Why so few going to Adelaide?
Jun 30th 2006, 11:42 am
#31
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2004
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 253
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
It's been a bit of a long haul but after two and a half years here things are good. My wife and I live south of Adelaide near McLaren Vale.
Paramedics in the field will never really be too hot. Yes temperature-wise it gets to 42 sometimes but the heat is a dry heat - and the cold is a dry cold totally unlike UK.
I have to say though that you need to be ready for a surprising 3 or 4 months when it can feel abolutely freeeeezing! I am not saying it is freezing. It just feels freeeeeezing which amounts to the same thing. I have been to see an evening football match at Adelaide United in January in 32 degrees then in the desert cold it can drop to 16 by 10.00 pm and feel as cold as ice if you are not wearing anything more than a T shirt.
The city is clean and well laid out with lots of trees and parks. We live in the hills on a 20 acre farm that we bought for the same price as a 3 bedroom house in England. The north side has no beaches but the south side has excellent beaches. Price-wise the housing is reasonable and there are lots of jobs. I work for the government here and we are crying out for good workers.
I can't agree that it's boring, certainly not at our property. It's not England, far from it - the telly's crap and the shops are terrible - but I think it's as good a place to live if you choose to come to this part of the globe.
Good luck!
rab
Paramedics in the field will never really be too hot. Yes temperature-wise it gets to 42 sometimes but the heat is a dry heat - and the cold is a dry cold totally unlike UK.
I have to say though that you need to be ready for a surprising 3 or 4 months when it can feel abolutely freeeeezing! I am not saying it is freezing. It just feels freeeeeezing which amounts to the same thing. I have been to see an evening football match at Adelaide United in January in 32 degrees then in the desert cold it can drop to 16 by 10.00 pm and feel as cold as ice if you are not wearing anything more than a T shirt.
The city is clean and well laid out with lots of trees and parks. We live in the hills on a 20 acre farm that we bought for the same price as a 3 bedroom house in England. The north side has no beaches but the south side has excellent beaches. Price-wise the housing is reasonable and there are lots of jobs. I work for the government here and we are crying out for good workers.
I can't agree that it's boring, certainly not at our property. It's not England, far from it - the telly's crap and the shops are terrible - but I think it's as good a place to live if you choose to come to this part of the globe.
Good luck!
rab
Jun 30th 2006, 4:44 pm
#32
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
Originally Posted by Amazulu
Be chilling dude. I have no axe to grind with Adelaide. Fact, I have NEVER met an Aussie who has a good thing about the place. I stand by my statement. End of.
Jul 1st 2006, 1:41 pm
#33
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Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
Originally Posted by silversurfer
What shocked me was in the indoor shopping mall, the one with a few floors, and escalators going up each floor, there were safety nets, on each floor when you look over the balcony towards the ground. Each safety net seemed to have a natural drop to the next one down, so if you jump off the top floor to your death, you'd roll onto the next one down, and so on till you get to the ground level, safely & without dying!
On the top floor there were big plexi-glass barriers so no-one could jump off the top floor.
It was becuase of the number of suicides, I was told. Mostly depressed schoolkids.
On the top floor there were big plexi-glass barriers so no-one could jump off the top floor.
It was becuase of the number of suicides, I was told. Mostly depressed schoolkids.
This sounds like an urban legend. I've never heard of a suicide there. Not one. In fact, they used to have a mini roller-coaster at the top, which was very popular. And nobody ever fell out of it, either.
If there had really been a spate of suicides, it would have been covered in every available form of media for several months, offering more details about it than you could throw a dog at - and that information would still be available today.
As for "safety nets" - I've never seen any. I do recall a few "sail" style shadecloths (about 4 years ago), but their purposes was entirely decorative.
Wherever you go in the world, every high building has safety features in all the usual places. This is no reflection on the local rate of suicide.
It's just common sense.
Last edited by Vash the Stampede; Jul 1st 2006 at 1:50 pm.
