Thinking of moving to Adelaide

[Guest Stacey & Paul]

Hi everyone!

I would like to introduce myself, my name is Stacey im married to Paul and we have 2 daughters Ashley 13 and Jessie 5. We currently live in the Gold Coast, we moved here Aug 08 and we're just not loving it the way we thought we would, we put it down to homesickness and new we had to give it time. We have stuck it out for nearly 3 years and still feeling the same. However its no longer homesickness we feel, we defo dont want to go home! We just feel the Gold Coast isn't the best place to bring up our girls. We've built a house since we've been here and just put it on the market so fingers crossed it sell's soon!!

 

We're thinking of moving to Adelaide, we have been on holiday there, only for 1 wk mind you and what we seen of it we did like. Its very much like we're we lived in the UK (Cumbria, where my husbands from) im from Glasgow! Anyway it just had more of a family feel and we feel it will be a better place to bring our kids up.

 

We're just not sure exactly where to live in Adelaide? My husband like's the look of Aldinga Beach as the house prices are cheaper, we know there will be a commute to work etc but dont mind to much.

 

We're coming to Adelaide the end of March for 2/3 night so this gives us a chance to check things out.

 

Any info on good places to live, schools etc would be very much appreciated.

 

Thanks for listening

[Guest kangomik]

Welcome,

It's a big long spread out place, so you may need to travel around to get a vibe for places, if you can deal with the commute then Aldinga may suit you perfectly.

 

You are right about one thing, Adelaide is an excellent place for kids to grow up.

 

Have fun on the trip

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

Aldinga Beach is lush and great cos i live here...hehe.

 

Where you want to live depends on what you want from where you want to live, there are so many factors that can influenced where you want to be.

 

The best thing to do would be to make a list of what you would like...then you can start to narrow down the burbs in which you would like to live use things like

 

Drive to work

Schools

Shops

Transport

Hospitals

Beaches

 

 

Etc etc...i hope this helps somewhat.

 

HG

[Guest Amanda12]

Hi Stacey

 

We were originally thinking of QLD coast but are now thinking of Adelaide for the same reasons. While sunshine and gold coasts are beautiful, I wonder whether we would enjoy our holidays there and to live somewhere more family friendly.

 

I've got lots of info from here on Adelaide with lots of helpful posters. I'm knew to the forum and haven't been to Adelaide for 15 years so my advice is probably not the best!!

 

Here goes anyway...

 

The East looks really lovely, beautiful scenery and hills, places like Norwood, Stoneyfell and surrounding places. Schools look fantastic. Down side further from beach and very expensive.

 

South are the beach areas down to Aldinga. Glenelg, Hallet cove, hove and Brighton to name a few. Again, schools look good there too.beaches look amazing (see snifter and tykes posts with photos). North, there is a load of new suburbs been built and property prices seem reasonable on and around new developments, seems to be a more industrial area which is regenerating so I'm not as sure.

 

I've got my info from myschools website (will look for site address, Adelaidebound.com, real-estate.com.au and from helpful posting and reviewing threads.

 

I'm sure someone who actually lives there will be able to come along and tell you I've got it all wrong!!! At least I'll know I'm barking up the wrong tree, throw the notebook away and start again

 

Good luck. Will post the schools web sites for you.

 

Edited: www.acara.edu.au and www.myschool.edu.au

 

 

You will prob be familiar with these anyway when I think about it having little ones in Oz so may not be that helpful. Sorry.

[Diane]

No you're pretty close there Amanda, but of course (just to make things more confusing!) there is also South East (hills, around Belair Park, lovely area, good schools, older style housing with biggish plots, lots of trees - good in the winter, a little bit scary in the summer!), South West (Aldinga, Moana, great beaches, very rural, developing transport links but a far way from the city itself - great if you are not tied to a commute and want something really peaceful), North West (nice beaches - Semaphore, Largs etc - nice marina, good transport links, mixture of older style houses and 'developing' areas), and North East (great transport links, mixture of old and new areas and housing styles, great schools, lovely views from some of the suburbs, good infrastructure in terms of shops, recreation facilities etc, and the stunning Torrens linear park running through it)....

[Guest kangomik]

Look at the end of the day we all live in different area's. We choose these area's because WE think they are the best for us, they tick most of our box's.

 

There are many many variables, a suburb can look lovely during the day but if you live near the local drift track, or have someone who loves music at 3am, you won't know till you get there.

 

Most people who post this question don't know anyone on this forum............. would you take housing advice from strangers in Blighty?

 

Research, research, research, is all you can do. The odds are, you will settle where you land, or pretty damn close to it.

