Family planning to move to Adelaide in new year.

[Skyline123]

Hi,

We are a family of 3 + 1 dog, planning to move to Adelaide beginning of 2013, which I am finding very scary!!

Have been reading some of the posts on this site, and everyone seems very helpful and full of information, so I'm hoping to pick some-ones brains if I can.

Areas to live in Adelaide that we have liked the look of so far include Reynella East and Glenelg. We have based these choice on proximity to the CBD and the coast. Also we have to take into account our 5 year old daughter, so really need to be in a family friendly area. Does anyone know if the primary schools are of good reputation in these areas? and if not, which are the best areas for primary schools? We will be unable to live in the most expensive areas, so middle of the road is what we're looking at.

Also, I am a support worker, currently supporting homeless women with children, and my husband is a head chef who now runs his own bakery shop. Major concerns over being able to find employment once we get to Adelaide as you can imagine. As I have already read on some of these posts, my husband has contacted Chef agencies over the internet, but of course, no reply, which is understandable.

I am worried about taking my daughter away from her school and all her friends, even though she is very confident and outward going. I am also worried about the financial costs involved. Having to start again when your in your forties is a big risk, especially with the possibility of never getting back to the financial position we are in now. It's a tough one, any words of wisdom would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

[Guest Lorraine Doyle]

Hi,

 

The only advice I can give you is this: Family, Opportunity for your children, Home life effect of move. With us we ended up leaving our business behind, $200,000 a year salaries spilt between us, our house paid for, good supers etc. But and here for us was the main thing what good is all that if your children have to emigrate alone.... We choose to go and we haven't regretted a minute of it. It is extremely hard in your 40's starting again but I'd do it all over again without Rory or thought. Money is paper our children are everything.

[Guest Allybinoz42]

Reynella is probably more affordable than Glenelg. Anywhere around GLenelg, Brighton etc are premium suburbs.

 

There is quite a lot of disability support work out there if you are interested, maybe look into what qualifications you might need.

 

Emigrating I think is somewhat a leap of faith!

[Guest guest8040]

We're coming out in April and to be honest I'm more and more terrified as the time approaches. Strangely I'm seeing everything here in a new light and am really worried about what we are doing. I've come on here tonight and was glad to see your post as it makes me feel less like I'm the only one!

[Guest Allybinoz42]

Look you can do it, just accept that the first year, may be hard. In my view the hardest thing is leaving family rather than finances which can normally be rectified. If you are very close to family those are the things I would be questioning, in my humble opinion.

You will find work and all the rest will slowly sort itself.

[Elliot]

It is hard to make the move, we did it two months ago.

But, we now live in a lovely little house in Grange, 5 mins to the beach, 2 mins to the primary school (very good school with long waiting list if you are not in he catchment area). Our elder son 5 1/2 attends Grange SLSC on Saturday afternoons, another great way to meet people. I am waiting to hear back about a job I went for two weeks ago. Things go much slower over here and that is part of the charm of Australia.

[snifter]

Hello and welcome.

 

Check the Education forum on here and read some of the more recent threads on schools.

 

Glenelg is lovely but very expensive. As much as I like it we hope to live a bit away to hopefully fall in Paringa primary zone or Warradale primary, which isn't zoned. I'm not sold on Glenelg primary tbh. It's a big school and I hear mixed feedback. I would prefer a smaller school for my son for many reasons.

[flossybeth]

It is hard to make that move - we only arrived in July and for a while before you come it does seem that you're more focussed on what you are leaving and like you we had doubts about not really ever having the level of stability we had in the UK; managable mortgage in a small Devon town, children really happy at school (eldest was about to head off to grammar school for which she'd worked really hard to gain her place), family within day-trip distance, etc etc but then we decided that actually as we were only just heading to our 40's (we're both 38) the whole move was about not being stable for the rest of our lives but to try something new and show the children that actually life doesn't necessarily have to be about following one path but that there is a world out there (even if it is filled with spiders and snakes and sharks ).

 

And now we've been here for a few months and it's beginning to make sense; the children are again settled in school (neither better or worse than their UK school as far as I can tell), they've joined Sea Scouts and we're able to do all the outdoors stuff (beach straight after school, bbq because it's too warm to cook in the kitchen, weekend walking, cycling to school etc) because there weather is consistently better.

 

I just need to get out there now and make some friends and all will be well.

 

As for areas we've ended up renting in Lockleys for it's proximity to the beach, the Linear park for cycling and it only takes my husband 20 minutes on the bus into the CBD, not really sure now though that we've got a rental here if we'll actually be able to afford to buy in this area! Our children go to Henley Beach PS and it seems OK so far - they've only been there for 5 weeks. Our 10 year old son was very worried about leaving his good friends behind in the UK but he's fitted in really easily as has the 7 year old.

 

Before we arrived my husband didn't have a job so we didn't know where we'd need to be and we did some house-sitting which worked out really well, it gave us the opportunity to live in two very different areas (both north and very south of the city) so that when Dave did get a job we knew that we didn't want to be south because the commute on the train was just too long. The beaches at Moana were lovely though and you certainly had a more "Australia holiday" feel to it down there.

