Distant Lands Down Under

Part of our goal for this sabbatical was to travel to lands far away.  Well, we succeeded in visiting the furthest city from New York City:  Perth!  At over 11,600 miles away, Perth is both far and beautiful.  We were struck by how modern and clean the city was.  With just over 2 million people, it hosts nearly 10% of the Australian population. 

Boasting an incredible, mostly dry climate, the roads, buildings, parks, trails and other structures are well-maintained.  The climate also encourages many outdoor activities, especially those involving water sports (diving, boating, water skiing and fishing, to name a few).  Being late fall, we didn't see as many people out and about (12º C/52º F was considered quite cold!).  Although friendly, we found residents of Perth to be reserved. For example, compared to almost anywhere we've run in the world where runners and walkers exchanged greetings with us, Perth runners and walkers kept their gazes forward. 

East Perth:  Brian and Tahlia's Neighborhood

Nick and Tim Palling Around with Roo

Being so far away from most other places does have its downside: We found that the Internet was uncomfortably slow. Although Brian and Tahlia didn't quote prices, they told us that both Telstra (telco) and FOXTEL (cable) charge customers based on data usage and it is quite expensive. Even though Nick believes in some level of usage-based pricing (maintaining and growing broadband infrastructure costs money), financial restrictions placed on Internet use and the lack of a robust broadband infrastructure will negatively impact Perth's growth prospects, especially in the technology sector.

In Perth and Western Australia, mining historically represents nearly a third of the state's economy (29% in 2012-13 and 26% in 2014-15). As a result, mining drives much of the economy and impacts the culture. Riding from the airport, Nick's cousin, Brian, gave us an introduction to some terms we would hear during our stay. FIFO means "fly-in, fly-out" and refers to the significant number of mine, rig and other petroleum workers that fly to the mine sites in the middle of the state or offshore rigs to work for two-to-four weeks then fly back for one-to-two weeks. During the commodities boom, FIFOs earned large salaries and stoked the local economy and continue to be a major factor. [More than one person described FIFOs who unwisely spend their spoils on flashy material things as "bogans," also known as "white trash with money."]

Rio Tinto:  One of Australia's Largest Minding Producers and Exporters

Excerpt from Western Australia's Economic Profile, April 2016

During dinner on our last night, we learned that a very large portion of Perth's fresh water is derived from desalinated seawater. According to watercorporation.com.au, nearly half of all Perth's fresh water comes from seawater desalinated at two plants: Perth Seawater Desalination Plant and Southern Seawater Desalination Plant. The plants offset the intense energy needs using renewable sources, such as wind and solar farms. There have been a number of articles in magazines and newspapers about desalination and water management. It was interesting to be in a city where the population depends on both.

Elizabeth Quay Esplanade in Perth

Tree Top Bridge in King's Park