Study in Perth, Canberra, or Queensland?
 

Hi out there! I'm a US student and I am definately going to study in Australia some time next year or the year after that, which ever my schedule permits. After researching the schools there, the only three I would go to (based on classes offered) are Murdoch University in Perth, Bond University in Queensland, or Australian National University in Canberra. I want to study in Australia for the culture -- the less it seems like the US, the better! Any reccomendations on which area I should choose? Thanks so much!

Our son studied at Murdoch last year. He traveled quite a bit while he was there and enjoyed all of Australia--but much preferred Perth and Western Australia. He thought that the Eastern part was very similar to the US--Western Australia was more unique to his way of thinking. Can't really go wrong at any of your choices--good luck!

I have lived in West Aust. and Perth is the most remote city on this planet and surrounded by desert- practically. You would be much wiser to stay on the east coast as you have such a diverse culture here with easy access to snow skiing, surfing and all the other diverse cultural activities. <BR>The first writer has some strange ideas because if any city is like the US cities i.e. San Francisco then it IS Perth. Perth also is not representative of Australian life as it is stuck out on its own - way out west and would, if it could, put a fence around it to keep out us Eastern Staters. <BR>I can recommend Bond University very highly, its a private University and the tutor classes and lectures are much more one to one that in the other Unis. However on the other side, ANU is Australia's capital, Canberra's, University and their facilities are second to none. <BR>You would love the life-style at Bond probably more so that any other Uni ( I went to University in Queensland) and would have loved to go to Bond Uni. They have a system there where you can "fast track" your course and being a private University they HAVE to be better! <BR>Seriously though I would not go to Murdock simply because of its location and isolation from the rest of Australia

Meagan.... Hey I from the states and will be studying in Aussie soon as well - I was just wondering if you ever made a decision on where you wanted to go and why? (I think I am going to UWA for a psych major)<BR>Thanks ;)<BR>-Ash

Kit, U.W.A. is in a great location in Nedlands on the Swan River. You'll love it! On those stinking hot summer nights (Feb/March)without a breeze to be felt there's nothing like a cool drink on the banks of the Swan as the sun sets. I remember it vividly with 2 toddlers paddling about in the shallows.<BR><BR>However, back to topic. Murdoch Uni is a bit out of the way, Bond is private, leaving ANU as my pick even though it's in Canberra, a pretty sterile public servant city. It's certainly the closest to many attractions : Sydney, Melbourne, snowfields, the coast/surf isn't too far for a weekend break, and the bush and typical Australian farmland isn't far away. ANU also attracts students from all over the place.<BR><BR>By the way Meagan, what classes are you looking for?

I can't really comment on the standard of the 3 unis, but will approach this question from a slightly different way. What sort of lifestyle do you want while you are in Australia? Perth is OK but it is a loooong way from anywhere else and if you want to see other places, it gets terribly expensive. I hear ANU is a good uni, but Canberra, while very interesting to visit, is possibly the most boring town in Australia to live in, given that it's chock-full of politicians and public servants. If you are looking for a laid-back lifestyle near great beaches, then Bond's the one. Just my tuppence worf.

Meagan,<BR>Go for Bond!<BR>1) it is on the Gold Coast, where there is great night life, gorgeous beaches, rainforests nearby, vibrant community and relaxed lifestyle<BR>2) Bond has an excellent reputation, a wonderful campus and an outstanding teacher-to-student ratio<BR>3) from the Gold Coast you can easily fly to Cairns to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef - amazing - or to Sydney, Melbourne, any other eastern sea board cities<BR>4) Brisbane, the state's capital, is a 45-minute drive away and has plenty of its own charm and attractions to offer<BR><BR>Some people love Perth but it is very, very, very isolated. If you study in Perth you've basically committed to seeing only Perth, unless you have plenty of time and money to splash around on costly airfares to the other ends of the country. Remember Australia is the same size as the US, but the concentration of cities is very different and you won't find any other decent cities near Perth.<BR>Canberra is very neat, very well-maintained, and deeply, deeply boring. I had a friend who had to live there for work and he said the city empties every weekend because people can't wait to get away.<BR>Anyway, I hope you have a great time and are made very welcome wherever you choose to study