[Rob and Mel]

Maybe if everyone told you what they like about their area, it may help you.

 

I'll start...

We live in Aberfoyle Park, we like it because:

 

We are within walking distance to doctors, dentist, school and kindy.

Walking distance to the Hub where there is a post office, chemist, 3 supermarkets, bakery, cafés, restaurants, clothes shop, hair dressers, real estate agents, dvd shop...

Close to swimming pool for kids lessons.

Close to golf course (I don't play but nice that it is there).

We have made friends with lots of ozzy neighbours.

It takes 40 min's in rush hour to get to the city.

It is about a 15 min drive to the beach.

There are lovely parks within walking distance.

There is a bus link to the city, Flinders Hospital and Marion shopping centre.

As Aberfoyle is at the top of the hill, the views of the reservoir and sea in the distance are amazing.

Far enough away from bush fire risks and high up away from flooding.

House prices are still reasonable, you can get a 4 bedroom for less than 400.

 

Hope this helps and hope others can say what they like about their areas.

[Guest jools123]

]i think the help of "strangers" on this forum is invaluable ......

in my opinion i am realy interested to find out other peoples experiences and opinions it dossent mean im gonna do excatly what they have done....

i will put it all in my pot with my research give it a stir and make my decision.

so i want to send a massive thankyou to all the people that take the time to help others that are not quite there yet:cute:

jools x

[Guest Amanda12]

Thanks for the extra info Diane and rob and mel. Did notice those areas last night when looking. Will research them more tonight.

 

I totally agree kangomik. Research research research. these threads are so useful to suggest areas and rationales for likes dislikes, it's a great starting point to build that research on.

[Guest Amanda12]

Hi jools. I agree. The more posts i read combined with google and websites the more rounded an opinion I can form. It's likely to be a year or two before we manage the move so hoping by then I'll have a better understanding.

 

They are all just names on a map at the mo and that's scary.

 

Good luck to the OP!!

[Guest kangomik]

Maybe if everyone told you what they like about their area, it may help you.

 

I'll start...

We live in Aberfoyle Park, we like it because:

 

We are within walking distance to doctors, dentist, school and kindy.

Walking distance to the Hub where there is a post office, chemist, 3 supermarkets, bakery, cafés, restaurants, clothes shop, hair dressers, real estate agents, dvd shop...

Close to swimming pool for kids lessons.

Close to golf course (I don't play but nice that it is there).

We have made friends with lots of ozzy neighbours.

It takes 40 min's in rush hour to get to the city.

It is about a 15 min drive to the beach.

There are lovely parks within walking distance.

There is a bus link to the city, Flinders Hospital and Marion shopping centre.

As Aberfoyle is at the top of the hill, the views of the reservoir and sea in the distance are amazing.

Far enough away from bush fire risks and high up away from flooding.

House prices are still reasonable, you can get a 4 bedroom for less than 400.

 

Hope this helps and hope others can say what they like about their areas.

 

I like this idea, but i think it will confuse people looking, but should get huge posts.

 

We chose our area

Good high school - for when the kids left primary.

Shops less than 200 meters.

Golden grove shops 3KM's away

TTP less than 10KM's, just in case you got bored of shopping at GG.

Elizabeth shopping center ( don't knock it till you've been) less than 10

Munno para further up the road.

So thats 4 bunnings and god knows how many dick smiths and schools in the area.

If there's a Tsunami, or the flats get flooded we are high enough up the hill.

Ahh the hills, you can escape in them, 30 mins from Barrossa, hour to mannum, hour and a bit to Blanchetown. Did i mention Lobethal on the bikes for breakfast or icecream if the kids are on the back, And the animal parks.

25 mins on a good day to semaphore beach ( this was a biggy had to be under 30 mins)

35 to 40 mins on a good day to the airport Adelaide not pooraka!

The house was established, you buy what you see, no added costs for lawns or pavers, or driveways.

It suits us fine

Work is 20 mins away, but then i work all over SA so that doesn't count.

The house will sell easily if we decide to move.

We have the best neighbours, in so many directions it's unreal (Oz and Brit, and other natinalities too)

We didn't know we would have above untill we moved in.

Ohh and the ice cream van stops out side the house

Vitcor Harbour in 1 hour 40 mins ( need to see the whales)

 

See it's kinda gonna get silly.

 

What do i Dislike?

 

They toy box is already full and I have to move stuff before i take the bike out.

Ummmmm, single glazing means i can hear noisey cars.

ummmm it's high up and the air is thin. ( OK i am stuck now!)

 

Ohh i know........ I looked at 200 houses before we chose, and god knows how many thousand on Realestate,com before buying.

