Newbies from Wales making the big move...lots of ?

[BazandJess]

Hi all,

My wife (29), our 11 month old son and I (32) will be makingthe big move from west wales to Adelaide at the end of September. I amrelocating with work to our site out in the Barossa valley on a sponsored 457Visa. My wife is a secondary school teacher here and will fingers crossed beable to find a teaching post fairly quickly once we arrive. We are still in theprocess of sorting the VISA but hopefully all will be in place shortly toensure we can travel out around the 3^rd week in September.

We have booked the first 6 weeks accommodation using AirBNB and will be spending the first monthor so frantically searching for a place to live while our container makes itsway over. Ideally we would be looking for a place around Semaphore/largs areaor around a leafy suburb closer to nature to the right hand side of the city… ideallya place with a small pool! Well that’s the dream anyway!

We plan to give this our best shot and plan to stay at least2-3 years before reviewing the whole thing and then if all goes well we willthen apply for residency and sell our home in the UK to purchase in Adelaide.

I have lots of varied and random questions and hoped thatsome of you would be kind enough to answer some of them or point us in theright direction! Apologies if lots of these have been asked before! Ok so in noparticular order….

1) What are the cheap supermarket and householdshops… I know Aldi and Ikea exist in Adelaide but any other recommendations!?

2) When buying a car… what is the equivalent of aUK MOT?

3) I’ve read about central market and Gilles streetmarket but are there any other good ones? We both like walking around marketsand trying different foods etc.

4) Can we use a UK Baby car seat in Australian carsthat use ISOFIX

5) Is Port Adelaide a nice area these days? We wentthere 6 years ago but it seemed still quite rundown.

6) Are the towns in the Barossa valley nice allyear round or do they fluctuate with tourism seasons? Considering living hereif it has all amenities we would want.

7) We both love wildlife and have been researchingareas to live that may be closer to nature but are there any areas you’drecommend?

8) What child care costs can we expect to pay in Adelaide?Is it cheaper in other suburbs or Barossa valley?

9) As we are travelling on my 457 visa I believe wecan register for medicare once we arrive? Is this correct?

10) Based on No. 9 above if my wife fell pregnant inAustralia would the medicare cover all hospital bills such as scans andhospital fees for delivery etc

11) We both like music gigs/festivals and preferindie, rock, acoustic music are there any particular venues or festivals thatwe should look at?

12) What broadband would you recommend for unlimitedpackage so we can skype regularly

Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance…. We cantwait to get our Australia adventure started!

[Usher1977]

Hi Bazandjess,

 

I too am moving from Wales (Cardiff) and will be landing sometime early November. I'm 39 and making the move by myself. The company I work for is global so the opportunity arose to move so I took it. It'd be good to keep in touch once we're both in Adelaide to see how things are going.

 

cheers

 

Phil

[KennyKen]

You would only be able to receive reciprocal Medicare. Not the full Medicare because you will not be permanent resident ... And Largs bay.. Still run down.. Have to use a baby car seat to Australian Standards. Leafy suburbs around Tea Tree Gully.

Edited July 27, 2016 by KennyKen

[soo_the_panda]

Hi Baz and Jess, very exciting that you're heading this way soon! I've tried to answer your questions below. Very happy to catch up once you're here - my partner and I are similar ages (32 and 37) and have a one year old. We live in Glenelg. Feel free to send me a private message if you'd like to catch up.

 

I am a big fan of Semaphore and Largs - lots of beautiful old homes, gorgeous beach and the 'high street' (Semaphore Road) has real character - very different to areas in the suburbs with a big commercial shopping mall. I definitely don't consider it 'run down'. Like all areas there are better streets and worse streets but overall they're not 'run down'. Generally Largs is nicer towards the beach, and nearer Semaphore (eg the closer to Victoria Road you are and further east, the more 'run down' - but that's still relative!)

 

1) What are the cheap supermarket and householdshops… I know Aldi and Ikea exist in Adelaide but any other recommendations!?

