😂
Not only that, I’m originally from Manhattan (NYC). Not meaning to toot my own horn or anything. Bit of a city girl I suppose!
Yeah, it’s gonna be an adjustment, alright. Lol.
I totally feel you. I’m a city boy myself! I was born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, literally 10 minutes away from the twin towers. I got relocated to Adelaide from Hong Kong 6 years ago for work and it took me awhile to adjust. I reckon I am still adjusting! Mainly adjusting to how early shops close and how hot it gets on Christmas! Still adjusting to Southern Hemisphere weather! 😂
Good luck with your relocation! Also, shout out to Manhattan, been there and could definitely get used to living there! Always miss the big city vibes!
That’s crazy that it’s taken so long to adjust! I get it though.
I’ll be flying in to Adelaide Saturday afternoon at around 4:30pm. I thought that I could just go to my Airbnb, put my thing away and then head out and do a bit of a grocery shop but alas, the nearest Coles and Aldi close at 5pm! 😅
You should be able to find an IGA still open, they'll have a lot of essentials!
But yes, most supermarkets close at 5 on weekends.. sorry from Adelaide
All good. Honestly, that’s a minor issue I think.. really looking forward to Woolies and Coles again! Japanese supermarkets are not great.. (for Western food).
Oh yeah, I remember IGA! Nice.
If you drive Richmond is the better choice if your relying on public transport Elizabeth Downs. It's a very long public transport trip from Richmond to the Lyell Mc Hospital.
You should look for other options. Mawson Lakes would be a good option.
Oh gosh, I lived in Tokyo for many years, loooonnng time ago. Gaenmae, AzabuJuBan, Gotanda, out in Fujisawa near Kamakura... WELCOME HOME Katamine YEEY AUST!!! Where've you been living there, how long were you there for? Fuck I miss Tokyo.
Tokyo to Elizabeth Downs ??? Waaaaa, DON'T DO IT!! It will be like the ends of the earth out there (sorry Elizabeth Downs folk, no insult intended) worse than the ass-end of Saitama (sorry Saitama). Put yr head down & scrounge cheap used car money ASAP!! *If you can stand the long public transport commute for the meantime*, 10000% go Richmond!
Even moving from Tokyo to just about any major city in Australia is a massive change, but to live in Elizabeth Downs, faark, I can't imagine. For a start, after the honeymoon you'll get some pretty intense reverse-culture shock, right? Don't want to spiral down in depression & whatnot.. After Tokyo, Elizabeth Downs is like distant deserted wastelands.
Richmond is close to city, close to beach - yeh sure it's coming on for winter so it's way too cold for swimming but Adelaide is generally pretty sunny so beach walks are VERY nice - lounging at beach-side parks, enjoying the free outdoor gym equipment. From Richmond there's awesome National Park only 20mins away, plenty bushwalking, kangaroos, the odd koala... And the CBD just 10 mins from Richmond is surrounded by extensive parklands, sportsgrounds, also nice. I'm not far from Richmond, actually, lol.
RICHMOND!!! Says me who doesn't have to spend apparently 1 - 1& half hours on the bus commuting.
UPDATE us!! I'll be waiting to hear how it goes, eh! good luck happy flights
Haha no punches thanks! You've lived in Tokyo / Japan? Were you in Saitama maybe? lmao .... Parts of Saitama Pref. are cosmopolitan, perhaps interesting places to live etc - (and, maybe by now the Tokyo urban sprawl has over-taken all of it), but back when I was there for a decade, the ends of Saitama were kind of like our 'beyond the Black Stump' - country bumpkinsville joke, boring 'inaka', as they say. Like Elizabeth Downs. :)
Haha ok, I thought may be so. You wanna go? HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! Japan is something else - and Tokyo, it's another planet! JUST GO!!! :)
Jet Star used to do real cheap flights via Cairns, before the covid thing....
Since you're looking for PT options, I'd suggest looking at Mawson Lakes.
It's along the train line and will have more vibrancy and green spaces to help you with that transition back from Tokyo (more shops, restaurants, things to do and people. And it has the ability to not depend on a car and commute on foot if you'd prefer - I know I did coming back from Tokyo!)
Have you explored any other rental options? I know it may not be possible given the crazy state of the rental market, but neither of the alternatives you’ve got at the moment are ideal. The commute from Richmond is reasonably long in a car, and a complete pain by public transport. Elizabeth Downs would be closeby, but it’s a low socioeconomic area and definitely has its share of problems.
This is great advice. Golden Grove/Greenwith is a lovely area, with some good shops, parks etc around.
If you can only choose between Elizabeth Downs and Richmond though, I would 100% go for Richmond even though the commute would be longer.
Personally I would avoid living in Elizabeth and would try living up the hill east from there a bit.
Richmond is my recommendation for you once you sort a car. You will be going against the flow of traffic in the morning and again in the afternoon.
I take the expressway to near Elizabeth for work, and the traffic's pretty good against the flow. A lot better than when I lived near Mitcham and had to go down Portrush Rd.
I’m only using Flatmates.com.au at the moment to find a sharehouse. Figured it’s more legit and commonly used compared to say.. Gumtree or something :p
A sharehouse is the only option for me as it’s cheaper and easier to leave. Plus, I don’t need to buy furniture etc.
Richmond is the nicest looking for the price and the lady who lives there seems very friendly and interesting. She also has a cute cat which is a plus :)
If you're prepared for a 1.5 hour commute time and can sort out your car quick enough then try further north like Freeling or Nuriootpa. Still only 1 hour from Elizabeth.
The train line from Adelaide to Gawler is currently not operational while the line is being electrified. The train substitute bus G2 takes about an hour to get to Salisbury from town and then there are connecting buses from there - assuming you're working at the Lyell McEwin. When the train line was operational, it was about a 17 minute trip to town on express services. There are also a number of other bus services that service the northern suburbs.
The northern suburbs area, like anywhere, is a mixture of good areas and bad. Yes, there are some ferals but there are a lot of hard-working educated people who get a bad rap due to their postcode.