Jul 1st 2006, 1:54 pm
#34
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Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
From an article in the newspaper Emigrate Australia (a UK publication), a few facts about Adelaide:
Mark Powell, who currently works for Avon and Somerset Police, is just one of the many Brits for whom the STNI visa opened a door to immigration - but as a carpenter.
Looking to gain immediate permanent residency through his skills, this gave Mark three options: South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania - and from these Mark and had no problem plumping for the first one, as he explains as follows:
"I was attracted to SA because I felt that it was the least tourist-based state and appeared to have the most space and slowest pace in an appealing climate. It appears to be least populated with more chance of gaining employment."
[...]
"According to our research, housing prices in SA were cheaper than most other states, and the cost of living is cheaper, although the wages are also lower."
Mark's research has certainly not led him astray, as the average house in SA is AU$270,000, just over half the cost of the average house in New South Wales and the second-cheapest nationally. Yes, Mark is also right about the wage - SA has the second-lowest average wage in Australia at approximately AU$950 a week.
However, this means that house prices in the state are just 5.5 times higher than the average annual wage, a ratio that compares favourably with Western Australia, ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania (5.6), Queensland (6.2), Victoria (6.8) and New South Wales (9.1).
Moreover, South Australia also scores points for having a government that proves its commitment to sponsoring the immigrants with the skills it needs by approving applications with lightning speed. Like almost everyone we've featured, Mark has only praise for the SA government's immigration department.
[...]
Economically, Adelaide has four main strengths: manufacturing (especial medical equipment and cars - Adelaide produces half the cars made in Australia), defence technology (70% of Australian defence companies are located in Adelaide), commodity export and service industries.
[...]
The South Australian economy enjoys a trade surplus and has higher per capita growth than Australia as a whole. On top of this, those heading to Adelaide on a STNI visa should have no cause for concern in finding work.
Last but not least: South Australia's unemployment rate is currently just over 4%.
Mark Powell, who currently works for Avon and Somerset Police, is just one of the many Brits for whom the STNI visa opened a door to immigration - but as a carpenter.
Looking to gain immediate permanent residency through his skills, this gave Mark three options: South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania - and from these Mark and had no problem plumping for the first one, as he explains as follows:
"I was attracted to SA because I felt that it was the least tourist-based state and appeared to have the most space and slowest pace in an appealing climate. It appears to be least populated with more chance of gaining employment."
[...]
"According to our research, housing prices in SA were cheaper than most other states, and the cost of living is cheaper, although the wages are also lower."
Mark's research has certainly not led him astray, as the average house in SA is AU$270,000, just over half the cost of the average house in New South Wales and the second-cheapest nationally. Yes, Mark is also right about the wage - SA has the second-lowest average wage in Australia at approximately AU$950 a week.
However, this means that house prices in the state are just 5.5 times higher than the average annual wage, a ratio that compares favourably with Western Australia, ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania (5.6), Queensland (6.2), Victoria (6.8) and New South Wales (9.1).
Moreover, South Australia also scores points for having a government that proves its commitment to sponsoring the immigrants with the skills it needs by approving applications with lightning speed. Like almost everyone we've featured, Mark has only praise for the SA government's immigration department.
[...]
Economically, Adelaide has four main strengths: manufacturing (especial medical equipment and cars - Adelaide produces half the cars made in Australia), defence technology (70% of Australian defence companies are located in Adelaide), commodity export and service industries.
[...]
The South Australian economy enjoys a trade surplus and has higher per capita growth than Australia as a whole. On top of this, those heading to Adelaide on a STNI visa should have no cause for concern in finding work.
Jul 1st 2006, 6:31 pm
#35
Still alive
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,994
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
Well, we're now sold. Checked out realestate websites, builders and the like and have found that our down payment we're bringing from Canada will actually be worth something toward a house in SA. Now all we need is for the visa to arrive and we're off.
Thanks again to everyone for all of your useful information. We both really appreciate your input.
