Adelaide - trip report
 

I'm sitting in an IT company now, just after they have given me my
letter of appointment. Earning 49500 per year. Tax is about 30%. I get
just over $3000 per month out cash.

Rent for a 2 bedroom townhouse/semi-detached is from $170 to $240 per
week. $170 is fine for most people. All are clean and neat and looked
after. Comming from South africa, there just are no bad areas here. So
save the money. This is all close to the city. 15km out you get a 3
room house for $195 per week. It's very distance form city centric.

The city is small. Like East London. No buildings tower up. No
traffic. Can't drive longer than 30mins at any time! Very cycle
friendly too. Lots of cycle lanes.

Very safe. Single women walking all over at night. Cars left all over
the street and nothing gets it's wheels taken off!

Very quiet. Shops close at lunch on Saturday and open on Monday.
Forget Sunday. Resturants close at 8pm!

Very empty. Just no crowds. Only 1mil people in the city. Nothing like
JHB.

Sports mad. South Africa is a joke in terms of football crazy,
although here it's all Aussie Rules stuff. Sort of rugby without
rules!

Weather is like Cape Town.

Most houses have aircon built in. Most are old - the whole style of
the city is old, like stone houses from the turn of the century.
Wooden floors etc. They build with wood and boarding too now. It's
like the centre of Pretoria city, just very very clean and quiet and
empty.

Lots of resturants. Heaps. Very big cafe and window shopping culture.
No malls. Rows of shops down streets. Little shops next to each other.
No big centres.

Bluegum trees all over. The plants and weather are exactly the same as
Gauteng SA.

Will post more when I get back.

Remember, the government has a scheme to give you a meet/pickup at the
airport when you move, and 3 months cheap accomodation to get settled.
Look it up. This place really spemds its tax well. You get benefits
form day 1 if you have kids! Everything is to help people.

Went with a guy to renew his drivers license. Took under 5 mins,
including parking in the middle of the city.

Cheers

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

[QUOTE][SIZE=1]Originally posted by Joe Fish:

Hi, good to hear your report.

We are hoping to come to Adelaide in the new year. Waiting to hear about PR application at the moment. It's been 12 months so far.

Adelaides our favourite place for all the reasons you mention. We've been over 3 times. We have friends north of the city and that is where we would settle.

It would be great to hear more about real life over there.
Regards
Mash...

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

Jo

We are hoping to get to Adelaide Feb/Mar '03 so found your report very interesting. All the things that you have said have further convinced me that I really want to be there - can't wait.

Look forward to seeing further posts from you in the future.

Rgds,
icy

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

Hi Joe
Congratulations!

Just how hard was it to get your IT job in Adelaide?
Adelaide sounds so nice (we're coming over next year for a look see), but I've heard that there are real problems finding work

Cheers,
Caroline:confused:

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

[email protected] (Joe Fish) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]. com>...
    > I'm sitting in an IT company now, just after they have given me my
    > letter of appointment. Earning 49500 per year. Tax is about 30%. I get
    > just over $3000 per month out cash.
    > Rent for a 2 bedroom townhouse/semi-detached is from $170 to $240 per
    > week. $170 is fine for most people. All are clean and neat and looked
    > after. Comming from South africa, there just are no bad areas here. So
    > save the money. This is all close to the city. 15km out you get a 3
    > room house for $195 per week. It's very distance form city centric.
    > The city is small. Like East London. No buildings tower up. No
    > traffic. Can't drive longer than 30mins at any time! Very cycle
    > friendly too. Lots of cycle lanes.
    > Very safe. Single women walking all over at night. Cars left all over
    > the street and nothing gets it's wheels taken off!
    > Very quiet. Shops close at lunch on Saturday and open on Monday.
    > Forget Sunday. Resturants close at 8pm!
    > Very empty. Just no crowds. Only 1mil people in the city. Nothing like
    > JHB.
    > Sports mad. South Africa is a joke in terms of football crazy,
    > although here it's all Aussie Rules stuff. Sort of rugby without
    > rules!
    > Weather is like Cape Town.
    > Most houses have aircon built in. Most are old - the whole style of
    > the city is old, like stone houses from the turn of the century.
    > Wooden floors etc. They build with wood and boarding too now. It's
    > like the centre of Pretoria city, just very very clean and quiet and
    > empty.
    > Lots of resturants. Heaps. Very big cafe and window shopping culture.
    > No malls. Rows of shops down streets. Little shops next to each other.
    > No big centres.
    > Bluegum trees all over. The plants and weather are exactly the same as
    > Gauteng SA.
    > Will post more when I get back.
    > Remember, the government has a scheme to give you a meet/pickup at the
    > airport when you move, and 3 months cheap accomodation to get settled.
    > Look it up. This place really spemds its tax well. You get benefits
    > form day 1 if you have kids! Everything is to help people.
    > Went with a guy to renew his drivers license. Took under 5 mins,
    > including parking in the middle of the city.
    > Cheers