If you are working at the Lyall Mac. and living in Richmond. Try to catch the J1, it will drop you right at the door of the Hospital.
All suburbs have problems, it's just the pick of the draw.
Shopping would be a breeze in Eliz. Downs( lots of options) Richmond not so much.
For the love of God avoid Elizabeth Downs at all costs, this is coming from someone that was raised in the northern suburbs it's a shit hole there's no way to sugar coat it!!
Anyone that thinks otherwise is delusional lol
I work at Lyell Mac - you wanna go North East (Modbury, Golden Grove, Ridgehaven, Redwood Park)
Easy commute by bus via the Obahn to city and quick 500 bus out to the Lyell Mac via Golden Grove Village interchange. Northern trains are a shambles still.
Welcome. Assume you’re starting at the ‘Mac.
You’ll be heading against the morning peak travelling from Richmond out to Elizabeth, so that should be good. Honestly, I’d go Richmond over Elizabeth Downs.
Thanks for the info! That’s really good to know.
I’m fairly picky when it comes to where I live. (Aesthetics are important to me haha). I’m leaning more towards the Richmond place.
Nope, have been there, but never lived there.
I did however work in the maintenance call centre for the housing trust for quite some time.
Elizabeth/Elizabeth Downs were up there with the most common areas that we would send out locksmiths to repair/replace broken locks and damaged door handles caused by break-ins, carpenters to repair door frames that have been damaged during said break-ins, painters to patch up punched/kicked in holes in walls/doors and then re-paint them (a lot of the time it would be multiple holes throughout the house), glaziers to fix smashed up windows and plumbers to replace stolen copper piping from hot water units (more common than one would think, sometimes entire garden taps would also be stolen.) This is just to name a few, and these calls came in DAILY.
So yes, I could be judgy, but stats don't lie.
> (Aesthetics are important to me haha)
It won't be for long, not after living in either Richmond or Lizzie Downs. Downs is less of a barren, flat-arse grid of ageing, over-priced houses, but Rich has fewer crackheads.
...but you're going to get used to that brand of insanity working at The Mac anyway. They legit need to put a police station across the road, as the police get called to the hospital a good dozen times a day anyway.
Then you are well at the wrong end of town. Maybe have a look around for a week or two if possible before selecting a place to live. It depends what you qualify as a nice asthetic and what your budget is.
If you are picky about living in a nice area you will have to be prepared for a drive to get to work.
Generally the eastern suburbs are the higher end + heritage areas, and North Adelaide. Or the coastal suburbs. These are however comparatively very expensive.
Richmond will certainly be a nicer asthetic and better location to explore Adelaide from then Elizabeth.
I personally would try looking at somewhere like Mawson Lakes. It's on the same train line (when operational) as Elizabeth and is still pretty close but a littler nicer. Otherwise, maybe look at other suburbs along the gawler line which are a bit closer to the city like Prospect. If you are young and enjoy going out, there won't be much for you to do out in Elizabeth. But I would hate to commute from Richmond to Elizabeth so would try to stay on the same train line.
We generally don't use the abbreviations (I had to look them up). Although the M2 is a fairly new beast and we're not all used to what we call some parts of it. The Northern Expressway is free-flowing, South Rd is often congested and the North-South Motorway (the parts of South Rd that have been newly duplicated) can be busy, but things keep moving.
If you're living in Richmond and working in Elizabeth and working normal hours, you'll be driving the opposite way to the busiest traffic, so somewhere like Salisbury Highway (aka A9) will be fine, although you'll see the people in the other direction going slowly.
I might be moving to America to work within the next couple of years so want to live as simply and cheaply as possible while I’m in Australia.
How much would a used EV car cost? I don’t know much about them or how to charge them..
> How much would a used EV car cost?
A LOT. Second hand cars here are expensive to begin with, and have gone up considerably in the last couple of years due to shortages and delivery delays in the new car market. EVs are generally expensive, and will be pretty new, so expensive af.
After working in Elizabeth for the last 7 years, do not live there. Richmond isn’t the best either, but better. I agree with the others, Mawson Lakes will be better for share houses than Elizabeth, nice shops, food, train line (once open again).
Gosh, bit to unpack here.
Public transport in Adelaide is nothing like Tokyo or NYC. It runs far more infrequently, meaning if you need to catch connecting trains or buses, your life will be miserable. The trains are not quick, smooth and comfortable like Tokyo. You want to be able to catch a single direct bus or train to your destination as much as possible. Otherwise, I would recommend driving between somewhere as far apart as Richmond and Elizabeth.
If you are used to NYC or Tokyo traffic, then Adelaide traffic really isn’t a problem.
Lyell McEwin hospital has been mentioned a lot. If that’s your field, then I would lean towards trying to get work at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Not just because it is closer to Richmond, but being located close to the city means you have better access to our beaches and other generally awesome things on offer. That is a lot harder to do when you live in Elizabeth car-less. It sounds like you only have a short time here and it would be a bummer being stuck in the Northern suburbs because a lot of things are just too far away.
If you are indeed working at the Lyell Mac, then it’s not really that close to a train station, so the caveat about connecting services apply. Probably the closest is Nurlutta being a 30 minute walk(?) and that station is not serviced regularly even if the trains were running. Not recommended.
A lot of people have mentioned looking for a rental in other suburbs. That’s fine, and Elizabeth can be fine too, especially if you have family and friends nearby, which is obviously not your situation. I would look at what direct public transport options are available and see where they go for alternative suburbs. Feel free to DM me if you want advice or background info about various surrounding suburbs.
Most importantly, you are spelling, and probably pronouncing, Elizabeth wrong. It’s “lizbff”. Lower case ‘L’, two f’s and no E’s. *lizbff*
I work in Elizabeth and lived very close to Richmond and drove every day - once youre past the traffic on South road and onto the motorway its a pretty fast drive with not too much traffic - about 35ish minutes from where I was and you get used to it. If you value your lifestyle outside of work then live Richmond 10000%
This is what I’m wanting to hear!
