Afternoon Tony,
Just joined today and glad to find someone talking about Adelaide. My husband and i and two kids, 12 and 9 spent last summer over in Adelaide looking for the right place to live. It is a fantastic city with some lovely areas. The Barossa apealed to us, along with so many other places!! The thing that mainly appealed to us was the climate, and the fact that it was seasonal like the UK, but warmer!! We submitted our application in in early June and have medicals booked for next month. We are hoping to go over early March 06 as that is when Steve leaves the navy.
Cookie
I am an Australian, Adelaide born and bred, so maybe my views are one eyed.
I am rather alarmed at the negative view many seem to be forming of this beautiful city. It seems there is crime here, but I have never seen anything, and tell me a place where there is none.
We have beautiful weather. Warm to hot in summer and for the English quite mild in winter. Our average temp this winter was about 17C. We have beautiful beaches; white sand for miles, although if you are looking for surf beaches, you have to travel south for 50kms. (Not far in Oz). We have so many wine areas within 2 hours of Adelaide, you will be amazed, if you like wine.
The SA Govt is currently doing a drive for skilled workers in England, but you all probably know more about than me.
It is a great city, small and friendly and easy to get around. So, I hope this bit of info may help.
:D Hi Tony and everyone else, We are going to Adelaide too...in fact, hubby is already there and I'm stuck here with the children trying to sell the house! Boo!
We went over to Adelaide for a reccie trip last June, before deciding whether or not to go ahead with our decision to emigrate. We loved the people and the city and surrounding areas are lovely, but we were surprised to find that things are not as cheap as we expected. That said, you still get a lot more house for your money than you do in the UK! Petrol has also risen a lot over the past year, so be aware that your £s may not go quite as far as they would have a few years ago.
I too was born and bred in Adelaide and whilst it is a beautiful city, I wouldn't return there to live, despite my family being there.
In my opinion it is a great place to bring up kids, but once the kids reach the age of looking for a job (assuming they are graduates) it is a bit lacking in career opportunities and this is the reason why you see so many young Adelaide people trundling off to Melbourne to pursue their careers.
But, for the younger set of kids, say under 15, it really is a good place to grow up.
Adelaide is a great spot for kids . . . spacious city, good schools and three Universities, beaches, sports facilities, near enough to Melbourne and Sydney to drive, plenty of parklands for recreation and barbeques.
I've lived in Adelaide many years, doing my matric here and going to University for a couple of years before dropping out and working for the Post Office. That was in the '70's.
Ive lived in Perth (1972), Brisbane (1973), Auckland (1973) and Hobart (1981 to 1994)
I've been many times to Sydney and Melbourne and also visitied Darwin on holidays.
Adelaide has lots going for it. Originally coming from London and growing up in the quiet of village life in Warwickshire, I don't need the big city life (4 million in Sydney and in Melbourne). I don't want to sit in traffic for an hour or two each way and live in row after row of houses in the middle of suburbia. If I wanted "big city", I'd stay in London with Europe just next door and the Med only a short flight away!
Some folks come from that lifestyle, are familiar with it and feel comfortable with it. Good on 'em . . . . just not for me!
I brought my three kids up in the Adelaide Hills region (half hour drive out of Adelide city centre) where they'd ride their bikes and climb trees, look for lizards under stones and get muddy in the creek.
Adelaide is the only "planned" city (built by Col. William Llight, British Army) in 1836 and has parklands all around the city centre, half a mile deep, and roads fanning out in each direction into the suburbs. This gives Adelaide its unique look and appeal, unlike every other city in Australia which just "grew".
It is a city with about 1 million in population.
On any day, especially spring and summer, you can drive casually thro' the city and see people enjoying the warm evenings sitting outside the cafe or restaurant at their tables with their coffee or tea. Pedestrians just saunter past going on their way, shopping in the eveing or off to the cinemas, etc. It is a very relaxed atmosphere. No guns, no violence . . . no Hollywood!
I drive thro' the city and suburbs almost daily in my Post Office van and look at this scenario as a normal course of everyday life here. Driving around is a dream compared to when I go and visit rellies in London.
The city centre and outlying suburban shopping malls have hundreds and hundreds of shops and department stores for just about all your needs. They are air conditioned in summer when things warm up.
The climate is Mediterranean and Adelaide is on the same latitude as Tunisia . . . . so, if you've ever been to North Africa for holidays????
Housing is affordable and most suburbs are within ten or twenty mins from the beach in summer-time, when you want to hit the waves to cool off after a hot day.
South Australia's unemployment rate is below the national average and jobs are going begging in many trades and professions here.
I could rave on, but I'll just leave it there.
I have to smile when I read of folks thinking there's something wrong with this place. It doesn't have the critical mass of melbourne and Sydney with the rush and stress there, but it does have lots to offer families. Your kids may want to go to Melbourne or Sydney or even London to work for a while, but many come back along with lots of other Australians who are finding the other cities of Australia a more relaxed lifestyle for themselves and their kids.
Horses for courses.
Lovely post Bob & Ginnie
Thankyou, just strengthens our resolve to settle there.
We have lived in Birmingham all our lives, and long for a less rushed, packed, living on top of each other type of life.
We plan to settle down Aldinga way, or around that area.
Cal x
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Adelaide Bound Dec 30th 2005 via Singapore
Kelly!
There are hyundai dealerships around the place. One dealership that springs to mind is Dutton Motors in Murray Bridge.
You can live in Mount Barker with a 25 min drive along a deserted dual carriageway Freeway to Murray Bridge to work. . . . . that way you get the best of both worlds. . . . . Adelaide Hills country living and a cooler climate with work in the Murray Basin area.
Gday mate i have ived in adelaide for 20 yrs.
came here when i was 16 i gort maried to a wondeful lady judy.
i got 2 kids 1 is 13 in july the other 11 april.
adelaide is a great place to bing up kids i live in andrews farm/
we built our house back in 1990 and are bout 2 build a double story place on a big block...
trust me you will not reget it.....
Hi there, we`ve been here 15yrs and love it, we came out here on our own leaving all family and friends back in the the UK, we`ve not been back there yet , but the time is coming when we will have to bite the bullet and go back for a holiday to see Freds mom who is 86yrs old and the 3 kids and our 2 grandsons, and the extended family on both sides. We have never regretted coming here not for one minute, we enjoy every day, and the sunshines most days (if only for an hour or two in the Winter), its good to get up in the morning and see clear skies and breathe clean air, Talk again soon
