How do Australia's states rate?

According to StreetAdvisor, the best state to live in is Western Australia (72.24) and the worst is Australian Capital Territory (62.89).

First - Western Australia - StateScore 72.24 - Perth
Second - Northern Territory - StateScore 71.46 - Darwin
Third - Victoria - StateScore 70.81 - Melbourne
Fourth - Queensland - StateScore 70.64 - Brisbane
Fifth - South Australia - StateScore 67.68 - Adelaide
Sixth - Tasmania - StateScore 65.56 - Hobart
Seventh - New South Wales - StateScore 64.97 - Sydney
Eighth - Australian Capital Territory - StateScore 62.89 - Canberra

Sydney has the highest average house prices of any capital city, and ACT prices are artificially inflated due to the large public sector workforce transitioning through Canberra. Perth is growing rapidly with high wages and low unemployment due to the resources boom.

How do Australia's states rate?

There is a strong rivalry in Australia between the states. Everything from which football code is supreme to the price of real estate is a topic of intense debate. Lifestyle, beach quality, health systems, law and order and many other social issues are regularly raised as points of difference between residents of different states.

Although StreetAdvisor is primarily interested in life at the street level, we've built the site so that it can provide useful information at suburb, city and state levels as well. When looking at all the reviews at the state level, we calculate a StateScore based on the ratings of all the suburbs and towns within each state.

Comparing the StateScores reveals a hierarchy of states in terms of their street reviews. Here's the ranking of the states and territories from highest to lowest.

The best states
-:- First - Western Australia - StateScore 72.24 - Perth
-:- Second - Northern Territory - StateScore 71.46 - Darwin
-:- Third - Victoria - StateScore 70.81 - Melbourne
-:- Fourth - Queensland - StateScore 70.64 - Brisbane
-:- Fifth - South Australia - StateScore 67.68 - Adelaide
-:- Sixth - Tasmania - StateScore 65.56 - Hobart
-:- Seventh - New South Wales - StateScore 64.97 - Sydney
-:- Eighth - Australian Capital Territory - StateScore 62.89 - Canberra

StreetAdvisor Blog

Meriton to build 1500 apartments

DEVELOPER Meriton is planning to build 1500 apartments on a parcel of land it is buying for $108 million in the inner Sydney suburb of Victoria Park.

The deal covers 3.3ha of a 6.5ha site on South Dowling St that a joint venture between Babcock & Brown and Payce Consolidated bought for $151.5 million last October.

Wayne Carey - Apartment security camera invasion

You have to wonder how Channel 7 managed to get security camera footage of Wayne Carey being arrested and pepper sprayed at his Port Melbourne Luxury Apartment.
The footage shown on channel 7 today, described as exclusive came from the Apartment Buildings security Cameras - CCTV and included footage of Carey in hand cuffs within the lift.
As a resident of the Apartment complex in Rouse St, Carey and other residents would expect any security footage to remain private and not be provided to the media. Residents of the complex would have to be pretty concerned that the security camera footage has ended up in the hands of the media.
If I lived in the building I would want to know who handed the video over and were they paid? I'm not too sure what rules govern the use of these cameras in and around apartment complexes, but wouldn't expect any footage from them to appear on TV.
Wayne Carey paid $1.4 Million for an apartment at the Port Melbourne HMAS complex in July 2006

St Kilda Penthouse Auction

The whole top floor of Bayview Heights Apartment building on the Esplanade, St Kilda Beach has just been put up for Auction by Century 21.
This building has the best water views available in Melbourne. Asking price is 1.7 million plus - similar properties in Bondi would fetch over 10 mill.
The only negative for me is the Cell phone transmitters on the roof, certainly wouldn't want to sleep below them.
The Auction takes place on Saturday March 31 at 3.30pm if your interested.

Century21 marketing spiel -

One whole floor, with 2 different penthouse apartments, one merely spacious, the other vast. One has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, study or 3rd bedroom. The other has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and both have flexible floor plans and exceptional views. They are on one title and at 40 or so squares, would be ideal for multi-generational family living, with in-laws or adult children alongside. Or rent out the smaller one while you entertain to the max in the biggest and best till you’re ready to downsize but still enjoy St Kilda’s best views. The vastness includes several different living areas, space for a third bedroom or study, and wide balconies. Parking, security and wow factor included.

