Australia Isn’t Just Sydney – Why Perth Is the Best Place to Live
From the Great Barrier Reef to the Whitsundays — why I always return to Perth, Western Australia
When you travel long enough especially through South-East Asia you meet everyone on the road. Backpackers on gap years, expats on version three of life, digital nomads with very tidy laptops, and the occasional traveller who says they’re finding themselves but mostly looks sunburnt and confused.
The conversation always starts the same way.
“Where are you from?”
I hesitate now. Not because I don’t know the answer but because it’s not as simple as it used to be.
I am Australian. I carry an Australian passport (one of the most expensive in the world, I might add), so I usually answer plainly:
“Australia.”
Almost instantly, the reply comes back.
“Oh! Sydney!”
I smile. Deep breath. Internal eye roll.
“Definitely not,” I say. “I’m from Perth. Western Australia.”
That’s usually where the conversation pauses the moment when Australia becomes bigger than a harbour and an Opera House.
Born in Brisbane, Travelled the Country, Chose Perth
Here’s the part that surprises people.
I wasn’t born in Perth.
I was born in Brisbane. I’ve travelled Australia many times over. I’ve crossed states, chased seasons, and worked in different corners of the country. I’ve lived the kind of Australia tourists dream about.
I actually worked in the Whitsundays and yes, it really is that beautiful. The kind of beautiful people think is exaggerated until they see it for themselves. White sand that squeaks under your feet. Water so blue it looks like someone has turned the saturation up too high. Days that blur together in the best possible way, where time seems to stop mattering.
At the time, I was the Food and Beverage Manager at Whitsundays Terraces Resort. It was a stunning property, perched on the side of a hill overlooking Airlie Beach and the islands beyond. On a clear day, standing up there, you could easily forget about the rest of the world.
The job, however, came with its fair share of challenges.
Running a 105-room resort with two restaurants, a nightclub, bars and room service is no small task especially in a place like Airlie Beach. Staffing was always the biggest issue. Airlie sits right in the middle of cane country, and when the cane is about to be burned and harvested, it really is all hands-on deck.
Permanent staff with family-owned farms would head home to help. Backpackers, who were always chasing the next dollar to fund the next leg of their travels, would suddenly disappear. My only wish at the time was that they’d at least tell me they weren’t coming in, rather than just not showing up for their scheduled shift.
That said, the role also came with plenty of privileges.
Queensland islands and Whitehaven
I was invited to sail the season and visit islands like Hayman and Daydream. I saw parts of the Whitsundays most people only ever see in brochures.
But the place that still stands out most in my memory is Whitehaven Beach.
It stretches for more than seven kilometres and is famous for its silica sand so fine and pure it actually squeaks when you walk on it. The water is crystal clear and shifts between shades of turquoise depending on the light and the tide. At the northern end is Hill Inlet Lookout, one of the most photographed spots in Australia, and once you’re standing there, it’s easy to understand why.
It’s an incredible place. One of those locations that reminds you just how much Australia has to offer.
And yet, as amazing as the Whitsundays were to live and work in, they were never home.
And then there’s the Great Barrier Reef one of the few places on Earth that actually lives up to the hype. It’s extraordinary, humbling, and something every Australian should see at least once.
Australia is full of incredible places to visit.
But visiting and living are two very different conversations.
Australia Is a Brilliant Holiday — Living Is Another Story
Sydney is stunning. That harbour deserves every photograph it’s ever had taken. The Opera House is iconic. The beaches are beautiful.
But Sydney is also loud, busy, and expensive in ways that slowly chip away at you. Traffic becomes a daily endurance test. Housing prices feel like a long-running joke no one is laughing at. Life moves fast whether you want it to or not.
Melbourne overflows with culture. Food, sport, laneways, galleries it’s vibrant and stimulating. But it can also be relentless. Even relaxation seems scheduled.
Brisbane is friendly and growing quickly. Adelaide is charming, calm, and criminally underrated. Canberra is efficient, green, and quietly impressive.
Every state has its strengths. Every city has something to offer.
But none of them have ever felt like home to me.
Perth Is Where Life Slows — In a Good Way
Perth doesn’t try to impress you.
