Northerners Down Under

[KathCats]

Hello,

We are a small family just emigrated from a small village near Durham in the North East of England and we are struggling with the size of Adelaide and how far away everything is!

My partner Gary starts work at Flinders Uni on Monday and we are looking for somewhere to live with a School within walking distance (if that's possible) for our 10 year old daughter.

Any help or guidance would be very much appreciated. I got a map from the library as our SatNav broke and the people here are very friendly, but seem find our accents difficult and mistake us

for being Dutch!

It's early daze for us as we only been here a few days. We drove all the way from Sydney which was great and really liked a place called Mildura as we are avid veggie growers. I left a fabulous allotment

at home and am itching to get settled and digging.

Katharine

[AboutTime]

Aww welcome and good luck - Great your husband is starting work, you should go for a drive around surrounding suburbs to Flinders Uni perhaps, are you looking to rent or to buy? I live in Woodcroft which is about a 15 min drive south from Flinders. There is a 2 primary schools in the area, Woodcroft Primary and Emmaus School - both have a housing estate around them. Shops also easy to walk to in this area. All the very best in your new venture.

[Linda21]

Just wanted to say hi. We're from Washington and in the process of immigrating to Adelaide. Can't help with your query but hope you settle in soon. Good luck.

[spanners]

Nothing to do with maps but your comment "our accents difficult and mistake us for being Dutch!" reminded me of something.

 

I'm originally from Middlesbrough, the official unwiped backside of the UK. Thankfully I moved south as a kid but my parents / my kids grandparents still speak northern. My neighbour recently had a dry stone wall built and I was telling the builder how good it looked and what a great job he had done. After the conversation my kids asked what language the builder was speaking - he was from Rochdale!! Thats only after my kids living here for 4 years!

[shazlouD]

I agree people struggle with the accents and sayings! Kathcats sat navs are only about $60 from big W and worth every penny! i woutd be lost without mine for work!

[Hutchy]

We're originally from Hartlepool and our accent is mistaken for Irish..

[Guest Guest75]

Rich Yorkshire accent here........some of our Aussie friends were confused when they though I called Mrs Tyke Alice and not her real name.................... our was say "Our Lass" :biglaugh:

 

Just been in a very mixed bag of accents on a film shoot from Canadian to Kiwi to mine., had a great discussion about accents, well I think I understood them!!!

[Blossom]

Welcome to the forum and to Adelaide. :-)

 

I'm also no help on schools.

Do you have an iPhone? The maps app is great. :-)

 

My ex is from Manchester and works in a call centre. He gets people commenting on him being Scottish every day lol.

[cliffy]

"My partner Gary starts work at Flinders Uni on Monday and we are looking for somewhere to live with a School within walking distance (if that's possible) for our 10 year old daughter. "

We had a house in Flagstaff Hill while my daughters went to Flinders Uni. It was just a few minutes by car, a regular bus service to the Uni. and a short walk to the Primary School and shops. They found it very convenient, and managed to get part time jobs in the local area.

There are many good suburbs with easy access to Flinders, Marion, Panorama, Belair, Blackwood, but they are suburban, with not many allotments in the area

[KathCats]

Thank you for this. I have only just logged back on again...I am finding the whole place quite daunting, would feel happier in a quieter place. Gonna check out Bellevue Heights primary School today...any good or a no-no?

Also, are there any areas we stear clear of in terms of renting?

[KathCats]

Thanks. Yes, our satnav works ok it was the charging point in the Hire Car that didn't work!!

We seem to be having a few difficulties with all sort of things here, and I don't know why.

[KathCats]

Thanks for this. Can you recommend a good map or website that shows all the suburbs around Flinders?

[zebedee]

I am from the South and one of the guys I work with in Bendigo said I sounded like Mr Bean. I think has more to do with him living in Bendigo though.

[NicF]

Thanks for this. Can you recommend a good map or website that shows all the suburbs around Flinders?

 

If you buy a street directory they show all the suburbs and suburb boundaries. Alternatively have a look on google maps. It doesn't give all the suburb names but you can search for suburbs to find out where they are.

 

ETA - for info on schools have a look on the myschool.edu.au website. This gives things like zone areas, size of school, Naplan results (bit like sats) and also the schools on website. I found looking at the websites of the school gave a good feel for the school. Also look for the context statement for the school on the schools website as this gives some good info on the school.

Edited July 2, 2014 by NicF

[jim and adel]

I am from the South and one of the guys I work with in Bendigo said I sounded like Mr Bean. I think has more to do with him living in Bendigo though.

 

Mr Bean said so little it would be hard to work out who sounds like him!

[adelaidenow]

Thanks. Yes, our satnav works ok it was the charging point in the Hire Car that didn't work!!

We seem to be having a few difficulties with all sort of things here, and I don't know why.

 

Good luck with everything, adjusting takes time. Don't stress.

 

But if you find Adelaide a little daunting, don't think of moving anywhere else in Aus, its the easiest City to get around!

[emwatson]

Where in Co. Durham are you from @KathCats? I'm from Consett but also lived in Sheffield and Peterborough so no one ever places my accent! My partner and I are just waiting for our visa then hope to be in Adelaide in October. Good luck with everything! x

[Rachiegarlo]

Kathcats If your husband is working at Flinders then I would recommend Belair, Coromandel Valley, Blackwood areas. These are 15 mins drive to the uni but all have local primary schools that could be walked to. In these suburbs you are close to the national park, a good place to go walking or ride bikes, picnic etc. These suburbs are serviced by Blackwood shopping centre which is small and has a more village feel than the large suburban malls. These suburbs are in the hills behind Flinders uni. Many of the houses look across the hills onto gumtrees and you get lots of wildlife in the trees.

[KathCats]

Thank you everyone...some fabulous advice on here. We are now settled in Flagstaff Hill (Flaggy) and loving the commute down the hill with the views of the sun coming up. Also bought a little car which works well, yes it does take time to settle!