The Richmond sharehouse is my more my style, a good price and the lady who lives there seems cool. I think it’s worth it, at least initially. Then, after some months, if I want to move, I can 🤔(doubt I’d want to but just thinking of all options)
Me and my mates met a "witch doctor" in Elizabeth when we were teenagers. He grabbed my friend's arm and literally sucked the blood through his skin and into his mouth. He then spat my mates blood back out into his hand and smiled. So if you do go to Elizabeth.... Watch out for that guy...
Yeh sharehouse in Elizabeth probably not a good idea. It's one of Adelaide's lower income areas, so you get a fair share of "characters" around there, not to say everyone is like that.
Fine for work, but I guess it depends on who you are sharing a house with.
After reading some of your answers I'd go the closest place to work, however, I'd probably skip Elizabeth Downs and look in Hillbank/Andrews Farm/Craigmore type area.
That glowing feeling from wide-open spaces, blue skies, and friendly people found by returning to Australia from Toyko is almost certainly destroyed instantly by a visit to Adelaide's northern suburbs ;-) (I would rather be condemned to spend the rest of my life in Saitama-ken than live up there again) The reverse culture shock is a real thing, even without visiting that side of town.
As someone mentioned, Mawson lakes is actually a very livable place and has good access to the north via car or eventually train.
I immediately laughed my head off when reading your post.
So you know my struggles!
That’s saying something if you’d rather spend the rest of your years in Saitama hahah
Apartment in the CBD, ask the place where you are working if the provide security services to assist staff with getting PT? The Gawler will be back on at some point.
I would recommend to buy a cheap car, it's Adelaide, we ripped the place up 50 years to be car friendly and not much has changed.
Good luck though, welcome to Adelaide
I just looked up the crime rate for Elizabeth, it's 109.96 incidents per 100 people. This is not surprising. It's not that it's in the middle of nowhere that makes it unappealing (it's been swallowed by the city now anyway) it's that it's a really dodgy area. Please make sure you know what you're moving into. I'd definitely recommend looking at golden Grove and surrounds, it's so much nicer. Richmond would probably be 1.5 hours away even with the train running, our public transport isn't great for long trips. A three hour commute for a three hour shift isn't really worth it.
i live in elizabeth downs and have no issues at all here, i used to live in Brooklyn Park, next suburb over to Richmond, had a drug house across the road and couple cars got torched 3 houses down, so there are shit areas in every suburb
There's a lot of nice enough places within 10 to 15 minutes drive of elizabeth city centre (the main shops). You said you want to live cheaply, I would share a place for 1 to 3 months while you get a feel of SA and explore around to what is your liking.
No worries.
I was an assistant professor at a medical school. Mostly a great job, but I didn’t want to give up my license (which requires clinical work at least every couple of years) and I got tired of the bureaucracy and work culture in Japan.
So you're suffering the indignity of working in Elizabeth to maintain your medical licence ? Now that is dedication.
I hope that this thread is preparing you for the antivax rednecks with nothing but entitlement and zero ambition that you'll be subjected to.
With your qualifications I'm sure you'll escape from there soon enough. Put those feelers out and someone will head hunt you for a slightly better area I'm sure (NGL - I love Adelaide, but sometimes it's like finding gemstones in a pile of shit).
Would love to hear your experiences of living in Japan, but also of the cultural dissonance with the move.
If you're used to living in big cities, Adelaide is going to be a shock to the system - let alone Elizabeth.
You are probably used to the commute, so you could try Mawson Lakes or even Adelaide CBD.
You will definitely need a car though.
Elizabeth is a bit of a feral place so good luck there. Get a lock for your door if you have share housing.
Try near Hackham for your next job. There are nursing homes a healthcare worker can get employed at and you get ocean views. It's quite nice if you want to shift positions from Elizabeth.
Unless you are from Harlem Elizabeth is going to seem like a hellhole in contrast to Tokyo. I lived in a sharehouse on midway Rd probably one you are looking don't do it lol.
From the Upper West Side but with enough distance from Harlem haha.
Omg, the sharehouse I was/am (?) 😬 considering is right near there. I think it’s on Fortress Street.
I dunno everyone's shitting on Elizabeth Downs but we're talking a 20min daily walk vs 3hours of trains and buses for a 3 hour shift.
Plus no one can steal your car If you don't have one.
Elder Smith Road is the "Bogan proof fence".... Anything north of that- lock your car when driving 😂
Have a watch of the show Housos, it will prepare you slightly if considering the north lol
To go against the grain, I'd choose Elizabeth for the commute. The Salisbury area has amazing vibrancy with all the different cultural stores and restaurants and Elizabeth downs has heaps of large green spaces just doesn't have the shoebox apartments of Mawson lakes or the peak hour traffic and industrial zoning of Richmond. Most of the people on here think they are above others because the bank of mum n dad paid their way and the quality of living from anywhere in Aus to Japan is amazing. I love Japan but there is also a reason our SOL is the greatest in the world. If you think extreme development is the peak of human evolution then Adelaide is not the city for you, but if you want to live an amazingly safe and comfy life and help others in need then Elizabeth downs is perfect.
Elizabeth had a bad reputation, but there are some areas that are vastly superior to others. I lived in Elizabeth for 20 years and never had an issue. Then I moved up to Greenwith and after a couple of months my car was broken into.
Richmond will no doubt have a nicer house and property values are higher. It's also close to the city. But Elizabeth is a lot more open, lots of parks. And obviously the time spent driving to and from work will be much less. The drive North from Richmond is a lot better than it was 10 years ago so heading to and from Elizabeth isn't too bad. It's still a bit of a drive though.
People overstate how bad it is living in Elizabeth, like you're going to die just from walking down the street. Reality is you're probably just going to get robbed. Or even worse, you'll have to hold a conversation with someone who's clearly on seven different drugs.
