michelle and fam

hi everyone, well we just cant decide when we 1st decided to go to australia we decided that brisbane was the place for us mainly because are children who are 4 and 7 would have plenty to do there , then as the process started i kept thinking we dont no anyone and with us both having first cousins in adelaide we thought we would go there and they could help us settle , my only fear was getting to adelaide but wishing we were in brisbane and i dont really want to settle the kids there and then uproot them again it is really hard i was quite happy with adelaide but have been told on a number of occasions that the kids and us would prefer brisbane anyone out there who could help that would be great, i know everyone is different and some may hate a place which others love but i really cant decide.thanks for taking an interest . michelle

herrchook

Difficult decision mate. Both very different cities each with a lot going for them. What are the employment opportunities for you in each? Personally, I'd choose Brisbane as there's so much close by but then again, Adelaide is beautiful and very family friendly. One thing I would say is unless you know your cousins very well, don't base this hugely important decision on them. You might get out there and not get on with them.

Good luck making your decision.

Rachel & Paul

Hi,
Well if you go to Brisbane you would probably wish you went to Adelaide, and visa versa.
We went to Adelaide last October on a recci mission, and fell in love with the place, we are looking into moving to South Brighton, Hove, Sturt or Oaklands Park areas. The beaches are nice........not the best in Oz but, we found them to be lovely white sand, and no-one around and dolphins just off the beach.
Theres plenty of plces to eat, drink and be merry.
The people are very friendly and always have time to talk to you.
Do a search on shools in these areas, theres plenty of them.
The way of life is slow, the climate is nice and its a lovely city.
This is just our point of view on the place, you either love the place or hate it.
Maybe it would be best if you spent some time in both areas and see where you want to settle, its a big move wherever you go, so you're best making the right decision from your own experiences.

We havent been to Brisbane so we cant comment on this, but I'm sure you will get some replies from there.

All the best with your application, we hope you will be happy wherever you end up.

PM us if you want more info.

Regards,
Rachel & Paul

michelle and fam

hello thanks for your reply will have a look at these areas and the schools have you been to adelaide or will it be your first time when you arrive

Rachel & Paul

Hi,
We went there last October, drove from Melbourne - took about 6.5hours including fuel stops. Got caught speeding! Bummer! Got let off with it! Lucky, must be my charm......haha!
Regards
Paul

sinsbury family

Dear Michelle

There is a site dedicated to Adelaide with many helpful people on there. There is a Frequently asked question section "FAQ" which has info on suburbs and schools.

http://s2.invisionfree.com/Adelaidebrits/

We are heading to Adelaide on 1st June to Fulham Gardens.Loads of good primary schools round that area.

p.s Cant comment on Brisbane as never been there. Didnot really consider it due to humidity(apparently).

Elaine M

Hi Michelle,

I live in Adelaide, and recently spent a weekend in Brisbane.

A weekend isn't long enough to find out all the pros and cons of living somewhere, although I can see the attractions of Brisbane with the Gold and Sunshine Coasts so near, plus downtown Brisbane itself is lovely.

I came to Adelaide because my sister's here and I knew that she would help me to settle and find my feet. I love it here and find the lifestyle really suits me; I don't have young kids but there is plenty to do here with lots of places to visit within easy reach.

In your situation I'd think about where you live now and what you particularly like/dislike about your home area, and also consider the work opportunities for you in Adelaide and Brisbane, as already suggested. Brisbane is apparently growing fast, but then the state government in South Australia is trying hard to improve the outlook for SA too.

The family connection isn't everything but if you feel you'll need some support it could make a difference to you; I think many people miss their family back home more than they expect so having cousins here might help (although perhaps not if you don't know them).

In the end I think you probably need to assess what your priorities are for your new life and try to work out which city ticks more of those. No doubt each has its downside too so it might be worth checking out the things that would really put you off too. You could visit both, but a holiday's not the same as living there.

Sorry I'm not giving you much to go on but it really depends on what you want I think.

All the best for your new life, whichever way you decide!

Elaine

michelle and fam

thanks elaine will take into account what you said thanks. the main reason really we are leaving england is basically the way things are going and looking at it in ten years time when our kids are older well it isnt looking good. i know every where has its problems but in your opinion if you had kids is adelaide a place where you would like to bring up a family is it would you say a safe enviroment because where we are now all you see is gangs and hoodies you just dont feel safe anymore might be running away from it but just want to keep my family safe.another thing i would like to know is the hospitals good as our daughter has a medical condition so doctors and hospitals are a priority sorry to ask so many questions i wont go on any more. michelle.

Rachel & Paul

Dont even get me going on the state of this country, but Teflon Tony keeps on getting in somehow.

