What is a must see place/attraction/area?

[tomamylancaster]

We're heading over in 28 sleeps - not that us, or the kids are counting or anything! - to validate our visas and we have areas planned that we want to take a look at and all the usual reccie things! But we're also trying to plan in a few trips and days out to keep the kids happy, so, if you could visit just ONE place/attraction/area etc what/where would it be?

 

Also - in the UK, we obviously have 3G to access the internet whilst out and about in the car. Is there anyway we can do this in Aus? So if we're driving around an area we can check out realestate and schools whilst on the go? But without committing to any kind of phone contract/payment plan?

 

Amy x

[snifter]

I always think in a clear day a trip up to Mount Lofty is good. See the view down over the city and out to the coast. Then can take a wander on one of the trails or head to Cleland wildlife park (check if it's open and costs in advance as may be a hit to the wallet). Get to see roos, koalas, Tasmanian devils and other creatures. Or a wander through the Botanic gardens up there can be lovely. That is free. It can be very steep though but we love it.

 

I'd get a pre paid dongle and install the real estate app and have the school lists printed off in advance so as to save keep using those sites as they are not really mobile friendly. I'll nip back in a bit with all the school links for you.

Edited July 9, 2014 by snifter
typo

[soo_the_panda]

One of the wildlife parks I think to see animals that you just can't/don't see in the UK, or in fact anywhere outside of Australia! The ones I know are Cleland near Crafers/Mt Lofty, Gorge Wildlife Park in the NE suburbs (free to hold a koala there!) and one down near Victor Harbour.

 

And you could get a pre-paid (pay as you go, generally called pre-paid here) mobile sim and use the internet on that as you would in the UK on your phone - just make sure it's unlocked before you leave England then either buy a sim in a supermarket, phone shop or most petrol stations, news agencies etc. They are generally $2. Amaysim does great plans - look at their website and see if you can pre-order one to arrive where you are staying maybe then use that? Also get the real estate app - the website isn't great via mobile but the app is fine.

[Diane]

As you'll be here in the middle of our winter, head down to Victor Harbor and do some whale spotting. Still think that is one of the most magical winter things to do here. Wrap up warm though, bit chilly down that way! Spend some time in the City - Central Market is the best place to park: go on a Friday as it's open late (till about 9pm) then and there is usually music, tasters etc. If you can, grab a coffee at Lucia's Italian Cafe at the side of the market, do a bit of people watching! While you are in the city, tale the kids to the Museum on North Terrace. I'm pretty sure it's free and has some great exhibits. Maybe find out if there is a football (Aussie rules) match at the Adelaide Oval while you are here, great atmosphere and great family entertainment. Mount Lofty as mentioned above is great, really good way to get a feel for the layout of the city and surrounds.

[Guest Guest75]

Yep, I'd strongly recommend a visit to The Gorge Wildlife Park in Cudlee Creek (love that name).

 

 

Yes the museum is free and was surprisingly good the other day when we were having a wander around the city. Make sure you go into the Information Center (Floor 1 I think), they have some live spiders and local beasties to look at!

 

Have a drive through McLaren Vale and Willunga ( perhaps a wine taste?), it feels lovely and "Wintery" down there at the moment - log fires /leaves falling the trees.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Guest75

[Keith & Linda]

There's the migration museum and library both free and well worth a visit, the art gallery too but that was not my cup of tea. If walking around the city have a walk up some of the side streets too.

If driving down to Victor Harbour or that area then take the Goolwa road just after Mt Compass and then down Flagstaff hill rd to Middleton, lovely scenery and a great vista over to the coast, then call into Port Elliot for some whale watching.

[Gumster]

We went on a guided tour of the adelaide oval yday. Im not a cricket fan but my son's visiting from the uk & he is. It was a surprisingly good day. Lots of walking & you even get to ckimb inside the old score board & see how it works!

[snifter]

OK, here are the school links for you.

 

Trying to view these on a mobile is a pain as they don't work well so I do suggest you print off the lists of schools so you can refer to it as you go.

 

Here is the Naplan list. Please note this lists both private and state schools. Also its not the be all and end all. There are 2 pages to it. Some schools are not listed and you can use the search feature to bring up any school you may want to check when out and about or on your return to the UK.

 

http://primary-school-ranking-adelaide-south-australia.street-directory.com.au/

 

Here is another list of primary schools. This is an English and Maths rating but again, don't put total stock in it.

 

http://bettereducation.com.au/school/Primary/sa/sa_top_primary_schools.aspx

 

And this link takes you to a page so you can compare up to 5 schools alongside each other.

 

http://bettereducation.com.au/CompareSchools/primary/sa/compare_sa_primary_schools.aspx

 

This one is for you to see one school at a time.

 

http://bettereducation.com.au/school/Primary/sa/sa_primary_school_rating.aspx

 

Both these links also will have further info and links to school websites etc.

