cufc

Have been in Australia for 4 years and love it, we are considering a move to Adelaide and hear mixed opinions.... some say great place to bring up kids and others comment on a graffiti and gang ridden place where violence and drugs are rife in the Schools.
Any views from people livin in Adelaide????
Cheers

ps we have an open mind!!

tyke

I see very little of this (if it does exist)
Graffiti is pretty common but as for the gang stuff - depends where you live I suppose.
Drugs are not rife in schools.

Weasy

Not seen any evidence of this where we live (Adelaide Hills). I've seen graffiti in other areas but not as bad as I'd heard about generally.

Drugs are everywhere but I don't see that they are rife in Adelaide.

Lou
xx

Wendy

There is some grafitti here, but no where near as much as where I come from. When I was listening to others before I came, I expected it to be everywhere so for me it's not too bad.

I only have experience of one high school which is a hundred times better than the one my son previously attended. I can't see there being no drugs at all, as I doubt there's a school anywhere that it doesn't go on. As for the violence, well I haven't seen any of that either. My son was bullied in the UK for most of his school life, here he's made friends and I haven't had any problems at all.

I guess it's all relative to what you are 'used' to and your interpretation of bad. Best thing would be for you to come for a visit and make up your own mind

cufc

Well this seems to be encouraging we certainly are people who make their own minds up after making a couple of international moves. We have heard some nices things about adelaide and just wanted to dispel some myths.
Would be goos to hear some good things now the myth has been dispelled.
Cheers

Wendy

I think it's just beautiful here (even some of the grafitti is really good ). I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Weasy

So do I Wendy - I absolutely love it here and our kids are having a ball - they hardly ever play their gameboys etc anymore, they are so busy playing, cycling, swimming etc. I'm very pleased with their school and you'd have to drag me outta here kicking and screaming (until I get itchy feet... )

Lovely city to live in.

Lou
xx

cufc

Well you all seem ver happy, i didnt believe the doom and gloom brigade anyway. Looking at a Blackwood or Hallett Cove to live anyone any experience of these areas
Cheers!!!

Weasy

Personally I'd much prefer Blackwood area but then I love the hills. The schools in Blackwood have a generally excellent reputation. Hallett Cove is nice but a bit too barren for my liking and lacks a bit of character. Also the blocks are much smaller so it wasn't what we were looking for, but you do have the coast. Blackwood is also closer to the city if you need that for work, and a more pleasant drive into the city.

Lou
xx

Wendy

Yep, same here with my two.

I have a friend who's just arrived (in Jan) who lives in Hallett Cove and thinks it's great, but I've not been there. I like the Seaford and Moana areas, but work dictates we live in the Northern suburbs (which I don't mind cos it's nice up here too). It's only just over an hour away so it's not too bad cos we can visit anytime we like.

wizzywozza

I've had two (now grown up) children go through the high school system here, and yes, there are most definitely drugs in the schools here. One school they attended had a tree everyone called the 'Bong Tree' in its grounds, where the students AND staff sat to smoke whatever it was they were using. Sorry to say but the problem is rife, and not confined to public schools by any means. I well remember when my kids were at school they would point out to me the cars parked outside the school at 3.20pm dealing to the kids as they left the campus's. We used to see the same cars parked outside the local private college doing the same thing.

Weasy

I suppose when I said that drugs are not rife I meant no more rife than anywhere else......

Lou
xx

sunnyj

Sorry to burst your bubble, but yes drugs are quite rife in most schools, it's obvious in most cases the teenagers are not going to tell their parents this, but my friend was telling me that her son said there are several groups at his school that deal and even do drugs on the oval at school.
As for a violent society, I only hear about what happens in the news and that is mostly north way. I am not saying it doesn't happen in the south, but whenever someone has been stabbed or shot, it has mostly happened north of the city.
I wouldn't really say that the graffiti was attractive around by me, it is mostly tagging and not a bit artisitc.
I am in Hallett Cove and this isn't a bad area at all (even though what I have put sounds bad)
I like HC because the rolling hills and sea views gives it character and is not bland at all. I also like it because it is one big suburb on its own and not one of these flat plain looking suburbs that all roll into one.
Some people say that Hallett Cove is too remote, I don't think so at all as you have the new Collanades shopping centre at Noarlunga, 15 minutes one way and the Marion shopping centre 15 minutes the other. It has also its only mini shopping centre that is being refurbished.
We chose HC because it looked much nicer than anywhere else and not just because lots of poms were there.
I didn't find Blackwood and surrounding areas appealing as there were too many tall trees that seem to block the sun out.
You also get a fantastic view of the ocean as you are driving from HC down to Seacliff. When driving through the hills all you see is trees most of the time. Everyone has their favourite place to live and we are all different, thank god because I don't think I could cope with anymore poms, there is enough here already. only joking or am I?

Toon Williams the Second!

God really must start double locking the doors then!!

We live North of Adelaide and whilst only been here a short time not so far seen anyone stabbed or shot!!

My view is that where ever you go in this world these days there are gangs and drugs etc etc, I feel totally safe when I am out and about in Adelaide, with OH and the kids, be it day or night!!

Certainly wouldnt live where we do "IN THE NORTH" if I thought it wasnt safe and that Gangs were running rife???????

Wendy

Well I was shot dead just last week, I'm OK now though the local primary school kids gave me some ice and it brought me round again. Bless em, they also drew a lovely picture on my garden wall using spray paint, I thought it was quite nice of them.