Now do you know why I tell people to have a good look around before buying.

 

What else would i ask for?

win the lotto, then have a house on the beach, one in the hills, one in the riverlands, or a shack. then a shack on the peninsula. But no matter where i had the shack the boat would always be in the wrong place when i wanted to use it.

 

Look, adelaides huge, there's so much choice.

Tick your own box's, don't follow other peoples dreams................. make your own come true, afterall you came this far to better the Jones'es;)

[Guest Amanda12]

Lol:)

 

200 houses? You needed Phil Spencer!!!!!!!!

 

I want a house where the ice-cream van stops outside. Why can't realestate.com put these important points in the property details?

[Guest kangomik]

It's all important stuff mate.......... you need to look at the critical points LOL

[Guest kangomik]

I don't know who Phil Spencer is, I know the wife never married him, christ that would have saved me thousands on fuel!

[Guest Amanda12]

Relocation: Phil down under. Ch 4 Friday nights 8pm. Replayed Monday 11am ch 4. Clearly I need to get back to work off my mat leave!!!!

[Guest The Broadheads]

Relocation: Phil down under. Ch 4 Friday nights 8pm. Replayed Monday 11am ch 4. Clearly I need to get back to work off my mat leave!!!!

 

Woman after my own heart, hahahahahahahahaha :biglaugh::biglaugh:xxxx

[Diane]

Ok, what I like about my suburb (Highbury in the North East) - please bear in mind that these are what is important to me, and I'm quite happy that others might not feel the same!!

 

++

Lots of trees and green areas without being a high risk for bushfires

Great schools - primary, high, state and private - locally

Good choice of shops - Tea Tree Plaza 10 mins away, Golden Grove 20 minutes, City 20 minutes plus about six different supermarkets within 10 mins drive.

Great transport options - good roads, good busses plus the O-Bahn into the City

City easily accessible for shops, restaurants, shows, sports, central market - 20 minutes to drive there, 5 minutes to park - makes a night or meal out there totally feasible without having huge taxi cost home or long drive afterwards

Hills surrounding us, lovely views, cool evening breezes in the summer

Linear Park to walk in - dog can just jump into the river to cool down or have a drink (something I don't like about beach walking - can't drink the water there!) and most days it's almost empty.

Cycle path through linear park means daughter could cycle down to her zoo work experience this morning and I didn't have to face the Clipsal traffic

Good established housing, people seem to take pride in their houses and gardens

Good local deli, plus sports centre at top of the road

Beaches and Barossa and Adelaide Hills equidistant for days out, (and cherry picking in the summer)

Plenty of work options with the city (see above) plus the North and North West and East are all within easy commuting distance and lots of employers based in those areas

Husband can cycle to work (through aforementioned park cycle paths) without fighting with too much road traffic and is thus a much nicer person!

Nice people, good mix of all nationalities - neighbours are pretty much all aussies of one sort or another - but the italian influence across the river (Athelstone area) means there are wonderful cakes and great pasta there!

 

--

Have to walk up a hill to get to the bus stop (it's known as Cardiac Hill round here - mind you, after all those cakes and pasta should do it more often!)

House prices are a little higher here

Don't often bother to go to the beach (but then that's coz I don't like sand all that much!)

Smallish garden (but then we do have the park, and its more to do with how our house is sited on its block than anything else...)

No where practical in this house to put a pool or tennis court (but that's just this house, plenty do have the pool and there are public tennis courts within an easy walk or bike ride)

Having to read on PIA saying everything "north" is industrial and nasty, and knowing most who say that haven't ever been anywhere other than Grand Junction Road and Gepps Cross (but I don't really mind - quite like living in a well-kept secret place!)

 

errrmmm... can't think of any more

 

Other suburbs round here I quite like: Dernancourt, Athelstone, Fairview Park, Tea Tree Gully, Vista, Wynn Vale, Greenwith, Banksia Park, parts of Paradise (along the park parts), and some of Hope Valley.

 

Nearer the city (but still towards the NE) I love Walkerville, and parts of Prospect and Kilburn (beautiful older style houses on large blocks there). Out in the hills I adore Norton Summit, parts of Greenhill, Kersbrook and One Tree Hill.

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

Check out PhotoMaps by NearMap to give you some idea of where you want to be...can also give you some idea of sitance to places too...

 

 

HG

[Guest DFOC]

Adelaide is a great move we live in the Adelaide Hills and have brought up our family here and love it..

Aldinga is lovely but too far for me from the city etc...Belair is great close to the city but far enough to feel a little rural really depends where you will be working

Hope you sell soon!