Aldi is great! None of the other supermarkets are cheap. (I miss Tesco!) Woolies and Coles (the big two) price match so closely they're never far apart in terms of price. Foodland ais bit pricier (but lots of local products). To save money you could consider buying household items and toiletries at Cheap as Chips and the Reject Shop, which are both 'discount variety stores' (think Poundland), and buy fresh produce from Central Market. There's also a fairly new Costco at the Churchill Centre in Kilburn, just north of the city.

2) When buying a car… what is the equivalent of aUK MOT?

There isn't one! Some people pay to have a second hand car 'inspected' before purchase, but there's no ongoing standard like MOT here.

3) I’ve read about central market and Gilles streetmarket but are there any other good ones? We both like walking around marketsand trying different foods etc.

Central Market is the main food market and there are lots of Asian and specialty stores in the streets and arcades around the markets. There is also a lovely farmers market on Sundays at Wayville, just south of the city (just food) and a lovely market (think food, gourmet produce and lots of organic, vegan treats etc) called The Market Shed on Holland (in the city) on Sundays - it's the kind of place you go for brunch, catch up with friends, buy a bunch of flowers and yummy treats. Gilles St is more fashion, crafts etc.

4) Can we use a UK Baby car seat in Australian carsthat use ISOFIX

Not sure sorry!

 

5) Is Port Adelaide a nice area these days? We wentthere 6 years ago but it seemed still quite rundown.

I've been here nearly 9 years and sadly don't think you'll see a huge difference. It's been 'up and coming' for a very long time! There is however a new development of apartments on the water, so slowly things are happening, but overall - I don't think you'd think it's changed a lot. Now you have a little one however there is a gorgeous toy shop called Lighthouse Toys (or similar) worth a look when you're in the area.

 

6) Are the towns in the Barossa valley nice allyear round or do they fluctuate with tourism seasons? Considering living hereif it has all amenities we would want.

Not sure sorry! Depending on where in the Barossa work is, Semaphore/Largs would be great IMO for somewhere to live - beach lifestyle and closer to the city and commute to Barossa for work.

7) We both love wildlife and have been researching areas to live that may be closer to nature but are there any areas you’d recommend?

Adelaide Hills / foothills (around Blackwood) / further out from the city would be better than Semaphore etc. Perhaps also consider north east of the city, around Tea Tree Gully, Rostrevor etc. Much 'leafier' than the beach suburbs and also an option to commute to the Barossa.

8) What child care costs can we expect to pay in Adelaide?Is it cheaper in other suburbs or Barossa valley?

I don't think they fluctuate hugely depending on suburb. Budget roughly $95/$100 per day HOWEVER once you are residents you can claim a rebate from the government which is basically 50% off (capped at $7500). As an example, I use 3 days a week and the rebate almost covers the entire year at 50% off... so for just over 11 months of the year, I pay about $50 per day. 3 days seems to be the sweet spot to maximize this discount. The discount goes directly to the childcare centre, so you don't pay up front then get money back (this used to be the case) - you just pay the discounted amount. Low income families can apply for further subsidies. Be aware waiting lists can be ENORMOUS in some areas so if you need this, put your names down as soon as you know the area (or put your names on loads of lists in a couple of areas, then do tours once spaces come up. It can take 6 months - a year to get even part time days at many centres).

9) As we are travelling on my 457 visa I believe we can register for medicare once we arrive? Is this correct?

Sorry not sure

10) Based on No. 9 above if my wife fell pregnant inAustralia would the medicare cover all hospital bills such as scans andhospital fees for delivery etc

As above not sure, but once you are covered by medicare, having a baby in the public system here is totally free. The only costs are any extra scans you might choose but basic maternity care here is totally free (and amazing in my opinion!)

11) We both like music gigs/festivals and prefer indie, rock, acoustic music are there any particular venues or festivals thatwe should look at?

- The Wheatsheaf Hotel, in Thebarton is an awesome pub with regular gigs - many free.

- The Grace Emily hotel in the city

- The Governer Hindmarsh ('The Gov') on Port Road, Hindmarsh (just north west of the city)

- Most of the festivals are in Feb / March. There are no 'camp overnight' music festivals in SA equivalent to Glastonbury, V festival, Reading etc.