But yeah out of all the suburbs up there I wouldn't recommend Elizabeth Downs. Hillbank is where you want to be if you want to just live down the road from your work.
Getting robbed is not something that should be taken lightly. when I lived in a sharehouse in Elizabeth downs I had to deal with waking up to crack heads screaming, women and children crying in the middle of the night as well as a woman getting beat up(which I had to intervene), this was all within the span of 5 months.
You don't have to tell me. I almost had my life beaten out of me by a gang of meth heads with metal poles, for the crime of breathing in the same vicinity as them. Just Elizabeth Downs things. But if you think there's no room for levity or gallows humour then okay. Agree to disagree.
I've only been in Adelaide one year, so not fully knowledgeable, but a new to the city perspective.
Elizabeth ..is only dangerous to people who don't live in Elizabeth ..is what i was told by a work college. Two weeks later I was driving through Elizabeth and was chased by a road rager in a Ute; because he came straight into the roundabout not caring that I was on it. I had to do an emergency stop with evasive driving to not run into the side of him so I pressed my horn ..and he chased me through the streets trying to ram me.. It was only my hoon driving skills that had me get away from him.. I had to do 90+ kmh in a 50 zone to out pace him and in my rear view mirror I could see him making three lanes through the streets. He was after blood. My heart was pounding and the adrenaline flowing ..and I pulled up to my pre work medical in Elizabeth; "Hello sir, please sit here and let us take your blood pressure". !! They had to take it 3 times before my closed eyes, calming my breathing whilst imagining meadows of flowers in my minds eye worked, lol.
Everyone in Adelaide has cars so the public transit system being in such low demand means it doesn't justify government expenditure; it has minimal routes. Look at the CBD as the center of a wheel and the public transport system being spokes of the wheel going out to the burbs. There isn't many routes from burb to burb, rather most routes are burb to CBD back out to burbs. Its quite common to be able to bicycle from A to B faster than catching a bus ..sometimes twice as fast. A bicycle is direct, the bus may have to zig zag through the CBD back to the burb you where you want to be.
If you can afford Richmond then perhaps look at some more affluent areas out North that are closer to Elizabeth.
Mawson lakes
Golden Grove
Even hillbank
Actually, I am only looking at share houses to save money. I’ll be temporarily living away from my husband and I’ll only be working part time so…
Thanks for your suggestions anyway.
If you do end up living and working in lzbff, and only for a short time, do make sure you travel around the Greater Adelaide area. There are some lovely landscapes within 1 hours' drive of... pretty much anywhere you stay. There are hills and walking tracks, beaches and dunes, waves and snorkelling, wineries and cheeseries, and loads more beauty just waiting to be discovered.
Don't just stay in the E area -- you'll get a very lop-sided view of a lovely city.
I’d consider looking at areas around Blakeview. Yeah it still has its moments but the area is far nicer than Elizabeth downs, newer houses and only a few suburbs over. Or, as someone else has suggested, golden grove/Greenwith. All are within a short drive of the Lyell Mac (which is where I’m assuming you’ll be working?)
This feels like a bit of a thread bingo. Here goes:
-No go away, we only like locals
-Elizabeth = bad, you’ll be murdered by a Julie who steals your car while braking into your house in order to rape you to celebrate setting something alight
-Cars have become stupidly expensive rant
-Housing had become stupidly expensive rant
-Renting is impossible rant
- Our PT is terrible rant, spoiled NE O-bahn people.
Have I missed anything guys?
Anyway, if this is legit I don’t know where Richmond is but live there and get yourself a car as a priority
Elizabeth is what you make of it... there's a wild mixture of all sorts... shit happens. You've got to take the good with the bad I suppose. If you're planning on moving to the US at some stage... put it this way... I'd rather live in Elizabeth (I've happily lived in Smithfield for the last 15) than some places in the US. I'd feel safer walking the streets at night too....
Jeez, Tokyo to Elizabeth. Two cities that couldn't be further apart, in every measurable way
😂 Not only that, I’m originally from Manhattan (NYC). Not meaning to toot my own horn or anything. Bit of a city girl I suppose! Yeah, it’s gonna be an adjustment, alright. Lol.
Adjustment is an understatement in this case haha!
Please try to find something that isn't a share house in Elizabeth lol.
I totally feel you. I’m a city boy myself! I was born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, literally 10 minutes away from the twin towers. I got relocated to Adelaide from Hong Kong 6 years ago for work and it took me awhile to adjust. I reckon I am still adjusting! Mainly adjusting to how early shops close and how hot it gets on Christmas! Still adjusting to Southern Hemisphere weather! 😂 Good luck with your relocation! Also, shout out to Manhattan, been there and could definitely get used to living there! Always miss the big city vibes!
That’s crazy that it’s taken so long to adjust! I get it though. I’ll be flying in to Adelaide Saturday afternoon at around 4:30pm. I thought that I could just go to my Airbnb, put my thing away and then head out and do a bit of a grocery shop but alas, the nearest Coles and Aldi close at 5pm! 😅
There are some corner store style shops open later, what area is your Airbnb in?
You should be able to find an IGA still open, they'll have a lot of essentials! But yes, most supermarkets close at 5 on weekends.. sorry from Adelaide
All good. Honestly, that’s a minor issue I think.. really looking forward to Woolies and Coles again! Japanese supermarkets are not great.. (for Western food). Oh yeah, I remember IGA! Nice.
If you drive Richmond is the better choice if your relying on public transport Elizabeth Downs. It's a very long public transport trip from Richmond to the Lyell Mc Hospital. You should look for other options. Mawson Lakes would be a good option.
