South Australia

South Australia is Australia's fourth largest State and offers all the experiences synonymous with Australia in one very convenient and accessible area. The capital city of South Australia is Adelaide, an elegant city that has preserved its heritage and links with the past and offers a wealth of experiences that are readily accessible from the city.

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South Australia is known as the food and wine capital of Australia and Adelaide is superbly equipped to provide the 'good living' tourism experience with which South Australia is so closely associated. Adelaide's food and wine experience starts right in the heart of the city with the National Wine Centre. Other food focal points include the Adelaide Central Market, vibrant cafes and restaurants boasting some of Australia's best chefs. Adelaide is also home to world-class events such as Tasting Australia - an opportunity to enjoy the best that South Australia and Australia has to offer in produce, food products, wine, beer and hospitality. South Australia's favourable Mediterranean climate provides thriving conditions for 13 distinct wine regions including: Adelaide Hills; Adelaide Plains; Barossa and Eden Valley; Clare Valley; Eyre Peninsula; McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek; Limestone Coast Coonawarra, Padthaway, Mount Benson; Wrattonbully and Riverland. South Australia provides about 65 per cent of the wines and 83 per cent of the brandy made in Australia and it is no surprise that kilometres of vineyards stretch over the valleys, plains and hillsides of the southern and eastern regions of the State. Thanks to the bountiful climate, South Australian regional produce reads like an international gourmet's shopping list: Adelaide for grapes, olives, olive oil, herbs and vegetables; Kangaroo Island for cheese, olive oil, chickens, honey, lobsters and marron; Barossa for olives, grapes, apples and pears, chickens and small goods; Eyre Peninsula for tuna, lobster, prawns, abalone and oysters; Adelaide Hills for venison, strawberries, cherries, apples and cheese; McLaren Vale for olive oil, almonds, yabbies, trout and venison; Limestone Coast for lamb, beef, crayfish and Atlantic salmon; Outback for bush tucker including quandong, lemon myrtle and bush tomatoes; Riverland for grapes, citrus fruits and nuts.

State Business Overview

South Australia has a rich and diverse economy spearheaded by a strong manufacturing sector. The State produces 50 per cent of Australia's cars, 65 per cent of Australia's wine, has a vibrant defence and IT industry, is a major agricultural and horticultural producer and has significant minerals and resource potential. Adelaide is the number one most competitive city for business in Australia and is number three in the world in its population bracket (500,000 - 1.5 million people). South Australia has a very supportive business community and a can-do approach from the State Government which works in partnership with the private sector through bodies such as the Economic Development Board.

State Benefits and Incentives

The Government of South Australia is very keen for more migrants to establish their businesses and live in the State. To demonstrate its commitment and to encourage more business migrants to choose South Australia, the Government has developed the Immigration South Australia program that helps business migrants successfully establish their business and live in the State. The Business Establishment Incentive Package provides a unique service with practical help and information and includes:

Exploratory Visit Support
Networking and Referral Service
Relocation Service
Business Orientation Service
Industry Consultancy Subsidy

The package is designed to help business migrants explore South Australia as a potential migration destination suitable for their business and lifestyle before they make their decision on their migration destination. The other elements of the package provide professional relocation support and a financial subsidy for engaging a business consultant to enhance your business.

State Sponsorship Programme

The Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) is the only agency that has authority to grant visas for entry into Australia. However each State of Australia can participate in this process through the State/Territory Sponsored visa categories. These categories provide the ability to attract and sponsor migrants who have skills that are of value and importance to the State.

Visa categories that require South Australian State sponsorship include:

Skilled Independent Regional (SIR)
State/Territory Nominated Independent Scheme (STNI)
State Sponsored Business Investor
State Sponsored Business Owner

Education

South Australia's main city of Adelaide is home to some of Australia's best learning facilities and boasts a world-class education system made up of a range of child care options, primary and secondary schools, internationally recognised universities, an extensive vocational training system and a wide range of specialised tertiary institutions. Adelaide's well-resourced institutions are at the cutting edge of many fields. For example, university and commercially-based research and development have generated internationally recognised advances in biotechnology, agriculture, winemaking, animal science and information technology.

