Sydney Australia. Looking for flavor.

[Aminar]

My new party, made up of Dresden Fans with little RP experience, opted for Sydney as the location for our campaign.  That is awesome, as I have a long standing love of Dreamtime Folklore.(Blame Johnny Wulgaru(AKA Dread) if you know who he is.)
What I'm looking for is Sydney's character and feel as well as how to fit the supernatural into it.
I know I'll be using some of the motorcycle gangs, a little bit of the major Asian Mafias, and some White Court Drug runners.  I have a few historical prisoners(original colonists as Black Court.)  An outsider much like the villain from I am not a Serial Killer.  So the evil is worked out.
What I need is a feel for the city.  What's the general attitude.  Is it down and dirty like LA?  Busy and stratified like Chicago and New York?  Is it more like New Orleans in that it's kind of laid back and touristy in most of the parts people see? 
I'm hoping we have a few natives to give me assistance because short of talking in a bad Aussie accent the whole time I'd like to make this as flavorful as possible.  And I have no idea on city aspects.

[Sanctaphrax]

Here's a blog post about DFRPG in Australia.

Most of it's not about Sydney, but I don't have much else that's likely to be helpful. Despite having an ex-room-mate from Sydney I know very little about the place.

[Aminar]

I have an Australian exroomate too.  Still don't know much.  Checking the blog out now.

[LeviathanZero]

Alas while I'm an Aussie I haven't been to Sydney since I was three or four.

http://www.sydney.com.au/ & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney#Culture should help you out a bit

[Richard_Chilton]

You might want to watch Aussie TV to get a handle on things.  Shows like Underbelly (based off of real world crimes) come to mind.  Watching their TV can give you a good idea how they live and a bit about the differences that form their national character.

Richard

[LeviathanZero]

Well, yes and no. It can give you ideas, but don't take too much of it. And for gods sake stay away from the soaps!

There's some awesome ideas in that other link, Ghost Ned Kelly would be badass.

Also, if you want ideas for more.. monsterous creature.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_megafauna

[Aminar]

I lack TV access(on purpose) so getting Aussie TV would be difficult.  Is there anything major not about Mad Max or a pair of mice that takes place in  Australia?

[LeviathanZero]

Depends on your definition of "Major"

They're kids shows, but Blinky Bill, The Ferals and Skippy are all classics that'd probably give you an idea of culture (at least more rural culture).
Slightly more grown up (ie, mid teens) TV series are Around the Twist and Spellbinder
Movies wise The Castle gives an excellent example of Australian attitudes, and If you want to absolutely bloody TERRIFY your players, add in some inspiration from Wolf Creek

[Richard_Chilton]

If you lack TV you might want to checkout sites that offer TV shows via the net.

One of the things I've learned by watching Australian TV is that they are less political correct there.  Part of their national character seems to be "Gruff and Proud Of It".

For example, here's a really not safe for work link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yOB8rss76A) to a song from a comedy program (angry boys) they had - sung by a guy in black face.  It was on their broadcast TV.

Richard

[Aminar]

Yeah, I found a website for some kind of Australian News Site and between reviews of movies there were lists of thong pics and "Great Racks."

It was unique... 

[LeviathanZero]

If you lack TV you might want to checkout sites that offer TV shows via the net.

One of the things I've learned by watching Australian TV is that they are less political correct there.  Part of their national character seems to be "Gruff and Proud Of It".

For example, here's a really not safe for work link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yOB8rss76A) to a song from a comedy program (angry boys) they had - sung by a guy in black face.  It was on their broadcast TV.

Richard

If that's the one that I'm thinking of, it did kick up a shitstorm, but mostly in the 'upper echelons' (ie, producers, politicians etc).
You're right in general though, we're much less politically correct than a lot of people, swear a lot more, and in general poke fun at ourselves and others a lot.

[Richard_Chilton]

If that's the one that I'm thinking of, it did kick up a shitstorm, but mostly in the 'upper echelons' (ie, producers, politicians etc).

It might have kicked up a shit storm, but in the US only HBO could have shown something like that.  Even when a basic cable network got the rights to the Sopranos they edited out all the swearing and added digital bikinis to the strippers.  And in at least one case up the ages of some characters (a pair of mid teen club kids became late teen kid).

In Canada we have different standards (we broadcasted the Sopranos unedited and uncut) but we are too political correct for that song... Or any white guy playing a black rap singer by wearing brown face.

You're right in general though, we're much less politically correct than a lot of people, swear a lot more, and in general poke fun at ourselves and others a lot.

Based on what I've seen of your TV it looks it.  For political correctness I'd say you're at where we were about 20 to 30 years ago.  Which could be an aspect of a game being staged down under.

Richard

[LeviathanZero]

It might have kicked up a shit storm, but in the US only HBO could have shown something like that.  Even when a basic cable network got the rights to the Sopranos they edited out all the swearing and added digital bikinis to the strippers.  And in at least one case up the ages of some characters (a pair of mid teen club kids became late teen kid).

In Canada we have different standards (we broadcasted the Sopranos unedited and uncut) but we are too political correct for that song... Or any white guy playing a black rap singer by wearing brown face.

Based on what I've seen of your TV it looks it.  For political correctness I'd say you're at where we were about 20 to 30 years ago.  Which could be an aspect of a game being staged down under.

Richard

Wow, evidently we're less comparatively PC than I thought
Australia: The only place you'll find an Indian guy doing Blackface during a prime-time family TV show...