I agree with the above writer.<BR>

Gosh, I can't believe what I'm reading here. Yes, Perth is the most isolated city in the world, but you are forgetting that it is still culturally diverse, the eating here is fantastic, our beaches have to be seen to be believed, the people are wonderful, the weather is fabulous, and places like Margaret River, Albany and Monkey Mia are absolute must-sees for wines, scenery, dophins, surf, etc. Funnily enough, you have to fly out of every city to get some where!!!! Also, Perth is just a few hours flight to Bali, (we going shopping there just for the day), Singapore, KL, Phuket and even London is only 14 hours away.<BR><BR>Cairns/Canberra - you must be joking, Perth is where most overseas visitors wish they'd seen first.<BR><BR>Anne in Perth, Australia

Anne in Perth:<BR>London is not 14 hours away Anne - you are being a tad careless with your information. <BR>Yes Indonesia is only 4 hours flying time with its filth, disease and Muslim culture and anti-American behaviour but had it occured to you that this person may be coming to Australia to see something of Australia - not other places outside of Australia. Had it occurred to you that New Zealand is only 3 hours from the Eastern seaboard - New Caledonia is 2 hours, Vanuatu 2 hours, New Guinea 1.5 hours etc etc and Fiji is less than 4 hours. <BR>Perth has the *least* diverse culture in Australia and has the lagest portion of non Australian born, and it is insular, parochial and isolated - you have to fly out everywhere. <BR>Margaret River - pleeeessssee! Its ok but hardly interesting for a young person other than surf - wineries are all over Australia and I have 6 within 3 miles of me right now.<BR>Monkey Mia ..... you obviously don't know much about the rest of Australia if you don't know that for a 20 minute ferry ride we can be on Stradbroke Island and feed dolphin by hand every day of the year - we also have Koalas which you do not together with a whole range of other little creatures. <BR>Climate in Perth ---- terrific if you like a desert climate in summer with temps over 110F for weeks on end sometimes and rain, cold and wind in winter.<BR>Beaches... well really! no shade, no trees, no beach culture and no netting so that the white pointer sharks can attack at will! Not to mention that the water is COLD!<BR>Statistically speaking now from an International point of view over many years: Sydney has been voted, for the last 3 years *world's* most " best place to visit" city. Brisbane the most liveable city in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage Listed marvel which is the only natural wonder which can be seen from space. Queensland comes second in the tourist stakes after Sydney and has a tremendous diversity of sites to see and places to go and its not just a parched dry desert.<BR>Finally: Perth and Western Australia does not have a good record with street marches over the US base in Western Australia and has been fighting to get rid of it for yonks now. <BR>If you are going to post information on this board try and keep it factual and not made of wishful thinking.<BR>

OK another reply from a West Australian! Yes, we are about the most isolated city in the world - this is only bad if you want to go somewhere else and I always thought that's what planes were for! I mean to say how often does the average Sydney-sider fly to LA - or the Italian to New York? Maybe a couple of times in a lifetime.<BR><BR>I'm not entering into a them-us mentality Liz but if you want facts from other people, start with your own -for example, weeks on end of temps over 110F - I don't think so - not in Perth - maybe the back of beyond - who knows I've never been there. Do you realise that 110 is 42C - maybe Perth gets one or two of those a year but weeks on end, c'mon Liz where are your facts you're so keen on. And, as one infamous Queenslander was heard to say, "please exlain" - What on earth are you talking about with street marches over the US base in Western Australia? <BR>I've always liked your posts before Liz but you've let all Australian down this time.<BR>