 

I would also check out the zoned schools list and perhaps print off the areas you may be interested in so you can refer to them when out and about. If you are considering south or east to perhaps look at as possibles to live when you move for example. Unless you plan to live away from Adelaide then chances are anything after #5 isn't going to be needed.

 

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/locs/pages/default/pszoning/?reFlag=1

 

FWIW when we moved over in October we went with a school that wasn't the nearest local one. We just liked it a lot more than the large one closest by and as it was not zoned we were able to send our child there. Its been a lovely school but we've bought in an area further away and so had to look to changing schools. After looking we settled on a fab school that we feel is a better school overall and also offers lots of extra things the current school does not.

[Toni]

Mt Lofty Lookout is fantastic. Has great views of the city of Adelaide and it's free - nice coffee shop there too. Cleland Wildlife Park is nearby and on Sunday morning they have a supervised "Hold a Koala" session. It costs to get in to Cleland but there is a lot to see and they have kangaroos roaming around that you can pat and have a great wildlife experience. Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens is also nearby and that is free to enter. Not your traditional Aussie park but if you love nature and gardens they are quite spectacular. This time of year the Camelias & Azalias would be in full bloom when you arrive the daffodils might be out. (It is cold there). Close by is Hahndorf - oldest German Town in Adelaide quite touristy though but it has a great cafe, restaurant and shopping strip. Haighs Chocolate Factory on Greenhill Road - South Australian made chocolates. They have conducted tours that you need to book into. I went to the Barossa Valley on the weekend and it is quite gorgeous. If you like wine then they have some famous SA wines/wineries along and nice bakeries and food spots. Only about an hour away from the city of Adelaide.

[Guest Guest12727]

I am surprised, that people are surprised, that things they visit in Adelaide are good

 

Tyke "the museum is free and was surprisingly good"

 

Gumster on Adelaide Oval tour "It was a surprisingly good day".

 

You need to get out more people. Adelaide is GOOD.

 

Kids love a visit to the beach, Glenelg has the beach house and semaphore has a fair. Both beaches are nice for a walk along, even though it won't be swimming weather.

[zebedee]

Driving down the coast south is good - Normanville, Rapid Bay.....then across to Victor Harbor.....you might even spot Southern Right Whales - http://www.sawhalecentre.com/sightings/index.html. We made sure we got out of Adelaide on our reccie - see what the surrounding area is like.....even a drive up to Clare will give you some sense of the vastness of the landscape heading north. I can't really add to the sights in Adelaide - Port Adelaide is worth a visit, older part but sadly under used.

[srg73]

Enjoy your trip, we are 80% sure we will be over in September for good (other 20% is for Brisbane). Cleland is good fun and allows you to get really close to the animals. We enjoyed a simple drive down along the south cost stopping off for a coffee or two but also experiencing the natural coastline. First time over we went to Finders which was amazing however it is a good 1/2 days drive each way and needs planning plus a couple of days to recover from 2 days trekking!

 

In regards to 3g, you will be fine, worked for us when out there last, make sure your ipad/computer is unlocked, pop the fixed cost/data allowance card in and off you go. Importantly enjoy yourselves, don't over plan everything spend a couple of days simply taking the place in, shopping and watching the world go by.

 

S

[tomamylancaster]

Thanks so much for the replies.

 

A few we had on our list already, but a few we hadn't. We had planned a trip into the city at some point on the train (we're staying on one of Tamara's homes in Port Noarlunga), but weren't 100% sure what we would do there, so looks like a visit to the migration museum and the market can be on the list.

 

We were looking at taking the steam train from Goolwa down to Victor Harbour and then back - anyone been on there? Worth it? The whale spotting sounds amazing too.

 

We'd heard of Cleland Wildlife Park but never heard of the Gorge Wildlife Park, so thanks for that one. The kids loves animals, so we definitely want to get up close to koalas and kangaroos.

 

Snifter - thanks for those links. I'll bookmark them on the ipad - i'm pretty sure the house has wi-fi, so we should be able to view them easily whilst we're there if needed. It seems a lot of the schools are zoned, is this generally the case? It's a total nightmare trying to find the right house, by a good school, which isn't far from work, when you have no job and no idea where we'll be working!

 

Howde - would the fair at semaphore be open during the winter?

 

And how much of a hike is it up to the Mount Lofty Lookout - the kids are 6 and 4, and whilst the oldest is a pretty good walker, the youngest is quite the opposite!

 

Unlocking my phone - how do I do this? Would O2 do it for me, or do I need to go to a little back street shop? We'll definitely grab a sim whilst there, just incase we want to look anything up whilst out and about.

[snifter]

Not many primary schools are zoned. Those that are tend to be very in demand from a larger area hence them being zoned. If you live in a zone for a school, they have to take the kids

 

Mount Lofty lookout is about 1-2 minutes walk from the car park you can wander the trails round it once there. Nothing far or strenuous unless you choose to do so.

