Sunshine Coast, Mooloolaba, Noosa, Fraser Island, I did about 5 years ago, and really had a good time. Haven't been anywhere else in Queensland but the friends I went to see had moved down from Airlie Beach and were recommending a trip there....
Q. Excuse the generalisation but, with all that space, why do Australians build their houses so close together and put 6ft tin fences around their small gardens ?[/quote]
In our case it's because the wooden ones burnt down in a bush fire about 40 years ago (well before our time!)
However, if "every Englishman's home is his castle" then the Aussies feel very much the same way and like to be very clear about what is theirs and what is someone else's. I think this goes back to the convict days when becoming free and then having your own plot of land was obviously a big thing!
The size thing is all about profits for property developers, as Ormiston said; on the other hand there was a thing on TV the other week saying that the average floor space of Aussie homes is bigger even than in the USA, so that doesn't leave much space for a garden!!
[quote][cite]Posted By: Killarahales[/cite]Q. Excuse the generalisation but, with all that space, why do Australians build their houses so close together and put 6ft tin fences around their small gardens ?[/quote]
In our case it's because the wooden ones burnt down in a bush fire about 40 years ago (well before our time!)
However, if "every Englishman's home is his castle" then the Aussies feel very much the same way and like to be very clear about what is theirs and what is someone else's. I think this goes back to the convict days when becoming free and then having your own plot of land was obviously a big thing!
The size thing is all about profits for property developers, as Ormiston said; on the other hand there was a thing on TV the other week saying that the average floor space of Aussie homes is bigger even than in the USA, so that doesn't leave much space for a garden!![/quote]
Very true, the phenomenon of "McMansions" being built in new land releases in outer suburban areas is a real problem over here in some ways.
The biggest of these is that many of these huge homes, we are talking 5 beds, 3 bath, double-garage, are built on quite small blocks of between 450m2 and 550m2 which means that there is virtually no room at all for any sort of a garden space at all.
Of course, developers are not going to waste land by putting in park space or other recreational activity so as a result, many of the kids in these areas have nowhere at all to run around and burn off energy so turn into the kind of fat-arse lumps of lard that you see in many parts of the US.
The average block size has dropped from around 900m2 to just below 600m2 in the last decade here in Queensland as a result of all the development and sub-divisions of larger blocks that has gone on.
[cite]Posted By: Ormiston Addick[/cite]Of course, developers are not going to waste land by putting in park space or other recreational activity so as a result, many of the kids in these areas have nowhere at all to run around and burn off energy so turn into the kind of fat-arse lumps of lard that you see in many parts of the US.
I must admit, I was surprised at the (almost) total lack of obese people compared to Englland, but I guess its only a matter of time.
[cite]Posted By: Ormiston Addick[/cite]The biggest of these is that many of these huge homes, we are talking 5 beds, 3 bath, double-garage, are built on quite small blocks of between 450m2 and 550m2 which means that there is virtually no room at all for any sort of a garden space at all.
It really confused me that there were wide roads but relatively narrow pavements and large house almost touching the pavement. I saw the same cluttered affect in suburban shopping streets where wide streets were lined with small (narrow) shops, each with its own canopy, fronted by narrow pavements. It a sort of cross between the US and UK. I could understand it for the older areas but as you are saying, new developments are suffering the same way. Is it because, whilst Australia obviously has huge amounts of space, its not easy to develop ?
Australia is the nuts. i lived there for a year and even overstayed as i didnt want to leave and got myself banned on departure! I lived in Manly, on the north shore. i savoured every day living there - it was the most wonderful time of my life. went back to visit many times when living in HK.
could happily live there if it werent for family.
also recommend Airlie Beach, and fraser island. so much to do - so little time. exciting!
been up there a couple times as I ve got family and for me the best place is Noosa, top place. wouldn't recommend surfers paradise as its just a city on the beach full of tourists.
Just watching it all unfold on the news now. The eye of the storm is due to hit Mission Beach any minute now. Winds of 300km ph, frightening stuff, larger than Katrina and dwarf's Tracy that hit Darwin in the 70's. All's calm thankfully here on the Sunny Coast.
I was on holiday at Mission Beach a couple of years ago, made friends with a Leeds Fan who owns the local Surf clothing store.....its also the main area for breeding and conserving Cassowary's. Im off to Oz tomorrow (courtesy of frequent flyer miles, which is nice).....I also volunteered to help the clean up in Queensland a couple of weeks ago, but Im waiting to hear if they need anyone else, from what I understand the main problem with out of towners such as me is boarding, which I didnt stop to think about and logistically it must be a total nightmare. At the last count, over 60,000 people had put there names forward......bloody great effort if you ask me.
Comments
In our case it's because the wooden ones burnt down in a bush fire about 40 years ago (well before our time!)
However, if "every Englishman's home is his castle" then the Aussies feel very much the same way and like to be very clear about what is theirs and what is someone else's. I think this goes back to the convict days when becoming free and then having your own plot of land was obviously a big thing!
The size thing is all about profits for property developers, as Ormiston said; on the other hand there was a thing on TV the other week saying that the average floor space of Aussie homes is bigger even than in the USA, so that doesn't leave much space for a garden!!
In our case it's because the wooden ones burnt down in a bush fire about 40 years ago (well before our time!)
However, if "every Englishman's home is his castle" then the Aussies feel very much the same way and like to be very clear about what is theirs and what is someone else's. I think this goes back to the convict days when becoming free and then having your own plot of land was obviously a big thing!
The size thing is all about profits for property developers, as Ormiston said; on the other hand there was a thing on TV the other week saying that the average floor space of Aussie homes is bigger even than in the USA, so that doesn't leave much space for a garden!![/quote]
Very true, the phenomenon of "McMansions" being built in new land releases in outer suburban areas is a real problem over here in some ways.
The biggest of these is that many of these huge homes, we are talking 5 beds, 3 bath, double-garage, are built on quite small blocks of between 450m2 and 550m2 which means that there is virtually no room at all for any sort of a garden space at all.
Of course, developers are not going to waste land by putting in park space or other recreational activity so as a result, many of the kids in these areas have nowhere at all to run around and burn off energy so turn into the kind of fat-arse lumps of lard that you see in many parts of the US.
The average block size has dropped from around 900m2 to just below 600m2 in the last decade here in Queensland as a result of all the development and sub-divisions of larger blocks that has gone on.
I must admit, I was surprised at the (almost) total lack of obese people compared to Englland, but I guess its only a matter of time.
It really confused me that there were wide roads but relatively narrow pavements and large house almost touching the pavement. I saw the same cluttered affect in suburban shopping streets where wide streets were lined with small (narrow) shops, each with its own canopy, fronted by narrow pavements. It a sort of cross between the US and UK. I could understand it for the older areas but as you are saying, new developments are suffering the same way. Is it because, whilst Australia obviously has huge amounts of space, its not easy to develop ?
could happily live there if it werent for family.
also recommend Airlie Beach, and fraser island. so much to do - so little time. exciting!
Going to be alot of damage
Good luck to all out there
All's calm thankfully here on the Sunny Coast.