I lived in Perth from 1976 - 1984. Firstly we lived in the suburb of Kalamunda ( which is in the hills behind Perth) and then I lived on the border of City Beach/Scarborough which was one street back from the beach. I also owned a property in West Perth in which my husband and I worked.<BR>The first year in Perth when we lived in Kalamunda we had 6 weeks of temps well over 100 degs F when the evening temps were still hovering around that area. The second year ( or maybe the 3rd) the temp went up to 46.5deg celcius which is roughly about 112 plus F. ( I spent as many hours as possible in the cinema watching Orca the killer Whale over and over because they had airconditioning) We then decided that enough was enough and we would live by the coast so that if there was a breeze we may get one. The first year there the temps got to 43celcius and one night it was still 38deg ( 100F) as its coolest temp for the day. <BR>I was also there for the earthquake and the aftershocks and the cyclone that came down the coast.<BR>I must admit that I remember one summer when everyone complained that there was not much of it and the temps were not warm for swimming and surfing. I also remember the disgusting doggy beaches where people were allowed to take their dogs and let them *do* anything they wanted on the beach so that it made that beach a no go area for any family who wished to sit on the sand or swim through the 'motions'.<BR>As for having not much humidity and having a 'dry' heat, humidity of 50% when the temp is 40 celcius is darned uncomfortable. Together with a cold ocean current which makes the water cold and the hot, hot sand with no shade for the beaches to my way of thinking that does not make for a lovely beach. <BR>Further I go overseas 3 - 4 times per year. I am off to LA tomorrow and was in Canada/Alaska in August, I have booked a holiday in Tasmania in February and hopefully I am going to the Great Barrier Reef in June ( we are driving there and to Tasmania ) <BR>When I lived in Melbourne and Sydney I used to like to take a drive for the weekend down to the Ski fields in winter - Particularly from Melbourne as it was only one hour away. I used to enjoy going to the ski fields from Sydney and drive home the coast road and have a surf on the way because it was only about one hours drive from the snow to the surf. Now thats diversity. <BR>I enjoy taking a $66Au flight to Sydney for the weekend from here in Queensland if there is something nice on at the Opera House - I sometimes go down for some sports - we all went down for the Olympics and the anniversary of Federation - its only a few hours drive. <BR>My husband and I flew down to Sydney to have an anniversary dinner on the Showboat - we went for the day/night.<BR>I live in the mountains west of the Gold Coast, we have waterfalls, rock pools, 9 National parks, cool summer weather and a fantastic lifestyle. It takes 40 minutes to drive to the Gold Coast where I can get anything I want. With 500 restaurants, Casino, fantastic beaches, laidback lifestyle, off-shore islands or just to take in a Royal Shakespeare production at the arts centre or stay at the 6 star hotel and have a real treat.<BR>Thats called having options. <BR>The reality in Perth is that it costs the earth for any plane flight to anywhere.<BR>So there you have it. My comments have been made because I lived there and worked there and for your information I have lived in every state in Australia with the exception of Tasmania, which incidently, is my very favourite holiday destination and where I would live if it wasn't for the winters there.<BR>

I just read this and had to enter my opinion as an aussie currently living in the US. All three are vastly different to the US, so it all depends on how serious you are about your education. If want a degree that will be well respected around the world then ANU is your only choice, followed by Murdoch. If you prefer to party your way through the semester and then pay for a degree, then I guess you could go to Bond. A large proportion of students at ANU are from overseas so there is a great support network. Canberra is home to many embassies, consulates from around the world, so you would not feel out of place as a foreigner - an important point after the thrill wears off and you still have 6 months to go. It does not empty out on the weekend- you just have to know where to go to have fun, and as a relatively small town with an excellent public transport system you do not need a car to get around. Close proximity to Sydney, Melbourne, skiing and the coast are all positive points. I have also lived in WA, and love Perth, but have to admit that on a student budget you would probably get more out of living on the east coast. Try not to pay any attention to Liz - her information about Perth is incredibly biased and basically blown out of proportion. Does she work for the QLD tourist bureau? So, by all means visit Perth and Queensland (and all of the other states) they are unique and beautiful places - but check the 'good universities guide' for university ratings, and ask around your own institution for professional opinions, you do not want to pay a lot of money for something that turns into an extended spring break.

No I don't work for the Queensland tourist bureau and neither do I work for Bond University. However I can tell you and all the readers that Bond University is not a 2nd rate University - you do NOT have to buy your degree. It is a private University with fees but as this young person is from the USA anyway ANY of the Universities would charge fees for overseas students. <BR>Don't think that a student does nothing more than party through the semester at Bond. The standard is very high, the ratio of student to teacher is the best in the land and the facilities are wonderful. There are many, many o/s students who go to Bond and they are not there for the fun of it either. <BR>By all means ask around for information on the Universities but do so from a professional organization.<BR>Finally do I like Perth - yes<BR>Would I go to Uni there if I had other options - no

I am a student at Bond University and love it. There is no partying around as someone suggested as we are all there to get on with a job to the best of our ability. Also as we are paying higher fees to do this why on earth should be muck about? <BR>It's a small university and compact which means that its easy to get around and get to know lots of people and the tutoring is second to none. <BR>I don't know what area the person who is interested in is going into but I would suggest that she does take a look at Bond and take no notice of what was said that its a party place.

