David Marotte

An inspiring and connected state where you can aspire to live better!

Are you SA born and bred, or has it become home more recently? Tell us about why SA is home for you.

I was born and grew up in France.  At aged 21, I relocated to the UK and lived there for 5 years prior to relocating to South Australia. I fell in love with South Australia and Adelaide from the moment I laid foot there. Moving to Adelaide felt like a new chance for a better lifestyle as well as for new career opportunities. From the day I arrived, the people of South Australia welcomed me with open arms and even being far away from my home country, I never felt alone for one minute ever since.

Where do you spend your time?

I decided to settle near Port Adelaide by the Lefevre Peninsula and can easily spend days without leaving the area. Port Adelaide has an incredible maritime heritage and history, architecture, creative street art as well as a close and welcoming people community. Semaphore Road and its beach front offers the perfect Sunday walk around surrounded by your family and friends (and their dogs)! It is as well very convenient with work as I work in the Naval Shipyard, as well located on the Peninsula.

What do you do and why here?

I work as a HR practitioner, specialised in workers’ international mobility within the Defence and Aerospace industry. I was fortunate enough to be offered the opportunity to move to Adelaide, enabled by a knowledge transfer international mobility program between Australia and the UK.

South Australia is the leading state for Defence and aerospace industry, not shy of career opportunities. It is a very affordable place to live in and I was not surprised at all when it made to the top 3 of the most liveable cities in the world on the Economist 2021 Global Liveability Index.

What are your favourite things to recommend to people new to South Australia?

With the ocean located west of Adelaide, the beach front always offers incredible sunsets. When I want a glimpse of Europe, I love to go to the Barossa Valley and visit Hahndorf, a German settler town where I can eat some traditional German food. I stop as well by the Big Rocking Horse animal sanctuary in Gumeracha to spend some quality time with the local Australian fauna. Finally, if you decide to make your way to the Red Centre, stop by Cooper Pedy, the landscape there is nowhere else to be seen!

What is your tip for other locals?

Explore the city by trying a new breakfast place every weekend! I love visiting new suburbs across Adelaide or towns in South Australia to try their best coffee places. I can share some of my best recommendations if you want to!

Describe SA in one sentence.

An inspiring and connected state where you can aspire to live better!

What’s the best thing about living here?

Knowing that South Australia is the place where you can achieve your full potential with so many unexpected opportunities that are yet to be seized.