what are the different parts of Australia like?

Hey guys, I've never been to Australia and I am looking to get a feel for what the different parts of the country are like. If you know, in the US the different areas can be quite different from each other. Just think of New York, San Francisco, Texas, Florida and you get the idea what I mean. With certain states even people can be said to fit a distinctly different stereotype. So, what I'm wondering is, is there anything like that in Australia as well. For example, is Darwin (Northern Territory) explicitly different from e.g. New South Wales in some way? Or is most Australia pretty uniform when it comes to general way of life, people and atmosphere?

I love your country, by the way, even though I haven't yet had an opportunity to visit it.

 

Hi meridianwest!

Australia, is said to have one of the most changing landscapes in the world. You could be in lush rain-forest, thick bush, or drought ravaged desert. As far as people, I think that there is a variation, however you will always find someone who does not conform to the 'norm' of the location.

Places that are built on farming, I find to be less tolerable of the 'hippie' culture, however you head into certain parts of NSW and you will find nothing but hippies. Drive anther few hours, and you would be back in the farming land, where you would not wear your tie-die pants.

Feel free to ask any questions relating to specific places, and I will try my best to answer them!

 

As far as enviro/nature/surfing/hippie tree huggin/ adventure holidays go, friggin awesome

As far as the people, pretty much all inbred mutants, Australians are pretty racist, and racist without even realising it

Sydney and Melbourne arent really that big, but the closest thing to NY/LA, the rest of the country take along a duelling banjo sountrack

Especially Bathurst, nothing but revheads and pig farmers. Ford or Holden? Answer the question incorrectly and it'll be squeal little piggy sqqqqueal!

 

south australia is pretty conservative

 

thanks for your answers guys.

ally, I'm particularly wondering about Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, and Darwin. how do they differ from each other when living there? I read the wiki articles on them and some things I found through search engines and got the highlights. I understand Perth is pretty isolated, as in it's surrounded by vast stretches of empty desert. and that it's a quieter city more oriented towards family life than young single people. is that more or less correct? and Darwin, what I liked about Darwin was that it seems to be hot pretty much all year round there, holding constantly at quite a high temperature range, which I'm really into. but then again that's the only upside I could find so far, I didn't find anything exciting about the city itself; it seemed to stay in the shadow compared to the other cities I mentioned.

also, do you know if there are any areas where windsurfers tend to hang out more than elsewhere?

one of the things i find amazing about your country is low population (compared to US or Europe). so less people per square mile is all good in my book.

 

Its really bizarre along the coast between Sydney and Melbourne, once you are a hundred kms outside each city theres this whole stretch of coastline with some great little surf spots, prime real estate and yet theres pretty much nothing, a little town here and there but quite astounding, the type of locations people would kill for everywhere else in the world left untouched.

A quick break down of each city.

Perth and Darwin: are just too small, perth is really a mining city, just families no nite life whatsoever, and every body is white. My brother lives over there I find it too creepy

Adelaide is kind of the same, a bit more arty and lively, but still too whites only and where its located it gets too hot

Brisbanes is close enough to the Gold Coast, which is an awesome place, its a bit more lively, but too hot and again too whites only.

Hobart is only if you are an old fart and like to go on tours of cheese factories and craft shops - the food though is awesome

Melbourne has a more euro/cosmo feel, lots of nite life, but I think its a grubby looking city, and weather is shit

Sydney - You wont understand what awesomeness means until you visit Sydney

 

thanks VG, i appreciate it.

'too hot' is the norm for me. and I plan to visit all of the country, Sydney included, but I asked about those specific cities because I'll be staying for a longer time so i need an all-year-round comfy place to settle myself in; and from afar Gold Coast and Brisbane seem to be that place for me. Sydney seems a bit chilly in the winter months (i read it can drop below 50F/10C) which is just too cold for me.

now, if someone could point out the coolest windsurfing spots in Australia it'd be perfect. i know part of the fun is exploring on your own which i plan on doing, but i'd also like to know if there are some must-know places for that in the country, if there are any windsurfers on here in the first place.

 

Windang is probably most famous for that. The beach where lake illawarra empties out on to, and it empties out right near the reef, so when you have a north swell and tidal surges from the lake, you have breaks in 5 different directions.




Over in perth you have the roaring 40s, so its windy pretty much every afternoon. Margaret river would be no.1, but theres plenty of spots over there. Perth / south west WA would be best for windsurfing

Aside from windsurfing, best Surf spots are Kirra QLD, Torquay/Bells Vic, Margaret River WA, and that 1000km stretch from Byron down to Kiama on the NSW coast

My favourite is The Farm, Shellharbour, in a state park so no development around, so it feels like you are surfing back before civilisation, and when its working there are no sets, just one morning long set, wave after wave

 

cool. thanks so much man, you've been a big help.