This cold is driving me nuts!

[tygwyn]

Last year I couldnt believe how cold it got in Australia but I was hoping that by this year I would be 'over it'! Unfortunately I'm not though - I'm freezing!

Whenever I say this to people in the UK their standard response is 'yes but its not cold compared to here'!! YES IT IS!! These houses have no central heating and next to no insulation - they're built to keep the heat out not keep the heat in. Mornings and nights are ridiculous!

There - got that off my chest!!

[synthia]

Just like South Africa! All the houses had these 'air bricks' in them. Every room had at least one openwork brick in every wall. They told me it was to ensure fresh air got into the house so I wouldn't suffocate, as if the houses were airtight or something.

Then they spent their evenings huddled around these bar space heaters which are considered very dangerous in America, are horribly expensive to run, and do virtually nothing for you.

When I asked why they didn't have heat, they said it really never got cold enough. -6C isn't cold enough to need heat?

They'd decided they lived in this weather paradise, and wouldn't do anything that indicated it wasn't, I guess.

[newtoOZ]

I think that the country was settled before central heating and for some reason they never decided to adopt it. The same reasoning as synthia pointed out. No one wants to admit it's cold.

[Quassia]

Where do you live Tygwyn? I was shocked how cold it was the first winter I was on the Central Coast. The first things we bought were thick track suits to wear at night. Now I'm planning on going back but further north. However people are still complaining of cold even in Southern Queensland.

[tygwyn]

Originally Posted by synthia

They'd decided they lived in this weather paradise, and wouldn't do anything that indicated it wasn't, I guess.

Good point Synthia - spot on I reckon!

[tygwyn]

Originally Posted by Quassia

Where do you live Tygwyn? I was shocked how cold it was the first winter I was on the Central Coast. The first things we bought were thick track suits to wear at night. Now I'm planning on going back but further north. However people are still complaining of cold even in Southern Queensland.

We're in Richmond NSW (probably about 1 1/2 hours from you) and also considering moving further up North in the coming years. The first thing we bought when we moved into the house was oil heaters as there was no heating in the other house at all - crazy. Plus there were gaps around all the doors & windows (it was more of a shack than a house to be honest!!).

We're in a better house now but I still feel the cold really badly - roll on the spring. Lets get July & August over with please

[Quassia]

We looked at Richmond when we first arrived, it looked nice but we decided it was too long a commute to the CBD for my OH. It probably wasn't much further than the Central Coast though. Do you go up into the Blue Mountains very much?

I'm hoping we're going to find a house with a wood burning stove, as they seem to throw the heat out.

[newtoOZ]

Has nobody ever heard of central heating? Wood burning stoves are actually rather polluting, and you do have to cut down trees. They don't 'throw the heat out' unless you are comparing them to bar heaters. And kerosene heaters? I don't even think they are legal at home, at least outside rural areas.

[tygwyn]

For some reason they favour the very expensive ducted aircon here dont they!! I would love to see Central heating here!

[kate45]

The longer u live here ....the more acclimatised you get ....the colder it feels