Recently returned from a trip to my new favourite city, it strikes me that the Sydney/Melbourne rivalry is just a bit silly really. I say this because there is absolutely no way you can compare two such different cities like for like.
On my first trip to Melbs, I returned to Sydney enlightened. This cultural hotspot with bar, restaurant and shopping delights, was incredible! Why would anyone rather live in Sydney? Unless of course they like the beach, sunshine and the odd iconic landmark…
But then what about all those fabulous Melbournian bars? The ones hidden away down laneways with directions to find them such as ‘turn right at the big bin and find the door with the little red handle under the graffiti of a rat’? Love it! And the coffee! I thought Sydney coffee was doing well until my first trip to Victoria. And then there’s the restaurants (not that Sydders doesn’t have its fair share of great ones) with equally good food at much lower prices.
Then on last week’s trip, I discovered that it really does get rather cold in Melbourne. But I can forgive that because the shopping is so much better. And it has trams! How quaint!
But returning to Sydney, you can’t beat that view of the Opera House as you cross the magnificent Harbour Bridge (and from your balcony if you’re lucky, like me). It really does take your breath away. And while I’m not a sun worshipper or indeed a beach goer, I do enjoy living by water.
So is Sydney my favourite again? No! I’m torn! Daydreams quickly take me back to Melbourne with its European vibe, cafe culture and inimitable style, full of cool girls with great haircuts and deliciously scruffy boys.
They’re just both great, okay?
What do you think?
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what is she on about ?? melbourne is an incredibly dull , boring old fashioned city( apart from the main city area of course) which lacks any good looks whatsoever . i mean i havent come across a single decent looking bloke since i am here and which is 5 months . Full of asians but no sign of any europeans .. hating it so much ..cant wait to b back in london
Sydney is better.
Melbourne is boring, grey, dried out. At the moment its so dried out its literally turning into desert. There are no beautiful natural parks such as the Lane Cove National Park, King Georges River National Park etc etc. They are all concreted and boring.. too planned. The inner city of Melbourne is nice, but that\’s where it ends. The suburban areas are sooo industrial.
Melbourne is also not as recognised as a world city comparable to NY, Paris, London etc. In fact, most people haven\’t even heard of Melbourne. Where do they want to go when visiting Australia?? to see the Harbour bridge, Opera house which are world icons. Why go to Melbourne to see some dried up yellow grass and cows??
Does Melbourne have the blue mountains near by?? i dont think so.
I don\’t know why Melbournians even bother with this debate. There is absolutely no comparison, Sydney is a world city recognised everywhere it has all the icons, its more interesting, bigger, greener, more natural. Need I say more.
Dear friends,
Your ideas are helpful for me cause We are going to select our city in Aus.
Ultimately , we select Melbos .
Forgot to add – many Sydney-lovers, in defense of Sydney, point out the fact that the cities (New York, London, Paris) that Sydney compares itself to are so much \”better\” than Melbourne – I\’m sorry, but this is not a sign of superiority of Sydney, but rather, delusion.
Sydney looks and feels tired. Sure it has a lot of iconic views and the most beautiful harbour in the world, but Sydneysiders haven’t made much of it. It feels empty and vacant to visit and unless you’re a true beach bum, it’s a novelty that you don’t really need to re-experience. Further, a generalisation but the people are self-interested and rather rude and superficial. Melbourne on the other hand, is a great city to visit. Has a sense of community and people care about their city. No where as pretty but Melbournites have made more effort to build a multi-dimensional city compared with Sydneysiders. Melbourne wins.
Well… it turns out, that i never saw any other “big city”, other than the Sydney i was born n breed in it, until i was 17…but for many many years, I wanted to visit melbourne and even though i was a sydneysider, i was always keen on melbourne, and believed it was “the best”…during and after travelling there (finally) i was not let down at all, its such a great city that all aussies can be proud off, but when returning to Sydney…it really hits you, that its not one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but The Most Beautiful City… everyone on the left side ov the plane was in awe and excitement, as they saw the aerial view, the most Magnificient Coastline with golden beaches, Green National Parks surronding the Meteropolitan, the Massive Sydey Habour and the Blue Mountains with all the water ways running thru and around sydney, Just Beautiful! and the City Skyline Itself, well again, its beautiful, mixed colonial/european architecture (which sydney has way more off) mixed with modern style… and as for living, Federal Government Equally shares funding on Education/Health and Infrusture etc, so how do melbournians think they have it better living….?? Melbourne just markets itself alot, compared to sydney, and tries to get recognition but really both cities have alot and equal amount of culture and sport…but natural beauty…SYDNEY takes it all! btw sydney is the oldest and largest city in australia. p.s melbourne is going thru a big boom period, trying to build icons..and mimic sydney a bit.. like wats wif docklands..? and victoria habour..? trying to be a bit copy cat off sydney i think….!!!!
