bruceandjoan

Yes so what I mean in a town that's built for the tough is that the people are not always the most friendly, the weather is extreme, the location is so remote you need to travel 2 hours before you even get somewhere remotely civil, your family will say they'll visit but never will, mostly because the airfares cost you a kidney, and there is very little community spirit here.

There are Dubbonians and there are the non-Dubbonians. If you want the full experience of Dubbonians, go for a job in government. If you get on their good side, they'll never leave you alone. If you get on their bad side, they'll never leave you alone. If you're moving here, move to the ex-pat communities, the newer estates in the west as that's your best chance at feeling like you belong. Only issue is you either send your kid to the Worst school in Dubbo, Dubbo West, or to the most expensive, Macquarie Anglican Grammar, or travel across town and send them to a private school in the South. However, most South and Upper West I would say are quite nice places to live.

The health care is also extremely hit and miss. Mostly miss. I'm yet to have an experienced Doctor but if you're looking for a doctor who will give you what you want, the drug you googled, then here's the place. The dentists are better. But overall, if you want good health care, you go elsewhere. Just ask the Dubbonians who'll travel all the way to Sydney without hesitation, to get the care they need. And if you didn't have a car here, well, I'd be very concerned for you because once you get to the 45 degree days, you'll be in a puddle of your own sweat the minute you step out the door. Which reminds me that the summers here are unlivable with children unless you have a huge house with aircon. Forget the outdoors, when you have mega dust storm after mega dust storm, you will not be able to let them run and play outside even if the temperature was around 40.

The zoo is great but there are only so many times you can do the zoo, goal and whatever the third one is. Who cares! Come for a holiday but not to stay. Why you'd not be at the beach on the holiday though, beats me but it's your adventure.

Overall Dubbo sucks. It isn't as bad as what it used to be or it's reputation, it's civil, half city-half-country and not too up itself (life Orange), but for some it just won't work. I'm one of those people unfortunately, and cannot wait to move. However, it is a pretty safe place, pretty cosmopolitan and a town that is experiencing growth. It could have a vibe, but doesn't.It is too disconnected because the locals don't mix, and the ex-pats are too new to make connections.