Dorothy & Ron
Thanks again to everyone for all of your useful information. We both really appreciate your input.
Dorothy & Ron
Jul 2nd 2006, 2:08 am
#36
Can't re member
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Goolwa, near Adelaide
Posts: 389
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
Originally Posted by Grayling
Adelaide can get very hot in the summer but also very cold and wet in the winter.
I remember an exceptionally warm winter's day back in Wales when it hit 10c, it was that day I decided to emigrate. By most of the world's standards, the UK is mild in winter, so to say Adelaide is 'very cold' is laughable.
Adelaide will only feel cold if you have poor house insulation.
Jul 2nd 2006, 2:12 am
#37
Can't re member
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Goolwa, near Adelaide
Posts: 389
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
Originally Posted by silversurfer
What shocked me was in the indoor shopping mall, the one with a few floors, and escalators going up each floor, there were safety nets, ....... It was becuase of the number of suicides, I was told.!
Jul 2nd 2006, 4:46 am
#38
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Location: Godzone, utopia, Paradise Island under the sun.
Posts: 1,177
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
Originally Posted by welshpom
More likely to stop kids hurling stuff down onto the heads of people on the ground floor.
Jul 2nd 2006, 4:49 am
#39
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Location: Godzone, utopia, Paradise Island under the sun.
Posts: 1,177
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede
Are you talking about the Myer Centre in Rundle Mall?
This sounds like an urban legend. I've never heard of a suicide there. Not one. In fact, they used to have a mini roller-coaster at the top, which was very popular. And nobody ever fell out of it, either.
If there had really been a spate of suicides, it would have been covered in every available form of media for several months, offering more details about it than you could throw a dog at - and that information would still be available today.
As for "safety nets" - I've never seen any. I do recall a few "sail" style shadecloths (about 4 years ago), but their purposes was entirely decorative.
Wherever you go in the world, every high building has safety features in all the usual places. This is no reflection on the local rate of suicide.
It's just common sense.
This sounds like an urban legend. I've never heard of a suicide there. Not one. In fact, they used to have a mini roller-coaster at the top, which was very popular. And nobody ever fell out of it, either.
If there had really been a spate of suicides, it would have been covered in every available form of media for several months, offering more details about it than you could throw a dog at - and that information would still be available today.
As for "safety nets" - I've never seen any. I do recall a few "sail" style shadecloths (about 4 years ago), but their purposes was entirely decorative.
Wherever you go in the world, every high building has safety features in all the usual places. This is no reflection on the local rate of suicide.
It's just common sense.
It was the Myer center and the nets were there to stop the large numbers of people committing suicide there, the reason it was'nt reported in the news is becasuse they thought the publicity could encourage more people to kill themselves.
Jul 2nd 2006, 6:16 am
#40
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Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
Originally Posted by Lord Pom Percy
Its not an urban legend.
It was the Myer center and the nets were there to stop the large numbers of people committing suicide there, the reason it was'nt reported in the news is becasuse they thought the publicity could encourage more people to kill themselves.
It was the Myer center and the nets were there to stop the large numbers of people committing suicide there, the reason it was'nt reported in the news is becasuse they thought the publicity could encourage more people to kill themselves.
If "large numbers of people" were committing suicide, there would be no way to keep it out of the media; every suicide would be reported as soon as it happened, and the government would be powerless to prevent the news from getting out.
BTW, does anyone have a photo of these alleged "nets"?
Jul 2nd 2006, 7:18 am
#41
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Joined: Jan 2006
Location: u.k.
Posts: 184
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
I was in the mall in april, and i do not remember seeing these nets.If they are there they are not that noticeable so as stated it will be there to stop people throwing things down.I found the shops to be ok, no different than a small city in u.k you could get most named clothing ,makeup, bags ,shoes etc.agreeable if you needed something really special you would take a trip to Melbourne. which is no different than travelling down to London.They do have a few nightclubs hidden away.The bars and restaurants are nice.There seemed to be quite a lot of jobs.The beaches were nice.I think it depends were you come from in u.k, to how you may settle. ie if you are from the north its a good size city.If you are from the south you may find it a bit small.
