Living "down under" in Bunbury

Paul Hogan in 'Crocodile Dundee'   

Before visiting Australia, I really didn't know much about the country.  I could name 3 cities (Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth) and I knew Tasmania and New Zealand were in the same vicinity, but I had no clue where they were located.  Like most Americans, my exposure to Australia was limited to the "Crocodile Dundee" movies, Steve Irwin (nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter"), the 1996 Olympic Games, TV shows on the Discovery or National Geographic channels kangaroos, sharks, koalas, and travel shows about the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbor Bridge, the Great Barrier Reef, and Ayer's Rock.  Oh yeah, I also enjoyed the delicious (and decently priced) Australian wines sold in the US and the yummy food at Outback Steakhouse!

 I love the Drover's Platter at Outback!

Reflecting on all my history courses, I never learned anything more about Australia other than its origin as a place for the British empire to send their criminals.  Here is some more information about the land down under.

Australian Facts

• Australia is the 6th largest country by area, 52nd largest by population
• Australia is 80% the size of the United States
• The currency is the Australian dollar which currently has the same value as the US dollar
• Minimum wage is $15/hour
• Has been inhabited by indigenous people for at least 40,000 years
• Was first "discovered" in early 1600s by the Dutch
• Britain claimed Australia as a prisoner relocation facility in the late 1700s
• Experienced a gold rush in the 1850s
• Gained independence in 1901 when the 6 colonies united under a constitution to form the Commonwealth of Australia
• Australia has 6 states and 2 territories (Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory)
• Sheep outnumber people 6 to 1
• The 'dingo fence' in Australia is the longest fence in the world, about twice as long as the Great Wall of China
• Over 90% of Australia is dry, flat and arid - 75% of which cannot support any form of agriculture
• Emus and kangaroos cannot walk backwards, and are on the Australian coat of arms for that reason
• 90% of the 22 million people live within 75 miles of the coast

Did you know that all major Australian cities are near the coast?

Home Sweet Home

We arrived in Australia in June and were provided with a temporary apartment and rental car in the city of Bunbury, which is located 100 miles south of Perth in the southwestern corner of Australia.  Our furnishings were still being delivered from Thailand and we ended up living out of our suitcases in the partially furnished apartment for a month.  Unprepared for the near freezing winter temperatures, we had to buy a heater and some warm weather clothes!  The wet season falls in the winter in Bunbury and we had to endure lots of cold, rainy days but it did result in seeing more rainbows within a month than in my entire lifetime!

I saw a couple of wild kangaroos at a gas station in a nearby town

While Amber was settling in with her new job, I spent my time exploring the city and looking for a permanent place to live.  I was completely blown away when I first saw the Indian Ocean - it was the most beautiful non resort-town beach I had ever seen.  The water was clean (but very cold!) and it had a beautiful shade of blue-green.  The sand was white and there was a nice pathway along the entire coastline.  I couldn't believe I was living in a place with such a nice beach!  Anytime I had an errand to do with the car, I deliberately took the long way just so I could get a glimpse of the amazing ocean.

 View of Bunbury and the Indian Ocean

The city of Bunbury was established in 1836 by Britain as a military post for new settlers.  A boom in timber for the construction of railways and the gold rush transformed Bunbury from a small colony to a town by 1900.  The train station in Bunbury served as a major hub for the region joining the coal, agricultural, and mineral industries with the city of Perth.

The marina in Bunbury

Today, Bunbury is the 3rd largest city in the state of Western Australia with a population of 66,000 people. It is the commercial and cultural center of the Southwest region of Western Australia.  The Port of Bunbury has developed into the region's main export channel.  Bunbury also provides services, equipment, and housing for the local mining industry (which is why we're here). 

Bunbury and the Leschenault Inlet

After our temporary housing had completed we moved into a condo unit in Bunbury and received our furnishings from Thailand.  We began to settle in nicely and started to make some observations about living in Australia.  The people and scenery were very positive things that we noted, however, the expensiveness and cost of living was higher than the US, and all the store closed very early (by 6pm most of the shops were closed!).

I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of activities and clubs for such a small city.  Within a month of arriving I had joined the tennis club, runner's club, and cross-country running club.  There is practically a club for every type of outdoor activity including scuba diving, triathlon, and croquet. Also, the beautiful beaches offer plenty of water activities such as sailing, rowing, swimming, and surfing.

 My new surfboard!

The city has it's own horse track, skate park, farmer's market, and dolphin/whale center.  Additionally, Bunbury is filled with festival and events among its many public spaces and parks.  To top it all off, there is a wine region only 15 minutes away with dozens of wineries to sample!

Even though we've lived here less than 6 months, I can confidently say that I LOVE this place!!  I can't wait for summer to roll around and experience more of what Bunbury and Australia has to offer. 

Video from our balcony and going to the beach