Melbourne actually has great weather, in the 'worlds most livable city index' we got a perfect 5 in every catergory, including weather. Sydney got a perfect 5 in all but one catergory...weahter
it gets really humid in Sydney, plus it rains fior days. We tend to get the occasional drizzle more then heavy, long rains.
The reason I suggest Oregon is basically population. Whilst Australia in population terms wiould be about the second largest state, we're pretty small on a world stage but not puny-ie, Oregon. Oregons' weather is pretty varied, its a centristic state. It has heaps of wildlife and city life and farmlife, and was on the edge of nowhere for forever but it's just starting to be close to the center of the action, if it is't really there yet.