What made you pick the suburb you live in/are going to be living in???

[Guest The Dimmocks]

Here is ours

 

For our state sponsorship research I got a map, closed my eyes and let my finger go where ever it wanted to on the map. Ended up on Woodcroft so that was the area we spent a month researching.

 

Before we arrived Hubby had been offered a job in Port Adelaide so when we applied for OAA we put North as our preferred location. We were in Paradise for 4 weeks . I was curious as to what "the South" was like and "Woodcroft" after researching it, so we drove down one weekend to meet a friend we had made on PIA. We personally preferred the feel of the South so hubby started looking for another job. He got offered first one he applied for in Lonsdale so the hunt was on for a rental

 

We spent most our days driving down south looking for rentals. Found a rental in Morphett Vale (stones throw across Panalatinga Road to Woodcroft). Daughter goes to Woodcroft Primary which she loves and we are happy in this area. Not far from beach, by main road into City and have some nice little shops close by.

 

Wonder what my story would be if my finger had landed somewhere else as would never have been curious as to what Woodcroft was like!!!!

[Guest willow1234]

hi there michelle, long time no speak! we chosed seaford from the uk as we lived in a little town miles away from the "seaside". never being in australia before we really did not no what to expect! but with great pleasure we (all 4 of us) love it....anyway hope you all keeping alright

[Diane]

We wanted to be within reasonably cycling distance to OH's work (at Golden Grove) but once we'd seen the Torrens Linear Park we were absolutely hooked. Kids were 7 and 9 at the time, and the great play areas, walking and cycling trails, hills all around "embracing" us are just icing on the cake.

 

We've lived in three houses since we married (two in the UK, one here) and only realised the other day that all of them have had open space opposite the house, so when I look out of my window now, I don't see other houses, I see the park, trees, river. It's beautiful.

 

Add to that all the other plusses for this suburb - 20 minutes to the city, including the brillliant invention that is the O-Bahn, great schools both state and private (kids went to the local state primary and thanks to one of the best teachers in the state, both passed scholarship exams for private high school), lovely neighbours, great choice of shops nearby, employment opportunities aplenty for me (choice of the city, Modbury, Salisbury, Port Adelaide all within an easy drive), the Barossa closeby for weekend jaunts out in the Sprite during the summer months, and - even now OH has changed jobs and now works near Mile End - that wonderful park for him to cycle most of the way through, meaning he doesn't have to spend too much time second-guessing the motorists on the roads here, meant the North East, and specifically Highbury, was for us.

 

I still get a warm glow every time I drive down my road, specially at dusk, as I fall into the protectiuve circle of the hills, with that lovely golden light.

[Sue29]

We came from the North East of England & had the beach on my doorstep so wasn't really fussed about living beside the sea.

We fell in love with the hills & Stirling & since we came from the North East yes I'm used to the colder weather up here.

But love the wildlife in the garden koloas wandering by, the birds & even possums when they don't party on the roof.

Only 20 mins to the city on the freeway the smell of the wood burners & the leaves on the trees changing colour at this time of year its a very beautiful place to be & I love it!

[AussieRob]

I used to live in Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield in the Uk, and found no-where in the Adelaide that really had that feeling of "Nice". I know that's a bit snobby but I didn't.

 

After spending 3 weeks in Gawler, we knew we didn't want to live so far from the city, and Mawson Lakes was being built, a purpose built executive estate. Lived there for 5 years and loved it, as far as I am concerned it's the best place to live within a certain price bracket, it just had a perfect mix of life choices. It was easy to park the car and forget it again until Monday morning as everything was on your doorstep, and being 10 mins from the city by train is fantastic. Even though I live nearer the beach now, I still go to the city more often than the beach. The city has everything that's fun, and the beach.... well it's just a beach, wether you live 5 mins or 20 mins from it, the chances are you'll still drive to it and most people don't go to it that often despite what you read on here.

