Thursday Dating: Swipe fatigue hits Perth as singles turn to real-life dating events in search of a romance

The rules of romance have been rewritten. Awkward first dates, conversations without read receipts and getting to know someone beyond a carefully curated profile are back in vogue, as Australians chase their very own real-life romcom meet-cute. In Perth, singles are doing everything they can to escape the exhausting dating-app loop of match, small talk, ghosted, repeat, turning instead to in-person dating events and even local reality shows in search of genuine connection. Thursday Dating Perth is one such initiative, hosting weekly singles-only gatherings at bars and pubs across the city. Events manager Kara Benton believes dating apps are nearing their expiry date. “After a decade of dating apps people are tired of them... I think their time is up,” she said. “People love meeting organically instead of sitting on their phones swiping for hours. “I’m constantly stopped at events by singles thanking us and saying Perth has needed something like this for years.” Echoing a sentiment shared by many Perth singles, Ms Benton said the appetite for face-to-face connection has never been stronger. “We’re more connected digitally than ever, but never been more disconnected in real life,” she said. “Singles want real experiences, real conversations and real connections and they want them now, not after three weeks of messaging just to be ghosted. “Meeting in real life isn’t forced. Chemistry, attraction and sparks are felt instantly when you’re face to face, not behind a screen.” That instant spark is exactly what brought Danny Griffin, 38, and Vanessa Naso, 44, together after they met at a Thursday Dating event in Highgate. “I spotted Danny from across the room... something drew me to him. We started talking and connected pretty quickly,” Ms Naso said. Mr Griffin said the experience felt rare in a dating landscape dominated by apps. “We met as our real selves, not as profiles or messages,” he said. “It feels rare now, which is what makes it so special. It honesty created a connection that felt deep and natural from the very beginning.” Before meeting Ms Naso, Mr Griffin had spent about a year using dating apps, but said fatigue had set in. “I had been using dating apps on and off for about a year, but then I was tired of the whole dating scene and looking for something real,” Mr Griffin said. “I didn’t like how untruthful dating apps could feel.” Ms Naso, meanwhile, refused to let a dating app be part of her fairy-tale ending. “I decided if I meet someone special I didn’t want my story to be ‘we met on a dating app,’ it just wasn’t for me,” she said. Another alternative gaining traction among Perth singles is 1ROSE, an Australian dating show founded in Perth by Gabe Wong, 30. Launched one year ago, the concept has already attracted nearly 1000 applicants. “I came up with the idea to help out singles because everyone’s sick of dating apps and dating,” Mr Wong said. “Friends and on social media too, especially on Tiktok, everyone is just complaining about dating and how they’re wasting their time.” Originally a speed-dating platform, 1ROSE evolved into a dating show and social media mini-series just nine months ago. The format sees singles take part in compatibility games, offering a rose to someone they feel a connection with to secure a second date. The show has already produced multiple couples, with some even moving in together. Show presenter Amy Priya, 30, said dissatisfaction with dating apps was a common thread among participants. “Everybody that’s been involved so far has complained about their experience with the dating apps,” she said. Returning contestant Saxon Heighton, 31, agreed. “I had done the apps and it didn’t quite go so well,” he said. “The dating apps, you can filter through the type of person you want on paper, and that’s great, but it’s not until you meet someone face to face where you can match the energy or suss out the vibe between you. “The show gives you multiple people so you can walk around and find the person that your the most attracted to and have the best vibe with and go from there.” Mr Heighton said appearing on the show had boosted his confidence to approach women in real life. “In my experience, the tables turned, girls are coming up to guys more, and I’m not sure if that’s right or wrong, but I think guys need to take a bit more accountability and start getting out there and approaching girls in a comfortable way,” he said. “Everyone wants that rom com love story so I think trying to meet someone in person is a big thing.” Dating apps themselves are acknowledging the shift. Director of communications at Tinder Australia, Kirsty Dunn, said Australian singles were increasingly prioritising real-life connection over screen-based dating. “This past year, Tinder saw Aussie daters leaning back into in-person connection,” Ms Dunn said. “Gen Z and millennials were more likely to describe themselves as ‘better in person’ when adding their communications style descriptor to their Tinder profiles. “Everyone is seeking more authentic, meaningful connections, and the younger generation of singles who came of age in virtual spaces now feel a nostalgic affinity for the in real life ‘meet cutes’.” Hinge echoed the trend, saying users were moving away from passive chatting towards more intentional dating. “People are looking for someone who is intentional and puts in effort, a Hinge match who makes a plan and follows through,” a spokesperson said. “2026 will look like more emotional intimacy and less surface-level interaction, and daters are experimenting with new ways to connect through tools such as Voice Notes. “35 per cent of Gen Z daters say they want to receive more Voice Notes from the people they’re talking to.” Relationship expert Scott Devenport said widespread frustration with dating apps was fuelling the push towards alternative ways of meeting. “People don’t like dating apps... they’d like to meet people in other ways,” Mr Devenport said. “People are struggling to meet each other in person because there’s lots of people on dating apps that aren’t there for a relationship.” While the desire for organic connection is growing, he said the transition from online to real life remains a hurdle. “Meeting people organically is more difficult,” he said. “That jump from online to in person remains the biggest barrier to starting a relationship, but I think it could be solved by an increased popularity of more organic dating experiences.”