Jul 2nd 2006, 8:10 am
#42
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Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
The "sails" in the Myer Centre are there to prevent people jumping off and throwing stuff off, I've never heard of any actual suicides in the centre.
http://www.shadeformsails.com.au/myers1.jpg
http://www.shadeformsails.com.au/myers1.jpg
Jul 2nd 2006, 8:20 am
#43
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Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
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Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
I almost considered Adelaide over Melbourne because I thought it had nicer winters - now I think they might be about the same!
Jul 2nd 2006, 9:54 am
#44
Up The Arse!!
Joined: May 2003
Location: Maslins
Posts: 3,425
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
Originally Posted by dotnron
When looking at where everyone is going/has gone in Australia, I see that people seem to go to Perth, Brisbane, or Melbourne. Very few seem to go to Adelaide. Is there a particular reason why nobody goes there? Is there high unemployment? Crime?
I would really appreciate any input. We're coming to the conclusion that we cannot afford to buy in our #1 choice (Perth), and are now seriously looking into Adelaide as an alternative.
Thanks!
I would really appreciate any input. We're coming to the conclusion that we cannot afford to buy in our #1 choice (Perth), and are now seriously looking into Adelaide as an alternative.
Thanks!
you mention affordability in you`re post and that certainly played a part in our decision,had we chose another state I doubt we would be able to acheive home ownership and if we could we would be maxxed out with a mortgage.
Employment wise I suppose it depends on what you do but there`s always ads for my trade in the advertiser and i`m starting a new one tomorrow(my 3rd already)
Crime is a tricky one"how longs a piece of string" all I will say is that compared to where I used to live(Medway)it`s tame, yeah there`s hoons, taggers etc but no eastern europeans slashing your neck for your mobile.(which is nice)
I`ve heard and read many people say Adelaide`s boring,depends on what you`re into I suppose but I`ve always had a good night in town(it stays open past 10.00 contrary to earlier reports) and also have the craic locally during the week!
Jul 2nd 2006, 1:14 pm
#45
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Joined: May 2004
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 66
Re: Why so few going to Adelaide?
We (German and Canadian) are in Adelaide for about seven months now. My first choice would have been Perth where I used to live for a while. Anyway for job reasons it turned out to be Adelaide and now that I begin feeling settled I love it here.
I think Adelaide is quite underrated. It has a lot of advantages to Perth. The hills are just stunning and sooo close to the city! It's cheaper than other major cities, the beaches are just as nice as in Perth and several wine regions are not too far away. Kangaroo Island is lovely and the people are friendly. I find it has a bit of a 'town feel' to it, that's true while Perth rather feels like an Island due to its isolation As for the winters... it's cold. But I don't find it colder than UK winters. It's (quite similiar to the UK) colder inside than outside. Poor insulation and no central heating... So take your warm canadian jumpers... you might want them as nighties here
I haven't noticed any nets in Myers Centre by the way seems as if the Adelaidians have become happy people by now!
Hope it works out for you!!
margoo
I think Adelaide is quite underrated. It has a lot of advantages to Perth. The hills are just stunning and sooo close to the city! It's cheaper than other major cities, the beaches are just as nice as in Perth and several wine regions are not too far away. Kangaroo Island is lovely and the people are friendly. I find it has a bit of a 'town feel' to it, that's true while Perth rather feels like an Island due to its isolation
As for the winters... it's cold. But I don't find it colder than UK winters. It's (quite similiar to the UK) colder inside than outside. Poor insulation and no central heating... So take your warm canadian jumpers... you might want them as nighties here I haven't noticed any nets in Myers Centre by the way
seems as if the Adelaidians have become happy people by now!Hope it works out for you!!
margoo