Light Effect off Eureka Tower Apartments

One Man's View

Check out this incredible story written by a former Melbourne Apartment resident.

Merv is a former Victoria Police Detective with a Criminal Intelligence background who was head hunted to the Australian Wheat Board - AWB to perform the role of their Senior Investigations Officer.

He was later head hunted to an intelligence role and operated in North America.

Visit Merv's web site - One Man's View

Top 10 Apartments in Melbourne City

Here's our list of the Top 10 Apartment Buildings in Melbourne.

1. The Melburnian
2. Freshwater Place
3. Eureka Tower
4. Clarendon Towers
5. YVE Apartments
6. The Hallmark Apartments
7. Esplanade Apartments St Kilda
   
8. Regency Towers
9. The Domain Apartments
10. Victoria Point
    

Feel free to make any comments or suggest any other Apartment buildings you think should be in the list.

Eureka Tower Skydeck

Melbourne's Eureka Skydeck



The new observation deck at Melbourne's Eureka Tower
Apartments looks set to open shortly.

The Eureka Skydeck is on level 88 of the Tower and will be
the highest public vantage point in the Southern Hemisphere.

Community Intranet for Apartment residents

RESINET is an online Intranet experience for residents of multi-dwelling properties,
apartment complexes, housing estates, retirement villages and student accommodation.
The service is available to all Apartment Buildings across Australia.

Vertical Living - High Rise Communities

Feeling isolated? The City of Melbourne’s new e-newsletter 'Vertical Living' has been developed to help people in high-rise apartments connect with their neighbours and build a community.

Published every quarter, 'Vertical Living' is all about sharing information. It’s a great way to get ideas on how to build networks in a high-rise community.

This e-newsletter has been developed by the Place Management team at the City of Melbourne.

2006 Commonwealth Games Private Accommodation

With every Melbourne hotel booked-out in March, residents are now offering their homes for private short term rental during the Games.

(PRWEB) January 20, 2006 -- One Melbourne based website www.onlymelbourne.com.au has come to the rescue with a service that allows private individuals to list their homes for rent during the Games and other special events such as the F1 Grand Prix and Melbourne Cup.

A quick look at onlymelbourne's listings showed over 100 homes and apartments available for rent over the Games period. Rental prices range from as low as $800 per week up to $3500 for a 2 bedroom home within a five minute walk of the MCG Athletics venue.

Homes are available near most Games venues including St Kilda where currently around eight homes are available for short term rental. All the properties are fully furnished with most including dishwasher, microwave, washing machine, dryer, iron, TV, stereo, VCR/DVD player, airconditioning, pay TV etc.

St Kilda hosts the Triathlon and is also located close to the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre - swimming and the Australian Grand Prix track at Albert Park. The Marathon course also includes St Kilda. Other suburbs located close to the above events including Middle Park and Albert Park which have around 5 properties available at the time of writing.

If you are interested in staying in the City Centre then there are currently around five apartments available. We even found an apartments that includes an ADSL Internet connection, 25 metre Pool and two tennis Courts.

Any visitors to Melbourne can use the Suburb Guide and Maps located on OnlyMelbourne to see where the games venues are, and locate the best private accommodation in those areas. It is possible to stay in walkable distance of games venues, while the majority of inner-Melbourne suburbs are under 20 minutes.

With the Commonwealth Games coinciding with the Hotel industry's busiest quarter, which includes the Australian Open, the Australian Grand Prix and the Volvo Ocean Race private accommodation may be the best option for last minute accommodation in Melbourne.

Google Australia Day

Google Australia Day header!

The Melburnian

The Melburnian Apartments with
the Eureka Tower in the background.

If your interested in buying or renting in either of these iconic Melbourne buildings then check out Domain or RealEstate.com.au where they are giving away an Apple iPod a day until mid Feb.

Melbourne Central Real Estate

If your looking at buying an upmarket prestigous apartment in Melbourne then give Angela Davidson at Melbourne Central Real Estate a call.

Also check out Angela's other site 'The Melburnain' arguably Melbourne's most prestigous address.