Melbourne - What am I missing?

[ChappyUK]

I've been living in the UK for the last 7 years. I'm sure things have changed but all of what I'm reading it appears to be for the worse.

Supposedly it is still the most liveable city in the world but in the last few weeks / years I've read;
- The Government spent $1b not to build a road.
- Trains are overcrowded and the timetable hasn't changed in 10 years.
- All arterial such as the Monash are at capacity
- Trams stuck in gridlock traffic.
- CBD violence every weekend.
- Area around Flinders St needs a massive revamp.
- Laneways returning to no go zones.
- Chapel St has 43 shops between High St and Toorak Road empty.
- The once promising Fit Roy St has returned to be a tourist dive again.

I know all Cities have their issues but how can this be the most liveable city in the world.

I'm heading back for a month in December so let me know what I'm missing and why it deserves it's title.

 

[Marmik]

The most liveable city ranking has 5 different categories and subcategories for each of those (stability, culture and environment, healthcare, infrastructure and education). They are used to compare against other cities around the world and Melbourne always comes out on top. So I guess those issues that you listed need to be addressed, yes but when you look at the bigger picture we have it a lot better than other people.

Like the violence here is nothing compared what you might get in another city.

 

[Eagle got a win]

I think if you remove all the negative bullshit that you see on the news everyday and lets face it the news is 99% negative in every thing they broadcast. Stay away my friends.

Melbourne is a pretty great city, weather is a mix of what you want. Plenty of sport, plenty of events, plenty of parks, plenty of things to do. If you know the city and see it up close you'll understand why it's so great. Just talking a stroll the other day on the promenade along the Yarra near crown is one of Melbournes hidden gems.

Although they could do something about the homeless beggars. That's getting out of hand and a sight for sore eyes.

 

[raskolnikov]

I moved up to Qld 5 years ago. Besides being able to go to the footy every weekend there's nothing I really miss about Melbourne; especially not the weather. It's great wearing shirts and shorts year round.

 

[Shell]

I dont mind winter/the weather at all. Big deal it gets a bit cold, wouldn't be anything like Chicago or NYC's winters.

 

[Marmik]

I do agree that there has been an influx of homeless people recently especially around Flinders street.

 

[ChappyUK]

The most liveable city ranking has 5 different categories and subcategories for each of those (stability, culture and environment, healthcare, infrastructure and education). They are used to compare against other cities around the world and Melbourne always comes out on top. So I guess those issues that you listed need to be addressed, yes but when you look at the bigger picture we have it a lot better than other people.

Like the violence here is nothing compared what you might get in another city.

Yeh I get that it is better than most but it seems to be regressing. London isn't the greatest city and has similar issues but take a walk through London and it is progressing at a fast rate. There are numerous major infrastructure projects occurring all the time.

In Melbourne they have been talking about the rail tunnel for 15 years and nothing has happened.

 

[Doss]

There's violence in the CBD of every major city if you go to the right place.

The most liveable moniker is a wank anyway and nowhere in Australia should be eligible by mere extension alone of how expensive the cost of living is.

We do seem to have a major issue with projects proceeding at a snail's pace, or sitting on the drawing board in perpetuity.

 

[perthblue]

without the footy Melb would be bog average. city is ugly and smells, overrun by homeless people, and the people are unpleasant.

 

[Brad Goodman]

Weather isn't really an issue. Anyone who has lived a European winter will agree.

The crime thing worries me though. You used to never hear about carjackings and brazen thefts from houses in the middle of the night to anywhere near this extent, but now literally nobody in Melbourne is safe in their own home. Surely other cities aren't like that.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Vancouver has had the title a few times as well. Tend to be top 3 with Melbourne and Vienna all the time. Housing is ridiculously expensive and only LA has worse traffic congestion in North America. It also rains about 200 days a year. That said, I love both cities for different aspects.

 

[raskolnikov]

I dont mind winter/the weather at all. Big deal it gets a bit cold, wouldn't be anything like Chicago or NYC's winters.

It's not that bad but you can't wear shorts year round. But still I'd prefer Melbourne to Brisbane or the Gold Coast. Maybe it's just that I'm getting older but big cities just don't do it for me anymore and I used to love them. I live in a city of 80,000. It's so nice being able to get anywhere in the city within about ten minutes.

 

[Croweater]

A mate of mine lives in Melbourne and he frequently does this thing called "Sunday Morning Recovery" at a place called Revs. At 8 AM on a Sunday. After partying all night. Sometimes he'll stay home on Saturday night so he'll be "fresh" to "recover" by getting pissed all day Sunday. I'm getting tired just thinking about it. Apparently the place stays open for four days straight or some shit. He reckons one time a girl had died sometime over the weekend and they didn't find her until clean up on Monday morning.