Sydney is number 1 -
Great Arts scene ( you should be here now for the Sydney Festival – amazing), great restaurants from 3 hats to cheap BYO, great vibe in the inner suburbs surrounded by Victorian architecture – Cafe eat street surrond the CBD, huge amount of performing arts spaces especially in the inner west plus Sydney\’s topography makes for amazing walks, kyaking, rowing, running, climbing, yachting, jetboating, hiking and just about all out door activities. This is why Sydney wins for me, Melbourne may have more cafes, restaurants, nightclubs etc.. But Sydney has all this plus the option to head out to the great out doors with in its city limits and enjoy the beauty on offer.
I think Sydney’s weather is overrated. Maybe someone from North Europe may think it is great here, but as a Mediterranean, I can just say Sydney’s weather is below average overall. It is 3 Jan 2010 today, middle of summer, and it is still raining in Sydney with temperatures around 20-25 degrees. It is mostly cloudy. It is humid. It does not smell fresh, but mouldy.
Melbourne is more European definitely. As a family father, I don’t care too much about how beautiful Harbour Bridge and Opera House looks. At first sight, yes it was impressive 20 years ago, now it is just a building and a bridge. Living in a city is much more than pubs, shopping, and beaches. My priorities are roads, quality of public transport, easy access to healthcare (Australia overall fails on healthcare), safety, cost of living, jobs, schools.
I think, Melbourne wins over Sydney.
have lived in both cities and my vote goes to Sydney. the weather, the iconic opera and harbor views, it’s in the middle of most Australian cities. Melbourne bad weather, no beach culture. only shopping is good still Sydney has great shopping spots. love going to central coast, Wollongong & North shore. No city in Australia can beat Sydney. Melbourne is like younger brother in the family, keep saying i am the bigger but no ones listen!!!!
Having been born and raised in Sydney, and visited Melbourne four times, I have absolutely fallen in love with Melbourne. The all round vibe, and the culture, the fashion, sport and food cannot be matched by any other city. Something about Melbourne is just totally… “WOW!”. Especially on a cool Autumns day, sipping coffee in one of Degrave’s streets cute little cafes. The Crown Casino and its entertainment complex are the BEST in Australia!!!
Sydney is……okay. It has some nice views, but I feel way less safe here, compared to Melbourne.
Moving down to Melbourne with my boyfriend in March for our 5th anniversary and cannot WAIT!!
Talk about Sophie’s Choice! Luckily you’re not being asked to give one away forever – I think you 50-50 split is a good overall policy, but knowing inhabitants from both cities I’d say your safest route is being for Sydney when you’re in Sydney and Melbourne in Melbourne. Better yet, no matter which one you’re in tell folks your from the other whilst waxing on poetically about the one you’re in. You are more likely to get free beer that way!
Kerry from Melbourne, I just hope Melbourne isn\’t as tedious as your post.
Seriously, I like both cities but think Sydney has the edge because of its \”wow\” factor. I\’m sure Melbourne would be a great place to live as it certainly is a great place to visit.
Im gonna have to say that Melbourne has my vote. We don’t need to rely on an opera house, or a harbor or harbor bridge for recognition. I lived in Sydney for 2 years, and unfortunately i must say, i hated it! Was meant to stay there for 5 years while my dad was working, but we came home much earlier because we found the people to be rude and always in a rush, and it was very boring. Though, the view of the harbor was nice. Bondi beach is quite beautiful too, even though im not a beach person. I prefer the cooler weather to the warmer weather as well. Melbourne is much much more fun and interesting than Sydney. I found myself very bored there. I love arts and entertainment but in Sydney it just didnt match up to Melbourne, whereas Melbourne has it all. I absolutely adore the hidden lane ways in Melbourne, the modern and traditional architecture, the greatest sporting events (AFL grand final, Grand Prix, Melbourne Cup, Australian Open etc), the parks and gardens, the beautiful Yarra River and Royal Botanic Gardens, great events (Royal Melbourne Show, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Food&Wine Festival, International Film Festival etc) awesome nightlife and the way the city lights up at night, cafes/bars/restaurants, the shopping and culture. People are very laid back and friendly here too. Trams are awesome compared to the monorail which sucks. Getting around Melbourne is so much more easy too, with all the amazing suburbs within the city (love Carlton, and love Lygon Street, and St Kilda and also all the great cafes and retaurants and bars in Brunswick). The Great Ocean Road and the 12 Apostles are absolutely amaaaazing too!! So so sooo happy to be back home in Melbourne!!
sydney is better !! better because it has better atmosphere , waether unbeatable, but too expensive .
melbourne is better for great cheap coffee , fashion and our attractions .
