I live in Australia and believe this place has the best standard of living in the country: 'The most perfect weather you can get'
While Sydney and Melbourne may offer more career opportunities and plentiful dining options, many Aussies are opting out of crowded commutes, soaring rent and a 'lack of community' in favour of areas further afield.
From the whale-watching capital of the world to a Tasmanian city, these are the spots some claim to offer the best standard of living for those who value decent home and rental prices, great weather, culture and 'overall good vibes'.
Hervey Bay, Queensland
Population: 65,000 (2024)
Known as the world's whale-watching capital, Hervey Bay sits on the Fraser Coast, just 3.5 hours north of Brisbane.
Locals say its unspoilt coastline, peaceful charm and laid-back pace make it the perfect place to raise a family or enjoy a slower lifestyle.
Residents rave about the area's kid-friendly beaches, short commutes ('it takes 15 minutes to cross town'), and property prices that are still lower than most metro areas - though they're steadily rising.
Urangan, a sought-after suburb, was given a special mention for its proximity to the boat club, fishing spots and the historic pier. The region is also seeing steady development, including new retail precincts and a proposed Sheraton hotel.
But those who move there say you have to 'embrace the calm'.
'This isn't where you go out. This is where you go 'out',' one resident wrote online, explaining that the lack of nightlife is replaced with dinners at home, outdoor adventures, and a closer connection to family and friends.
'Apparently Hervey Bay has the most perfect weather in Australia,' another ex-local wrote.
'Just the right summer temps, just the right winter temps and a good amount of annual rainfall.
'I have no source for that but I really have read that a couple of times and I can agree after living there for three years. I understand it's got the usual drug/crime problems now but really which towns don't have those problems these days.'
Hobart, Tasmania
Population: 56,000 (2025)
According to locals, Hobart offers world-class scenery with the conveniences of a capital city and is great for those who love nature, crisp winters and a slower pace.
Just minutes from its charming centre there are national parks, picturesque villages and views over the Derwent River that are 'absolutely world-class'.
Hobart has an arty, nature-loving, slightly old-school English vibe, with friendly pubs, good food and a creative community.
But there's a catch - jobs can be scarce, so it's ideal for those who can work remotely or already have a secure income.
'Tasmania is one of the most liveable places on earth if you make a good wage. I'd move there in a heartbeat,' one Reddit user wrote.
'It has fantastic access to nature, good food, amazing produce, wineries, cheaper rent, and is genuinely a great community,' another added.
'My partner and I moved here knowing no one and have both ended up in good jobs with a great lot of friends.'
Capertee Valley, NSW
Population: Around 130 (2021)
A few hours from Sydney lies Australia's second-largest canyon - a vast, breathtaking landscape almost completely encircled by national parks.
The Capertee Valley offers sandstone cliffs, abundant wildlife, and blocks of land so large (often over 50 acres) that neighbours are few and far between.
Locals say it's an outdoor lover's paradise, with hiking, bird-watching, and complete seclusion.
'Capertee Valley ranks high for me. Incredible landscape and lifestyle a few hours from Sydney,' one said.
The impressive Pantoneys Crown monolith is a 'must-climb', offering panoramic views of the dramatic escarpment.
And while it feels remote, the valley is still within reach Mudgee, Bathurst and Lithgow - making it a sweet spot for those who want both peace and access to city centres.
'Other areas nearby [I'd recommend] are along the Turon River, and a beautiful valley system that runs east of Lake Wyndamere from Hayes Gap through Lue, Rylstone/Kandos and Dabee into the Capertee Valley at Mt Morgan,' another wrote.
'Wolgan Valley is also good, but has been cut off for a number of years by landslides. All these areas are well served with nearby major centres but Capertee Valley is at the top of my list.'
What other places have the 'best standard of living' in Australia?
Reddit users named a number of other places they'd either lived or desire to live due to 'high quality living':
1. Canberra, ACT
Why?
'Very high salaries but has cheapish rent compared to other Australian cities and certainly compared to Sydney,' one wrote.
'It's definitely a specific vibe here, and for those that are into it Canberra is wonderful,' another said.
2. Townsville, QLD
Why?
