The residents of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, find themselves a long way from anywhere else in Australia. It's a 2,250km (1,400 mile) drive down the road to the nearest big city of Adelaide for example. Luckily, in a city of about 1,193,000 people with a warm climate and strong economy, they probably don't want to be anywhere else in Australia.
The photo shows a Perth city street - round about Christmas time. Some of the most interesting cultural events I've ever attended were the post Christmas sales. These used to occur in every Australian city but sadly are now only a shadow of their former glory. In the year I was in Perth a large department store set the scene by advertising a few selected goods at ridiculously cheap prices - $50 fridges for example. The day for the sale was announced and some customers spent the night sleeping outside the store so they could be first in line. Others just turned up very early in the morning. I turned up about two hours before opening time a found myself about 500th in line to buy one of 5 cheap fridges, microwaves etc. The crowd were kept amused with free Big-Macs and a mobile disco. The DJ performed ok until his almost fatal mistake of ending off by playing 'Achy-Breaky-Heart'. It takes a lot to motivate an Australian crowd to violence - but this went close.
Shortly before opening time the crowd began to push forward, causing the people at the front to be somewhat crushed, and the security doors to buckle and break. We were let in early.
The stampede that followed was something of a cross between the Running of the Bulls and 'Wheel of Fortune'. Shop displays were trampled, people who had waited all night were trampled, there was screaming and swearing and sweaty bodies everywhere. I saw one victorious man leaving with a set of cheap golf clubs and a smug grin. No one else seemed to have bought a thing. I certainly didn't. I was only there to see crass, manipulative, greedy consumerism at its very worst.
And to have a great day out in the process.
Last updated: 28 Mar 1999