Hi Joe


That is a great discription. Paints a picture that we can relate to.
Thanks now I can say I know what to expect of Adelaide. Do you have
your PR visa ?
Great stuff tohave the security of a job.
Please post moreif you think ofmore when you get back,


Thanks
Jenny

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

"Icy" wrote in message
news:418726.1032357633@britishexpats-
.com...
    > Jo
    > We are hoping to get to Adelaide Feb/Mar '03 so found your report very
    > interesting. All the things that you have said have further convinced
    > me that I really want to be there - can't wait.
    > Look forward to seeing further posts from you in the future.
    > Rgds,
    > icy

Adelaide is a fantastic place,I've lived here (30 mins south of the city)
and would not change it for the world ;-)


Russell


--
A free society is a place where it's safe to be unpopular.
Adlai E. Stevenson Jr. (1900 - 1965)

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

Russell, We'd love tohave your experiences of living in Adelaide in my new email list, Ozemigrate.
If you're interested in joining, please send an email to:
[email protected]
Maria

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

The problem with Adelaide is that it really is a backwater, if you
compare it to Sydney (or so people tell me - never been there). I
think work will be harder to get, since there is little in terms of
big companies there. The salaries are lower, a lot lower - in IT
expect to be 10k below the lowest rung for your job on a salary
survey. However, accomodation is cheaper. Everything is cheaper, by
50% at least. I knew the IT company in South Africa, and approached
the Aus headquarters - it was a lot easier that way, and they were far
more willing to talk to me as the locals could deal with the first
interview, and also provide references. They check references. On the
last day there, they chased me out and phoned SA to ask about me. All
this after about 6 interviews and spending 3 days in their building!

In general, contact companies directly. Look at the news - if
companies merge they may take people on. Thats what has happened to
me.

I saw only 2 job ads for IT while I was there. Plenty for nursing.
they are protesting due to bed closures due to lack of staff.

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

Hiya,

Just got my visa for Adelaide and looking for info. so thanks for this. Read a lot of negative stuff about living is Oz and was beginning to wonder what I was letting myself in for!

Steve.

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

Havent heard of this before.

Any web references on this?

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mashiraz
Hi Mash,

We're hoping to receive our visa sometime this week and have the house up for sale today. We're off to Adelaide hopefully in September / October. Our friends, the Bleggy's (see their posts) are hoping to be there same time as us, but Mr Bleggy has a wait with the X-rays - Bummer!

They rave about NE Adelaide especially Gawler which is where they intend to go. We've studied maps etc and seem to think that Stirling and Burnside areas look good but have'nt been to see. My wife's aunty lives in Darlington (South Ade.) and she gave us info on lots of places, but not the North-East. As you and Bleggy both say its beautful, can you give us some more info?

It seems we may be there before you or Bleggy so we won't have you to rely on for last minute info!