'I've lived in several capitals but living in Townsville was easy and unstressful,' one said.
'Second Townsville. Lovely city,' another wrote.
3. Perth, WA
Why?
'Perth [has the] highest wages in the country and is still cheaper than most of the east coast. We have fantastic beaches that are never over crowded too,' one wrote.
'Perth is pretty great... closer to Asia, still relatively affordable, some of the best beaches in the world, perfect weather a majority of the year except for a few weeks,' another added.
4. Darwin, NT
Why?
'Gonna shock some people when I say this. Darwin. I could afford to live alone, a block from the ocean, five minutes walk to a 50-metre public swimming pool with a reliable 17-minute driving commute to work,' one wrote.
'The only things that s*ck about Darwin are the expensive and long flights home, the weather and the real lack of good shopping. But if you can work around those you can have a great standard of living for a lot less than what you'd get in the big five.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Flight to Australia urgently diverted mid-journey after onboard mechanical problem
An Air New Zealand flight has been diverted to Sydney due to a mechanical issue on the plane mid-journey. Flight ANZ175 from Auckland to Perth diverted near the northern part of Tasmania and is now headed for Sydney.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie drivers to be CHARGED to drive through a popular town
Drivers may have to pay to drive through one of Australia's most popular tourist destinations, in the hope it will deter tourists from flooding the area. Queensland 's Noosa Heads has surged in popularity in recent years, and a few of the town's main roads have become heavily congested. It's become a real issue for locals, who are sick of seeing cars parked bumper-to-bumper along their pristine beachside streets. They've been asking Noosa Shire Council to do something about it for some time. Local business operator Louise, who works on Hastings Street at clothing store Okanui, told Daily Mail Noosa had certainly grown in popularity since Covid. She said there was a notable difference in how busy the peak periods were. 'Oh, it's definitely doubled in how busy it is in the summer,' she said. 'It does get crazy. We could end up like Byron Bay in terms of parking metres and that would be horrendous.' The council is considering introducing Australia's first congestion road charge, similar to those used in London and New York. It hasn't been decided yet how drivers would be charged for using popular roads, but it could be via a tag on their car or even an old-fashioned toll booth. The charge to drive on certain roads would likely apply only on weekends and during school holidays to begin with. More paid parking is also set to be introduced in busy areas, but residents would be charged at lower rates. The council also wants to introduce more transport infrastructure to discourage tourists from driving their cars along busy roads. The council's Destination Management Plan found the town was "being loved to death," requiring a balance between mitigating issues caused by tourists and making them feel welcome. Locals have until September to provide feedback to the council before a decision is made. "Given we're still in the community engagement and feedback stage, there's nothing concrete that's been decided on this as yet," a council spokesperson told Daily Mail. The council has proposed establishing vehicle recognition technology on its roads to help distinguish local cars from out-of-town vehicles, ensuring residents aren't slugged with most of the fees. Professor Matthew Burke from Griffith University told Yahoo News that congestion charges for tourists in places like Noosa could work well. "It would free up that strip (Hastings Street) and discourage people from heading in and causing congestion to everyone else," he said. The congestion charge and added parking meters may also deter illegal campers, who are currently plaguing Noosa. Council introduced $333 fines in July for anyone caught illegally camping along the Peregian Esplanade or at Victory Park along Lorikeet Drive. To date, 50 fines have been handed out in the area. The congestion charge is the latest council move that's set to spark debate among locals. Last year, two groups of Noosa residents clashed over the council's Planning Scheme Amendments, which proposed extending trading hours at popular night spots to midnight every day of the week. Some locals supported more nightlife at Noosa Junction, while others feared the laid-back charm of Noosa would be shattered.