Public (Government) schools

South Australia's public schools are administered by the Department of Education & Children's Services (DECS). These schools do not charge tuition fees, however a compulsory fee of approximately AUD $166 and AUD $223 (for primary schools and secondary schools respectively) is used to cover the cost of libraries, sports fees and books. The majority of Government schools are co-educational, and all public schools offer an innovative, advanced and diverse curriculum. For more information about public schools in South Australia please visit our useful links section.

Private (independent) school

Pre-school, primary school and secondary school are also provided for within the private school system in South Australia. The South Australian Independent Schools Board represents and promotes the interests of South Australia's independent schools, of which there are 89 member schools with a total enrolment of approximately 35,000 students. A large number of South Australia's private schools are affiliated with church groups and there are 93 Catholic primary schools and 30 secondary Catholic schools. These schools are overseen by the South Australia Commission for Catholic Schools. Private school packages can range in price up to AUD $14,000 p.a. for tuition and up to AUD $23,000 p.a. for tuition and boarding. For more information about private and catholic schools in South Australia please visit our useful links section.

Child care

There are numerous child care options available in South Australia, including child care centres, family day care, early learning programmes, occasional care programs, play-centres and out of school hours care programmes/vacation care. Before and after school care is also available in some centres and at many schools. There are no zoning restrictions applicable to child care centres, meaning parents that need the services of a child care provider can simply choose the one that best suits their location and needs.

Pre-school

Pre-schools in South Australia provide up to 12 months early education for children from the age of four until they start school. Unlike child care services, some zoning restrictions do apply with pre-schools (i.e. selecting the closest sites to your home address) and therefore it is important to check zoning restrictions with the pre-school first.

Primary School

In South Australia it is compulsory for children to be enrolled in school by their sixth birthday. Primary school education covers the eight year period from reception to year seven (usually from age five to 12 years) and during this time aims to develop particular skills by encouraging active exploration, questioning, talking, listening, reading and expressive activity. Additional elements of the curriculum include studies in languages, health and physical education, science, society, the arts and technology. For information on primary schools in South Australia please visit our useful links section.

Secondary School

Secondary schooling in South Australia covers the five year period from year eight to year 12 (approximate ages 12 to 17). South Australia's public and private secondary schools have a curriculum based on a wide range of subjects and special interests and boasts students whose achievements are up with the best in Australia. For information on secondary schools in South Australia please visit our useful links section.

South Australian State Schools Term Dates

Click here for details of South Australia's school terms.

Tertiary Education - Vocational and educational training facilities

South Australia has an extensive vocational training system which provides a wide range of specialised tertiary institutions. Many leading industries are based in Adelaide, including automotive, food, wine, IT and defence, and all of Adelaide's tertiary institutions have strong links with these business communities. There are eight government institutes of Technical and Further Education (TAFE) which provide over 300 vocational education and training courses designed to meet the demands of the workforce. For more information about institutes of Technical and Further Education please visit our useful links section. In addition there are over 200 private sector learning institutions that offer a wide range of accredited training programmes across a variety of subjects.

Universities

South Australia boasts three internationally recognised universities, each of which engage in collaborative research with South Australian public and private sector enterprises and are respected internationally for the quality and range of study and research opportunities they provide.

The three universities are:

University of Adelaide
University of South Australia
Flinders University

The University of Adelaide is the third oldest university in Australia and is consistently ranked among the top universities in the Asia-Pacific region in winning research funds. It is recognised as an innovative and forward-looking University that has major strengths in wine and food, biological sciences, physical sciences, information technology and telecommunications, environmental sciences and social sciences. The University of South Australia is the only university in South Australia to offer courses in medical radiation, journalism, physiotherapy, podiatry, marketing and other professions. The University has a distinctive research profile based on outstanding achievement in health, education, art, engineering, information technology, business and indigenous and social research. Flinders University offers more than 160 undergraduate and postgraduate courses and its campus is regarded as one of Australia's most beautiful. The University also has a high research profile and consistently ranks among Australia's top universities on a per capita basis for research spending and for the citation of work in professional journals. For more information about Universities in South Australia please visit our useful links section.

