Not an Aussie, but living in Australia... I think the GP overstated things a little. Melbourne is reasonably dense compared to some other cities I've lived in.

Not an Aussie, but living in Australia... I think the GP overstated things a little. Melbourne is reasonably dense compared to some other cities I've lived in. Quite a few of my co-workers don't own cars, and none of them drive to work in the city - every one of them walks, cycles, takes a tram or catches a train. Melbourne buses are terrible, but the trains aren't nearly as bad as everyone says. Our trams and cycle lanes are ubiquitous and they're incredible. Most of the hills in Melbourne exist in bike riders' imaginations, though - compared to my native NZ it's dead flat. Having commuted on Brisbane's buses I know they're top notch, and the ferries aren't bad if you're near the river and have some extra time in the mornings. The trains are getting a lot of money thrown at them, too, upping service frequencies and extending them further north. There's definitely cultural lean towards living in the suburbs and having a back yard big enough to play cricket on, but you only really know what you see. What used to be called outer suburbs are now called inner suburbs, and they're getting dense and very transport-accessible.