 

I did realise though that the bad areas in adelaide, really aren't that bad (certainly not like a Uk estate) and the good areas, well they really aren't that good.

 

When i met my partner she already had a house in Morphett Vale, which was also near work, this isn't somewhere I would have considered before, but I sold up and left Mawson Lakes. I still miss that belt in the north, from the NE suburbs to the NW suburbs, for me it offered me everything I wanted. Living down south is ok, it's just the choices are more limited.

[adelaidenow]

I noticed (almost) everyone on here was in the South - it was an easy decision - I went North.

[Diane]

I noticed (almost) everyone on here was in the South - it was an easy decision - I went North.

 

Classic, Matt! :biglaugh: But you didn't know I was here, did you now?!!

[adelaidenow]

DI, I was here before you - we looked at your house remember!

[Guest The Dimmocks]

I used to live in Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield in the Uk, QUOTE]

 

I was born at Good Hope Hospital, although I never lived in Sutton Coldfield. I spent most my younger years in Handsworth, then Edgbaston and then Bilston. Not sure which was better out of all of them :biglaugh:

[AussieRob]

I was born in Dudley, grew up in West Bromwich, but I got in with a posh girl and moved to Mere Green in Sutton. Happy days drinking at Hemmingway's MG.

[Riponian]

OK think we originally looked at Flagstaff Hill, Blackwood. When we finally got here we stayed in Woodcroft and quickly got our bearings as to where things were etc.

Knew we needed to close to the city so hubby did not have a big commute ended up in Sheidow park as that was the only rental that came up that we liked at the time.

 

Now we have ended up in Port Noarlunga which is as far south as we said we would ever go and has made such an impact on our lives living down here. I never thought I would love living by the sea (well 1km away) but we love it here.

 

The research we did before we came pointed us to the South mainly due to the house prices. Not sure if we will stay here long term but for now living here gives the kids the best chance at being kids.

[Guest jorose]

Cheap land which offered close proximity to sea. We didn't give a stuff about location to city.

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

I noticed (almost) everyone on here was in the South - it was an easy decision - I went North.

 

 

And the south is eternally grateful for that....:notworthy:

 

HG

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

We had a trip form our furnished rental down to Aldinga Beach took the little red Laser onto Silver Sands...then went to Jimmys Chip shop and watched the sunset whilst eating the chips with the kids...i turned to Kat n said were gonna live here....the rest as they say is history...

 

HG

[Moosh]

When I first arrived, I lived with hubby in Underdale but as soon as I got my residency sorted out we moved asap as I hated it there. Someone I knew from work was building in Seaford so I suggested we take a Sunday drive and check it out. As soon as we got to Seaford and went to the beach, we fell in love with the area. We liked Hallett Cove too but we couldn't afford a house there. Seaford was more affordable as we were both on low salaries at the time and we got a lovely house for less money. After 5 years being in Seaford and seeing it grow and the announcement of the new railway extension, we decided that it was time to move on. As we love the wineries and the McLaren Vale region, we decided to look for houses in McLaren Vale/Flat and Willunga with a fair amount of land. We found our perfect house in McLaren Flat. It has a vilage feel about it and we love it here!

[jim and adel]

Good thread!

 

We did tons of research before making the move, including a three week recce where we stayed in four different places to give us a real feel of the place. We'd have liked a place near the sea and within an easy commute to the CBD but all the blocks were just too small for us (and the price higher than we felt they were worth unless we moved quite a bit out of town). Our next choice was to be up in the hills with its scenery, wildlife and because there's green space between the towns, giving them each a separate identity.

 

We found half an acre in Nairne (that's about the size we'd hoped for; anything bigger would be a pain to maintain) and set about finding a builder.

We moved into our new house last September and have spent most weekends since trying – so far without much success – to turn the block into something that vaguely resembles a garden.