Having come from overseas and after spending time in both cities, (Although I eventually set up in Sydney) I think i have the view of an outsider.
First of all I work in the arts and I can tell you that the art culture is pretty much an equal playing field. Both have some great artists and galleries And from what I\’ve read, more Sydneysiders attend galleries and the theatre than Melbournians so I think that may be a busted myth.
As for shopping that one probably goes to Melbourne. Although working in the arts can limit your shopping experiences so I\’ve never been much of a shopper. At the same time I\’ve never had a problem finding what I want either.
Food and restuarants- I don\’t think you can split that one either.
Melbourne is far better to get around and seems set out and planned which is alot better. Sydney can be hard to get around and everything seems spread out.
Melbourne has a load of charm but there\’s is just something special about Sydney, especially in the summer. The harbour has all these little secret jewels that you always seem to discover and each of the beaches just have this
fantastic unique atmosphere about them.
People tend to label Sydney glitzy which I think is way off the mark just by looking down my own inner western street.
If anything it\’s probably the most sophisticated of the two cities and if anyone compares Syd and Mel to NY and LA clearly they\’ve never been over to the States. Australian cities are and should be seen as Australian cities not European or American.
melbourne is very peaceful city ,its like heven on earth. Good to study ,shopping ,food and ausam cafe .and its cheper than sydney
Jen, I lived in sydney for 10 years and still it\’s my home. Mel is very cold and weather is unpredictable. Sydney has many things to offer likes beach culture, great weather and it\’s in center of east cost. easy to travel Mel or Bris. Sydney is always winner.
Sydney is the gay capital of Australia.
I’ll keep it simple. For your own sake, stay the hell away from Adelaide.
I am obviously biased, but I don’t know enough about Sydney to choose a side. All I know is that MY preference is Melbourne, because it just feels like home. Some people say that Melbourne is like New York and Sydey is like Los Angeles.
Moving from East London I do miss the fab, edgy vibe (especially the bars and shops) so going to Melbourne and precariously heading down the dingiest of alleys to find great bars and the great boutique/vintage shops really reminds me of that scene.
Sydney and Melbourne are both great but to be honest I came over here to experience the complete opposite of London so the weather, the beaches, harbour etc make Sydney the winner for me!
Embrace the rivalry, it creates healthy competition. Sydney is a beautiful city, no doubt…the old “great place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there” mantra applies perfectly. Real estate prices close to any of the pretty stuff are crazy, and the roads…ffs, as if the trains aren’t bad enough!
I’ll give you the Woollooommooolloo thing though…
Jen u r so spot on! How do you compare? They are different cities both with so many +ves and a few -ves. Both are so far above most other cities in the world. I live in Syd and spend most time working in Melb so I get the best of both cities (and worst I guess). Anyone who thinks one is better than the other obviously hasn’t lived in both!
* Taken from the Facebook group –
Reasons why Sydney is better than Melbourne:
1) Sydney people do not find it necessary to create bullshit groups about incomparable cities (unless their hands are forced)
We have awesome beaches
2) We have the Harbour (should the discussion end here?)
3) We have the Opera House
4) We have the Bridge
5) We have the oldest pubs in Australia
6) The PM lives here
7) Our nation’s capital is closer to us than it is you
9) Our population lives in relative harmony, if you discount the Shire. No gangland murders in this jewel of a city.
10) We have the oldest University in Australia
11) We have the oldest college in Australia
12) We have the Glebe markets
13) We have the nation’s largest and most important airport, it is the hub of the South Pacific
14) We have the largest finance markets, forget Collins Street, get around Martin Place
15) It is home to wmb, cjkc, bjd
16) It is home to an obviously diverse socio-economic crowd (just look at how popular NRL is here)
17) It has cool Aboriginal names like Woolloomooloo
18) Even the Japanese thought it was more worthy of an attack, I do not see too many mini-submarines at the bottom of Port Phillip Bay
19) Even if there was a sub down there, you would not be able to see it, such is the filth in that body of water (does the effluent go to Werribee or St Kilda beach?). That stands in contradistinction to Sydney’s serene sea
20) The city is obviously very supportive of the under-privileged – the Rabbitohs are somehow still afloat
21) We have a cool bridge called The Spit
22) We have exciting and surprising trains, as you never know if one is going to show up
23) We have 4 justices on the High Court bench who are graduates from Sydney University Law School
24) We have an incredibly proficient and able Premier called Morris Iemma (that is pronounced Yemma, again our support for other ethnic groups shines through). Who do you have – Steve Hacks?
