Ironically, given that it is the only city many foreigners could name, Sydney is (arguably) many Australian’s least favourite city. It’s too big, and its geography makes it a nightmare to get around. Less arguably, parts of it are stunning to look at. But as a place to live? No thanks.
Of course I would say that, being from Melbourne. ;-)
They built Ottawa in the middle of nowhere
All of them? All the time? I guess that explains their puzzling lack of cultural output. Thanks! :P
Watch out, that country town is about to be Australia's biggest city by population...
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/booming-melbourne-to...
I dispute Canberra being a fine city (:P). Though I agree with you that Sydney is my least favourite city, Melbourne and Brisbane being equal top.
I only chose Brisbane because moving from he UK to Australia, it's too far to move to another city and still be wet and miserable 9 months of the year. ;-)
I'm also British originally – arrived here '03 – so I never saw it back in the day, but almost everyone I know went on a school trip as a kid and says it was terrible. And in the 90s/00s it probably was terrible. Since then it's become a really cool little city. Emphasis on little – it's tiny. But Braddon is a lovely place to be during the week, and the national galleries and what have you are a wonderful place to be on the weekend.
Give it another chance. I really love it there. (I'm FIFO'ing weekly at the moment.)
My problem is, all the attractions you've mentioned are indeed wonderful. And the War Museum is a national tressure. But I could knock them all over in a long weekend (I did!).
Which was the reason I decided not to apply for a job in Canberra and stay in Brisbane. :P
Although, it doesn't surprise me as much as it probably should. I live in New Mexico and have had people in the past ask if it's difficult traveling to the US, or what it's like living in another country...
My mum, who is Australian, once received a compliment from someone at a local store whereupon learning of her origins said she "spoke beautiful English." Without batting an eye, she replied "Thanks, I usually speak Australian."
So, the structure of the OP's comment adding in the additional exasperation of "there are other cities?!" definitely strikes me as sarcasm.
GERMANY!
If you haven't been to Australia, come to see our magnificent bush & coastline. Forget the cities (and wear blinkers if forced to traverse the 'burbs).
I do agree that tearing down many of the old buildings in the CBD was criminal, but there are plenty (OK, some) of neighborhoods that have more or less managed to maintain that ye olde Sydney feel (the Rocks, Glebe, Darlo, etc), and many of the newer developments in Barangaroo and Darling Harbour are positively nice.
Sydney is also (IMHO) more pedestrian-friendly than any city in the US except maybe New York, and it will get even better once the light rail from Circular Quay down a pedestrianized George St is up and running in a few months.
There's a whole bunch of reasons why Australia's cities are so bad (general cultural skittishness & lack of ambition, deep infestation & corruption of the political class by the real estate industry, etc), but the consequence is a few poor-quality over-large cities and sorry lack of emphasis on (not to mention investment in) human-scale regional towns.
But Australia (1) crushes its small population into a few huge cities (almost uniquely so I think for a non-city state?), and (2) is horrible at all urban scales. Is there anything as ugly as (say) Coffs Harbour (essentially a strip mall with cardboard suburbs) outside of the US?
parts of it are stunning to look at. But as a place to live? No thanks.