 

12) What broadband would you recommend for unlimitedpackage so we can skype regularly

I am very happy with iiNet. Amaysim is also the phone provider I would recommend - their monthly package (which isn't a locked in contract, you can cancel anytime) is less than $50 for unlimited use in Aus, includes 7GB data and includes UNLIMITED free texts and phone calls to the UK including mobiles!! Amazing value in my opinion and not sure why anyone else in regular contact with people in the UK would choose another provider. They use the Optus network and are a 'bring your own phone' company only - so get your phones unlocked before you leave the UK then order a simcard.

 

Hope some of that at least is helpful!

[snifter]

Hi all,

My wife (29), our 11 month old son and I (32) will be makingthe big move from west wales to Adelaide at the end of September. I amrelocating with work to our site out in the Barossa valley on a sponsored 457Visa. My wife is a secondary school teacher here and will fingers crossed beable to find a teaching post fairly quickly once we arrive. We are still in theprocess of sorting the VISA but hopefully all will be in place shortly toensure we can travel out around the 3^rd week in September.

We have booked the first 6 weeks accommodation using AirBNB and will be spending the first monthor so frantically searching for a place to live while our container makes itsway over. Ideally we would be looking for a place around Semaphore/largs areaor around a leafy suburb closer to nature to the right hand side of the city… ideallya place with a small pool! Well that’s the dream anyway!

We plan to give this our best shot and plan to stay at least2-3 years before reviewing the whole thing and then if all goes well we willthen apply for residency and sell our home in the UK to purchase in Adelaide.

I have lots of varied and random questions and hoped thatsome of you would be kind enough to answer some of them or point us in theright direction! Apologies if lots of these have been asked before! Ok so in noparticular order….

1) What are the cheap supermarket and householdshops… I know Aldi and Ikea exist in Adelaide but any other recommendations!?

2) When buying a car… what is the equivalent of aUK MOT?

3) I’ve read about central market and Gilles streetmarket but are there any other good ones? We both like walking around marketsand trying different foods etc.

4) Can we use a UK Baby car seat in Australian carsthat use ISOFIX

5) Is Port Adelaide a nice area these days? We wentthere 6 years ago but it seemed still quite rundown.

6) Are the towns in the Barossa valley nice allyear round or do they fluctuate with tourism seasons? Considering living hereif it has all amenities we would want.

7) We both love wildlife and have been researchingareas to live that may be closer to nature but are there any areas you’drecommend?

8) What child care costs can we expect to pay in Adelaide?Is it cheaper in other suburbs or Barossa valley?

9) As we are travelling on my 457 visa I believe wecan register for medicare once we arrive? Is this correct?

10) Based on No. 9 above if my wife fell pregnant inAustralia would the medicare cover all hospital bills such as scans andhospital fees for delivery etc

11) We both like music gigs/festivals and preferindie, rock, acoustic music are there any particular venues or festivals thatwe should look at?

12) What broadband would you recommend for unlimitedpackage so we can skype regularly

Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance…. We cantwait to get our Australia adventure started!

 

Hello and welcome.

 

That's soon going to come round.

 

I'll have a quick go at replying to your questions. You've asked a lot in one post If you've other specific questions I'd have a look round the forum as we cover suburbs, household and so on and you can ask stuff in the relevant areas or perhaps find some recent answers to questions. Its often easier for those reading and replying to have things split down into more manageable pieces

 

Your wife will need to get her first aid, Aus police check and some other stuff sorted before she can teach or apply for jobs. Keep in mind its not the greatest time of year to arrive for teaching as the supply work is pretty much all sewn up and schools/teachers will have their go to people they have used over the year so far etc. Also the application window for 2017 jobs I think would have closed by then. So the one year and permanent posts may well not be an option till 2018 and would be listed in 2017. She would need to get her CV and pack out to all schools in the area you settle (and probably a bit further afield) at the start of the 2017 year (get round to the school offices the week before kids go back) and get her face known and all that and take on supply work as it came in to start off.