25) We rejected Jason ‘Pants’ Ampt and now you have to deal with him
26) You can grab your stick, hop in your car and hit any one of our famous surf spots
27) We pride ourselves on having Tina Turner perform at some of our sporting events (thanks to that person who added a photo of her)
28) We are the home of the Swanettes
29) We had, according to Juan Antonio Samaranch, the best Olympic games ever (he doesn’t just say that to every Olympic city)
30) That is it for now, I think the foregoing demonstrates Sydney’s supremacy. Any supporters, please feel free to forward me suggestions of other reasons why Sydney surges successfully ahead of mediocre, mundane and monotonous Melboring.
As a Sydney girl who has lived overseas since 1998, and a travel writer who recently returned to Australia to work on some guidebooks, I have to say that the Sydney-Melbourne rivalry (more intense than I remember) astounded me. When I lived in Sydney we’d frequently do city breaks to Melbourne on long weekends, and I loved both cities. I guess if it came down to it and I *had* to choose, I’d select Sydney for its gorgeous harbour and sunshine over Melbourne’s cold and grey skies, but as a coffee fan who spends a lot of time in Italy, coffee doesn’t come into the equation. Very few Australians really know how to make good coffee. A “long macchiato”? C’mon…!
Now the east coast vs west coast rivalry is interesting too. Been to Perth lately?
I’m afraid I have to be a traitor and put a vote in for Melbs! I went on holidays there for the first time in February and fell head over heels in love with the fashion, the food and the bars! Melbourne is like an Aussie version of Europe, it’s so relaxed and social and don’t get me started on the shopping, ahh Chadstone… Sydney is a really beautiful city, but Melbourne has the ultimate lifestyle and it’s so classy. Paul I have to disagree – the Melburnians I’ve met are extremely defensive in the Sydney vs Melbourne debate!
It really is an age-old argument that is comparing apples with oranges! Both cities have so many amazing qualities to brag about. If you are from Melbourne you are floored by how close the surf beaches are and the massive contrast from relaxed beach culture to fast moving corporate world. And then coming form Sydney the quality of bars, restaurants, design and theatre culture, sports events etc….. Why dont we just say they are both brilliant cities that are just a short flight away and then you get the best of both worlds (or cities that is)
The 7 Melbournians who have already commented would seem to disprove your argument Paul. Be a big boy and tell the rest of us where you are from, come on don’t be a scaredy cat.
Sydney screams bling whist posing for the pretentious crowds praying for someone to notice the, Melbourne leaves a subtle but lingering taste of pleasure knowing it has made an impact. I love the outlandish Sydney social scene but I think I prefer the class, elegance and cutural quality of Melbourne. Luckily travel deals and cheap airfares makes it possible to dip into both.
Sydney vs Melbourne is a debate that only people from Sydney engage in. Melburnians don’t need to bother — they already know. Sydney has a harbour; Melbourne has civilisation.
it’s clearly stated, in the name of this blog itself, that Sydney is the best city in the world http://bestcityintheworld.wordpress.com/
Jocelyn you boob – it’s called a port not a beach.
Melbourne was enough to stop my trip around the world, so I\’d say Melbourne is pretty special. Sydney is amazing too and would say it has the wow factor over Melbourne but in terms of the best place to live, I\’d say Melbourne. I live across the road from the beach here and despite what Sydneysiders believe, Sydney gets a lot more rain than Melbourne!
Sydney is the brash, pretty girl princess, who grew up the apple of everyone’s eye. She’s bikinis on the beach, designer looks – the girl who’s famous for being famous. She’s a bit soulless, but you’ll forgive it because of the way she looks. She’s starting to get some wrinkles now, but the people who love her don’t care too much. She’s a bit warmer, made to be looked at, and she’s tricky to navigate because she’s starting to expand a little too much.
Melbourne’s the younger sister, who grew up with glasses, and read about books and theatre and alternative expressionism because she wasn’t gorgeous as a child. Now she’s matured, taken the glasses off, and is a smoky, slightly gothic beauty with a Masters in Arts. She’s somewhat elitist, a little cold until you get to know her, and passionate about indulgence. She’s got an ethnically-diverse background, and prefers to ignore her seedy, slightly criminal past.
