Bit worried after watching 'wanted down under' silly I know but.....

[Guest Nursebucko]

hello all,

 

I have just watched one of the new episodes of 'Wanted down under' and I couldn't believe the similarities, this couple had similar age kids as me, they were renting and she was a midwife (I am a nurse) and they were in adelaide. We move in October hopefully...so we watched with interest.

It was quite a disappointing episode they didn't show much of adelaide which was a bit annoying. Even on lifestyle the family only took their kids on a little bushwalk...which was pleasant enough but even one of the children said she had a bit of a boring day! Lol

But that's not what is worrying me lol I know there is plenty of lovely stuff to do....

what was worrying is that both of them, struggled on the job market, one had to take a pay cut as a pharmacy assistant, and the midwife would struggle to find a position due to graduate midwifes also struggling to find work. She was at flinders medical centre...which was where we were looking...

Also when they looked at cost of living it showed they were massively worse off financially ..

and finally the houses they were showing, albeit cheap weren't the best....

arrghh not what we wanted to see ...

 

So in reality I know this is just a programme carefully edited etc...but what I want to know from fellow migrants, is how easy was it to find jobs on arrival, and financially is it do-able and how easy was it to find a rent that you want..

we are looking at Coastal areas down south like port noerlunga and seaford areas

 

just looking for some reassurance really x

[Diane]

I have heard that graduate nurses are struggling to find jobs, which surprised me as nursing was always something that seemed to offer almost guaranteed jobs. However, I guess there was a shortage probably about ten years ago, so the courses filled up and the natural result is a surfeit.

 

Adelaide and South Australia as a whole is struggling economically - two of the biggest employers, Holden and the ASC, are either shutting down or losing contracts, which has a big knock-on effect throughout the State, and we have a lot of the highest prices in the country for things like power and water.

 

Obviously some people are lucky, and some people are less so, and you do knot know which of these groups you will fall into until you try, but surely better to come without the rose tinted glasses than be taken by surprise?

[Blossom]

For once it sounds like a more realistic episode.

When I first came here I got a job doing the same thing I did in the UK. It was a big pay drop and that was with them paying me more than the Aussies as I had more experience than any of them.

 

Houses are generally worse quality, with many having huge cracks in them. Of course, you can still find nice houses, but it can be a shock when you first get here.

 

Things to do, well there are only so many. That's to be expected though. It doesn't have anywhere near as many people as the UK, so there isn't the same amount of customers to make some things worthwhile. But then you have the bonus of there are not as many people.

 

I've just had a baby at flinders and there are a lot of student midwives. It actually looks like it would be a lovely place to work. The kind of place where people stay for most of their career. Of course that doesn't help you if you can't get in in the first place. I would have thought that with experience you'd have a better chance than a graduate though (especially seeing how limited some of the student midwives knowledge is, even in their second year!).

[snifter]

Diane and Blossom both have good points there. Agree about the housing. The build standard here in recent years seems shocking, well, that is what we thought when looking to buy a while back. Anything since the early 80's doesn't seem to be double bricked (unless a solo build or some such) and new houses are on smaller blocks, bigger floor plans so tiny outdoor space. And windows down the side of houses starting at metal panel fencing for a view. All pretty horrible IMHO. Buying in older more established estates/suburbs sees better houses but only if the owners have maintained them well. Many don't and they are awful and really only good to knock down and build new or spend a fortune renovating. Of course, re building will often see the land split and 2 (or 3 or 4 even) houses built where one once stood. So that vicious circle of cheap new builds continues. Building your own can ensure better build quality but it's not for the faint hearted.

 

We looked for a couple of months when buying and saw a lot of crap poorly maintained houses. Many of them would still be great had they been cared for. We found a beauty of a house in the end. Loved and cared for with a stunning garden in a lovely area of a suburb. But we saw a lot of duds and crap on the way. Some great ones too but competition for those was fierce and we lost out on two. Once we got to grips with how people were going price wise with their offers we knew what sort of offer to make to get us our house

[DougM]

Hi Bucko. Moving to another country is always going to be "taking a risk". Best look at it this way.

Am I/we happy where we currently reside? Obviously you are not as you're looking at emigration.

What do we want out of life, style wise? This has to include children if or when you have them.

Can Australia provide what you want? Only research can tell you.

