For many expats, the idea of moving to Australia conjures images of endless sunshine, golden beaches and barbecues by the ocean.
But for those who have actually made the move, there is one thing they were not warned about: the rain.
Since 2022, much of the country has seen record-breaking downpours, leaving new arrivals stunned.
UK expat Josh McCallion, who now lives in Sydney, said the soggy weather has been among the most unexpected part of his new life.
‘No one tells you this before moving to Australia,’ he said on Instagram.
‘I am from the UK, known for terrible weather, and I have never experienced rain like I have since moving to Sydney. Every single time it rains, it’s a downpour. The raindrops hit you and it’s almost like you’re being shot, honestly.
‘I’m going to the gym and it’s 400m away. It’s too wet for me to want to take my bike and I can’t walk in this, it’s ridiculous. So I’m catching the bus.’
Josh’s complaints struck a chord online, with fellow expats and locals divided over what’s worse: heavy Aussie rain or the more constant light precipitation in the UK.
UK man Josh McCallion, who now lives in Sydney, posted an Instagram video detailing how he was shocked to learn how soggy and rainy it can get in Australia
UK man Josh, who now lives in Sydney, went viral after admitting the soggy weather has been one of his biggest shocks.
‘As an Aussie living in the UK, this is one of the things I miss. REAL rain. Not the misty rubbish you get in the UK where it feels like you’re constantly living under a damp tea towel,’ one wrote.
‘When I lived in London I was like, what is wrong with your rain? I want to be soaking wet and extremely inconvenienced, not damp and mildly annoyed,’ another joked.
‘Also, how come it happens all the time, instead of just for two weeks, then every other Tuesday for four hours straight as it’s supposed to?’
Others were shocked to learn that heavy, short bursts of rain weren’t the norm everywhere.
‘I never knew there wasn’t heavy rain in other countries! That looks like normal rain to me – I’ve seen heavier,’ one Aussie admitted after viewing Josh’s video.
While expats often complain about the intensity, locals see the drama of Australian weather as part of its charm.
‘Sydney has spectacular storms especially in November through to January. Loud, fast, heavy, dark – and then the petrichor … Sydney at its best,’ one fan explained.
‘Sydney rain is intense and can be relentless, and that’s why it’s so green and beautiful,’ another agreed.
UK traveler Josh complained that the rain was so heavy that he couldn’t walk or ride his bike even a short distance through it. ‘I can’t walk in this, it’s ridiculous. So I’m catching the bus,’ he said in the now viral video
While expats often complain about the intensity, locals see the drama of Australian weather as part of its charm
And for those who have experienced Australia’s wildest weather, nothing else compares.
‘UK weather is a joke compared to Australian weather. Can you imagine if the UK was flooding, had a cyclone and bushfires, all in the middle of a heatwave? That happens in Australia every year now,’ one said.
The rain debate also revealed just how different Australia’s cities feel to live in.
‘Sydney rain feels like you’re being pelted with bullets,’ one commenter joked.
‘But Melbourne’s weather? More like London with an identity crisis – endless drizzle, grey skies and the occasional sulk.
‘When I first moved here, I really missed the Queensland summer storms: the thunder that shakes the house, lightning that lights up the sky, and those wild downpours that leave steam rising off the bitumen.’
For expats who arrive chasing sunshine, the lesson is clear: Australia may be famous for its beaches, but it’s the unpredictable weather – from subtropical downpours in the north to scorching dry summer heat – that can really define the lifestyle.