 

If you've booked temp accommodation for 6 weeks you'll have plenty of time to find a house somewhere. You say areas but do you have a budget in mind as that is what it will come down to. And some areas are much more desirable to live in that others etc. I'd not set your heart on a pool but if you can find somewhere with one, great. In a rental you'll need to check the small print to see about maintenance etc of it and running costs.

 

Anyways, the below is all IMHO and all that

 

1) Aldi is it pretty much. As has been said, Coles and Woolies rule but there is also Foodland/IGA and this can be reasonable depending on the area. FWIW I don't think Ikea here is cheap at all. Sure the small items are ok but larger things, its pretty pricey I feel.

 

2) There isn't one. Get an RAA check on a car you want to buy to make sure its decent.

 

3) There are lots of weekly markets. You can find a listing for areas online usually and plan and visit as and when. We have Brighton and Marion markets alternating on Sunday's not too far away and monthly markets in and around the towns and suburbs in the hills. Stirling is always a nice day out when it has the monthly market on. Once you are here and finding your feet you'll find there are plenty of options, depending on how far you want to travel.

 

4) No. Only Aus standards approved car seats are legal here. The top tether is used here also, even with Isofix seats. http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/forum/transport/24721-car-seats-australia-what-you-need-know.html explains it pretty much. If you want to know more you are welcome to drop me a PM.

 

5) Port Adelaide has had quite a bit of investment and is a nice place to spend a day now and again IMHO. We usually have a few trips up that way for dolphin spotting and stuff. I used to work there for a while. I'd not live there though. Things like school, childcare options and more would be of concern to me if looking to live there.

 

6) I like the region but I'd not want to live that way. I think its tourist driven but of course people do live out there, not sure if the towns would be big enough with only a few thousand in a couple of them and then it nosedives in numbers after that. I prefer the Adelaide hills heading east and south east from Adelaide. I also like the easier access to other areas from the hills. Barossa is northerly and if you wanted a bigger choice in markets and other things on a regular basis it'd be too far out for my liking. However, if you are working there than chances are somewhere local is going to be better commute wise. Or somewhere else in the countryside east, north/east of Adelaide where you can commute rather than having to go across from the coast and through a heap of suburbs for an hour each way or so. It would still be a fair commute though depending on where exactly you are working in the Barossa. Look at Google maps to give you and idea.

 

7) If you want nature then Semaphore and Largs won't really give you much IMHO. Yes the beach aspect but a lot of Aussie wildlife is found inland. I'd consider anywhere in the Adelaide Hills but chances are for commuting it would be too far. We live up here and love it. I won't plug my postcode but will say we are surrounded by gum trees and see koalas daily, we have a few like to camp in the trees nearby. Emus and kangaroos we see often in the fields behind our house. Blue tongue lizards, echidnas and possums are also spotted. Plus masses of birds in so many varieties are seen around here too. When we venture down into the metropolitan area the drop off in wildlife is of course noticeable. No koalas, emus or roos. Birds we see less variety down there. Of course, the Barossa valley will have wildlife too. Keep in mind out that way took a hit in the fires a couple of years ago and so some areas are regrowing and wildlife was affected also.

 

8) On a 457 you'll not get the rebate I don't think. Soo_the_panda summed it up well. Ideally if you did want to remain long term in Aus and you would seek and gain PR asap. School fees would be about $5,000 a year on a 457 visa for a state primary school. It will vary cost wise depending on the area but yes, agree with the budget. Keep in mind that if your wife were to teach she may have a long commute to her school if you say settled in the Barossa and she found work in the south. So childcare days could be very long and costs for travel etc would also need to be taken into account. Plus travel time. I'd consider that if your wife finds work a ways from where you settle to live that perhaps she tries to find childcare nearer the school and drop off on way to work and pick up after she leaves school rather than have the childcare in the area you live in if she has say a 50 minute commute each way. Shortens the little ones day in care a bit hopefully, else it could be 10-11 hour days.