Am I/we prepared for transitional hardships to start a new life. If not, Don't come.

 

Australia is a land of many opportunities but it's streets are not paved with gold. Nor are there Kangaroos hopping around everywhere.

Yes, many emigrants struggle initially but eventually they settle and enjoy a great life style. Of course, adjustments have to be made, jobs have to be changed,

homes changed more often than usual (unless you're financially secure in the first place)

You are starting out on the adventure of a lifetime. Take off your rose coloured glasses, pack your hiking boots and take the plunge. Life is what you make it. Grit your teeth in the hard times and push on through. Relax and enjoy our natural habitat whenever possible. In the end, you will find your level, your new friends, and most important, your contentment.

 

As after-thoughts, research some of our (South Australian) country towns. I'm not talking about in the bush, but larger places like Mount Gambia.

Don't do pound to dollar conversions, it doesn't work.

[jim and adel]

Sounds like a realistic scenario to me. Some people land good jobs easily enough (but somewhat harder to do that in the current climate, and even 'good' jobs often don't pay as well as the migrant had hoped or financed for), settle quickly and find plenty of things to occupy themselves with, but for others it's a struggle.

 

Others will say different, but I don't think there's much to do here (funny how people say things like 'there's plenty to do if you look, it's what you make of it' yet they often didn't apply that logic to where they came from when you read their earlier views). There are good reasons why SA loses (interstate and overseas) more of its younger people than any other mainland state, including because of limited job opportunities and limited entertainment/lifestyle opportunities.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like SA, but the longer we're here the less we see to keep us here. One of the things which made this place attractive to us was the cheaper prices (we started looking to migrate at a time when a major discussion theme on migration boards amongst 'cashed up poms' was the ease of achieving a mortgage-free life). That all changed somewhere between applying for the visa and finally landing here, and with prices now what they are and the economy what it is, if we were doing it all again we probably wouldn't end up here.

 

I know you wanted some reassurance, and I'm sure others will give you that, but this is how I see things.

 

Good luck, Jim

[snifter]

Others will say different, but I don't think there's much to do here (funny how people say things like 'there's plenty to do if you look, it's what you make of it' yet they often didn't apply that logic to where they came from when you read their earlier views). There are good reasons why SA loses (interstate and overseas) more of its younger people than any other mainland state, including because of limited job opportunities and limited entertainment/lifestyle opportunities.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like SA, but the longer we're here the less we see to keep us here. One of the things which made this place attractive to us was the cheaper prices (we started looking to migrate at a time when a major discussion theme on migration boards amongst 'cashed up poms' was the ease of achieving a mortgage-free life). That all changed somewhere between applying for the visa and finally landing here, and with prices now what they are and the economy what it is, if we were doing it all again we probably wouldn't end up here.

 

Actually, I do agree to a degree with the amount of things to do. I find it fine within Adelaide itself, all the usual things you use/want/need in day to day life but outside of that, its sometimes a push. In the UK we would hop in the car an within a couple of hours be somewhere else that was different. Be it for sightseeing, a vibrant city for a weekend break or a day out in some different countryside... here, 2 hours drive out of the greater metropolitan area gets you a whole lot of nothing with a lot more nothing to follow for a fair while longer. So yes, in that respect, I do find there is less to chose from, to do. We have to make use of what is in Adelaide and that is it. And for all the festivals, cafes, beaches, hills and so on, its a very different way to live than what many from more populous smaller countries are used to.

 

I think living on the east coast might offer more options outside of city living but if it doesn't appeal for other reasons, it may not be a good move. We considered Melbourne as a place to settle when coming over but as hubby is from Adelaide, it made more sense to come here. We are happy with it. The reality of living in Melbourne would have been we'd live nowhere near it, we'd be buying way out of the city perhaps in an outlying town even and we'd have a fair hike to get to the city things on offer. And suburban living isn't my idea of fun at the best of times so Adelaide in that respect is a better option. We have city closer but cheaper to buy a house.

 

I don't know if we'll be here forever now. We may be, may not. In a way I still hold on to being able to retire to northern Spain or somewhere in France but who knows what is ahead. For now Adelaide suits us and our needs/wants but yes, in future I may become frustrated at the lack of other cities and attractions on hand. I was aware of that coming in so its not a shock but it can be for others. I recall a few years ago a family arrived in Adelaide and within months were off to Qld or some place as SA just wasn't for them. Fair play, big move and a big call to make but they went for it. If you know a place isn't for you but still want to be in the country, making a move early on is probably a good thing, rather than putting down roots or getting too stuck in things to be able to make a change for another state/city.