Employment

Key industries

South Australia offers many varied job opportunities in the private and public sectors across a range of thriving industries. These industries include healthcare, engineering, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), wine, bioscience, automotive, manufacturing, defence, services, medical research and hospitality. Manufacturing forms a key part of South Australia's economy with the motor vehicle industry being the largest single sector. Other major manufacturing industries include electrical appliances and equipment and base and fabricated metal products. The State also leads Australia in wine and brandy production and is a significant supplier of meat, wood, printing, cement and concrete products, iron and steel, and appliances and electrical equipment. Adelaide is also Australia's defence capital, with a strong cluster of defence R&D centres and associated companies, with a strong relationship with a fast-growing, niche-driven electronics industry. Bioscience is a rapidly developing new industry, with 50 new companies expected to set up in the State in the next decade.

Looking for work

Adelaide's major daily newspaper The Advertiser has a dedicated section advertising job vacancies. Wednesday and Saturday editions generally hold the most extensive employment section, however it should be noted that in general newspapers only contain between 20 and 30 per cent of all job vacancies and therefore should not be the only approach used when searching for a job. Jobseekers can also use the self-help job search services provided at a local Centrelink office. Centrelink offices have touch screens that allow jobseekers to view jobs on the National Vacancy Database. Employment agencies are also a good source for job leads and can be found in the Yellow Pages or the career section of local newspapers. The internet is also a useful resource and there are many sites that list job vacancies in South Australia. Furthermore, many large companies have their own websites, which may outline career opportunities or list job vacancies in their organisation.

Housing

Home ownership

Home ownership rates in Adelaide are high, with the majority of people either owning their own homes or on the way toward buying a home. Furthermore most people living in Adelaide are able to enjoy living in detached homes on their own allotments, many of which are over 700 square metres in size. On average over 60 per cent of homes in South Australia have three or more bedrooms and each home has less than three people living in it, meaning there is no element of overcrowding. Homebuyers in South Australia are fortunate that house prices are generally much lower than the equivalent home in other Australian States such as Melbourne or Sydney. For example, according to the Real Estate Institute of Australia, in September 2004 the median home price in Adelaide was AUD $262,000, while in Melbourne and Sydney similar homes were AUD $366,000 and AUD $475,000 respectively. And while Adelaide's housing costs are much lower than the eastern States of Australia, incomes are not. Full-time adult ordinary time earnings are 91 per cent of those in Victoria and 87.6 per cent of those in NSW (source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS-6302.0-May 2004) meaning your dollar goes further in Adelaide's real estate market. Flats, units and townhouses are also an affordable option for living in Adelaide, with the average cost of a two-bedroom property in this category being AUD $194,000 - much lower than the equivalent property in Melbourne (AUD $285,000) and Sydney (AUD $385,000).

Renting

Just as buying a home in Adelaide in cheaper than in other main Australian cities, so too is renting a home or apartment. For example a three-bedroom house in outer Adelaide generally rents for between AUD $150 and AUD $180 per week while a similar property in Sydney rents for AUD $210 to AUD $270 per week. A two-bedroom apartment in Adelaide rents for AUD $180 to AUD $250 a week compared with AUD $215 to AUD $300 a week in the eastern seaboard capital cities. Adelaide's daily newspaper The Advertiser is a good place to start looking for rental accommodation. Landlord and real estate agents place advertisements in the classifieds section, with the largest number of listings being placed in Wednesday and Saturday editions.

Transport

Adelaide is often referred to as a '20 minute city' where it is possible to reach almost any point of the metropolitan area within 20 minutes. It has a comprehensive metropolitan public transport system consisting of a network of buses and trains with integrated onboard ticketing facilities. This means it is a quick and easy place to get around, with bus and train services connecting all parts of the city and suburbs. In addition to public bus and rail services, Taxi services are also operated in many regional towns and cities. Taxis provide 24 hour, door to door transport services and charge fares according to distance travelled. For those inclined to use their feet as transport, the metropolitan area of Adelaide is quite spread out and while most things are in walking distance around the central business district, it is advisable to check how far you need to go and how long it will take you.

Population

South Australia has a population of just over 1.5 million, of which 1.2 million are based in Adelaide. Mount Gambier and Whyalla are South Australia's next largest cities with a population of approximately 23,000 each. South Australia has an extremely low population density, reflecting its vast inland arid and semi-arid areas that do not sustain large cities or towns.