 

9) I think what Kenny said re medicare is correct. You should price up private health cover also as an option.

 

10) It will cover most of it afaik but things like scans and stuff may need something paid toward. @Blossom may be one to help on that front.

 

11) There are a number in and around the city for bigger bands. Plus many of the music venues are in and around the CBD. Festivals happen throughout the year, once you are here you will no doubt find out what is what and what appeals.

 

12) Depends on where you end up living IMHO. Some providers are better than others, how far from an exchange you live, if you are in an NBN area or not....

[NicF]

If you are going to be working in the Barossa I would consider living somewhere closer than Semaphore. If the towns that way don't do it for you then maybe consider Gawler. As for wildlife, anywhere on the edge of the towns, verging in to the countryside would see more wildlife than further in to the city. We live just a short walk from a conservation park and see koalas around school and the creek pretty often. I've even seen a couple of kangaroos, although that's in 4 years so not exactly a regular occurrence. We see lots of birds around here as well. I wouldn't want to commute to the Barossa from here though - would be too far for my liking. If you really want somewhere still not too far from Adelaide, complete with wildlife, maybe consider some of the North eastern suburbs, such as Athleston, Highbury, Banksia Park or Fairview Park. Still a commute to the Barossa but each suburb north is that bit closer.

 

I think the others have pretty much covered all your questions, although I would just add that for cheap toiletries try Chemist Warehouse (never buy full price toiletries from Coles or Woolies - they can always be bought cheaper elsewhere or when on special). And K-mart is good for cheap household goods (and cheap T-shirts and nightwear the rest of there clothes can be a bit hit and miss).

[kelbert]

I would second what NicF says. I commute occasionally from Woodville (which isn't too far from Semaphore) to Hewett, which is on the edge of the Barossa and it takes about 50mins. I wouldn't want to do that every day. There are lots of nice suburbs that would be much better for commuting North as already suggested. I agree that Semaphore is very touristy and is the only place I have noticed dog poop on the streets.....my ultimate pet hate!

[victoriasquare]

BazandJess . . . as you've already been to Adelaide before, I am sure you will know that in area it is bigger than most UK cities, so although you would like to live near the sea, it might not be practical when working out in the Barossa Valley. Overall quality of life is just as important.

 

I agree with other members that the outer north eastern suburbs would be a good choice to live, this gives you the advantage of being much nearer to your work, visiting the seaside, shopping at the big Tea Tree Plaza if required, and travelling to the city on the fast busway. Have you heard of the latter? Modbury Hospital and other medical services are opposite TTP, so this could also be useful. Further out at Gawler nearer to the Barossa, medical services are more limited, and there is only what you would call a small cottage hospital.

[kelbert]

Gawler hospital provides maternity care and has Bensons radiology which is excellent but it is a smaller country hospital.

[Blossom]

Number 10. Medicare covers everything they would for an Australian. Scans can be bulk billed (paid for by Medicare) but most scan places charge. You get a referral from your GP and you can take that anywhere though. I've found the public system great. :-)

[likesshopping]

HI

 

1. Try KMart and BIG W for household items - bit like Mataland and imagine Tescos without the food. :-)

[BazandJess]

Wow! thank you all for taking the time to read all out questions and reply with so much great information! I will be sure to try and check out all the recommendations!

 

So we are having a bit of a nightmare with the whole process (mainly an internal HR issue that slowed the application right down), I got the job in the first week of June but only now the application has gone in via a consultancy... lots of hiccups and delays getting to this point. I was originally expected to start my new job mid august but that was then pushed out until the end of September!

 

NOW the consultant has said the application has been lodged stage 1 can take 6 weeks but hopefully closer to 3! that would take us up to mid September! Does anyone have any recent experience with a 457 visa and how long it took for each stage?

 

Its frustrating as we are having our house emptied into a container mid august, then living with Jess mother until we leave, we have booked furnished accommodation for the 1st 6 weeks while the container is sent over. But have not booked flights etc as we don't know dates for sure! any advice welcome!

 

Thanks all for your help so far