Living in Western Australia
Western Australia’s warm, friendly, uncomplicated way of life complements its sophisticated and profitable globally-oriented economy.
Climate and Geography
Western Australia covers one-third of the Australian continent and spans over 2.5 million square kilometres (around 1 million square miles). The weather ranges across the State, from a semi-arid interior to a tropical north. Perth and the south west of the State offers a Mediterranean-style climate, which averages more hours of sunlight each day than any other Australian city. Western Australia is bordered by 12,500 kilometres (7,813 miles) of the world's most pristine coastline.
Cultural Diversity
Western Australia has a population of just over 2.1 million, one tenth of Australia's total population. Western Australia's cultural mix is also one the most diverse in the world, with 12 per cent of the State's population speaking a language other than English at home (including Italian, dialects of Chinese, Vietnamese and German). World standard cultural facilities and theatres are home to the State's nationally acclaimed symphony orchestra, ballet, modern dance, opera and theatre companies. Each February, the Festival of Perth provides a major showcase of international and local performers. Residents and visitors also have access to numerous public and private galleries and museums, with major touring exhibitions supplementing local collections.
For those with more contemporary tastes, Perth is on many major rock tour itineraries, while numerous clubs and hotels foster a vibrant local musical scene. Sporting facilities, such as magnificent golf courses, are plentiful and compared with most Asian countries, club membership costs are relatively low. Western Australian teams are prominent at the National level in a wide range of sports.
Education
More than 450,000 students are enrolled in Western Australia's education system, which consists of five (5) Universities, a statewide technical and further education system and public and private schools. Courses range from secondary schooling to vocational training diplomas, to full University degrees. In addition, Western Australia's educational institutions are able to develop and conduct customised training courses to suit individual employers and company requirements. Courses can be delivered on-campus in Western Australia or delivered by overseas institutions off-campus. Links developed with more than 60,000 University students since 1988 have helped to build a network of strong business connections - particularly in the South East Asian region.
Health
Western Australians are some of the healthiest people in the world. They live long and healthy lives, with the average life expectancy being 74 years for men and 80 years for women. Nationally, Western Australia enjoys the lowest mortality rate of any Australian State. Western Australians also enjoy a high standard of health, with a combination of public and private health insurance. Western Australia's sparse population, significant distances and diverse climate conditions present unique difficulties in the provision of health services to remote areas. This has lead to the development of considerable expertise in all aspects of health care in Western Australia.
Housing
Western Australia offers a range of residential accommodation including flats, units, semi-detached housing and stand-alone housing. The median price of established homes sold in Western Australia during the December quarter 2008 was $465,000, while the average weekly rent was $320 (source: Real Estate Institute of Western Australia). A high level of construction activity in the inner city area, will offer potential buyers a wide range of apartments to choose from. Western Australian homes tend to be large by international standards and of high quality construction.
