Actually, I went the other way. I'm a native Aussie who headed over here a tad over 11 years ago. And I actually rather enjoy the real Brighton Beach - the pebbles do have their advantages at times (such as a lovely summer evening BBQ).
The reality, though, is that neither Brighton Beach can...
I once visited Brighton Beach in Brisbane. It was a cold, grey, windy day and the tide was up ... so it was pretty much just as rubbish as the real Brighton Beach. Reliably(?) informed it's much better on a sunny day at low tide ... which makes it very different to the real Brighton Beach, which...