolutely awful. No atmosphere, awful looking, and full of absolute scumbags.

Bunbury is the same. Full of poms as well.

Then there are a bunch of smaller country towns with plenty of nice architecture, but plenty of nothing as well.

Albany is an okay place. Hated growing up there but in retrospect, it's not too bad. At least it isn't Balga or Midland or, yeah, Bunbury. The best swimming beaches that I've seen (never been up North, so sue me) and a lot of open space, plenty of grouse pricks like fishing and stuff, so if you're into that... Pretty average people, though.

I'm glad you don't like Bunno, another tick in the positive box.

Bunbury is ok. Not big enough to have big city problems like traffic, big enough to have good access to services and shopping. Good beaches, ok pubs.

 

[Mancey]

But it's not a very pretty place. At all. The beaches are pretty awful.

Yeah man...awful.

Bunno isn't going to win too many best regional city awards, but it's not a bad little place to live

 

[Silent Alarm]

Albany and Esperance's beaches ream it, though. And without the massive amount of horrible poms that live there. Okay main strip but there are places with beautiful architecture in WA and Bunbury is definitely not one of them.

 

[JimDocker]

Albany and Esperance's beaches ream it, though. And without the massive amount of horrible poms that live there. Okay main strip but there are places with beautiful architecture in WA and Bunbury is definitely not one of them.

That must be 10 posts this week by you mentioning Poms in a not so flattering manner


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[Silent Alarm]

That must be 10 posts this week by you mentioning Poms in a not so flattering manner


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Considering it's a pretty direct heritage of mine... and considering the way the English pillaged Aboriginal culture, then I don't think it's too evil.

 

[Mancey]

Albany and Esperance's beaches ream it, though. And without the massive amount of horrible poms that live there. Okay main strip but there are places with beautiful architecture in WA and Bunbury is definitely not one of them.

I think like most things you are a fan of the hyperbole

I've lived here for 15 years. Bugger all poms in Bunbury, or at least, no more than usual. Saffers on the other hand. Did you get fuel at the servo there and run into a couple of poms?

Bondy's milk carton is a bit silly but it isn't an ugly city (couple of my own pics).



In the last 5-10 years Bunbury has vastly improved. Back in the 80's, before the railyards were demolished it was pretty dreary but it's come on well.

Anyway, this was less a nod to Bunbury and more an effort to show that you probably know somewhat little of the area.

I'd rather swim on a Bunno beach any day than Albany, for a variety of reasons, warmer, less chance of being on the menu, etc

 

[JimDocker]

My 6 year old son called me an English cheat during backyard cricket recently, so I take no great offence from your posts. Just remarking on how insistent you are.


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[Mancey]

Considering it's a pretty direct heritage of mine...

Lol, how mainstream

 

[Power Raid]

That must be 10 posts this week by you mentioning Poms in a not so flattering manner


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go to rockingham, elizabeth, armadale and mandurah and you will understand why

 

[Power Raid]

I think like most things you are a fan of the hyperbole

I've lived here for 15 years. Bugger all poms in Bunbury, or at least, no more than usual. Saffers on the other hand. Did you get fuel at the servo there and run into a couple of poms?

Bondy's milk carton is a bit silly but it isn't an ugly city (couple of my own pics).

View attachment 45985 View attachment 45986

In the last 5-10 years Bunbury has vastly improved. Back in the 80's, before the railyards were demolished it was pretty dreary but it's come on well.

Anyway, this was less a nod to Bunbury and more an effort to show that you probably know somewhat little of the area.

I'd rather swim on a Bunno beach any day than Albany, for a variety of reasons, warmer, less chance of being on the menu, etc

for me bunbury and busselton should be the future for the next 20 years in WA. By building an international airport in between the cities has the following benefits:
1) save $75m in fuel carrying costs for airlines coming to Perth (as there is no residual in the case of emergency and flights have to carry enough fuel to get to Adelaide or Exmouth in emergency)
2) FIFO workers should be given a rebate in their personal tax to operate out of B&B to reduce pressure on Perth and grow the region
3) Mining companies should be exempt 50% of payroll tax to encourage the growth of the region
4) By having an international terminal, international tourists can arrive direct into the Margaret River region

This should happen as a priority, rather than spending billions on Perth overpasses near a airport at capacity

 

[Mancey]

Would be great for the area and there is certainly plenty of room. Would need some serious upgrading of local roads though.

In answer to the op, Broome and Cairns probably have it pretty covered

 

[Upgrayedd]

I assume bunburys major points are teenage mums neck tattoo's and those cool bullet hole stickers for your v6 commodore

 

[estibador]

I like Geraldton

Last time I was there we got hit with a drive-by egging while walking home from the pub; that was a first for me. Some parts of the town are nice enough but I'm not so sure about the residents.

I really like the Margaret River/Augusta region, both the laid back vibe of the area as well as the surrounding nature.

Broome is ok; a little overrated but Cable Beach is world class. I've been swimming there a few times during non-tourist season and had miles of beach to myself in every direction. Not many warm climate beaches of that quality around where you can get that.

Always enjoyed my time in Cairns and Townsville whenever I've visited, but every inland town in Qld I've been to has given me a depressing Deliverance vibe.

Speaking of depressing, I don't think I've ever visited a town in the NT that didn't look like a soul-crushing place to live.

Haven't been around the regional areas of SA/NSW/Vic since I was a kid so I can't really comment on them, unless Hahndorf outside Adelaide counts. That was a nice enough little spot.

 

[Macca19]

If it wasnt in the middle of nowhere, I'd move to Esperance in a heartbeat. Wonderful place.

 

[Hap Hapablap]

adore wollongong especially driving down from the hills from sydney

that area of australia is one of the most picturesque areas ive ever seen. especially near kiama.

 

[brisbane13]

adore wollongong especially driving down from the hills from sydney

that area of australia is one of the most picturesque areas ive ever seen. especially near kiama.

I'll back to up on that if I had a choice to live any where in aus Wollongong would be it. But it's industry there that has slowed and isn't much work there and doesn't look like it's going to get any better

 

[Hap Hapablap]

I'll back to up on that if I had a choice to live any where in aus Wollongong would be it. But it's industry there that has slowed and isn't much work there and doesn't look like it's going to get any better

yeh especially after the shell harbour * around but id agree with you thatd be the only area in australia id live in outside of a capital city or gold coast.

 

[brisbane13]

yeh especially after the shell harbour **** around but id agree with you thatd be the only area in australia id live in outside of a capital city or gold coast.

you get over the gold coast rather quickly. its to cheap and tacky, a high crime rate and full if dickheads. but the GC hinterland is amazing, but again many people commute to Brisbane or Yatala every day for work & the traffic is horrendous.