Adelaide posting (and vent)

[Petal_339]

Just wondering if any Defence partners out there could shed any light on postings to Adelaide. We're about to move there with a (very) new baby and having not been there before am overwhelmed by the thought of trying to find (suitable) housing, childcare, healthcare etc. DCO seem to think it's most inconvenient of me to (a) be having a child so close to posting and (b) have any intention of returning to work in the near future ?!

[sharvs]

Hi there

I am from Adelaide, living in Brisbane now.

I can sympathise with you. We were posted from NSW to QLD when our son was 3 weeks old. I spent the last half of my pregnancy stressing about it.

We booked a DHA house really early last year. As soon as a decent one came up, we took it. That was one less thing to worry about. As for health care, I've never been to a CHN or anything here. With moving & everything, I never knew how to find one. I was never in a mothers group or anything either. I just found a local GP for DS needles.

We didnt get any help from DCO or DHA either. I was told that until my baby was born, it didnt exist to them. Oh, I should also add that DS was born 13th Dec & we moved the first week of Jan so most places were on skeleton staff over X-mas too.

Which base will you be posted too? I might be able to help once I know more. I'm from the Northern-ish suburbs.

Sharon

[DB&O]

Hi :wave: My DH is located at Edinburgh Raaf Base here in SA & we live in the Northern Suburbs. If you would like some info on what suburbs are like or where they are in relation to the base or anything just let me know, I'm happy to help if I can :yes: When we posted to Adelaide they didn't have any DHA homes available so we had to stay with DH's parents for weeks while looking for a suitable rental property that would take us & the two dogs :eek: It was a nightmare. If you are currently able to access the Homefind system I would check it out & if you PM me I can tell you what I know about the area, as for childcare ABC currently has the defence contract & so you can ring a special number (for Defence families) & find out about vacancies & if necessary put the babe on the waiting list. I agree that DCO & DHA can be of little to no help & so if I can help in any way pleas let me know:)
Ciao,
Brooke.

[Petal_339]

Many thanks for your support, it is very re-assuring and such a nice change from what I've encountered so far. I'm still trying to negotiate early access to Home Find but might take you up on the offer of checking out suburbs if/when that happens. We had the same experience of no housing available on this posting. I've rung the ABC national number and put our name down at Smithfield? Salisbury North? and Golden Grove? I'll be working in the city and am a little anxious that I may be commuting a fair way each day? Am constantly amazed at the unprofessional way that defence operates ?!

[sharvs]

Hi Petal

It is so overwhelming, isnt it? As for the Childcare centres, Smithfield is the furtherest away from the city so unless you are living out there, I'd suggest Salisbury or Golden Grove. In my opinion, Golden Grove is the nicest area. I'm not sure what married quarters are available there but if you can get in there you will love it. Salisbury & Smithfield arent the best suburbs in Adelaide (dont mean to offend anyone who lives there :) ) but if you had to chose between the two I would pick Salisbury over Smithfield. In saying all that, I know DHA are upgrading alot of houses around the RAAF base because of the new infantry unit that will be there in a few years.

If you were living in Salisbury/Golden Grove, it could take you anywhere up to an hour to get into the city (depends on traffic, of course) but the main hwy into the city in close to both Salisbury & Golden Grove.

Let me know if I can help anymore. All this talk of home is making me homesick!

Sharon

[tupper_lady]

DHA should give you a home find access to look pretty soon. When exactly are you moving? We just moved into our new DHA home and I mean 100% brand new. Also if you arent moving for a while just be aware that DHA wont hold any homes you see on home find if you arent moving within the next three months.

But they were great, very supportive and helpful. WE only moved from a privately rented place in Brisbane for which we were getting rent allowance into a new DHA home close to the barracks and was literally five minutes from our old house and we were paid $950+ in disturbance allowance.

I think when you get posted to a new location they help you in with priorirty child care access in any defence child care centre, employment etc. Also try and join some of the playgroups on base there if possible to start to get to know other ladies. If it is close to posting cycle it is easy to make new friends in that location as there are loads of families posting in and out.

Good luck, we have been lucky and have been in Brisbane for 12 years DH has been in, but I think our luck is due to expire soon as we have been told Canberra in 2008.

[Petal_339]

Oh you are so lucky - 12 years in one location !!! We've been married 6 years and this is our fourth posting and they've all been really big geographical shifts each time so that we've ended up criss crossing the country! You'll have to forgive my cynicism re: DHA we've just had such bad experiences with them and DCO that it does tarnish your view.

[tupper_lady]

Oh you are so lucky - 12 years in one location !!! We've been married 6 years and this is our fourth posting and they've all been really big geographical shifts each time so that we've ended up criss crossing the country! You'll have to forgive my cynicism re: DHA we've just had such bad experiences with them and DCO that it does tarnish your view.


That is fine, I am sure we just struck the nicest lady here in Brisbane! She was fantastic. We are in housing above our rank but because they offered it to ask we still only pay the lessor amount.

But 100% agree on DCO!! Bloody friggen hopeless every time I have personally needed them, like DH was in Timor and I went to RBH for emergency surgery and he was calling home for over 4 days not knowing where I was or what had happened because they didnt pass a message along. :banghead: