I prefer Melbourne to Sydney based on the time I've spent in each. Melbourne seemed a bit more cosmopolitan, the people a bit less artificial.
I'd rather live in Perth than either, but the startup scene here is quite anaemic. You can round up some geologists and raise tens of millions to do some mining exploration; but raising a few thousand for a startup is, from what I've heard, nigh on impossible.
I prefer Darwin most of all, but it's a government town and FIFO base. There's some IT service outfits but that's it.
I heard that it was the small dotcoms that were looking to get on the stock exchange would buy enough shares in the inexpensive mining companies and then as majority shareholders have the mining company buy out the dotcom (or at least merge with it)... or something like that.
I'm guessing it's the same thing that you heard, but the way you worded it confused me. Or my coffee hasn't kicked in. Either way.
I was recently in Sydney and Melbourne, and you're probably about right. I don't know how to say it, but Sydney seems very, ahem white and very English.
People generally agree that, as a city, Melbourne has better 'city things'; meaning bars, restaurants, theaters etc.
Sydney is regarded as having better geography - eg: dozens of stunning beaches, extensive waterways and very close proximity to national parks.
Sydney is very ethnically diverse. Incredibly so.
This map gives a humorous account of Sydney's layout: http://i.imgur.com/gOxZP.jpg
My family and I would like to emigrate to Australia in about 2015, and I'd prefer to get hooked up with a startup instead of trying to get on with a big multinational.
Based on talks I've had while planning this, it sounds like the point-based immigration system isn't as sure of a thing as sponsorship. Are startups in Australia in a position to sponsor a visa? Would an incubator be interested or able to help with something like that? Anything I can do now to help ensure that I'm employed with a startup down under in 2015?
Regarding immigration visa, if you qualify for a point based point based independent visa (175 in your case) I would go for it any day over a sponsored visa.
Email me if you have any specific questions. (obtained 175 without an agent while being in the US)
I will almost certainly ping you this week. Where are you living now?
I can raise my own $20k seed money and I can find working space. What I can't do is get decent mentoring and access to networks, which, to me is the secret source of YC.
Still, it's early days, I'll keep track of this with interest.
Perhaps with things like the new IBM R&D Centre, Melbourne might become a tech-hub in the South East Asian region (although I somewhat doubt it).
Over a few months I've come to know the Inspire9 crew and startups within - and also just recently went to the party at York Butter. It's a brilliant building and hosted by a group of people who passionate about the Melbourne tech scene (you couldn't ask for better than that!).
I think right now is definitely the time to be in Melbourne with all the buzz from these spaces (and big events) and if you are focusing on the weather you're missing the point.
Rock on Melbourne!
Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi
