The Great Debate – Melbourne vs. Sydney – Conclusion
Monday, January 11, 2010 at 5:00AM | by Giller Unbelievably I am struggling to decide on which city I prefer. It is not a case of one being better than the other because they both have totally different vibes. For sure the familiar energy of Sydney made it seem safe and homely. Overlay this with the very cool beach scene, a very hospitable climate and a lot of very beautiful girls and it’s a very appealing prospect. I’m not even a beach person (let’s be honest - sand is literally a pain in the ass) but the entertaining muscle-beach of Bondi full of beautiful people was as much fun as the family-friendly beach of Manly where everybody gets along. Of course, there are a string of other beaches which I didn’t get a chance to check out. On the other-hand the prospect of having to rise very early just to do a few laps of Centennial Park so that I can enjoy my bike is hardly enticing. The park itself is choc-a-bloc with cyclists doing laps which makes it almost as stressful as the roads and so hardly worth getting out of bed for. I ride to switch off not to switch on. I save that for racing.
Melbourne has a great alternative vibe and having lived in Ranelagh for the last six years also seems kind of familiar. However, I’m starting to see myself more and more as an outsider, which makes the prospect of finding a place where I feel I belong very challenging. Ultimately I want to feel that I’m contributing to the energy of a place as opposed to consuming it. As much as I love organic markets, fixed-gear bikes, retro clothes and a healthy cultural scene I really just consume these products. This is much like an Irish kid who buys Quiksilver tees; he wants to be associated with the surfer set even though he can’t surf. I am ultimately a consumer of the alternative vibe. I’m not overly comfortable with this and it is interesting to note that I don’t really have friends who are grungy, play in bands, work behind falafel stalls on weekends and as bike messengers during the week. As Mrs Hope would tell me; “show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are.” Still, it is more positive to be surrounded by the things you like rather than the things you don’t like and with Melbourne having a pretty active cycling fraternity and a stronger cafe and cake scene it is a very appealing town. But there is the weather to think about and while I never really think much about the weather I can’t quite put it out of mind when it comes to Melbourne and Victoria.
Thus, to bring this to a conclusion I am going to employ a little tool that I learnt from Kirsty while watching ‘Relocation, Relocation’ on TV in Sydney. Yes, I am guilty of watching a property show over a late breakfast while my gracious hosts are busy at work. Such British shows run on a loop here on the Lifestyle Channel starting with Property Ladder, then Relocation, Relocation followed by A New Life in the Country and capped off with Grand Designs before going back to Property Ladder and so on. Pretty unbelievable and surely confirmation of the fact that there is something unsustainable about the Australian property market. I can’t quite put my finger on it but there is definitely something in the air that smells odd. Anyway, where house-hunters can’t decide between two properties Kirsty encourages them to make a list of the various rooms and amenities and rate them. The property that tallies the highest wins. The tool is supposed to convince you to make a decision to make an offer on the property.
Perhaps making a simple list off the top of my head in relation to cities will help decide whether I prefer Sydney or Melbourne. Marks are out of 10 and in no particular order of preference. This is based on the assumption that the necessary A$100k salary required to live centrally and enjoy the place properly is attainable.
Melbourne
Ladies - 6
Bike Friendliness - 10
Bike route options - 5
Alternative Scene - 9
Things to do - 8
Cafe Scene - 8
Restaurants - 8
Music scene - 8
Arts scene - 8
Parks to read in - 8
Space to breathe in - 8
Neighbourhood appeal - 7
Convenience - 7
Distance from countryside - 4
Stress-free vibe - 7
Expense - 5
Beauty - 8
Dry weather - 4
Sunshine - 5
Cakes - 7
Beach scene - 5
Friendliness – 7
Accessibility to Mountains – 1
Eurosport - 10
Sydney
Ladies - 8
Bike friendliness - 1
Bike route options - 2
Alternative Scene - 4
Things to do - 6
Cafe Scene - 6
Restaurants - 7
Music scene - 7
Arts scene - 5
Parks to read in - 7
Space to breathe in - 7
Neighbourhood appeal - 6
Convenience - 7
Distance from countryside - 5
Stress-free vibe - 7
Expense - 6
Beauty - 6
Dry weather - 8
Sunshine - 9
Cakes - 6
Beach scene - 9
Friendliness - 7
Accessibility to Mountains - 2
Eurosport - 10
And the winner is ... MELBOURNE ... 163 pts to 149. That’s that I guess.
Take care
Marco
Ps: My photos of Sydney are in the gallery if you want to have a goo.
Reader Comments (1)
Glad you didn't keep us hanging any longer, you could have cut the tension with a knife these last few days, and we didn't even have a wager on it! P.