nickos12

HI,
we live in Adelaide in the Southern Suburbs, Morphett vale, next to Reynella and Happy Valley.
We are very happy here, 10 mins to beach, swimming pool, ice rink, bowling alley and big shops and only 30-40 mins to city dependant on time of day.
Schools are good and we havent experienced any crime or thuggery!!(yet)
We have been here for a year and are well happy so far.

Nick

Foster Clan

Hi

We've been in Adelaide almost a year now. To be honest we hated it when we first got here and things have been a struggle and at one point seriously started making steps to go back to UK. I won't bore you with the details of that though. Anyway we "like" it now and who knows we may grow to love it.

We live in North Haven which is a really nice area, close to the beach, marina, not far from places like Semaphore, Henley. We've got a 14 year old, a 2 year old and a baby who is 3 months. The eldest has struggled from day one and still wants to go home so you can imagine it's been hard watching her like this. She rarely ventures out and her social life is "crap". Where we live there's lots of nice parks for the younger ones. Also we've joined a few good toddler groups - you've just got to try a few and then stick with the ones you like. We've also just started a "baby and young toddler" group on the Adelaide Brits site.

When I first got here I struggled getting used to the differences in shopping and moaned constantly about missing Asda and Tesco but I've got used to it now. Although my one bug bear is the trolleys here are not set up for parents with a toddler and a baby so it's impossible for me to shop during the day with the kids - my husband has to do the shopping on his way home from work.

I've met some good friends whilst we've been here - English and Australian but not many can I call "really good friends" but that obviously takes time. We've also come across a bit of name calling, ie Pommy******, P*ss off back to England etc which we have been surprised about but hey..... whatever. In general most people have been really nice.

Can't think of anything else but if you want to ask anything specific just ask and I will try to help.

Good luck
Joanne

Wendy

Hi

Sounds like you've a bit of a rough ride. I'm glad you seem to be settling a bit better now though.

Wendy

Dymmigrant

Any other suggestions on good/bad locations?

We plan to move there early 2007, doing a reccie May this year - 2 weeks in Adelaide after a week in Cairns and Sydney with the rello's. I'll post some info when I get back.

smithfield22

Thanks for your reply - we wouldn't have known of these areas. Thanks again.

Lord Pom Percy

Is'nt Elizabeth full of British immigrants who immigrated in the 50's and 60's,
Port Adelaides gone ahead alot in the last 10 years.

welshpom

What was the context for these insults ?
I'm sad and surprised to hear this. I haven't faced anything like that myself in nearly 3 years.

Foster Clan

My husband went to lock up the cars on our drive and a car drove past with someone in it shouting out "pommy******"

My daughter has been told on numerous occasions to f**k off back to England by people at school.

We haven't made any enemies or had any run-ins with anyone so who knows what possesses people to be like this - they give Australians a bad name!

smithfield22

Thanks for your reply, its great to speak to people who have actually done the move. Do you have children at school, what age and do you find that they are coping well with school as I understand that the education is two years behind?

Misty33

Hi
My husband and I are moving to Adelaide at end of August this year with our dog, Misty. We will be staying initially in Golden Grove with friends until we find our own place. We visited for three weeks a few years ago and that is what initiated our decision to try for a visa. There seems to be a bit of everything for everyone - lovely beaches, lush vineyards (Barossa valley), great restaurants, green hills and really nice houses. Our friend has lived there for about 9 years now and loves it. Hope this helps.

smithfield22

Hi, thanks for your reply - every little bit of information is a great help to us at the moment. We have a dog but have decided to leave her behind as she is very nervous of other people.

smithfield22

Sorry to hear you didn't settle at first but hope you are settling now. It sounds like you are really trying hard and good luck. Have you read the other threads regarding different areas in Adelaide? Don't know if you plan to move and try another area!

Sye

Hiya

There are good bad & uglies, wherever you go in Adelaide ( just like anywhere else) Although i will admit there seems to be a lot more 6 fingered folk here hhhmmmmmm

Anyway, weve been here just about a year now! All in all, its pretty good, but we struggle with it at times. It can be a bit boring The people are mostly friendly, and its pretty laid back ( too laid back sometimes) There are nice areas North & South. We picked the South as we wanted to be close to the coast. There are some really nice places to live, at all different price ranges.

The costly beachy suburbs are Henley, West Beach, Glenelg,Somerton Pk, Brighton, Seacliff. For the leafy burbs, Blackwood, Belair, Coromandel etc etc in the foothills ( $$ costly again) but to strike a balance, lots of people are living in Happy Valley, Flagstaff & Aberfoyle Pk) we live here, very pretty n leafy. The prices are on the up, but still get a decent sized plot fot your money, and its only a 5 minute drive to the hills and a 10 min drive to beaches. Hallet Cove on the coast seems to be very popular with the Brits, high up with nice views, ( but the beach is crap) I could go on n on, but you really need to see where your working & schooling and $$$mortgage to actually pin point where you wanna be, as the prices vary quite a lot! and what we could afford 2 years ago, is not what we can get now

Take Adelaide as you find it.. dont have any preconceptions of it being or looking like the other places in Australia, this is most peoples downfall, as they keep comparing it ( i do!) Its a "nice" place to "live" but no way near the wow factor of other places.

If you got kids, then it tends to be best set up for families..

Enjoy, It is a nice place...

Karen

Ersatz

Adelaide is a retirement village, a few things to see and do, and once you have done those few things i.e. visited the hills, Glenelg, Victor Harbour and one or two more, there is NOTHING left.

Jobs are NOT in abundance, to tell you the truth there are very few opportunities for suitably qualified or experienced workers in SA, the pay is very poor, cost of living is very very similar to the UK (but with low salary, it works out its more expensive here).

Points to note:

Churches everywhere, great if you are inclined.

Flies everywhere, high in protein I am told, eating out is a constant arm swinging exercise.


Beaches aren't great, can be smelly and full of seaweed.

Good if you are retired, funeral parlours everywhere so not far to travel for yourl ast move!!

Huge amount of British immigrants leaving for Brisbane etc, somewhere with a life.

Future prospects for your children are non-existent, they will depart for the lights when they can, unless they enjoy driving around like the local hoons (hoons are EVERYWHERE in SA). :scared:

Schooling, well......... enough said!!!!!!!!!!! :scared:

City centre.... mmmmmm different, a very small town centre.

City is very small, but easy to get about, but nothing there!!!

If you have the opportunity to go somewhere else in Australia, GO, little old Adelaide is "little and old and it's the land the rest of Australia FORGOT"!!!!

As they say horses for courses............


Ersatz

smithfield22

Great reply, thanks. Do you have children? If so, do they go to school and what do you rate the school like?