[Rachiegarlo]

Older housing stock was not built on a solid concrete raft foundation. They were built with the traditional foundations for each wall. The Adelaide plains ( some areas worse than others) has a heavy clay soil which contracts in summer, often causing the older houses to move if the ground gets extremely dry. This causes the cracks and why they reappear often only a couple of years after filling and painting. People know this and live with it.

 

Double brick houses are a bit of a curse in our weather. I am sitting outside due to the fact it's 42 outside and 42 inside my double brick house lol. Once heated those double bricks take a long time to stop radiating heat back into the house, same with concrete tiles.

 

Grad nurses are having problems getting a grad nurse programme position due to the fact there are about 800 of them after 400 places. If they are lucky to get a grad place , it is a 1 yr contract with no guarantee of a job after. Many of the ones at my work have had to join the cas pool and still only get one or two shifts a week if that if it's quiet. There may be more work at the bigger adult hospitals, try emailing them. There are also private hospitals and district nurses. I think the key is flexibility. You may have to do agency and be ready to work night duty or any shift.

 

If your family enjoys lots of paid amusement such as theme parks, there aren't any. If your family is happy to amuse themselves then there is plenty here and the weather to enjoy it. The locals think nothing of driving for 3-4 hrs to get somewhere for the day and then driving back. It's a different kind of beauty here and not everyone sees it, our summers are brown and red, olive green, with lush green only returning in winter. There are ghost towns to explore, sinkholes in Mt Gambier, caves full of stalagmites etc all a few hours drive and things to stop at on the way. I love road trips. Our latest was to a sculpture park just over the border in victoria, where trails lead you through paddocks into a lush forest where emus crash off into the distance. On the way we drove along the Coorong and made a beautiful discovery on the other side called The Granites. We had it to ourselves and spent a good half hour there, before the next stop at Mt Gambier. I'll let you google these possibilities. I have rambled too much lol

[Ktee]

It's a different kind of beauty here and not everyone sees it, our summers are brown and red, olive green, with lush green only returning in winter. There are ghost towns to explore, sinkholes in Mt Gambier, caves full of stalagmites etc all a few hours drive and things to stop at on the way. I love road trips. Our latest was to a sculpture park just over the border in victoria, where trails lead you through paddocks into a lush forest where emus crash off into the distance. On the way we drove along the Coorong and made a beautiful discovery on the other side called The Granites. We had it to ourselves and spent a good half hour there, before the next stop at Mt Gambier. I'll let you google these possibilities. I have rambled too much lol

You see above is what would appeal to me. I'm not a city person but absolutely love the outback and if it wasn't for needing to be near hospitals and having the kids Id move out there tomorrow.

To the OP I cant comment on Adelaide as I've never lived there. We have lived in Melbourne and are now in FNQ and I love it. It isn't for everyone some find it boring, there aren't many job opportunities although we always need nurses but I love the climate and the outdoors.

It is funny that you mention the property builds. We had a McMansion in Melbourne an absolutely gorgeous house but very poorly built, I'm surprised it didnt blow away in winter. The houses in FNQ are solid, they have to be because of the Cyclones.

 

There are good and bad about all places. You may arrive in Adelaide and walk straight in to a job and find a gorgeous house. Try not to let the show dampen your spirits but use it as a guide and plan what you would do if you do find yourself in that situation.

Do you have to move to Adelaide?

[NicF]

I wish I had the time to discover that there's not much to do here in Adelaide. I'm still trying to find time to try out some of the local coffee shops never mind anything else.

 

 

OP unless you have only just qualified as a nurse you will not be competing with graduates for jobs as you will be looking at positions that require experience. I have no idea what the job situation for nurses is but there are lots of hospitals here to try. As for everything else, well it's what you make it. Some people have no trouble finding jobs, somewhere to live and keeping themselves occupied. Others struggle with some or all of them. You will only know which one you are when you go through it.

[flossybeth]

You see above is what would appeal to me. I'm not a city person but absolutely love the outback and if it wasn't for needing to be near hospitals and having the kids Id move out there tomorrow.

