Rick Goodman: How a year in Adelaide opened my eyes

SOON after I moved to Adelaide a year ago, I worried I’d made a big mistake. But a lot can change in 12 months — and now I love this city.

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SOME people tend to look down their noses at Adelaide, particularly those from Melbourne and Sydney.

They say there’s nothing happening here. They say the water tastes funny. They call it “Radelaide” (but don’t really mean it).

Rick Goodman in Adelaide with one of his furry mates.

I know because I grew up in Melbourne and lived in Sydney for a year too.

So when I told my friends I was moving to Adelaide, the reaction was often: “Why?”

Well, for work mainly. But I was also enthusiastic about the challenges and opportunities that moving to a new city brings.

On arrival, however, I had mixed feelings.

The streets felt strangely sparse to me. Rundle Mall was kind of like Bourke St Mall, only not as busy and the buskers not as good.

The supermarkets closed at five on the weekends and it was colder than I’d expected.

I barely knew anyone. I began to worry that I’d made a terrible mistake.

Sunrise over the city from Montefiore Hill in North Adelaide Picture: Dean Martin

That was a year ago, almost to the day. But as they say, a lot can change in a year.

As I walked along Cross Rd on my way home from the gym one night last week, reflective thoughts fell on me.

I thought about how much better Coopers Pale was compared to Carlton Draught (even if they called pots schooners and schooners pints).

I thought about the Hills and how green they were now yet how yellow they were in summer.

Then there was the madness of the Fringe Festival, where I saw everything from world-class acrobats to a guy with boots on his hands holding a giant pencil.

Not to mention the fact I was paying half the rent for twice the space and living closer to the city than I ever had.

I thought about West Beach, the Oval, the fancy way people say “dance” and the bloody Norwood Redlegs. How good!

Then it hit me: I loved it here in Adelaide.

Norwood's Patrick Levicki takes a strong grab in the SANFL. Picture: Tom Huntley

What had happened to me? Maybe it was the gym endorphins playing tricks, or the lack of sleep from months of early starts.

No, there was more to it. The quieter streets didn’t bother me now — in fact I liked them.

I no longer missed Collingwood and the 86 tram — why would I when I had the Adelaide Hills?

Half an hour in the car and I could be peering over waterfalls at Morialta, tasting tempranillos in Balhannah or staring down alpacas in Cudlee Creek.

I used to spend half an hour crawling down Punt Rd when I visited my parents.

So more than anything, I suppose my perspective has changed.

A few weeks ago I went to a friend’s aunty and uncle’s place in Macclesfield for a birthday.

We saw a row of kangaroos as we turned down the gravel driveway that was lined with branches that had come down in the storms.

The farmhouse was in a valley with a creek running through it. There was a horse and a cat and an old tree with a swing that I probably shouldn’t have gone on.

We lit up the biggest bonfire I reckon I’ve ever seen and we sat around drinking mulled wine.

That wasn’t the first Hills bonfire I’d been to, either, which I think says something about the people here.

Not that they always have bonfires, but if they do, they probably won’t mind if a vaguely-connected guy from Melbourne tags along.

There’s a sense of community here that the big capital cities don’t have — and almost all the people I’ve met have been damn nice.

Clever Little Tailor on Peel St. Picture: Simon Cross

So back to those people from Melbourne and Sydney who think there’s nothing happening here.

They can take it from me. Adelaide punches above its weight when it comes to night-life, food, events and all-round livability.

I’ve been to stacks of gigs and festivals and I love all the small bars tucked into the walls across the city.

Since they changed the liquor licensing laws a few years back, about 70 new bars have popped up across town like mushrooms after rain.

Meanwhile, lockout laws have all but killed Sydney’s night life and Brisbane looks to be heading the same way.

The crowd at Womadelaide in Botanic Park.

Sure, Adelaide has its fair share of problems. It needs new industries to replace the dying manufacturing sector. It needs young people to stop leaving and taking their bright ideas with them.

But I think Adelaide is a city on the up, despite what people might say. There are too many good things about life here for it not to be.

So I’ll just have to put up with the funny-tasting water and stick around another year.

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