Times
5 hours ago
- Times
Welcome to your hot-air balloon summer
There's only one truly glamorous way to dine this summer: in a hot-air balloon. Take a scroll through your Instagram feed and you're almost guaranteed to come across at least one photo of a spectacular-looking dining pop-up featuring a fleet of grounded hot-air balloons. The chicest one is at Beaverbrook hotel in Surrey, which has been running for five years, while more whimsical fun can be had at the Grove in Hertfordshire, where their Feast on Cloud 9 pop-up has a retro fairground theme. But if you really want to take things to the next level, you need to get yourself to the Netherlands. There, the acclaimed Dutch chef Angélique Schmeinck takes to the skies with what is claimed to be the world's first hot-air balloon restaurant, CuliAir Skydining, which serves a three-course meal over an hour and a half while guests drift above the clouds. The flights take place across the Netherlands, with the exact locations decided based on the weather (the middle and eastern areas in Holland tend to have the best flight conditions during the ballooning season, which runs from May until the end of September). Schmeinck — who spent 12 years cooking at the Michelin-starred De Kromme Dissel in Heelsum — launched CuliAir in 2003 as part of a course she was taking on creative thinking. 'For my final project, I had to come up with something that looked impossible,' she says. 'For some reason a hot-air balloon came to mind and I realised that it's basically just a huge hot-air oven. I wondered, 'What would happen if you put a nice fish or a good chicken in there?' I knew I had to try it out for myself.' She called a local ballooning company and explained her idea. 'Most people thought I was crazy, but I was lucky that this particular pilot loved good food, so he was intrigued by the idea. I'd never been in a balloon before but it was the most wonderful experience of my life. I knew it was too special not to just go for it.' CuliAir started with one balloon that seated ten and was mainly used for corporate entertaining, but post-Covid Schmeinck saw such a spike in bookings that she invested in another balloon, which seats eight. Both balloons were custom-made to suit her unique requirements, which include a curved kitchen from which Schmeinck prepares all her dishes and a 'Sky Bar' around the edge of the basket where guests can balance their plates and glasses of wine as they take in the view. An ingenious pulley system is used to transport white asparagus, lobster and wild sea bass to the crown of the balloon, where they're cooked at about 90C, 'low and slow', in special-purpose steel oven baskets. Tickets cost €575 per person and regularly sell out. • Read more luxury reviews, advice and insights from our experts To date, Schmeinck has carried out almost 1,000 flights, with about 80 taking off each season, and she says no two are ever the same. 'It's so difficult to explain what happens in the balloon — it's a very surreal experience. There's a special energy that happens at high altitude. My favourite flights are when we go above the clouds; it feels like being inside a painting.' Back on terra firma, the Beaverbrook balloon experience in Surrey was created in collaboration with the British homewares brand Summerill & Bishop. 'Fanning the Flame' runs until the end of September and features six balloons decked out in Summerill & Bishop's swirling Marble Fan design in a soft powder pink. The balloons are tethered to the ground and stationary, with guests dining in the wicker baskets, feasting on dishes cooked on an open-flame Japanese Yakiniku barbecue, with a cloud-inspired pudding featuring wild strawberry ice cream, pistachio and fluffy cotton candy. Up to four guests can dine at once and the set menu starts at £85 per person. The other hot-air balloon pop-up this summer is Feast on Cloud 9 at the Grove in Hertfordshire, which runs until August 31. Created by Feast Events — which has also put custom-made ski gondolas on the roof of the Berkeley for its winter Feast Off-Piste event — the pop-up features 14 hot-air balloons in a classic red and white stripe, perched on either side of the hotel's ornamental canal. The theme here is a nostalgic journey to the fairground, with dishes including hook-a-duck pâté, fillet of beef wellington served in a giant burger box and a fortune teller doughnut in a crystal ball complete with an edible tarot card. Up to six people can dine in a balloon, with afternoon tea from £65 per person and the five-course tasting menu £75 per person. Whether we can expect Beaverbrook or the Grove to take to the skies next year remains to be seen, but so far only a handful of other companies have followed in Schmeinck's footsteps — including Air Pegasus in Normandy and Hot Air Lines in Vilnius — and none to the same level. 'It's very hard to copy as it's so complicated — you need a licence, there's a lot of safety elements and then there's the uncertainty with the weather conditions,' she says. However, Schmeinck is in talks to bring the CuliAir experience to other countries, with the UK right near the top of her list. 'There's been a lot of interest from the UK, so I'd love to make that happen. I think dining with CuliAir is the most wonderful experience you can give to somebody, so I want to share that with as many people as possible.'
