Where should I move to? Australian edition.
July 1, 2021 1:14 AM   Subscribe

We are contemplating a move to Adelaide, SA from Melbourne, Vic, with our two kids. Are there are any mefi locals who can help us choose a spot?

My partner's job is now fully remote, and in an ongoing capacity. I am thinking of having a year off to do my go of childcare and the rest, and am normally a school teacher. So jobs are not a problem.we would like to move because the cost of housing in Melbourne is so bad, and although Adelaide is getting more expensive, it's still cheaper. We like the idea of living near the beach, and decent primary schools are important too. Our budget is up to 1.2 million if we go now, or 1.4 if we rent first and buy later.

We don't want to live anywhere too conservative, though some amount of this is ok of there are some less conservative ppl around the traps. I grew up in rural Victoria and don't want to be somewhere wholly right wing again.

We are somewhat considering the area around noosa/peregian Beach too, but not sure how keen we'd be on the humidity in summer. Plus you can't really swim in the sunshine coast beaches in summer, Yes?

Any suggestions?
posted by jojobobo to Society & Culture (3 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
It's not right next to the beach, but otherwise you might really like the hills to the southeast: Mitcham, Blackwood, Belair, Sturt, etc. It's cheaper than more central to the city, really gorgeous, not far to the city (with a direct train line), lots of good schools in the area, and 20-30 minutes from the beach. And not too conservative.
posted by sir jective at 3:03 AM on July 1, 2021


All the beaches are pretty nice! Semaphore or Henley Beach might be good places to look, if you don't mind not being on a train line. Places out to the south like Seaford and Aldinga are beautiful if the beach is your priority but if you like some hubbub they can feel a bit isolated, even if logically they're not all that far out.

Away from the sea: places along the Mitcham train line as recommended above are worth a look at; further up that train line (Blackwood etc) you can get lovely views of the sea while still being less than a half-hour drive from it. Goodwood also has a nice neighbourhoody feel, near the city and its parklands, well-regarded primary school, etc (it's also near the showgrounds which is nice if you like lots of markets but bad if you hate occasional crowds).

It sounds like you'll be fine with the house prices, but I would probably look to rent first anyway so that you can spend some time exploring the different areas before you buy. A lot of the suburbs around Adelaide are really pleasant, interesting locations with their own stuff going on that you could end up spending a lot of time in, whereas travelling between suburbs to hang out feels less common than it is in some other cities - or rather, of course people travel between suburbs but usually it's to go to someone's house rather than to wander around and look at stuff and maybe have a coffee. (Exceptions for the CBD and for specific destinations in other suburbs that don't have an equivalent - particular restaurants, Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens, the beach etc). So it's worth putting in the extra work to make sure that wherever that suburb you end up in is somewhere that you'll enjoy just spending time in.

(Source: grew up in Adelaide, been here for the last year or so, don't own a house but have done a lot of "oh but maybe if we just... moved here?" fantasy real estate searching over that year.)
posted by severalbees at 6:00 PM on July 1, 2021


Currently living in Adelaide, north of the city :) I was born here, but I grew up in the country and then moved back for university.

The earlier suggestions are definitely on point. Just wanted to reiterate that Adelaide is very car focused city; public transport is generally fine if you want to go to the CBD, but not for going directly between suburban locations. That said, there are biking/walking tracks that run from the north, through the city and then down to the beach.

You might like to look at Marino, Brighton and Hallet Cove (and surrounding suburbs). There are some lovely homes positioned on hills with stunning water views.

Do you have specific schooling requirements? I'd look into that before deciding where you want to be. For example, Brighton High (I think?!) has a very good music program, so you might want to be in the appropriate area for that. It's not something I know a lot about, I don't have kids.

A plug for Mawson Lakes (where I live)...it's a lovely suburb north of the city; no beaches, but it does have something of a resort type feel in the main areas with nice lakes (no swimming) and green spaces. You do need to evaluate the exact location because some areas have more of a standard suburb feel, but most of it was a planned community. It's 20 minutes from the CBD and 20 minutes from Semaphore Beach.

Keep in mind that Adelaide is *small* compared to other cities. 15 minutes east of the CBD and you're in Morialta, a gorgeous conservation park. 15 minutes in the opposite direction and you're at Glenelg or Henley Beach, also lovely but with beaches rather than wildlife and hiking. I'd definitely recommend renting for a bit and having a good look around first.

Happy to take questions via memail and I'll help if I can :)
posted by eloeth-starr at 9:43 PM on July 2, 2021


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