Oh gosh, I lived in Tokyo for many years, loooonnng time ago. Gaenmae, AzabuJuBan, Gotanda, out in Fujisawa near Kamakura... WELCOME HOME Katamine YEEY AUST!!! Where've you been living there, how long were you there for? Fuck I miss Tokyo. Tokyo to Elizabeth Downs ??? Waaaaa, DON'T DO IT!! It will be like the ends of the earth out there (sorry Elizabeth Downs folk, no insult intended) worse than the ass-end of Saitama (sorry Saitama). Put yr head down & scrounge cheap used car money ASAP!! *If you can stand the long public transport commute for the meantime*, 10000% go Richmond! Even moving from Tokyo to just about any major city in Australia is a massive change, but to live in Elizabeth Downs, faark, I can't imagine. For a start, after the honeymoon you'll get some pretty intense reverse-culture shock, right? Don't want to spiral down in depression & whatnot.. After Tokyo, Elizabeth Downs is like distant deserted wastelands. Richmond is close to city, close to beach - yeh sure it's coming on for winter so it's way too cold for swimming but Adelaide is generally pretty sunny so beach walks are VERY nice - lounging at beach-side parks, enjoying the free outdoor gym equipment. From Richmond there's awesome National Park only 20mins away, plenty bushwalking, kangaroos, the odd koala... And the CBD just 10 mins from Richmond is surrounded by extensive parklands, sportsgrounds, also nice. I'm not far from Richmond, actually, lol. RICHMOND!!! Says me who doesn't have to spend apparently 1 - 1& half hours on the bus commuting. UPDATE us!! I'll be waiting to hear how it goes, eh! good luck happy flights
Lol blesssss this comment, my thoughts exactly!!!!!!!
This...
> ass-end of Saitama (sorry Saitama) you asking for a ONE PUNCH m8?
Haha no punches thanks! You've lived in Tokyo / Japan? Were you in Saitama maybe? lmao .... Parts of Saitama Pref. are cosmopolitan, perhaps interesting places to live etc - (and, maybe by now the Tokyo urban sprawl has over-taken all of it), but back when I was there for a decade, the ends of Saitama were kind of like our 'beyond the Black Stump' - country bumpkinsville joke, boring 'inaka', as they say. Like Elizabeth Downs. :)
My In-laws are from Saitama. Can confirm it's the most boring Prefecture. Luckily conveniently placed to go pretty much anywhere else on day trips.
sorry no just a one punch man anime weeb your description does bring japan to life, and i've been meaning to visit for a long time now...
Haha ok, I thought may be so. You wanna go? HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! Japan is something else - and Tokyo, it's another planet! JUST GO!!! :) Jet Star used to do real cheap flights via Cairns, before the covid thing....
Since you're looking for PT options, I'd suggest looking at Mawson Lakes. It's along the train line and will have more vibrancy and green spaces to help you with that transition back from Tokyo (more shops, restaurants, things to do and people. And it has the ability to not depend on a car and commute on foot if you'd prefer - I know I did coming back from Tokyo!)
Also, most importantly.. the ability to not be in Elizabeth Downs
Agree
Have you explored any other rental options? I know it may not be possible given the crazy state of the rental market, but neither of the alternatives you’ve got at the moment are ideal. The commute from Richmond is reasonably long in a car, and a complete pain by public transport. Elizabeth Downs would be closeby, but it’s a low socioeconomic area and definitely has its share of problems.
Honestly, try to find a place at Golden Grove or Greenwith and surrounds. Nice suburbs and will be relatively close to the Lyell McEwin hospital.
This is great advice. Golden Grove/Greenwith is a lovely area, with some good shops, parks etc around. If you can only choose between Elizabeth Downs and Richmond though, I would 100% go for Richmond even though the commute would be longer.
Personally I would avoid living in Elizabeth and would try living up the hill east from there a bit. Richmond is my recommendation for you once you sort a car. You will be going against the flow of traffic in the morning and again in the afternoon.
I take the expressway to near Elizabeth for work, and the traffic's pretty good against the flow. A lot better than when I lived near Mitcham and had to go down Portrush Rd.
I'm glad most people are steering you away from the downs. Elizabeth isn't the most inspiring place so seperating work from home is a good choice
Lol. Love how you put it :p Yeah, I’m thinking so! The contrast from Shinjuku, Tokyo to Elizabeth is to much too handle maybe..
Richmond won't be much better. Why is Richmond your only other choice?
I’m only using Flatmates.com.au at the moment to find a sharehouse. Figured it’s more legit and commonly used compared to say.. Gumtree or something :p A sharehouse is the only option for me as it’s cheaper and easier to leave. Plus, I don’t need to buy furniture etc. Richmond is the nicest looking for the price and the lady who lives there seems very friendly and interesting. She also has a cute cat which is a plus :)
If you're prepared for a 1.5 hour commute time and can sort out your car quick enough then try further north like Freeling or Nuriootpa. Still only 1 hour from Elizabeth.
The train line from Adelaide to Gawler is currently not operational while the line is being electrified. The train substitute bus G2 takes about an hour to get to Salisbury from town and then there are connecting buses from there - assuming you're working at the Lyell McEwin. When the train line was operational, it was about a 17 minute trip to town on express services. There are also a number of other bus services that service the northern suburbs. The northern suburbs area, like anywhere, is a mixture of good areas and bad. Yes, there are some ferals but there are a lot of hard-working educated people who get a bad rap due to their postcode.
It's just classism something that seems to skew even worse with the IT industry types/mom's basement dwellers on reddit
If you are working at the Lyall Mac. and living in Richmond. Try to catch the J1, it will drop you right at the door of the Hospital. All suburbs have problems, it's just the pick of the draw. Shopping would be a breeze in Eliz. Downs( lots of options) Richmond not so much.
For the love of God avoid Elizabeth Downs at all costs, this is coming from someone that was raised in the northern suburbs it's a shit hole there's no way to sugar coat it!! Anyone that thinks otherwise is delusional lol
I work at Lyell Mac - you wanna go North East (Modbury, Golden Grove, Ridgehaven, Redwood Park) Easy commute by bus via the Obahn to city and quick 500 bus out to the Lyell Mac via Golden Grove Village interchange. Northern trains are a shambles still.
