After spending a couple of months travelling through the country I wanted to share some of the things I loved about Australia. However rather than just the places and sights these are normal lifestyle things that I have observed.
For balance a have written about the things I dislike in another post as well.
Public Spaces
I don’t think I have been anywhere else in the world that creates social and public spaces as well as Australia.
Think free BBQs to use at nearly every major beach, play parks, swimming pools and lagoons, running tracks, gym equipment, free gym sessions along esplanades and boardwalks, beautifully landscaped gardens in every major city, free walking tours and even a life guarded beach created along the river right in the heart of Brisbane.
The list goes on and on. But basically public spaces in Australia are excellent. They offer so much for the local people and tourists alike and are always a hub of activity and a place for a social occasion.
Beaches and Beach Facilities
Most of the popular beaches are really just an extension of the aforementioned public spaces. They are all patrolled daily and have excellent facilities such as showers and toilets along with lockers to store your gear.
Australia truly lives the outdoor lifestyle hence why their beaches and public areas are truly brilliant.
Clubs
Not nightclubs but club houses! The UK once had a huge club scene on any given evening you’d find a British Legion, Labour, Conservative or working mans club packed to the rafters. This no longer exists in the UK. Clubs like this have all but disappeared with a few still surviving.
However in Australia clubs seem to be thriving. In every town their seems to be a bowls club which offers free instant membership for guests. Here you can get cheap meals, reasonable drinks and there always seems to be a lively friendly atmosphere. A lot of the sports teams have their own clubs too so you can visit and get a good cheap feed here as well.
Surf Culture
I get it’s not every ones cup of tea. But I love the life of chilling in the evening having a BBQ and beers and then spending the day on the beach and in the ocean whether that just be body surfing, body boarding or surfing in the breaks.
Surf clothing is pretty cool too!
Free Parking and Free Wifi
One thing that amazed me about Australia was the ease of parking and that it was free in a lot of town centres and just away from many of the main beaches. This keeps town centres full of people making them lively and social, something the UK is struggling with.
I couldn’t believe the access to free wifi either. All of the main city centres have free access as do a lot of the city beaches too. I’d lie on a beach in Sydney and be shocked to find that there was just free wifi for everyone to use.
These are the main things I loved and obviously the weather, beach life and the ocean make for a pretty chilled life. I completely understand why people are drawn to Australia and want to live here. I cant see myself making the move though, I love Europe and it’s different cultures too much.