It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t rush. It doesn’t compete.
Perth feels like Australia after a deep breath.
We have space real space. Not just physical space, but mental space. Wide roads. Big skies. Beaches that are part of everyday life, not weekend events you have to plan like a military operation.
In Perth, a “long drive” is 25 minutes. In Sydney, 25 minutes barely gets you out of the suburb.
Our beaches aren’t tourist attractions they’re where life happens. Morning walks. Sunset swims. Quiet resets after noisy weeks.
And yes, our sunsets happen over the water. I will always mention that. Bali the sun set in the West but nothing like the way it does in Western Australia
Western Australia Changes How You See the World
Western Australia isn’t just a state — it’s a lesson in scale.
WA teaches patience. Perspective. Respect for distance and nature. You don’t rush across this part of the country, because you can’t. From the Kimberley in the north to the Pilbara, from Margaret River down south to Ningaloo Reef, this is a place that unfolds slowly. It doesn’t try to impress you straight away. It lets you earn it.
Western Australia also quietly carries a lot of the country on its shoulders.
Gold, iron ore, lithium, gas — the list goes on. WA is rich in resources, and those resources don’t just support the state; they help support the entire country. A lot of what keeps Australia moving, building and exporting comes out of the ground out west. It’s not something shouted about much, but it matters.
Then there’s the wine.
Margaret River produces some of the best wines in the world — and I don’t say that lightly. These aren’t just “good for Australia” wines; they regularly sit comfortably alongside the best from anywhere. And yet, the region still feels grounded, unpretentious, and refreshingly human. You can walk into a cellar door, have a conversation, and leave without feeling like you’ve wandered into a marketing campaign.
And let’s not forget the surf.
Western Australia has some of the best surfing on the planet. Long, powerful swells, uncrowded breaks, and coastline that seems to go on forever. It’s serious surf, for people who respect the ocean rather than try to conquer it. Even if you don’t surf, you feel the energy of it — that raw edge where land meets water without fences or footpaths in the way.
Maybe that’s why people from Perth travel so well.
We understand distance. We’re comfortable with space. We don’t need constant stimulation or noise to feel alive. We’re used to things being a bit further apart places, people, even moments and that teaches you to slow down and pay attention.
Western Australia doesn’t rush life.
And once you’ve lived that way, it’s very hard to unlearn it. That is why I chose Slow travel to see the world
Coming Home — Especially at Christmas
Even though I travel often, I return to Perth several times a year and especially at Christmas.
That’s when the community spirit really shows itself.
Neighbours talk. Streets slow down. Beaches fill with families, not crowds. There’s something grounding about Christmas in Perth the lights, the warmth, the familiarity. It reminds me why this place works so well as a base, not just a destination.
Perth is where family lives. Where roots matter. Where life feels balanced again after time away.
Perth Isn’t the Loudest City — It’s the Smartest Choice
Australia has many incredible places to explore. It offers world-class experiences for travellers from reefs and rainforests to cities and coastlines.
But if you’re talking about living well, not just visiting?
West Australia wins.
It offers space without isolation, opportunity without chaos, and a lifestyle that doesn’t demand burnout as the entry fee.
So when someone overseas asks me where I’m from, I still say Australia.
And when they say Sydney, I smile, shake my head, and gently correct them.
“No… Perth. Western Australia.”
Because after seeing so much of this country and the world I know exactly where home is.
Planning Your Own Australian Journey
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Find great places to stay, whether you’re visiting Perth or beyond, via 👉 Booking.com.
Australia is an incredible place to travel
And if you ever find yourself standing on a Perth beach at sunset you might just understand why some of us never really leave.
About the Author:
Sheridan-Leigh is the passionate voice behind the MyLifestyle Blog, where life is celebrated with vibrant stories and insightful travel tips. With a deep love for slow travel, she believes in truly experiencing each destination, creating connections beyond the surface. Her blog is a blend of personal stories, expert advice, and a philosophy that life is for living to the fullest and is rich with opportunities for growth and adventure. Join Sheridan-Leigh as she shares her journey, inspiring others to embrace life, travel deeply, and live fully.
