Housing and accommodation

In the Limestone Coast, the median house price for the quarter ending June 2010, according to Local Government Area was $229 000, compared to the State average for the same time of $355 000. There are certainly bargains to be found if you are looking to for your first home and plenty of residential or semi rural blocks if you are planning to build. Rental properties are available in all major towns and you can pay as little as $100 per week for something small and basic, to over $400 per week for executive living.

According to the 2006 Australian census, median housing loan repayments in the region were approximately $870 per month. The Real Estate Institute of SA has a useful website that records changes in median house prices – go to www.reisa.com.au or to search for local properties to purchase or rent try www.realestate.sa.com.au or www.mypropertyonline.net

In the Limestone Coast, outright ownership of homes is slightly higher than the State average, whilst numbers of home owners with mortgages are slightly lower than the State average.

Health

Our region boasts first rate medical services including public and private hospitals, a regional community health service, general practice surgeries and visiting and resident specialists. Ambulance services exist in all major towns. Mount Gambier Hospital is one of four major regional hospitals in South Australia and has a wide range of medical services available. Very small towns often have General Medical Practitioners on a rotational basis. If you are referred to specialists elsewhere, you may be eligible for travel assistance for visits. The Royal Flying Doctor service operates from Mount Gambier for emergencies.

Many allied health services are also available – these include dental, physiotherapy, podiatry, optometry and audiology.

Aged accommodation from independent living units through to in house high dependency care and home care is available. These facilities are supplemented by recreation and other support services for seniors. Often such accommodation is close by or co-located with hospitals.

Education and Child Care

A wide range of education and training options exist in the Limestone Coast that are well and truly on a par with other regional areas and major cities. As well as this, our region provides a safe and supportive environment in which to raise and educate children.

All major towns (in fact, even some tiny ones!) are home to either a State Government Primary and/or Secondary School. The region is also home to fee paying education facilities in the Catholic and Independent Schools sectors. All outlying schools are well-serviced by bus runs from surrounding districts. Most importantly, local schools also have a busy program of sports, physical education and special interest clubs for their pupils.

Kindergartens and child care facilities are available and are often co-located with other schools or school related support services. Family Day Care (home based child care), long day care, out of school hours care and vacation care services are also available across the Limestone Coast.

Access to post school education is available through a range of organisations.

TAFE SA, the largest provider of vocational education and training in SA, offers courses at its main campus in Mount Gambier and through learning centres across the region. Other registered training organizations offer training in forestry, transport, retail, hospitality and business.

The University of South Australia, through the Mount Gambier Regional Centre, offers undergraduate on campus studies across four disciplines. The Flinders University operate their highly successful Rural Clinical School, also out of Mount Gambier and Southern Cross University offer forestry studies.

In addition, most universities and registered training organizations across Australia offer distance education options which support students to complete courses through external studies.

For more information about training, higher education and education and children’s services in the Limestone Coast (including a list of individual schools and centres) go to:

Department of Education and Children's Services Limestone Coast
Association of Independent Schools of SA
Catholic Education South Australia
TAFE SA
Uni SA
Flinders University Rural Clinical School
Southern Cross University
The Good Universities Guide