If you want to have cars go for it I'm sure no one on here will get bent out of shape about it .It's just that some people want to see change and not having a car is a good way to start ,I mean if it makes one person think about the damage that is being done by the automotive industry it's a start .You would need to have a car in Newcastle that's for sure , the place used to be the steel capital of Australia and it's gone downhill since the 60's My father was a foreman at the steel works and now he can see the damage that has been done ( and he's 71 ) so there is hope yet . I have family that lives in Sydney and nearly all of the people there have no respect or don't want to know about bicycles .
The car scene down that way is the biggest in Australia that's why you don't find many people who want to commute ,I don't know why if they were smart they would when I was there last it took me 45 minutes to drive 15 km the place is a joke .

You should have moved to Queensland , fuel is cheaper , so is housing ,food ,electric , gas and more laid back .And they are trying to be more environmentally sound up here , they are building a bikeway that starts at Noosa ( sunshine coast ) to Sydney .They have it built from the Gold coast to Coffs harbour ( about 250-300 km ) they should have Brisbane to the Gold caost done soon and Noosa to Brisbane is under construction . It should all be built by 2008 well that's what they say anyway .Hopefully that may change some attitudes here in Australia .