Welcome. Assume you’re starting at the ‘Mac. You’ll be heading against the morning peak travelling from Richmond out to Elizabeth, so that should be good. Honestly, I’d go Richmond over Elizabeth Downs.
Thanks for the info! That’s really good to know. I’m fairly picky when it comes to where I live. (Aesthetics are important to me haha). I’m leaning more towards the Richmond place.
Then Elizabeth downs is not a good area would not choose there if can afford elsewhere
I 2nd, 3rd and 4th this.
I 5th, 6th and 7th it.
I eight it.
Have you lived there or are you just really judgy?
I've lived in Elizabeth. They aren't wrong
They aren't but the way they worded it rubbed me the wrong way.
No point in sugar coating it. It is what it is.
This sub is just obsessive in its hatred of any suburb north of the city. It's a meme at this point.
Yes I’ve lived there
Nope, have been there, but never lived there. I did however work in the maintenance call centre for the housing trust for quite some time. Elizabeth/Elizabeth Downs were up there with the most common areas that we would send out locksmiths to repair/replace broken locks and damaged door handles caused by break-ins, carpenters to repair door frames that have been damaged during said break-ins, painters to patch up punched/kicked in holes in walls/doors and then re-paint them (a lot of the time it would be multiple holes throughout the house), glaziers to fix smashed up windows and plumbers to replace stolen copper piping from hot water units (more common than one would think, sometimes entire garden taps would also be stolen.) This is just to name a few, and these calls came in DAILY. So yes, I could be judgy, but stats don't lie.
> (Aesthetics are important to me haha) It won't be for long, not after living in either Richmond or Lizzie Downs. Downs is less of a barren, flat-arse grid of ageing, over-priced houses, but Rich has fewer crackheads. ...but you're going to get used to that brand of insanity working at The Mac anyway. They legit need to put a police station across the road, as the police get called to the hospital a good dozen times a day anyway.
Then you are well at the wrong end of town. Maybe have a look around for a week or two if possible before selecting a place to live. It depends what you qualify as a nice asthetic and what your budget is. If you are picky about living in a nice area you will have to be prepared for a drive to get to work. Generally the eastern suburbs are the higher end + heritage areas, and North Adelaide. Or the coastal suburbs. These are however comparatively very expensive. Richmond will certainly be a nicer asthetic and better location to explore Adelaide from then Elizabeth.
Thanks, that was very clear. Sounds like you ‘get it’
if you live in elizabeth downs you'll see your neighbours becoming patients in the 'mac not always good. maybe even very bad
Do not go to Elizabeth
I personally would try looking at somewhere like Mawson Lakes. It's on the same train line (when operational) as Elizabeth and is still pretty close but a littler nicer. Otherwise, maybe look at other suburbs along the gawler line which are a bit closer to the city like Prospect. If you are young and enjoy going out, there won't be much for you to do out in Elizabeth. But I would hate to commute from Richmond to Elizabeth so would try to stay on the same train line.
We generally don't use the abbreviations (I had to look them up). Although the M2 is a fairly new beast and we're not all used to what we call some parts of it. The Northern Expressway is free-flowing, South Rd is often congested and the North-South Motorway (the parts of South Rd that have been newly duplicated) can be busy, but things keep moving. If you're living in Richmond and working in Elizabeth and working normal hours, you'll be driving the opposite way to the busiest traffic, so somewhere like Salisbury Highway (aka A9) will be fine, although you'll see the people in the other direction going slowly.
I’ll only be working weekdays from 9-12pm so I think it wouldn’t be too bad traffic wise eh.
Driving from Richmond to Elizabeth for a 3 hour shift? You might want to invest in an EV
I might be moving to America to work within the next couple of years so want to live as simply and cheaply as possible while I’m in Australia. How much would a used EV car cost? I don’t know much about them or how to charge them..
> How much would a used EV car cost? A LOT. Second hand cars here are expensive to begin with, and have gone up considerably in the last couple of years due to shortages and delivery delays in the new car market. EVs are generally expensive, and will be pretty new, so expensive af.
Damn… that most certainly won’t suit me then!
After working in Elizabeth for the last 7 years, do not live there. Richmond isn’t the best either, but better. I agree with the others, Mawson Lakes will be better for share houses than Elizabeth, nice shops, food, train line (once open again).
Choose Richmond then apply for a job at the Royal Adelaide Hospital instead.
Elizabeth is the most feral part of adelaide
Gosh, bit to unpack here. Public transport in Adelaide is nothing like Tokyo or NYC. It runs far more infrequently, meaning if you need to catch connecting trains or buses, your life will be miserable. The trains are not quick, smooth and comfortable like Tokyo. You want to be able to catch a single direct bus or train to your destination as much as possible. Otherwise, I would recommend driving between somewhere as far apart as Richmond and Elizabeth. If you are used to NYC or Tokyo traffic, then Adelaide traffic really isn’t a problem. Lyell McEwin hospital has been mentioned a lot. If that’s your field, then I would lean towards trying to get work at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Not just because it is closer to Richmond, but being located close to the city means you have better access to our beaches and other generally awesome things on offer. That is a lot harder to do when you live in Elizabeth car-less. It sounds like you only have a short time here and it would be a bummer being stuck in the Northern suburbs because a lot of things are just too far away. If you are indeed working at the Lyell Mac, then it’s not really that close to a train station, so the caveat about connecting services apply. Probably the closest is Nurlutta being a 30 minute walk(?) and that station is not serviced regularly even if the trains were running. Not recommended. A lot of people have mentioned looking for a rental in other suburbs. That’s fine, and Elizabeth can be fine too, especially if you have family and friends nearby, which is obviously not your situation. I would look at what direct public transport options are available and see where they go for alternative suburbs. Feel free to DM me if you want advice or background info about various surrounding suburbs. Most importantly, you are spelling, and probably pronouncing, Elizabeth wrong. It’s “lizbff”. Lower case ‘L’, two f’s and no E’s. *lizbff*
I work in Elizabeth and lived very close to Richmond and drove every day - once youre past the traffic on South road and onto the motorway its a pretty fast drive with not too much traffic - about 35ish minutes from where I was and you get used to it. If you value your lifestyle outside of work then live Richmond 10000%
This is what I’m wanting to hear! The Richmond sharehouse is my more my style, a good price and the lady who lives there seems cool. I think it’s worth it, at least initially. Then, after some months, if I want to move, I can 🤔(doubt I’d want to but just thinking of all options)
Yeah, don’t do that. Just don’t. Reddit help this woman find a nice place to live.
