Exclusive Daily Telegraph survey finds it's best to follow your heart

An exclusive Daily Telegraph survey hundreds of single Australians proves that, society is the move, our hopes and values surrounding relationships remain planted firmly tradition.

Love trumps lust, personality and chemistry are important than looks and money, and more 90 per cent of people dream of one day meeting or Mrs Right.

The results might a few eyebrows in an age when being young and single commonly associated with an anything-goes attitude, Relationships Australia counsellor Lyn Fletcher was not surprised.

She said most single people yearned meaningful relationships and love, regardless age.

However, singles were more discerning today than once might have been.

"I don't think people willing to settle for second-best any ," she said.

"They are prepared to wait find and develop the right kind of relationship."

Ms Fletcher said past generations were often less likely to look into a potential relationship before jumping .

" the past the chemistry and excitement of love was to push people into marriage," she said.

"A lot of people followed expected path but these people have seen the bad examples and don't want to have same experience."

About one four survey respondents said they were casual sex. The vast said they were in search a long-term partner and, for most, personality was the most important factor, followed chemistry and good looks.

that sexual attraction isn't important - almost half of singles said was vital for a relationship to prosper and nine of ten said sexiness was certainly a factor when looking a partner.

Marriage was the agenda for more than 90 per of people surveyed.

Perhaps it's because most of us are apparently quite good we get there.

Almost eight out of 10 people believed the opposite sex knows they're doing when it to love, though males appear to be more clueless females.

More 30 per cent of women said males had no about love and more than 40 per cent blokes were either selfish or boring bed.

Australian Counselling Association CEO Philip Armstrong said women were much empowered today and more discerning when choosing a prospective partner. "Even in the '70s or '80s the choice most women was marriage, marriage or marriage - that was pretty a vocation," he said.

"Women 20 or 30 years may have felt far more pressured to get relationships, whereas women today have more choices work and they're financially independent. That helps give them the ability to sit and choose."

University student Sharna Davies is the young single women putting a serious relationship on until she gets her degree.

"My great-grandmother is 95 and she always says, 'By your I was married and had kids'. But I think the priorities changed to establishing a career first," the 18-year-old said.

Just 9.6 per cent of single women said were looking for a partner because their biological clock was .

Being discerning means singles are more apt finding the right partner, but it makes the job more challenging.

More 80 per cent of women said it wasn't easy meeting someone 71 per cent of men agreed. Jayne Lussick, 18, recently moved from Newcastle Wagga Wagga, said finding a partner in a new place was tricky.

"I'm not ready to married but I'm definitely looking for who in the future will be thinking marriage and children," she said.

"I look personality mostly - someone funny, nice and caring. But they've got to have good teeth ... teeth very important."


Adapted and abridged from: dailytelegraph.com.au, April 14, 2012.