Best place to live and why?

Where's the best place to live in Australia and why?

• One day I hope to move to Australia with someone amazing in my life, but at the moment I basically don't know anything about this place and the little that I've heard sounds like it would be pretty cool to live there. So it would be helpful to know more things about it from other people. Like what's the gov't status, wars? Where's the best place to life and why? What jobs, how rich do you have to be? Good or poor environment, the people. Pretty much just anything about it would be helpful. Thanks, and much appreceated.

• Answer:

  Good choice, even if you've made it well in advance! I moved out here with my young daughter 18 months ago from the UK and have not had a single regret. We live on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, in a largish town (or small city!) with a fabulous, subtropical climate and amazing unspoilt beaches/nature reserves. It's rarely too hot or too cold. In summer the temperature is around the high 20s to low 30s C, in winter days are typically 18-23C with a night-time minimum of around 7C. So, you rarely need air-conditioning or heating. We get plenty of rain - we're one of very few parts of the country that aren't in drought. You don't say where you're from but in comparison to London, where I came from, the cost of living is slightly lower but property prices are far, far lower. The downside is that unemployment is quite high, especially if you don't have a profession or trade. ("Tradies" however are always in high demand.) People are lovely, open and friendly like most Aussies but even more so in the country. Even teenagers are helpful and polite! The government is allegedly Labor but despite some apron strings still tying them to the unions, they are pretty much to the right of the left, if you see what I mean. Kind of would-be Blairites. Wars ... we have peacekeeping troops in East Timor and a couple of other Pacific locations and some presence in Iraq & Afghanistan. The bigger cities have higher crime rates and some areas are worse than others, as you'd expect. Just like any other first world country. I love the clean, unpolluted rural environment (although my town has two hospitals, an airport and all the shops you could ever need) but if you are young and want big money and a fast environment, I would recommend Sydney or Melbourne, or even Perth (although that's isolated). Brisbane is a kind of compromise, still small enough to be friendly and not too expensive but with the facilities of a big city. However it does get very hot up there! Any more questions, just shoot. Edit: Should have added that Sydney and Melbourne are very expensive but the salaries are higher ... same old story! Edit 2: fruitsalad is quite right about the difficulties of getting in to Australia if you're not on the 'wanted' list: you need to achieve a certain number 'points' according to how desirable your skills are. I am spoiled because I have dual Aus/Brit nationality, like all my family.