Moving to Perth
Perth, Western Australia, Australia is well serviced with a range of publications that provide extensive information about what to do and see and how to settle here.
I am pleased to be able to say that the majority of information that has been published is of good quality, particularly government resources.
However, I would hasten to add that it is important to collect your information from a variety of sources – as some information is published with a particular agenda in mind (for instance, to encourage you to migrate here). Be prudent in your approach and confirm the reliability of information before making any final decisions.
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1. Moving to Perth Western Australia websites and publications
The Australian Government’s Welcome to Western Australia Kit is an online booklet of information for settling in Western Australia (also available in other languages). Study in Australia is an Australian Government website for international students.
Government of Western Australia – State Migration Centre is a comprehensive resource for skilled, business and interstate domestic arrivals. They also produce a Destination WA Information Booklet (look in the Living in Western Australia section). Go West Now is an interstate skills attraction program and this website also has some interesting information.
The Department of Local Government and Regional Development has Regional Development Commissions that provide information and advice on living and working in regional areas of Western Australia. Your Working Holiday Guide has job opportunities and information on working in Western Australia.
The Small Business Development Corporation has a section for Business Migration and several e-resources that you can download.
The City of Perth is the local council for Perth and this website is very comprehensive with sections on visiting, business and living. Experience Perth is produced by the Perth Region Tourism Organisation and includes a lot of information on what to do in Perth.
The Charles Sturt University Guide to Australia has links to quite a lot of different Western Australia information. The Wikipedia Online Directory of Perth is also informative.
Your Sea Change (or Tree Change) is an interesting website offering various information on moving to a regional area of Australia with some useful articles on the decision making process of moving.
2. Local information
To find local information, when you type in a search query into your internet search engine, include the words
- Western Australia or Australian or Perth
- Association or Institute or Group or Body or Society
Universities in Australia specialise in different fields of knowledge and you may be able to approach a particular department for some local information. You can find a list of all Australian universities at The Good Guides.
There are many international associations, chambers of commerce, business groups/networks that are ‘country specific.’ Have a look at the White PagesTelephone Book (printed directory in all residences and also available from your local Australia Post Office) and look for the name of the country that you are interested in – for instance British / Britain / United Kingdom as well as the same country name after the word ‘Australia’ or ‘Australian.’
So for instance, you can find the ‘Australian British Chamber of Commerce’ and contact them direct. These groups are most likely to be able to refer you to other social/expatriate/ethnic/migrant type groups that can provide further information and advice specific to other newcomers like you.
The other categories you may like to research in the Yellow Pages Telephone Book or True Local are:
- ethnic clubs – or social/general clubs
- societies – general
- newspapers – look for specialist publications, for instance the ‘Chinese Newspaper’
- magazines and periodicals – contact relevant publishers and find out where you can purchase a copy
- associations and organisations
- relocation service providers (charge a fee but may save you time and money)
3. Government information
Make sure you find the relevant Federal (Australian) Government Department related to your areas of interest – connect to these via a key word search at theAustralian Government Directory or the General Australian Government Portal.
The Culture and Recreation Portal has a ‘Bluey Search’ to help you find specific cultural information and the National Library of Australia, the State Library of Western Australia
You can also source information from the Western Australia State GovernmentDepartment related to your areas of interest or use the Western Australia Government Departments and Agencies Directory.
You need to source information in your local community via the relevant Local Government Council related to where you are living (and you can also do this for the area where you are working) through the Western Australian Local Government Association.
This website allows you to search for the local council using your suburb name and postcode. You can contact them for a ‘New Residents Kit’ and/or their local ‘Community Information Booklet.’ If you are planning to start a business, there are many resources and networks they can connect you to. Make a time to visit your local council too – you pay for this resource through either council rates or rental payments on the property you live or work in.
4. Ask questions
When you have spent enough time in front of your computer, the other option is to ask questions – talk to your neighbours, work colleagues and people that you meet and ask them where they find information. They may also be able to help you directly with an answer to your questions. In Australia, it is perfectly acceptable to ask questions and seek information.