 

Hope this helps, sorry if it's just a ramble.

[Sears Family]

I am thankful I didn't really have time to think about it! We took a leap of faith and as at next week been here 2 years

We love it here and it is now home, I am by no means going to say it was an easy journey, 1st year was really hard esp as you cant but help compare prices - plus you still have the 'we did this, that and the other back home' BUT we now earn and live in $$ so it's a lot easier.

We live in O'Halloran Hill - moving to Happy Valley in a couple of weeks and our kids go to Reynella East College (14 & 9 yrs old), it is a great school and we have seen our kids grades improve significantly since we moved from Seaford, eldest is now getting A's & B's and received a merit award for constant high standards (got bored and disinterested in past school and grades reflected that!).

Best of luck with the move x

[Skyline123]

Well you are not alone!! As much as I want to go to Australia, the thought of uprooting the family - at a huge financial cost ,on a gamble that might not pay off, scares me to death. I really don't know what I'm gong to do, but I totally agree with you, it is very comforting to know I'm not alone in my doubts. No-one can give us the answer, that's the trouble, but I do hope you find your answers soon, and I wish you all the best.

 

Mandy x

[Skyline123]

Thank you for your reply, it's really made me smile. As we don't have any family the only things we'd be leaving behind are very good friends, but of course we cant stay just for them, as one day they could up sticks and move away and then where would we be. All your advice is gratefully received, and so true.

[Skyline123]

Hi Emma,

 

So glad to hear of families that have made the move and are enjoying life in the sun. I wish I was there and settled and all my doubts were a distant memory. You do give me hope.

 

Cheers.

 

Mandy x

[Skyline123]

Yes, I agree. My daughter is in quite a small school now where she knows everybody, so a big school would make me uneasy, although I think she would be fine in it!! Thanks for the feedback on the Glenelg area, it's so much better to get a real experience rather than just looking on Google Earth all the time.

I did look at the threads on schools, after I posted my initial thread and I did find these extremely helpful and full of information.

[Guest pursuitps]

Hi There, maybe i can help i work in Community Housing with a company who rehouse Women who have suffered domestic violence, they are looking for another Tenancy Officer in the new year, based on the edge of the city, send me over your CV mark@pursuitrecruitment.com

 

Regards

 

Mark

[Guest guest8040]

Sorry to hijack but my career is in the voluntary and community sector predominantly working with volunteers. If you work for an agency do you get many community worker vacancies and if so is it worth me sending my CV? I arrive in April - thanks

[Guest Exodus]

Hi.

The only bit of advise i can give is don't keep worrying about all the money or jobs or whatever else is stressing you.

Just book your flight and get over here and start living. Trust me it will all fall into place.

My wife and our 3 kids 4, 3 and 1 arrived in April this year. Hired a campervan for a wk. Travelled about. Found a rental property. Found a job.

Now we have our own house in Aldinga Beach and a business. I was tough but anything is possible if you all stick together.

 

Good luck but you wont need it.

 

Any advise just email.

 

Craig

[Guest rlc]

It’s such a good life here because of the weather and the mentality of most of the people, takes a while to cast off a lot of your British Idiosyncrasy but after being here for a while and being able to indulge in lots of other things and enjoy the weather Late October to May you won’t regret it. All the kids here well mannered and give up their seats for folk on the buses. South of Christie beach can be rough in areas such as Noarlunga Centre, Hackham West (look at Google maps RIGHT OF Noarlunga Centre up to south rd.

 

Allot of English move to Hallett Cove but yeah, not too close to the city. Positives: Beaches, Dolphins, fishing, Rodeos, Camping friendly people and not such a class system, you get lots of festival events, great nights out, cheap flights to Sydney , Melbourne and wages can be better.

 

Negatives - Expensive cars, workers rights are very different to UK ( not as many rights and basically like it or lump it mentality) Drinking in pubs can be expensive sitting around $6.50 a pint (not English measure) and purchasing in off licenses is around $40.00 a case of 24 beers. Average wage is around $20 per hr.

I’ve made so many friends and are always in the middle of planning new events. Camping fishing, road trips, BBQ’s.

All the areas south of the city are ok and its only 15-20- min drive to beach.

Behind Brighton upto south rd and along to eastwood are all good places. Also west beach, Henley beach and Grange and all them places behind there are ok also.

[Skyline123]

Hi.

The only bit of advise i can give is don't keep worrying about all the money or jobs or whatever else is stressing you.

Just book your flight and get over here and start living. Trust me it will all fall into place.

My wife and our 3 kids 4, 3 and 1 arrived in April this year. Hired a campervan for a wk. Travelled about. Found a rental property. Found a job.

Now we have our own house in Aldinga Beach and a business. I was tough but anything is possible if you all stick together.

 

Good luck but you wont need it.

 

Any advise just email.

 

Craig

 

 

Hi Craig,

 

Thanks for the advice, it was good to read someones else s experiences, and to know that there are people out there doing well and enjoying the life style change. My husband was interested in renting in the Aldinga Beach area, and we've looked at it on Google Earth. Will no doubt email you with more questions when we think of them.

 

Enjoy the sun,

 

Mandy