Perth:not as isolated as you think.Credit:iStock
This is a fact people love repeating,whether they’re from the east coast or the west. It feels correct,given the vastness of Australia,and the emptiness of the Nullarbor Plain. A decent boast. But firstly,Perth is only a state capital,so what does this statement even mean? And secondly,if we’re doing states,what about Honolulu,the capital of Hawaii,where you have to fly 5½ hours over the Pacific Ocean to find the next major population base? (Perth to Adelaide,for reference,is three hours.) Those in,say,Reykjavik,on a tiny island on the edge of the Arctic Circle,might also feel more isolated than Perth.
Myth 2:Sydney has Australia’s best weather
Sydney in summer.Credit:Dion Georgopoulos
This is something Sydneysiders once enjoyed lording over the rest of the country,particularly Melbourne. We have the best weather,they’d say. Perfect for enjoying Australia’s best beaches (also not true),and Australia’s best harbour (OK,probably true). But anyone who has lived in Sydney for the past five years or so could attest that the weather these days is middling at best,and in the case of the record annual rainfall in 2022,far worse. The words “La Nina” send shivers down any Sydneysider’s spine.