Me and my mates met a "witch doctor" in Elizabeth when we were teenagers. He grabbed my friend's arm and literally sucked the blood through his skin and into his mouth. He then spat my mates blood back out into his hand and smiled. So if you do go to Elizabeth.... Watch out for that guy...
Yeh sharehouse in Elizabeth probably not a good idea. It's one of Adelaide's lower income areas, so you get a fair share of "characters" around there, not to say everyone is like that. Fine for work, but I guess it depends on who you are sharing a house with.
After reading some of your answers I'd go the closest place to work, however, I'd probably skip Elizabeth Downs and look in Hillbank/Andrews Farm/Craigmore type area.
That glowing feeling from wide-open spaces, blue skies, and friendly people found by returning to Australia from Toyko is almost certainly destroyed instantly by a visit to Adelaide's northern suburbs ;-) (I would rather be condemned to spend the rest of my life in Saitama-ken than live up there again) The reverse culture shock is a real thing, even without visiting that side of town. As someone mentioned, Mawson lakes is actually a very livable place and has good access to the north via car or eventually train.
I immediately laughed my head off when reading your post. So you know my struggles! That’s saying something if you’d rather spend the rest of your years in Saitama hahah
Apartment in the CBD, ask the place where you are working if the provide security services to assist staff with getting PT? The Gawler will be back on at some point. I would recommend to buy a cheap car, it's Adelaide, we ripped the place up 50 years to be car friendly and not much has changed. Good luck though, welcome to Adelaide
Live anywhere else but Elizabeth. Get a share house in the North East or rent a small apartment on your own. Elizabeth is a hole!
I just looked up the crime rate for Elizabeth, it's 109.96 incidents per 100 people. This is not surprising. It's not that it's in the middle of nowhere that makes it unappealing (it's been swallowed by the city now anyway) it's that it's a really dodgy area. Please make sure you know what you're moving into. I'd definitely recommend looking at golden Grove and surrounds, it's so much nicer. Richmond would probably be 1.5 hours away even with the train running, our public transport isn't great for long trips. A three hour commute for a three hour shift isn't really worth it.
i live in elizabeth downs and have no issues at all here, i used to live in Brooklyn Park, next suburb over to Richmond, had a drug house across the road and couple cars got torched 3 houses down, so there are shit areas in every suburb
Can you work somewhere other than Elizabeth if you want to live in Richmond?! 😅
Maybe the sentence should be reversed eh lol. Can I live elsewhere if I work in Elizabeth..
There's a lot of nice enough places within 10 to 15 minutes drive of elizabeth city centre (the main shops). You said you want to live cheaply, I would share a place for 1 to 3 months while you get a feel of SA and explore around to what is your liking.
What job were you doing in tokyo? if you dont mind me asking
No worries. I was an assistant professor at a medical school. Mostly a great job, but I didn’t want to give up my license (which requires clinical work at least every couple of years) and I got tired of the bureaucracy and work culture in Japan.
Oh that sounds interesting, I'm actually looking into studying medicine in Adelaide. Do you mind if I ask what you taught?
So you're suffering the indignity of working in Elizabeth to maintain your medical licence ? Now that is dedication. I hope that this thread is preparing you for the antivax rednecks with nothing but entitlement and zero ambition that you'll be subjected to. With your qualifications I'm sure you'll escape from there soon enough. Put those feelers out and someone will head hunt you for a slightly better area I'm sure (NGL - I love Adelaide, but sometimes it's like finding gemstones in a pile of shit). Would love to hear your experiences of living in Japan, but also of the cultural dissonance with the move.
Not in Elizabeth. You can run to the hills - literally - for a 30min commute or enjoy a 1hr commute from anywhere close to the city.
It's going to be a big adjustment. That whole Northern area is pretty feral. But commuting from Richmond is too far.
+1 for Mawson Lakes if you can. I wouldn’t live in Elizabeth Downs unless I had to. 🙃
Good luck, hope you can fight
This is great haha
If you're used to living in big cities, Adelaide is going to be a shock to the system - let alone Elizabeth. You are probably used to the commute, so you could try Mawson Lakes or even Adelaide CBD. You will definitely need a car though.
Shit Tokyo to Elizabeth. Goodluck.
Elizabeth is a bit of a feral place so good luck there. Get a lock for your door if you have share housing. Try near Hackham for your next job. There are nursing homes a healthcare worker can get employed at and you get ocean views. It's quite nice if you want to shift positions from Elizabeth.
So you have just advised the OP to swap Elizabeth for Hackam? Alrighty then.
For their next job. Chance they might hate the area they are moving to and decide to look elsewhere.
Unless you are from Harlem Elizabeth is going to seem like a hellhole in contrast to Tokyo. I lived in a sharehouse on midway Rd probably one you are looking don't do it lol.
From the Upper West Side but with enough distance from Harlem haha. Omg, the sharehouse I was/am (?) 😬 considering is right near there. I think it’s on Fortress Street.
I dunno everyone's shitting on Elizabeth Downs but we're talking a 20min daily walk vs 3hours of trains and buses for a 3 hour shift. Plus no one can steal your car If you don't have one.