You may also like to consider paying for some professional advice – like a home buyer’s agent or a relocation service provider, just as you would for any other activity that could be improved with expert advice (like an accountant, doctor or dentist). Some people save cents and waste dollars (and a lot of time) by thinking they can do everything themselves.
5. Radio, Television, Print and Online Broadcasters
For general information, you may find it useful to listen to the radio, watch television and read daily or weekly newspapers. You can source details of these resources in the Yellow Pages Telephone Book or True Local website. In particular, if you speak a language other than English, find out what programs and publications are available in your first language.
Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) has many ethno-specific radio and television programs and information. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is an essential site to visit – you can spend days looking at relevant information.
The Major Western Australia Daily Newspapers are the West Australian(broadsheet) and Perth Now (tabloid).
The Major Australian Daily Newspapers are The Australian (general news) and The Financial Review (financial newspaper with a good section AFR Boss). Business Review Weekly (BRW) and Smart Company are print and online business publications.
Free local community newspapers are delivered to your letterbox and are produced by different publishers depending on your local council area.
6. Tourism and general information
Western Australia Tourism Commission (official tourism website for Western Australia)
Tourism Western Australia (trade and media website for tourism in Western Australia)
Eventscorp (develops and secures major events for Western Australia)
Perth Convention Bureau (Convention Bureau Marketing Perth to the world)
Innovation Gateway and the Department of Industry and Resources (various initiatives to encourage investment in Western Australia_
Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Department of Environment and Conservation (section on parks and recreation)
Perth City Life (Another resource with a lot of links, event listings etc – somewhat commercial in nature)
Links on this Moving to Perth page
AFR Boss
http://www.afrboss.com
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
http://www.abc.net.au
Australian Government
http://www.gov.au
Australian Government Directory
http://www.directory.gov.au
Australian Government Portal
http://www.australia.gov.au
Australia Post
http://www.auspost.com.au
Business Review Weekly (BRW)
http://www.brw.com.au
Charles Sturt University Guide to Australia
http://www.csu.edu.au/australia/sa.htm
City of Perth
http://www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au
Culture and Recreation Portal
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au
Department of Environment and Conservation
http://www.dec.wa.gov.au
Department of Industry and Resources
http://www.doir.wa.gov.au
Department of Tourism, Fair Trading and Wine Industry Development
http://www.dtftwid.qld.gov.au
Eventscorp
http://www.eventscorp.com.au
Experience Perth
http://www.experienceperth.com
Government of Western Australia – State Migration Centre
http://www.migration.wa.gov.au
Innovation Gateway
http://www.innovation.wa.gov.au
National Library of Australia
http://www.nla.gov.au
Parks and Forests
http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks_and_forests/great_walks/
Perth City Life
http://www.bcl.com.au/perth/
Perth Convention Bureau
http://www.pcb.com.au
Perth Now
http://www.perthnow.com.au
Small Business Development Corporation
http://www.sbdc.com.au
Smart Company
http://www.smartcompany.com.au
Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)
http://www.sbs.com.au
State Library of Western Australia
http://www.slwa.wa.gov.au
Study in Australia
http://studyinaustralia.gov.au
The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.com.au
The Financial Review
http://www.afr.com
The Good Guides
http://www.thegoodguides.com.au
Tourism Western Australia
http://www.tourism.wa.gov.au
True Local
http://www.truelocal.com.au
Welcome to Western Australia Kit
http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/settle-in-australia/beginning-life/booklets/english.htm
West Australian
http://www.thewest.com.au
Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
http://www.cciwa.com
Western Australia Government Departments and Agencies
http://wa.gov.au/agencies/
Western Australia Local Government Association
http://www.walga.asn.au
Western Australia State Government
http://www.wa.gov.au
Western Australian Tourism Commission
http://www.westernaustralia.com
White Pages
http://www.whitepages.com.au
Wikipedia Online Directory of Perth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perth%2C_Western_Australia
Yellow Pages
http://www.yellowpages.com.au
Your Sea Change (or Tree Change)
http://www.yourseachange.com
Your Working Holiday Guide
http://www.westernaustralia.com/workplay/