Climate

South Australia enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate consisting of hot dry summers with relatively mild nights and cool winters. Adelaide's average daily maximum temperature in January (summer) is 29'C. In July (winter) the average temperature is 15'C. South Australia is the driest of the Australian States with an average annual rainfall of 528 mm. Most rainfall occurs during May to August and over 80 per cent of South Australia receives an average of less than 250 mm of rain a year.

Time zone

Adelaide is + 9.5 hours GMT and + 10.5 hours GMT during daylight savings time (summer time).

Geography

The wine country valleys of South Australia are only the beginning to the stunning landscape of the State. Southern areas of the State are dominated by rugged coastlines with dramatic peninsulas and isles whose cliff faces offer a wild backdrop to pristine beaches. Hugging the coastline and interspersed throughout the State are a glut of dense forests within national parks and nature reserves. Many of the lusher areas are due to the sustaining effects of the rivers and floodplains. In distinct contrast, the arid featureless expanse of the Nullarbor Plain is offset by the striking beauty of pure white salt lakes, the rising mountains of the Flinders Ranges and the dominating Remarkable Rocks - monoliths weathered by the elements for millions of years.

Major regions within the State

Adelaide Hills

Close to the capital but still country, the Adelaide Hills Region is renowned for its scenic beauty. The Hills are also home to 70,000 people and support a thriving business community.

Barossa Valley

a picturesque area of Germanic townships and Australia's premier wine-producing region.

Ceduna

Located 786 km from Adelaide, Ceduna is the last major town you go through before you crossing the Nullarbor Plain from east to west.

Clare Valley

An area renowned for its prize-winning table wines.

Eyre

Agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and tourism are flourishing in this western region of unspoilt coasts, remote rugged interiors and vast open plains.

Fleurieu Region

The Fleurieu Region, just 52 km from Adelaide, is one of South Australia's most popular tourist areas.

Flinders Ranges National Park

Forming part of a mountain chain which extends for 430 km, the Flinders Ranges consists of spectacular peaks and valleys, providing a unique contrast between the dry, stony land and the richly lined rock-faces of native gums and wattles.

Kangaroo Island

Situated 120 km south-west of Adelaide, Kangaroo Island is the largest island off South Australia and the third largest island off mainland Australia. It shows nature in its wildest and purest form in a magical combination of sun and sea, native flora and fauna.

Limestone Coast and Mt Gambier

The Limestone Coast Region lies midway between the capital cities of Adelaide and Melbourne and benefits from the transport and tourism which flows between them. Mount Gambier is the regional centre and is built on the slopes of an extinct volcano, surrounded by the largest pine plantation in Australia.

Mid North

The Mid North is an extremely productive agricultural region covering an area of approximately one million hectares. It is renowned for its cereal crops and merino wool, viticulture, dairy and beef cattle, pigs, poultry and tourism.

Northern Adelaide

A growth area by any standards, the Northern Adelaide Region is bounded by the Mount Lofty Ranges to the east and Gulf Saint Vincent to the west. The region has a well-established, modern industrial infrastructure and service facilities with further industrial and primary production development planned.

Northern Region

From massive mining and ore processing activities to outback tourism, the Northern Region of South Australia offers a diversity of investment opportunities. Port Augusta is the major population centre, one of Australia's modern outback cities and the gateway to the spectacular Flinders Ranges tourist area.

Port Lincoln

With its sheltered waters, mediterranean climate, scenic coastal roads and attractive farming hinterland, Port Lincoln is becoming an increasingly popular tourist resort. It is the base for Australia's largest tuna fleet and is also an important export centre for lobster, prawns and abalone.

Riverland Region

The Riverland is Australia's major horticultural producing region. Located in the central east of South Australia, the Riverland offers cost-effective manufacturing potential, strategic location, a stable workforce and an enviable industrial relations record. Tourism and a comprehensive service sector blend successfully to give the region numerous investment opportunities.

Whyalla

Whyalla is a modern, well planned provincial city with a good shopping centre, safe beaches, fishing, boating and excellent recreational facilities. It is also a major contributor to the State's economy.

Yorke Peninsula

The Yorke Peninsula was originally settled as agricultural country before being put on the map with the discovery of a major copper deposit. The drive down the highway of the east coast is beautiful and is always within sight of the sea.

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