Hello everyone - advice please!

[Guest Ben2101]

Hello everyone, ive joined to forum today and im seeking all and every advice about moving to Adelaide. Im a current serving police officer and will be transfering across to SA police as soon as they start to recruit again which hopefully wont be long (finger crossed!) and am very lucky to have work and a place to stay when i go. The force will put me up for the first 3 months then after that its down to me to find a house. I done tons of research but i thought more adivce couldnt hurt and im hoping im in the right place!

 

1. Which are the best areas of the city to live?

2. Can i live outside the city and still get to anywhere in 20 mins like all the websites say? (mmm) Or better still can i live by the beach on my wage alone just like the dream!?

3. Are they welcoming over there? Or will i be seen as just another pom?

4. I sit here on a dull cloudy day and cant help but see a better (and yes i know) very different life over there? Do you all agree?

5. I have no ties, no children, no debt etc and my house is up for sale in preperation in which i have some good equity. Im in a good positions surely?

6. Anyone who can offer any advice will be a friend!

 

Ben

[Willber]

Hi,

We have just got back from Adelaide after having to get our visa's validated.

As for where to live this always seems a hard question to get a straight answer so from only been there for 3 weeks all i can say is that most places seem nice but as here in the uk they will have there bad spots, it all depends what your after. The academy is in Taperoo which is North West of the city and when i went to a seminar at the academy the area seemed reasonable but i didn't see much of it.

As for the journey time someone who has lived in adelaide for some time will put you in the picture there.

Everyone seemed friendly that we spoke to but like everywhere in the world there are those who cant socialize with other people.

I believe there is a better life to be had out there, but from what i've heard its not plain sailing. Some things cost the same as the uk, some are little more, cars a lot more but i'm sure there are bargains to be found. The weather is probably a big pull to Adelaide but when we were there in Sept in was a bit cool and cloudy but the summer must be better than what we get here.

As for the house depending on your equity in it and what your after in Adelaide will depend on your mortgage. Property did seem expensive in places and cheaper in others parts, so it all depends on where you want to live.

I'm sure more experienced 'poms' on here will give you a clearer picture out there, i'm only going off our short visit out there.

Good Luck

Andrew

[Diane]

1. Which are the best areas of the city to live?

There are nice areas all around - find out where you'll be working and then look for somewhere within 20-30 minutes drive is my advice! If you were based at Elizabeth in the north for instance, you'd probably not be looking at Noarlunga, and vice versa!

 

2. Can i live outside the city and still get to anywhere in 20 mins like all the websites say? (mmm) Or better still can i live by the beach on my wage alone just like the dream!?

Depends what your wage will be - a friend who came over about five years ago as a policeman was on a very low wage to start with, bt they may have improved that. For just two of you, getting a place near the beach is perfectly feasible though. The beaches run all down the west side with the most expensive suburbs being those pretty much due west of the city (West Lakes, Henley and -slightly south west - Brighton) but go to the north west or the south west and prices drop. See above comment about where you'll be working though!

 

As for travelling times,it can take me 45 minutes to drive from the North East to the (near) South West - 20 minutes into the City, 30 minutes to the Barossa and perhaps 35 to the nearest beach. If there were no traffic lights and speed cameras and police I could do it quicker!!! This is a good site for times/distances from one place to another: RAA

 

3. Are they welcoming over there? Or will i be seen as just another pom?

Generally welcoming, although if you start your sentences with "Back in the UK we did this better...." or "Adelaide is so far behind the times compared to the UK..." you might get a bit of resentment!

 

4. I sit here on a dull cloudy day and cant help but see a better (and yes i know) very different life over there? Do you all agree?

Same s**t, shinier bucket. There're still bills to pay and housework to do - depends what you like doing with your life. If you love your European holidays and Buy One Get One Free deals and can't live without Marks and Spencers, or French wines, you may not like it here. If you like doing stuff outdoors, cycling, walking, exploring - like beaches, and hills, and wineries, and parks, and doing your shopping at local butchers/bakers/greengrocers/markets, like socialising at a friend's house or a cafe or a park with a picnic, it'll probably be a better lifestyle foryou here!

 

5. I have no ties, no children, no debt etc and my house is up for sale in preperation in which i have some good equity. Im in a good positions surely?

If it sells.....with the exchange rate here, things are comparatively more expensive on a straight conversion, but once you are earning dollars and spending dollars, and don't compare to UK, it's not all bad!! Have a look at Real Estate, Property, Land and Homes for Sale, lease and rent - realestate.com.au for house prices to buy and rent here.

 

6. Anyone who can offer any advice will be a friend!

Plenty on here to help and offer advice - just ask. Do bear in mind though that nobody knows you like you know yourself, so one person's idea of nirvana may not be yours - just as one person's idea of "rough" may not be yours either! Do as much research as possible, but keep an open mind!!!

 

HTH

Diane

 

[Guest Ben2101]

Thank you Wilber and Dianne for your quick replys and advice!

 

Dianne i'd be coming over alone, from speaking to a friend who has already made the move over from British Cop to Ozzy she says her wage is (after the 3 months at the academy) £37,000 ($60,000) and mine would be the same as they would take into account our similar lengths of service and this would only go up, is this enough to live ok there? I could afford to buy a decent car outright hopefully.

 

Your definately right i'd be hoping to work 20 mins or so from where i live so it would all depend i suppose closer to the time, id more than likely rent at first and get to know to areas.

 

Im under no illusions that every bucket has it's own brand of the brown stuff but i also know they have their diamonds, i know thats its a different system there, different ways of life etc but its those differences which make it a desireable place to live surely! Im the outdoor kind and running on the beach is heaven for me!

 

My idea of Nirvana would be working in the city, floating to home on/by the beach, relaxing, swiming, gym, socialising, thats what i want and thats what i shall have!! (one day)

[Diane]

My idea of Nirvana would be working in the city, floating to home on/by the beach, relaxing, swiming, gym, socialising, thats what i want and thats what i shall have!! (one day)

 

In which case....come on down!! Perfectly achievable here, and the salary you quoted is pretty reasonable (I think my friend was on something like $35k aussie dollars - but that was before they brought in the recognition of previous service so sounds like things have definitely improved)

 

I mentioned on another thread about a book a friend has just had published about migrating to Australia - Adelaide in particular. It's called The Same Difference - a Sideways Look at Migrating from the UK to Australia and has got loads of good stuff in it, some useful, some funny, some what I'd call essential - it goes on sale on 1st November so if you want more details, feel free to drop me a PM and I'll pass on her contact details in case you want to order a copy.

Diane

[rachel31]

I may be wrong but I was under the impression that SAPOL had done a 5 year recruitment in the uk which ended in 2009, with the last batch of officers arriving here in april 2010. If this is the case would you then be able to come and do a reccie to see which areas you like and areas where you may be posted? You would be a step ahead then if/when they do re-open the applications.