 

Our block is sloping and we have great views across the town. As well as the different kinds of parrots and cockatoos, we see eagles and other birds of prey over the farmland that our block backs onto, get an amazing variety of insects – some of the biggest and most varied-coloured stick insects and praying mantises you could ask for! Possums scramble up the fence near our bedroom every night before scampering over the roof, and a short way up the road there are kangaroos in the fields at dusk.

 

The seasons are very noticeable in the hills, and once we drive through the Heysen Tunnels and see the European-planted trees around Stirling (trees that are totally alien to that part of the world but look like they really belong there), it suddenly feels like a very different place to the rest of Adelaide. At weekends (when not gardening or building retaining walls!) we often drive into one of the towns for a bite to eat (ten mins or so and we're in Hahndorf), or visit one of the conservation parks that are scattered all around.

 

So far, we're finding it a very enjoyable place to live.

 

Jim

[Guest The Dimmocks]

Thanks for all your responses, it nice to see what draws people to different areas.

[adelaidenow]

When I first arrived, I lived with hubby in Underdale but as soon as I got my residency sorted out we moved asap as I hated it there. Someone I knew from work was building in Seaford so I suggested we take a Sunday drive and check it out. As soon as we got to Seaford and went to the beach, we fell in love with the area. We liked Hallett Cove too but we couldn't afford a house there. Seaford was more affordable as we were both on low salaries at the time and we got a lovely house for less money. After 5 years being in Seaford and seeing it grow and the announcement of the new railway extension, we decided that it was time to move on. As we love the wineries and the McLaren Vale region, we decided to look for houses in McLaren Vale/Flat and Willunga with a fair amount of land. We found our perfect house in McLaren Flat. It has a vilage feel about it and we love it here!

 

Moosh, your sig doesn't mention Underdale, was it that bad???

[Guest Tina P]

We bought a map while in the uk and picked Aberfoyle Park, I was a member of Adbrits and most people seemed to prefer the south.

Lived in Aberfoyle for 12 months and then Happy Valley for 6 months. We did try to buy in this area but propery was booming in late 2007 and always missed out. We panicked and thought that house prices were going to go up and up so started to look at land out of that area.

 

My hubby looked at land at Mclaren Flat and we had friends who had just bought a block there, I was unsure as it seemed like another big move but now I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in Adelaide, we are building again.

Its 15/20 mins from the beach, close to Willunga, Aldinga and then in the other direction to Seaford and Colonades.

I have just driven back from Aldinga and was thinking how stunning the scenery is at the moment with all the leaves on the vines turning to a yellow/orange and how lucky we are.

 

My advise to anyone is don't set your heart or commit to any area until you get here.

 

Tina

[adelaidenow]

So you were influenced (going South) because others on a forum (who you hadn't met) preferred it?

 

Not picking on you, but I think many are the same, ....

 

Being serious, isn't being close to Colonades a reason not to go there, its the most feral shopping centre I have been to (or worked in) in SA.

[Guest Tina P]

So you were influenced (going South) because others on a forum (who you hadn't met) preferred it?

 

Not picking on you, but I think many are the same....

 

Not at all, just read lots of posts and it seemed the prefered area !

We had never been to Oz and had to pick somewhere for arrival, we went with the majority.

We were in temporary accomodation in Woodcroft, looked at the area and found a rental. We could have thought 'no way' and moved.

 

I didn't commit to a rental or a school untill we arrived.

[Guest Tina P]

Colonades is ok, yes I agree you do see some sights there.

 

I did buy a top from a shop in Colonades last week and the girl forgot to take the security tag off ! when I realised and went back she said its because she used to work at the Marion store and they don't have to security tags there ??

[Guest rich]

Going to Colonnades is good if tickets to the zoo are a bit pricey. Similar wildlife.

[adelaidenow]

Going to Colonnades is good if tickets to the zoo are a bit pricey. Similar wildlife.

 

[ian mc]

I recon the worst shopping center would have to be Arandale a lot worse than Colonnades