Paul

Elaine M

Hi Michelle,

I can only speak from my own experience, others may tell you differently of course.

I personally feel totally safe in my local area which is in the northern suburbs (some Adelaideans would tell you to steer clear of the north but there are good and bad areas in every part of every city, even within a suburb, I think). There is crime everywhere of course but it's not in your face where I live at least.

I've no experience of hospitals here (luckily) but my sister has had treatment for various problems over the 15 years she's been in Adelaide. I think she'd say that private medical insurance has helped her to get appointments more quickly etc but I don't think she'd have any serious complaints.

I'd have to admit being biased in favour of Adelaide but as I said, I live here and I love it; you might see it differently.

kiwichild

I have lived in both these cities and in ways I like them both. I found the humidity very hard to deal with in Brissy though. Adelaide has a character and charm that is probably only rivalled by Hobart when it comes to capital cities.

I think both cities are reasonably safe. Brisbane probably has more work opportunities and probably feels a bit more vibrant and lively. Adelaide has a more cultured, calm feel about it. Inhabitants of both cities seem reasonably friendly.

fluffy1

Hi Michelle,

We were in the same dilema except we had no family in Adelaide but had made some good friends also moving to Adelaide. We had visited Gold Coast and Adelaide and hands down preffered the Gold Coast.

Initially we thought the right move was to move somewhere we knew someone to make the transition easier. It ended up that we made the wrong move and the worse scenario for us happened, we wished we had of moved to the Gold Coast. After 9 months in Adelaide we uprooted the kids, who were well settled and moved to the Gold Coast. We have been here 6 weeks now and it has felt like home since day 1. If you make the wrong move it can be really costly both finacially and mentally so be sure you choose where you prefer as a family and my advice would be do not take into consideration anyone else, go with your gut instinct and do what you think will be overall best for you as a family.

Won't go into it in too much detail but we found Adelaide very boring in comparison to our new life here on the Gold Coast, I know people say that life is wat you make it but it does help to have a good selection of things to do in order for you to do something with your time. Made some great friends there so can't regret the move.

Best of luck with your decision
Marie
xx

vb2

hey fluffy how are you!! nice to see you online hope you enjoyed the meet on saturday! (sorry to interrupt post)
which by the way i agree with marie defo brisbane end for me!!
regards
vb2

JohnAndNetta

Hey Fluffy & VB2 - Netta here! Hope you had a good time on Sat. Sorry didn't have a great deal of time to talk to everybody but really nice to meet you. I will probably organise another in a couple of months time.

And so to the poster. Well I haven't been to Adelaide but I've been to Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns and I'm just over the moon we chose Brisbane. I just love it here. My cousin is Australian and travels all over Australia on business and he's not that keen on Adelaide simply because he finds it very quiet and comparatively small. But that doesn't mean he doesn't like it - he just gets a bit bored there. He lives in Sydney, but I think he would love to move to Brisbane too. You need to really assess the kind of lifestyle you intend to lead. Are you a country person? a city person? Do you dislike humidity? (beware Brisbane for 3 months of the year), do you dislike the cold (brrrr...memories of Melbourne). Its a very difficult one to advise you on, without knowing something of your personality and likes / dislikes. I think Brisbane is a good compromise because it is kind of 'middle of the road'. Not too in your face, not too quiet. What time of year do you arrive in Oz? If its during a long school holiday then you could rent for a couple of weeks in Adelaide and then a couple of weeks in Brisbane, and try and get a feel before you settle and commit to schools etc. Its a big big decision, as I'm sure both places are entirely different.

Best of luck with your choice.

Netta

Sye

Hiya

Were in Adelaide.. or as its sometimes called....Sadelaide

It seems to be really good place for young families, lots of freebie days out so that can be a bonus.. but for teenagers its a bit limited, as most get up & leave for the bigger cities when they reach that age.

Its a nice place, but there is no WOW factor of the other cities. The beaches are nice.. but again, nothing on par of elsewhere. I find employment very restricting, and its very much who you know, not WHAT. It is not a city, but a large town, so that can be a good thing for some.. but to us this is too quiet.

If you like the walkiing, cycling n stuff like that, you'll be fine.. lots of nature walks n stuff... but theres not a lot actually "happening". The stuff to see you can do in a week, so once youve done it yourself, then the visiting rellies... theres nothing left to do. They call it the fesitival city hhmmm, they throw a sausage sizzle at the opening of a shoe shop .

Make the decision very carefully, as i know too many people who have came here & moved on in the first year.. at a costly expense ( we may be moving soon too) It would be interesting to find out the percentage of people moing onto other states, as i know there are LOTS.

Good luck with your decision,