To the OP I cant comment on Adelaide as I've never lived there. We have lived in Melbourne and are now in FNQ and I love it. It isn't for everyone some find it boring, there aren't many job opportunities although we always need nurses but I love the climate and the outdoors.

It is funny that you mention the property builds. We had a McMansion in Melbourne an absolutely gorgeous house but very poorly built, I'm surprised it didnt blow away in winter. The houses in FNQ are solid, they have to be because of the Cyclones.

 

There are good and bad about all places. You may arrive in Adelaide and walk straight in to a job and find a gorgeous house. Try not to let the show dampen your spirits but use it as a guide and plan what you would do if you do find yourself in that situation.

Do you have to move to Adelaide?

 

How can it be boring when you have to spend all your waking hours running away from salt water crocodiles

 

I just assumed all the cracks were caused by the ant tunnels that surely must cover Australia, if our garden is anything to go by.

 

However, living here is fine. We've been here for two and half years and still haven't run out of things to do - but you do have to work harder to find it and often things are on a smaller scale (the Rail, Maritime and Air museums for example are run by volunteers and can each be "done" in a couple of hours - and that's pushing it - but they are interesting and give you a lot of local information that you wouldn't find anywhere else). The city has an art gallery and a museum again full of really interesting stuff, someone recently recommended the Immigration museum and we haven't been yet. There's a new trampoline centre, climbing walls, cycle tracks galore, canoeing, the various stadiums have proper superstars (Rolling Stones, Pink, Kanye West!!!) and of course there's the Oval for cricket (and other things). And and and....

 

Obviously I can't say how you'd be financially or if you'd get a job but if you're moving half way round the world you have to be prepared for all sorts of things that will throw you that you hadn't considered and maybe watching this particular WDU will help you address some of those things before you come.

[samandcraig]

Do you guys not believe it has a lot to do with where abouts you are moving from aswell?

[Blossom]

Do you guys not believe it has a lot to do with where abouts you are moving from aswell?

Jobs sure. How much there is to do, not really if you are coming from anywhere in the UK. If you travel 5 hours by car there you will find so many different things. Five hours here and not so much.

[samandcraig]

I was more meaning in the amount of things you have to do close by......

[snifter]

Do you guys not believe it has a lot to do with where abouts you are moving from aswell?

 

I don't know. I think often it's people's personality, ability to cope with such a massive life event, a chunk of selfishness thrown in, those things can perhaps make the difference. Also people who are extremely close to family and friends, who perhaps have never lived further than a few miles from where they were born, those people might find it hard going once on the other side of the world.

[samandcraig]

I don't know. I think often it's people's personality, ability to cope with such a massive life event, a chunk of selfishness thrown in, those things can perhaps make the difference. Also people who are extremely close to family and friends, who perhaps have never lived further than a few miles from where they were born, those people might find it hard going once on the other side of the world.

 

Yeah I definitely agree

[Ktee]

Do you guys not believe it has a lot to do with where abouts you are moving from aswell?

Yes I think that's a very good point. I know in Melbourne we would get people who lived in the centre of London and would move to one of the outer suburbs an hour from the city and then not understand why they didn't like the place.

[samandcraig]

To me (as someone who has never even been to Adelaide) there looks to be a lot for my family to enjoy in around adelaide, my daughter is simply looking forward to going out on her trampoline more and going to the park more often!! I am sitting in my house right now and it is like a storm outside, fair enough its the middle of winter, but where I live we are lucky to have three weeks of sunny warm weather a year, and we live just outside the Lake District but because of the weather it isn't always able to be enjoyed! In our town we have well not a lot, nice coast yes, but again can get really dangerous with the weather.

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

I am sitting in my house right now and it is like a storm outside, fair enough its the middle of winter, but where I live we are lucky to have three weeks of sunny warm weather a year, and we live just outside the Lake District but because of the weather it isn't always able to be enjoyed! In our town we have well not a lot, nice coast yes, but again can get really dangerous with the weather.