Sorry I forgot to say that this is the web site, http://www.bond.edu.au/index.htm<BR>Hope to see you some time<BR>Mags<BR>

Liz<BR><BR>I can't believe your info is still so biased - not sure where the humidity bit came into the posts but if you check humidity levels in every state of Australia I think you will find that overall WA has about the driest heat. Weather all over the world is changing though - I think everywhere is more humid now but surely Qld would have to rank right up there with high humidity over much of the year. I do think that your memory (or age) has let you down over 25 years but we have to pass on that one. Kalamunda would no doubt be hotter than the coast (personally I live on the coast at North beach and wouldn't even dream of living in the hills - but to each their own) but any Australian would realise it is warmer in the hills - ask the people of Adelaide - they'll tell you all about that as well.<BR><BR>I'm not quite sure what you're talking about with earthquakes, as the only earthquake of any consequence that we have had was Meckering in 1968 - there was another minor one by comparison (though Meckering was relatively inconsequential in Perth) sometime after that centred in a very isolated place called Cadoux. <BR><BR>So WHICH earthquake, aftershocks and cyclone are you talking about. Perth is not subject to cyclones although the north-west coast is.<BR><BR>And can I ask you again to "please explain" about the US base and street marches. I've asked a couple of people at work today and no-one has any idea what you're on about.<BR><BR>Enjoy your holidays Liz - it's 14 hours to LA - hope you get a good movie on the plane. Also you'll be coming back to the best place in the world - Australia - where ever you may live in this great country.

Its 13.5 hours actually Darl!<BR>You are a young person arn't you. In about 1980 Perth had a cyclone that came down the coast and struck Perth - lots of rain and much wind. There was an earthquake in the same year I think which was 6.5 or 6 outside Perth and if you think a retaining wall moving by one foot in the middle is mild and the windows going out of shape and other damage then think again - rolling across a normally level floor in a chair is kind of weird too. So it did happen. <BR>The marches were over there being a US base about 600 mls north of Perth, I cannot think of the name of it now but archives should have a report or 2 on it. <BR>You say that any Australian would know that living in the hills would be hotter than the beach - not so I am sorry. I live in the hills behind the Gold Coast and it's about 5deg Celcius cooler in the summer here than the coast. Often warmer in winter though the day does not warm up as much as the coastal areas and we are above the humidity line and so its a dryer heat ( when we get it) <BR>So yes I am well aware ( having lived in two other countries and stayed in numerous others) that this is the best country to live. However I would not mind having enough money to get myself a little farm house in the Perigord area of France which I could go to for 4 months of the year and just potter about in that most magnificent area. For that I would even learn to speak French properly - the rest comes naturally.<BR>I will give you a report on the Mexican Riviera when I come back - I'll give LA a miss though but I will be travelling down to San Diego with American friends to go to the Zoo there. <BR>I miss Perth's zoo actually. I used to love going there especially seeing those little squirrels.<BR>

Liz: What's with the "darl" rubbish. For your info I am actually over 50 - but perhaps you consider that young!<BR><BR>Liz believe me: In 1980 we did NOT have a cyclone that came down the coast and STRUCK Perth - not sure what drugs you're on but you are definitely hallucinating on that one. <BR><BR>The North West Cape and the town of Exmouth is possibly what you are thinking about. Do you have any idea how many decades it has been since that was utilised as a very low frequency communication link with US vessels in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Maybe there were demos there but it would have been during the Vietnam war in the 60s but that is stetching even my memory a bit far! As I said have a great trip - If you're going Qantas it should be about 13 hrs 42 min darl - at least that's what my last trip was about three months ago, on QF528. For me that's close enough to 14 hrs. Not sure how you're exactly giving LA a miss - maybe you're not landing there.

Go Rel, I agree with you & Anne, some people just can't stick to the purpose of the forum can they? Contrary to 'one' persons belief, their opinion is not the only opinion, boy has she got a bee in her bonnet!

Some of the snotty replies to Liz's letter in which she gave her opinion of Perth just go to show that when someone earlier on suggested that Perth was insular and parochial they sure were right on.<BR>What on earth does it matter how old you are compared to her. Does age mean that one is better able to get a grasp on a situation or less able to?<BR>You are entitled to your opinion and she to hers.

As a matter of fact there was a cyclone called Hazel which came down right to Perth in the summer of 78/79 and did a lot of damage to places along the coast. It came to within a few miles of Perth and Perth got the full force of the wind.<BR>I know because at the time I was with the Met Office, however I can still remember a few things even if I am supposed to be over the hill.