Thanks

we're looking to be able to validate around then too..


maybe hook up there somewhere..?

cheers

richard

gawler looks a tad remote..
what's it like for a stuck at home mum??

cheers

richard

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

Hi

This link will take you to info on the Meet and Greet service


http://www.immigration.sa.gov.au/site/index.cfm


Good luck

Sindy

Certainly!

Will Mrs Barlett be housewife then? My wife will try to get some work fairly quickly because we're concious that it will be easy for me to integrate at work etc, but if she's stuck in the house, it will be more difficult for her. We want a house thats semi-rural with plenty of land, but we also need to make sure we have a community around us for the same reason.

What type of visa do you have and what business / trade?

Hey there friend

Seems fairly critical to me that we sort somewhere out to settle as soon as poss particularly when you look at the waiting list for schools. We have a pretty good idea but it still needs fine tuning. I could also do with touching base with the business we are buying in Gawler and getting things sorted there.

How do you fancy a short trip in the next few months?

Mr Blegster

Hi Bleggy, what's the business you are looking at?

Looks like we'll be there before all of you - early July we hope now.

I don't think Gawler is remote at all, all the shopping you need, 45 mins to Adelaide, 30 to sea, 10 minutes to wineries an lovely old barossa towns.

Yes you will probably need to have a car. My biggest concern was the Adelaide sprawl would finally swallow Gawler up ,but they seem to have taken steps to protect it.

We want about an acre, semi rural too...but still able to see lights of other houses around me for comfort in the dark nights!

Mash :D

L

Hi Mash

Hows the wine going down?

We have seen some fabulous places in the Barossa. Looking at one at the minute with 30 acres and an Olive plantation. Yum.

We are getting regular emails from Gawler based estate agents that covers all the Barossa and Gawler. I could let you have some contact details if it is of any use.

Our long term plan is to set up a holiday accommodation business in the valley.

How are your plans going?

Blegster

i looked at houses on realestate.au and thought gawler seemed quite fra from ade central..as a lot of people seem to think ade is a bit of a ghost town at the best of times the closer in to town (within reason) the better it is for the mrs..

also i would love to be close to the sea..

mrs 'b' will indeed carry on as a stay at home mum..i don't -and indeed nor does she- want her to go to work...

i'm in air conditioning ....



cheers

richard

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

I have been in Adelaide 12 years.

Just have to say a few things from my opinion.

Adelaide is just like any other city at night - you probably will be safe but there are numerous incidents of stabbings and beatings especially outside the nightclubs. Rundle Mall is not somewhere I would feel comfortable walking about in at night. I recently walked up KW Street from a rock concert in Memorial Drive at 10.30 at night, and was accosted all the way by homeless and Aboriginals for money and ciggies. North Terrace is the same.

Anywhere up to 25 km from the city centre is in reality only a 30 minute drive away, so look at rentals in the outer suburbs. Much nicer than some of the inner ones. Some suburbs such as Unley, Burnside, Norwood, North Adelaide, Magill etc are VERY upmarket.

Adelaide has an extremely high rate of car theft.

Restaurants do not close at 8pm - where are you eating??? If in the south try the Yum Sing at Reynella - garlic prawns to die for!

At peak times the city, and especially Rundle Mall can be very crowded. Christmas is a nightmare, but as there are numerous huge shopping malls all over the metro area with the same shops it is really unecessary to go right into the city itself for shopping. They all have the same franchised shops. There are also a lot of shops open on Sundays, just as in the UK the DIY places and furniture stores are all open, as well as just about everything in Jetty Road, Glenelg.

In the outer suburbs just about all houses have been built within the last 10 - 15 years, and are therefore up to current building standards, especially relating to the Biscay soil here and cracking foundations, and termite protection.

The general metropolitan area of Adelaide has a population of around 1 million, but the actual city itself is very small. Bear in mind that to drive from an outer southern suburbs like Seaford to an outer northern one like Elizabeth would take probably an hour and a quarter - Adelaideans like their traffic lights.

