News and Media

13 May 2010

Adelaide - one of the most liveable cities in the world

Adelaide is the capital of South Australia and is the fifth largest city in Australia. It is renowned for its well planned city streets with parks and gardens strategically placed throughout the city – but it is also most commonly known as the “city of churches”.

If you were to ask the 1.1 million Adelaide residents, they would say it is definitely a livable city. In fact, economists have voted it as one of the most livable cities in the world, providing residents with some of the lowest median house prices in the country and a quality of life second to none.

This is great news for the hundreds of Defence families living in Adelaide.

Among the Defence population, Adelaide is also known as one of the Defence capitals of Australia with a large proportion of Army, Airforce and Navy members calling it home. There are three main Army Barracks: Keswick, Warradale and Woodside, all within 40 minutes of the CBD. The Navy Headquarters are also located at Keswick Barracks and RAAF Base Edinburgh is located north of the city in the Salisbury council area. The Defence Science & Technology Organisation is also located at Salisbury adjacent to the RAAF Base, approximately 30km north of the city.

Defence Housing Australia (DHA) manages over 870 homes for Defence members and their families in the South Australian capital, however this number is expected to rise significantly to over 1200 towards the end of 2011. The houses are located mostly in the northern part of the city and have first rate access to schools, transport, shopping facilities and recreational activities. They are almost exclusively freestanding, single-storey homes appropriately sized for families, averaging 400-600 square metres.

There is a small percentage of apartment style housing closer to the city providing an option for those that prefer inner-city living

“A large selection of quality schools are available in Adelaide including government, private, religious and independent schools. The schooling system in South Australia starts children in reception (kindergarten equivalent) the year they turn five and goes up to Year 12. The Tertiary Sector is very well serviced by the three major universities and vast network of TAFE Facilities. To assist Defence families, Defence School Transition Aides are placed in a number of schools in South Australia, providing additional support for Defence children.

There are hundreds of community and private childcare facilities in South Australia, but unfortunately not unlike most major cities, childcare places can be difficult to secure and families are encouraged to source care options sooner rather than later. Currently, there are no Defence Childcare Centres in Adelaide.

Temperatures in Adelaide can vary quite a bit throughout the seasons. The summer months are the driest with temperatures ranging from 17-30 degrees, however in the peak of summer it can reach a scorching 40 degrees. For this reason most (but not all) DHA houses have evaporative cooling or some form of cooling. Winter on the other hand is much cooler, and often reliably wet, with temperatures averaging 8-16 degrees. The autumn and spring temperatures are relatively similar to each other with a range of 11-22 degrees.

The city itself is a hub of life and activity with several shopping spots and places to eat. There are also numerous sporting events, festivals and cultural affairs on offer throughout the year. When it comes to outdoor activities, there is plenty to do with walking tracks, biking trails and sporting fields in the 29 parks that take up almost half the city.

Just out of the city are Adelaide’s beaches. There is a laid back feel with alfresco dining at sidewalk cafes and markets, considered by some the best dining in Adelaide. A little further inland from the northern suburbs are the world famous Barossa and Clare Valley wine regions.

With such a large Defence population in Adelaide, there are lots of support services for Defence families. In addition to Defence Families Australia and the Defence Community Organisation, the Woodside Defence Family Association and North East Defence Community Group offer facilities and community programs such as a Community House, Craft group, Walking groups, playgroups and social clubs.

If you require any further information Defence Housing Australia can be contacted on 139 DHA (139 342) or located at 125 Port Road, Hindmarsh SA 5007.