I think it’s fair to say the comments so far follow Bish’s conclusion – lots to love about both when it comes to living. But how about working? As the owner of a small business recently started in Melbourne – after 6 years working in Sydney – I have to say this can be a frustrating place.
It’s been much easier to get my foot in the door with new customers, who are far more welcoming and pleasant than their Sydney counterparts. But actually getting anything done? There’s not a lot of ‘let’s get it done right now’ going on.
If you want a fast paced working / business environment, my experience so far says go Sydney. On the other hand, if you want to actually get to know your customers and suppliers, Melbourne’s where it’s at.
Of course, I have no doubt that those long-term relationships will work well for us – if we can survive the slow sales cycles to get going at all!
I have to say the Sydney setting is magnificent. But really, how often do you all spend gazing across the harbour? What matters is the people you deal with, the food and drink you have every day and the fabric of life around you. Melbourne’s fabric is a grey shot silk. Sydney? A red satin. I don’t have to think too hard about where I’d rather live seven days a week. Having said that, I’ve packed my red satin for a trip to Sin City in a few weeks. I hope the town is jumping…
The best thing about Melbourne? Sydney airport!
Melbourne is great… for a WEEKEND!! You Melbournephiles are kidding yourselves aren’t you?
Melissa have you ever been out in Melb or Sydney other than the Cross? Drop me a line next time you’re up. We’ll find some seductive girls for you.
Danielle – spot on. Variety and more to do.
Jess – “The culture (what, Lygon Street and AFL?), the groovy bars (equally good if not better in Syd), the coffee (Campos, Mecca, Single Origin etc without the midday murders and the Morans), the trams (points to a backwards city not yet aware of modern technology – and turning right from left lane? Seriously), the shopping (biggest myth of them all).”
Caroline – And for those who don’t like art…?
Next!
I’m Sydney born and bred and I like Melbourne a LOT but wouldn’t want to live there. However, I have a feeling that I would feel the same about Sydney had I been born and bred Melbourne.
Why did my parents choose Sydney? Apparently it was more Asian-friendly in the 1970s, whereas they felt Melbourne was Euro-centric and stuck up. So there’s the flipside to the Euro homage in Melbourne.
I’d also like to refute Melissa’s comment that Sydney is the minx without mystery. Unfortunately because we have such great iconic landmarks people often forget to look for the hidden Sydney layers. The minx is tourist Sydney, the seduction happens when you live here. Maybe a better analogy would be that Sydney is like a palace, grand on the outside but also with hidden passages and interesting things within. Melbourne is a…?
i love the gritty charm of Melbourne. The city actually has a real definable personality, whereas Sydney CBD is just like any big city. I guess if the beach is your thing then Sydney is all about beach life. If you like art, culture and the creative pursuits, then Melbourne is the place to fuel your creative passions.
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Sydney… Melbourne… why do we have to choose? They are two completely different cities and should be taken on their own individual merits. It’s like comparing apples with oranges! I am a Sydney girl through and through but I also absolutely love Melbourne! The culture,the people, the groovy bars, the coffee, the trams, the shopping..I could go on and on. But at the end of the day I don’t think I could leave Sydney. Yeah the transport sucks, but it is just such a beautiful and vibrant city
I want the best of both worlds thank you very much!
Sydney is the minx in the bar, wearing the skimpy outfit. The goods are all on show, leaving little to the imagination. Melbourne is the mysterious girl in the corner, that hint of seduction pulling you in. You want to unravel the layers as you know there is so much more on offer
So for me, it’s not the obvious beauty and charms – which Sydney possesses x 10 – it’s the hidden secrets, the little lane ways, the grittiness, the soul of Melbourne that pulls me in every time.
I do like Melbourne, but Sydney has more variety I think. You can find parts of Sydney that have that very European feel, but then 15 minutes away, you can find the total opposite. I love knowing that within a short drive, I can feel like I’m in a totally different place. Life’s never boring that way!
This is a pointless debate – everyone knows Radelaide is where it’s at.
hahaha! Brisbane. Pfft!
Being a Sydney sider, ordinarily I’d jump in on the debate and barrack for Sydney but your opening paragraph says it all. The world needs both Sydney AND Melbourne, and it wouldn’t be the same without a good rivalry to keep everyone on their toes. Just don’t make too much noise about how good Melbourne is, ok, otherwise people might start to believe you
Brisbane for sure!
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