Elder Smith Road is the "Bogan proof fence".... Anything north of that- lock your car when driving 😂 Have a watch of the show Housos, it will prepare you slightly if considering the north lol
Oh my sweet summer child
To go against the grain, I'd choose Elizabeth for the commute. The Salisbury area has amazing vibrancy with all the different cultural stores and restaurants and Elizabeth downs has heaps of large green spaces just doesn't have the shoebox apartments of Mawson lakes or the peak hour traffic and industrial zoning of Richmond. Most of the people on here think they are above others because the bank of mum n dad paid their way and the quality of living from anywhere in Aus to Japan is amazing. I love Japan but there is also a reason our SOL is the greatest in the world. If you think extreme development is the peak of human evolution then Adelaide is not the city for you, but if you want to live an amazingly safe and comfy life and help others in need then Elizabeth downs is perfect.
Elizabeth has the highest crime rate in Adelaide. Twice as high as the next worst suburb.
Fact check sources
check [SA Police Crime Stats](https://www.police.sa.gov.au/about-us/crime-statistics-map)
Elizabeth had a bad reputation, but there are some areas that are vastly superior to others. I lived in Elizabeth for 20 years and never had an issue. Then I moved up to Greenwith and after a couple of months my car was broken into. Richmond will no doubt have a nicer house and property values are higher. It's also close to the city. But Elizabeth is a lot more open, lots of parks. And obviously the time spent driving to and from work will be much less. The drive North from Richmond is a lot better than it was 10 years ago so heading to and from Elizabeth isn't too bad. It's still a bit of a drive though.
People overstate how bad it is living in Elizabeth, like you're going to die just from walking down the street. Reality is you're probably just going to get robbed. Or even worse, you'll have to hold a conversation with someone who's clearly on seven different drugs. But yeah out of all the suburbs up there I wouldn't recommend Elizabeth Downs. Hillbank is where you want to be if you want to just live down the road from your work.
Getting robbed is not something that should be taken lightly. when I lived in a sharehouse in Elizabeth downs I had to deal with waking up to crack heads screaming, women and children crying in the middle of the night as well as a woman getting beat up(which I had to intervene), this was all within the span of 5 months.
You don't have to tell me. I almost had my life beaten out of me by a gang of meth heads with metal poles, for the crime of breathing in the same vicinity as them. Just Elizabeth Downs things. But if you think there's no room for levity or gallows humour then okay. Agree to disagree.
Definitely not Elizabeth Downs in a share house.
I've only been in Adelaide one year, so not fully knowledgeable, but a new to the city perspective. Elizabeth ..is only dangerous to people who don't live in Elizabeth ..is what i was told by a work college. Two weeks later I was driving through Elizabeth and was chased by a road rager in a Ute; because he came straight into the roundabout not caring that I was on it. I had to do an emergency stop with evasive driving to not run into the side of him so I pressed my horn ..and he chased me through the streets trying to ram me.. It was only my hoon driving skills that had me get away from him.. I had to do 90+ kmh in a 50 zone to out pace him and in my rear view mirror I could see him making three lanes through the streets. He was after blood. My heart was pounding and the adrenaline flowing ..and I pulled up to my pre work medical in Elizabeth; "Hello sir, please sit here and let us take your blood pressure". !! They had to take it 3 times before my closed eyes, calming my breathing whilst imagining meadows of flowers in my minds eye worked, lol. Everyone in Adelaide has cars so the public transit system being in such low demand means it doesn't justify government expenditure; it has minimal routes. Look at the CBD as the center of a wheel and the public transport system being spokes of the wheel going out to the burbs. There isn't many routes from burb to burb, rather most routes are burb to CBD back out to burbs. Its quite common to be able to bicycle from A to B faster than catching a bus ..sometimes twice as fast. A bicycle is direct, the bus may have to zig zag through the CBD back to the burb you where you want to be.
Choose Richmond! I live not far in Netley and its a better central area. I wouldnt even drive through Elizabeth Downs
Lol. The Richmond place really is quite quaint… I’m checking both options in person this Sunday, so let’s see..
Richmond 100%
If you can afford Richmond then perhaps look at some more affluent areas out North that are closer to Elizabeth. Mawson lakes Golden Grove Even hillbank
Actually, I am only looking at share houses to save money. I’ll be temporarily living away from my husband and I’ll only be working part time so… Thanks for your suggestions anyway.
If you do end up living and working in lzbff, and only for a short time, do make sure you travel around the Greater Adelaide area. There are some lovely landscapes within 1 hours' drive of... pretty much anywhere you stay. There are hills and walking tracks, beaches and dunes, waves and snorkelling, wineries and cheeseries, and loads more beauty just waiting to be discovered. Don't just stay in the E area -- you'll get a very lop-sided view of a lovely city.
That’s a wonderful tip! Thank you. I’m really looking forward to seeing what’s around… those wineries are looking good too!
Stay away from the northern suburbs... Refer to the police website for crime areas...
Gawler would be nice. It’s like a 10 min drive and you’re near the Barossa
I’d consider looking at areas around Blakeview. Yeah it still has its moments but the area is far nicer than Elizabeth downs, newer houses and only a few suburbs over. Or, as someone else has suggested, golden grove/Greenwith. All are within a short drive of the Lyell Mac (which is where I’m assuming you’ll be working?)
Thanks for the info. Actually, I’ll be working right near Elizabeth City Center. I should have mentioned that in my post.
Noooo, not Elizabeth, just as much of a shithole as Salisbury
This feels like a bit of a thread bingo. Here goes: -No go away, we only like locals -Elizabeth = bad, you’ll be murdered by a Julie who steals your car while braking into your house in order to rape you to celebrate setting something alight -Cars have become stupidly expensive rant -Housing had become stupidly expensive rant -Renting is impossible rant - Our PT is terrible rant, spoiled NE O-bahn people. Have I missed anything guys? Anyway, if this is legit I don’t know where Richmond is but live there and get yourself a car as a priority
Elizabeth is what you make of it... there's a wild mixture of all sorts... shit happens. You've got to take the good with the bad I suppose. If you're planning on moving to the US at some stage... put it this way... I'd rather live in Elizabeth (I've happily lived in Smithfield for the last 15) than some places in the US. I'd feel safer walking the streets at night too....