On arrival accomodation any good? Private school - how much !

[Guest melissa and darren]

After so many months of waiting (10) we finally got our visa on 3rd July. It was also the day our buyers had their survey done on our house - how about that for timing!

 

I booked our flights for 28th Dec - so we will be just in time to see in the New Year with our family in Adelaide.

 

I have also applied to Trinity College in Gawler for a place for my daughter and l am happy to report fees for a year 9 pupil amount to $2725 PER YEAR!! In the UK fees at our local private school were £12,000 pa - or $24,000 totally beyond our reach.

 

So...Adelaide here we come

 

Our house will still be in the process of being built, so l wondered if anyone has had experience of the On Arrival Government accomodation?? Is it any good or are we better off in a rental - only problem is we will only need a 3-4 month contract...

 

Cheers

 

Mel

[Guest salisbury massive]

If you can get the OAA, I'd go for it, you get 12 weeks of very basic but cheap accomodation and if you are looking in the Gawler area you will probably get lucky as most people want to be nearer the City. I guess if you explain your situation you may be able to stay a bit longer, especially if they don't have anyone waiting to come in after you. The only problem you'll have is finding somewhere for your furniture.

 

Thats good fees for Trinity, I pay $4,400 a year for year 9 at Kings Baptist at Wynn Vale. Dont forget you'll have to add uniform costs and book fees to that as well. I guess all excursions will be added to the next terms fees, thats what Kings do anyway.

Trinity has a great reputation.

 

Jo

[Guest dunnarunna]

i think you`ll find that all the oaa accomadation are placed around the city, as i asked if they had any hills/rural at the time we applied and was told this. as stated before its basic and cheap and depends on where your given, the housing bloke told us they had just purchased a coastal one, (think in seaford??) so someone will get lucky!! congratulations on getting your visa

donna

[Guest ali@51]

Hi, We got oaa in Novar Gardens. Fairly basic but more than adiquate for a start. I thing they have some oaa in Golden Grove which would be travalable to gawler on a daily basis if a little inconvinient. I would use oaa again as it is one less thing on your list to worry about. However you dont find out if you have got it untill a few weeks befor you arrive so it might be wise to have a back up plan in place just in case.

[Angela]

Our OAA was Christie Downs. Clean enough with 3 beds, not the location we would have chosen, didn't actually stay long at all.

Cost $160 per week, last September 2007.

 

You can write where you prefer to be, but you won't be guaranteed the location or in fact getting OAA.

 

Good luck

[Guest melissa and darren]

Hi Guys

 

Thanks for the replies, l'm sure you all remember how it is at this stage, so much to think about and so much to do.

 

I have also got to organise a rental after we complete the sale on our house for a few months over here before we go.

 

I think we will deffo try for OAA , but if we don't get it, can anyone recommend somewhere cheap to stay for a week or two? To add to the complications, we are arriving on 30th dec, so a lot of real estate offices will be closed until the new year...

 

Thanks again

 

Mel

[Guest KP Nuts]

Hey guy's, just in case I haven't said before, congratulations on the visa, lol

 

Double G & T.....................

[Guest Libby1971]

I would contact one of the people here who have rentals - Tyke, Guzzler&Sas or Roo1 as some - to find out if they have vacancies.

 

OAA does not provide towels or bedding so the first thing you will be doing is either unpacking it form your suitcases - it is heavy and bulky - or buying it here.

 

Personally, just after Xmas and the day before New Year, I would opt to stay somewhere where it is all provided and concentrate on sleeping, shopping for food etc. We did the OAA route and after the journey from hell, I would choose the above route if I could do it all again.

 

We had OAA in Everard Park - $160 a dollars a week.

[Diane]

If you can get OAA I would give it a try - all the private rentals that people on here have are lovely...but an AWFUL long way away from Gawler! Quite a school run!!

[Guest melissa and darren]

Hey guy's, just in case I haven't said before, congratulations on the visa, lol

 

Double G & T.....................

 

And congratulations on yours!