Oh and Adelaide is the graffiti capital of the world - it's everywhere. I was astonished when I first came here at just how lazy Aussies are about throwing rubbish away too. The sides of the main highways out into the countryside are littered with broken bottles thrown from cars.

Having said all that I wouldn't move away from here for anything. It's just interesting how people's perspectives on a place differ depending where they originally came from.

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

Hi Sharon,

Thanks for this info, much what we thought really about distances etc. We did notice grafitti too in some areas, but the sunshine somehow doesn't make it seem so dirty ;)

We are not going in blinkered... :D

Mash...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by wizzywozza
I have been in Adelaide 12 years.

Just have to say a few things from my opinion.

Hi Bleggy, got most of the real estate agents covered so get loads of regular updates, however still would be useful to see if our lists match...

Talk soon
Mash..

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mashiraz
Hi Sharon,

Thanks for this info, much what we thought really about distances etc. We did notice grafitti too in some areas, but the sunshine somehow doesn't make it seem so dirty ;)

We are not going in blinkered... :D

Mash...


Funny cos this morning it is raining for the first time in about a month!!!! Still beautiful outside though, the wattle is in bloom and the parrots and magpies are singing.

Re the above site. I contacted the guy some time last year for some advice I needed for my business plan. He was most helpful and obliging. Worth a look.

Cheers

Blegs

Re: Adelaide - trip report
 

wizzywozza wrote:
    > I have been in Adelaide 12 years.
    > Just have to say a few things from my opinion.
    > Adelaide is just like any other city at night - you probably will be
    > safe but there are numerous incidents of stabbings and beatings
    > especially outside the nightclubs. Rundle Mall is not somewhere I
    > would feel comfortable walking about in at night. I recently walked
    > up KW Street from a rock concert in Memorial Drive at 10.30 at night,
    > and was accosted all the way by homeless and Aboriginals for money
    > and ciggies. North Terrace is the same.
    > Anywhere up to 25 km from the city centre is in reality only a 30
    > minute drive away, so look at rentals in the outer suburbs. Much
    > nicer than some of the inner ones. Some suburbs such as Unley,
    > Burnside, Norwood, North Adelaide, Magill etc are VERY upmarket.

I drive through Unley/Norwood regularly and it is very posh :-)

    > Adelaide has an extremely high rate of car theft.
    > Restaurants do not close at 8pm - where are you eating??? If in the
    > south try the Yum Sing at Reynella - garlic prawns to die for!

Just near me I live in Onkaparinga Hills :-)
Came over 3 years ago - cannot find a good curry house locally though!

    > At peak times the city, and especially Rundle Mall can be very
    > crowded. Christmas is a nightmare, but as there are numerous huge
    > shopping malls all over the metro area with the same shops it is
    > really unecessary to go right into the city itself for shopping.

Marion Centre seems to have it all

    > The general metropolitan area of Adelaide has a population of around 1
    > million, but the actual city itself is very small. Bear in mind that
    > to drive from an outer southern suburbs like Seaford to an outer
    > northern one like Elizabeth would take probably an hour and a quarter
    > - Adelaideans like their traffic lights.

I am doing a lot of driving around Adleiade metro at the moment - the amount
of traffic lights is amazing!!!

    > Oh and Adelaide is the graffiti capital of the world - it's
    > everywhere.

This is very annoying to see - especially on the lovely old gums.

I was astonished when I first came here at just how lazy
    > Aussies are about throwing rubbish away too. The sides of the main
    > highways out into the countryside are littered with broken bottles
    > thrown from cars.

McDonald's,Burger King bags ect - it has worsend a hell of a lot in the last
few years.

    > Having said all that I wouldn't move away from here for anything.
    > It's just interesting how people's perspectives on a place differ
    > depending where they originally came from.

Young kids here ask me why I moved here - as though they think little of
their homeland - I shake my head and say "you've not travelled" :-)

Cheers

Russell

--
Luck is when the paths of opportunity and preparation cross.