The point I'm trying to make is, you're not missing much.

 

[BotsMaster]

without the footy Melb would be bog average. city is ugly and smells, overrun by homeless people, and the people are unpleasant.

Have to agree. Without the football I wouldn't be living here and as Silent Alarm has said there is nowhere to go out anymore.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Staying in a place for a game doesn't seem right. Surely you'd bite the bullet and go somewhere else if it was much better.

 

[perthblue]

Staying in a place for a game doesn't seem right. Surely you'd bite the bullet and go somewhere else if it was much better.

it's more than a game

 

[Catfish Alley]

it's more than a game

Even if you thought that, it's played in most cities. Or you could go to a town that's a short drive.

 

[DemonTim]

A mate of mine lives in Melbourne and he frequently does this thing called "Sunday Morning Recovery" at a place called Revs. At 8 AM on a Sunday. After partying all night. Sometimes he'll stay home on Saturday night so he'll be "fresh" to "recover" by getting pissed all day Sunday. I'm getting tired just thinking about it. Apparently the place stays open for four days straight or some shit. He reckons one time a girl had died sometime over the weekend and they didn't find her until clean up on Monday morning.

The point I'm trying to make is, you're not missing much.

Picking one of the biggest shitholes in melbourne and using it as an example of melbourne as a whole is stupid

I live in the suburbs and much prefer it, close enough to the city that if I want to go it's easy, far enough away that I don't have to put up with the bad aspects of it.

 

[Shell]

The crime thing worries me though. You used to never hear about carjackings and brazen thefts from houses in the middle of the night to anywhere near this extent, but now literally nobody in Melbourne is safe in their own home. Surely other cities aren't like that.

Shutupshutupshutup I'm currently house sitting this massive house and it gives me the creeps being here alone. I'm not sleeping well at all and its due to that.

It's not that bad but you can't wear shorts year round. But still I'd prefer Melbourne to Brisbane or the Gold Coast. Maybe it's just that I'm getting older but big cities just don't do it for me anymore and I used to love them. I live in a city of 80,000. It's so nice being able to get anywhere in the city within about ten minutes.

See I wouldnt like to be able to wear shorts all year round. **** shaving my legs every bloody day 365 days a year.

I've been to several major cities and not so major ones too. I'm pretty happy where I live.

 

[IKnowtheDog]

You have a dog to protect you. and if someone does break in you can teach them to shake hands ;-)

AS for hairy legs you lucky bastard!!

I hate winter I freeze in the cold. It annoys me greatly that the best time and places to visit NH is winter!! But it'd be too cold for me!!

 

[iDon]

A mate of mine lives in Melbourne and he frequently does this thing called "Sunday Morning Recovery" at a place called Revs. At 8 AM on a Sunday. After partying all night. Sometimes he'll stay home on Saturday night so he'll be "fresh" to "recover" by getting pissed all day Sunday. I'm getting tired just thinking about it. Apparently the place stays open for four days straight or some shit. He reckons one time a girl had died sometime over the weekend and they didn't find her until clean up on Monday morning.

The point I'm trying to make is, you're not missing much.

Your mate should hit up Monday morning Sorry Grandmas. Starts at 10am and goes til 3am Tuesday morning. You ain't recovering until you have done that.

 

[the_interloper]

A mate of mine lives in Melbourne and he frequently does this thing called "Sunday Morning Recovery" at a place called Revs. At 8 AM on a Sunday. After partying all night. Sometimes he'll stay home on Saturday night so he'll be "fresh" to "recover" by getting pissed all day Sunday. I'm getting tired just thinking about it. Apparently the place stays open for four days straight or some shit. He reckons one time a girl had died sometime over the weekend and they didn't find her until clean up on Monday morning.

The point I'm trying to make is, you're not missing much.

Here's some info for you: your friend isn't just drinking alcohol.

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

I love Melbourne, it has everything I need in one spot. The weather isn't that bad, people just like to whinge. You get traffic and crime in every city. There's beautiful gardens, really good art galleries that get a lot of significant exhibitions, a thriving theatre scene, tennis, football, rugby and cricket, and live music every night of the week. There's nothing 'lacking' in my opinion.

I like the other Australian cities I've been to (apart from Sydney, I've never warmed to it) but Melbourne just has 'it' for me. My second favourite city that I've visited would be Boston, and it has pretty much all of the same characteristics that I listed as Melbourne does, just with different sports.

 

[Smoooothy]

I've heard that Melbourne/Boston comparision before

I personally think Melbourne is like a bigger version of Adelaide, without the bodies in barrels. Has a big country town feel about it

 

[Papa G]

The biggest thing I hate about Malbun is that it is responsible for TV shows like Offspring, The Secret Life of Us and Winners and Losers.