PHOTO: Glenelg Beach. TRIP ADVISOR
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READER REPORT: I thought I would send through our story since making the move to Adelaide a year ago from the Bay of Plenty.
My wife, Claire Murray, who is a PhD candidate, and I, Te Whatarangi Dixon, a physiotherapist, moved to Adelaide as Claire was offered a full PhD scholarship at the University of South Australia.
The move to Australia has been the best decision we have ever made.
Adelaide is the hidden gem of Australia in our opinion. It’s small enough to feel like small town New Zealand, but has the same opportunities as Auckland (or Sydney and Melbourne).
We sold our home in New Zealand and have bought our home in Adelaide, which is five minutes walking distance from Glenelg Beach, for less than AUS$500,000 (NZ$536,963).
Never in our lives would we have been able to afford a coastal home in Mount Maunganui, let alone Auckland, without drowning in debt.
South Australia is known as the festival state. There is always something going on here.
We recently had the first ever Gather Round where all AFL teams came to play in Adelaide (similar to Magic Round in the NRL), followed by LIV Golf over ANZAC weekend, which was crazy.
Adelaide is the wine capital of Australia with the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale wineries on our door step.
It’s also a very foodie city with numerous award-winning restaurants and bars – most notably the Ambleside Gin Distillery.
Adelaide also has a 28km white sandy, pristine, blue water paradise island-like coastline, which we take advantage of nearly every day.
Public transport is amazing. We live on the tram line, with tonnes of green spaces.
Adelaide is so affordable, the cost of living here is incredibly cheap compared to New Zealand, and our wages have doubled.
The ability for us to service our debts/lives is simply unmatched if we compare to when we lived in New Zealand.
We don’t need to stress about bills, and can travel and afford the luxury things life has to offer.
We can easily take leave without pay without stressing about making ends meet, and can come home to New Zealand whenever we want, so the homesickness never really kicks in.
Our family and friends who have visited have all said by the end of their stay that they want to move over, which looks likely to eventuate for some.
The other big selling point, as well, is we have been recognised and celebrated more in our new career spaces.
Claire has been recognised by her professors and deans, and myself by my direct line managers, leaders and senior executives.
It’s been something to get used to, as in New Zealand we struggle with tall poppy syndrome behaviours in the workplace.
I recently won best workplace services physical rehabilitation consultant, beating out 400 of my colleagues. I won a trip to our leadership conference in Manly, two days of extra annual leave, and $200 worth of vouchers.
Overall, we will definitely be staying in Australia to gain citizenship, particularly now that the process is easier.
Having dual citizenship is also a no brainer, personally and professionally, as per all my points above.
Life is so much easier and feels more fulfilling when you have the freedom of choice to live the way you want to live.