How's W.A...?

[2011G6E]

Further to the thread on here asking "what's NSW and VIC really like", I thought I'd ask "What's WA really like?"

Big companies like Rio and others are poaching train drivers from here in Queensland...at the moment there's more headhunting going on than ever went on in the New Guinea highlands.

The jobs aren't too bad by the sound of it...fantastic pay, FIFO with two weeks on two weeks off, etc. And you get a massive pay rise if you choose to actually go and live over there. It's something to think about.

So what's WA actually like? I've heard that the cost of living can be fairly high. What's rego costs, etc like?

[comagutsa]

cost of living is high imo .. i am a FIFO Rio worker doing 9 days on 5 0ff, and have been with Rio for 8 years now and doing FIFO for 11 years (so way before the boom)
rent is high avergare in Perth is approx $420-450 a week
and if you need to rent up in the pilbara eg karratha you would be looking at around $2000 a week for rent (yes you read right)
fuel up in Pilbara is approx $1.90 or so per L, perth about $1.40 per L
housing priced have nearly doubled in the 11yrs i have been working FIFO and the med house price now is $500k
a pint of beer at the pub is a joke ave $12 with highest up to $17
i went to a pub in the city the other week and it cost me $9 for a stubby of TED and the Mrs paid $14 for a stubby of jacks and coke WTF rip off . On the mine site they cost $2.50 for beer and $4.5 for jacks and coke haha ..and thats why id rather stay home and catch up with a BBQ at home and a beers with mates
there is a sort of 2 sided economy here , the people that work in the mines and the ones that dont
i was getting more bang for my buck when i 1st started mining and if my wages went up the same as everything else has i would be making a hell of alot more than i am now.
rego for my vehicles is good i recon. FG XR8 ute i just paid approx $550 a year for rego, my GSXR 750 k7 is about $300 or less i think
power and water have shot up over the last 5 years but from the sounds of it from other places in OZ its not to bad
perth power is 22.8c per unit and cant remember what water is
but in saying all that it a great place with heaps to see and do

[Dr Jekkyl]

More unpatrolled roads than you can point a green HSV ute at.

More unpatrolled beaches than you can point a SeaDoo jetski at.

[poppa smurf]

spent a fair bit of time in WA in my younger years.....loved the place, things are more expensive but far more freedom to enjoy it.....cant see it changing all that much, once you get away from Perth....a lot like the top end without the humidity.

given half a chance and a few privileges that older age wont afford me I'd be back there in a flash

Kimberley region is a must see on your spare time......gibb river road a must do

if'n I was you I'd hitch up the wagon and "go west young man!"

[Pepscobra]

Originally from Perth... Have spent the last 6 years living throughout south-east Asia... Perth is still one of the best cities in the world to call home.
It's damn expensive, I'll admit that... Each time I return I really notice it... A choc milk and pie used to be $5 a few years ago. Last time I was in Perth it cost me $10.

[Spudz27]

The biggest problem with W.A is mining, not knocking it or the workers, but it has made for an economy based on the assumption we somehow all work in them. I am thankful to live 400km south away from any mines, my 4bd 2 bath house in a culdesac with huge workshop and enclosed garage, patio etc is $325pw. In perth I would be asked for $500 maybe more. I do not work fifo, would love to, but being unskilled makes it hard unless you know someone. But everytime I go to perth I am reminded that most shops etc now act like we are all fifo. I can still get a pint for $7 down here and a jacks and coke for $8.50.

Otherwise it is a nice state to explore. I have explored pretty much all down south, which is forrest, wineries, cheeses, chocolate, breweries etc. Where I live has heaps of coastal scenery, forrest etc to explore, but I do need to get up north one day, never been further than Kalbarri.

[Ben73]

My old man did FIFO for 2 months in Northern WA.
HE hated it. Rent $350 a week each that's split 3 ways. So $1000 a week for an average 3 bedroom house.
He said $8 for loaf a bread and stupid stuff like that.
He said never again.

[Crazy Dazz]

Perth and all the mining towns are busting at the seams.
In the main municipality at the northern fringe of Perth (Wanneroo) they are releasing 200 blocks of land a week, and selling 250. Not sure why people want to buy land because it takes something like 2 years to get a house built. Price of EVERYTHING is extreme.
I saw one recent study that rated Perth as THE most expensive city in the WORLD to live. (Ha Noi was the cheapest.)
There is no point going out to dinner, because the prices are unbelievable and the service is ****. If it wasn’t for backpackers and illegals WA would have no service industry left.
The biggest problems are caused because the rapid growth has out-stripped the ability of the government to provide infrastructure. There is also the problem that although the WA governments profits through mining royalties, it then loses out in GST revenue, so it simply lacks the money to keep up with demand.
If my kids weren’t very happy in the school they’re in, I’d be out of Perth in a flash.

If the job you’re being offered requires you to love in the Pilbara, and doesn’t include housing, forget it. IF you can find a place (and that is a bloody big if) you’re looking at $8,000 a MONTH rent for a crappy old house, more like $10,000 for a semi decent 4x2. Cost of fuel there was over $1.90 last time I looked. And forget about seeing a doctor, or getting your car serviced.

If you had to move to “Perth” to do FIFO, look at living somewhere like Bunbury, housing is still affordable and it’s only about 2 hours to the Perth airport. If they are offering a longer roster, like 3:1 or 4:1, stay where you are and fly.

WA has never really had much of a manufacturing industry, pretty much the only stuff being made here is stuff that it too heavy, bulky, or specialised to be imported. As a result the drain on manufacturing hasn’t really affected us.

Of course you still get the whingers, people who refuse to move out of their comfort zone. If you insist on only working in the CBD, and aren’t willing to try new things, then chances are your salary has not kept pace.

It is also particularly tough on pensioners and public servants.

To be honest, I still rank Perth as the most beautiful city in Australia. Once I have made my money, I hope the mining boom ends, and everybody goes home, and we can enjoy it in Peace.

[STINKY NINJA]

Perth is great,you dont get hassled by the cops if you dont drive like a tool,pretty much do whatever to your car and get away with it,i pay around 8 bucks for a pint of teds,pay around 1-40,1-50 a litre for 98 fuel,if you want to work on the mines get a fifo job and live in perth,accomodation and food is free on site.
Life is great,in saying that, perth sucks to all those who want to move here and clutter my beautiful city up...
I was born and lived in a town called carnarvon for 17 years,if you want to whinge,have a whinge about that hole in the ground,its up north and sucks badly,makes perth look awesome.
Most northern wa towns suck,its only the mines which attract people,and the fishing of course!

[comagutsa]

Shannon comes through with the goods haha

[STINKY NINJA]

Haha this post was slightly better than my other one about farting and people with bad breath in the what do you hate thread