[Guest Guest12727]

"Howde - would the fair at semaphore be open during the winter?"

 

Take a look here http://www.semaphorewaterslide.com.au/

Winter opening on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.

 

Mt Lofty is definitely too difficult to walk up for that age. You would need to drive up. Cleland National Pk is only 5mins away, so you can do both in the same trip.

 

However, if you want a manageable walk at the bottom of My Lofty you can go to Waterfall Gully and walk up to the first or second stage. Nice walk and some lovely scenery, especially in winter when the waterfall is flowing harder than summer. There is a cafe there and public loos. http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Find_a_park/Browse_by_region/Adelaide_Hills/Waterfall_Gully

[TonyD]

Hi Tomamylancaster, with regards to internet you can go into any Telstra shop and pick up a 4G broadband wifi device for 100 bucks that can allow up to 4 devices good internet access. They are pay as you go but ideal if you both have ipads and phones. We have been here 6 months and still use ours instead of having broadband at home, also great when you go away or outback, you always have internet access. If you buy a usb dongle you can only use 1 device at a time.

 

Enjoy the recce, Its a great place - my advice on the best place to visit? Fit as much in as you can!

[flossybeth]

If you head up to Port Adelaide there's the train, plane and ship museums to visit - you'll only spend a couple of hours in each but your boys are probably at the age where that's enough.

[tomamylancaster]

If you head up to Port Adelaide there's the train, plane and ship museums to visit - you'll only spend a couple of hours in each but your boys are probably at the age where that's enough.

 

Sounds like something the kids woukd love actually, & haven't heard of it, so thanks for that

[adelaidenow]

Re 3G. Yes pay as you go do exist. I have a few, so instead of buying one, if you contact me when you arrive, I can lend you one, and you just pay for what you use.

 

I have vodafone and telstra to choose from. I also have some that are mini wifi hubs so if you have 2 laptops or phones only one device is needed.

[adelaidenow]

If you head up to Port Adelaide there's the train, plane and ship museums to visit - you'll only spend a couple of hours in each but your boys are probably at the age where that's enough.

 

That's a whole day then!!!

[bj27]

I'd say if you're on a reccie, you probably don't want to stay in the City. Much too say in all directions. With the temperatures you would want to wear warm clothes and perhaps do a bit of a road trip in between outings.

 

If you do go down south towards Victor Harbor or Port Elliot for whale watching, and you want to see some Australian nature, you could also go to Urrimbirra Wildlife Park, or if you want to see the roos in the wild do one of the beautiful walks in Deep Creek NP, or drive to the coastline around Myponga or Rapid Bay.

 

For the wine tours, the Tourist Information Centre in McLaren Vale can give you a map of all the wineries, and tell you which ones have playgrounds for the kids.

 

And I agree with Howde that there are many beaches you could go to. Semaphore, Glenelg, Brighton, Hallett Cove, Port Noarlunga, Moana, Aldinga Beach, wherever you want to go. Bring a thermos or get some take away coffee on the way!

[adelaidenow]

I'd say if you're on a reccie, you probably don't want to stay in the City. Much too say in all directions. With the temperatures you would want to wear warm clothes and perhaps do a bit of a road trip in between outings.

 

If you do go down south towards Victor Harbor or Port Elliot for whale watching, and you want to see some Australian nature, you could also go to Urrimbirra Wildlife Park, or if you want to see the roos in the wild do one of the beautiful walks in Deep Creek NP, or drive to the coastline around Myponga or Rapid Bay.

 

For the wine tours, the Tourist Information Centre in McLaren Vale can give you a map of all the wineries, and tell you which ones have playgrounds for the kids.

 

And I agree with Howde that there are many beaches you could go to. Semaphore, Glenelg, Brighton, Hallett Cove, Port Noarlunga, Moana, Aldinga Beach, wherever you want to go. Bring a thermos or get some take away coffee on the way!

 

 

I would say do stay in the centre so nowhere is too far!

 

As for weather, most people coming from UK won't be cold, they are not acclimatised. Obvious bring warmer clothes, but only by the sea especially at Victor could it be very cold (windy).

 

Nights are cold but we are in the midst of the coldest it will be, 11-12 degrees during the day, most people who live in the UK don't find that 'freezing' like us.

[Linda21]

Hi, just noticed that you're arriving on your reccie as we leave, we are there from 21 October to 10 November and we are also staying at one of Tamara's places. Which one will you be at? We are staying at Christies Cottage at Christies Beach. Your thread is really helpful as it is giving us ideas too as to what to do when we are over. Can't wait and hope you have a fab time too.

[flossybeth]

That's a whole day then!!!

 

Well yes; if you did all three, but that might be just a bit much both for the children and price wise. There's other stuff to do up in Port Adelaide too, like the lighthouse, which gives a great view back towards the hills (as opposed to from the Hills which is where you normally get your view) and is only about 50 cents per child. Certainly the tourist information centre up there is worth dropping into.