 

Funnily enough we are sat over here in our house listening to a storm......great to have the rain though it's helping with the bushfires

[samandcraig]

Yeah you will be greatfull with all the bush fires at the moment.......as I'm sure I will be once I'm out there. I am sure I will need cooled down

[Rachiegarlo]

Quite simply I love Adelaide, I love the way you can see the hills from everywhere, the lemon gums scent that suddenly drifts by on a walk, the jacaranda season, the brief heady jasmine season. Apple and pear picking in Autumn, Cherry and strawberry picking in summer, the stretch out to the sea as you come down into Adelaide, our definite autumn and winter. The central market, the farmers markets , the proper docks with the industrial buildings where you can drive and watch the ships all lit up at night. The small local museums, the plaques on things that make you stop and read them, so much more and that moment you flyin over the hills and touch down at the airport …..home.

[snifter]

To me (as someone who has never even been to Adelaide) there looks to be a lot for my family to enjoy in around adelaide, my daughter is simply looking forward to going out on her trampoline more and going to the park more often!! I am sitting in my house right now and it is like a storm outside, fair enough its the middle of winter, but where I live we are lucky to have three weeks of sunny warm weather a year, and we live just outside the Lake District but because of the weather it isn't always able to be enjoyed! In our town we have well not a lot, nice coast yes, but again can get really dangerous with the weather.

 

I think if you (and in general you here) are coming from a town (large or small) then Adelaide is probably going to be big enough. If coming from the hustle and bustle of London say, then maybe not. Unless you want a slower pace of life or to change your lifestyle a heap. There will still be limits on what is on offer in and around the city and further afield (for a day trip say) but its not terrible. I don't feel deprived lol. Just notice that things we had access to in the UK within an hour or two we don't here. Like a choice of aquariums, wildlife parks, theme parks (if into those), that sort of thing. All the usual day to day stuff is around if you look for it. Sports clubs, activities, pottery painting, kids parks, skate parks, swimming pools, cinemas, bowling, its all there somewhere

 

And unless you settle close to the CBD then the city living isn't happening. If you go to one of the suburbs further out, it is more suburban living with city thrown in when you want it I think the suburbs outside of the city area can be a bit of a shock to the system. I likened them to Stepford Wives land when I first came out in 2004. I still feel that way about a big chunk of them but have softened toward some of them enough to be happy to live in one now. But it wasn't an easy point to get to and we saw a lot of suburbs and areas to find one we could call home. Of course, other things factored in also, a decent choice of schools, ease of access to the city and a few other places, being close to the hills, wildlife and nature... all helped

 

Be aware that going to the play park in summer doesn't happen in the heat of the day. Stuff gets roasting hot to touch, sun beats down and its not a pleasant place to go, even if there is a sun sail shade over things. Well, not on a 30C plus day with a warm wind or no wind Its more a case of heading to them early or later in the day or going on cooler days. Hot days in summer we find other things to do. I don't find it overly limiting but liken it to freezing cold wet days in the UK when being outdoors doing that stuff wasn't fun. Same here only its hot and dry. And whereas you appreciate central heating in the UK, here is air con

Edited January 7, 2015 by snifter
typo

[samandcraig]

Yeah I live in a really small town......

[samandcraig]

Quite simply I love Adelaide, I love the way you can see the hills from everywhere, the lemon gums scent that suddenly drifts by on a walk, the jacaranda season, the brief heady jasmine season. Apple and pear picking in Autumn, Cherry and strawberry picking in summer, the stretch out to the sea as you come down into Adelaide, our definite autumn and winter. The central market, the farmers markets , the proper docks with the industrial buildings where you can drive and watch the ships all lit up at night. The small local museums, the plaques on things that make you stop and read them, so much more and that moment you flyin over the hills and touch down at the airport …..home.

 

Thankyou for this post, positive read

[Blossom]

I was more meaning in the amount of things you have to do close by......

That's what I was talking about lol.

If you like outdoorsy things then Adelaide will not disappoint. If you like more structure and organised things to do then you will get bored quickly. Personally I find it too hot in summer and too windy in spring. Autum is lovely. Winter can be stunning, or cold and wet. Certainly at the moment I'm praying for cooler weather and it is just too hot. Just silly things like worrying I will burn my baby on the buckles of her car seat (they get seriously hot).

But then you do get the positives. Last night we went to the drive in movies. With the windows open it was a lovely temp (but the place was packed what with it being school holidays).

 

I miss a lot of the more community things. I grew up in a village and we always had far more going on than I ever see here.