Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

Seriously looking at moving to Hervey Bay. It looks like 'paradise' with a laid back coastal lifestyle and with still very affordable coastal property. I have fallen in love with it by just looking at it over the internet. Am I just being romantic? Are there downsides to living there for a young family cos no matter how much I look can't seem to find any. We have two kids age 4 and 7 years. Have sought advice from the Australians who interviewed me and they highly recommend we move there due to it's range of facilites/ rapid growth/ house prices/ beautiful location. Looks like I am going to be offered a job in Hervey Bay or Maryborough (I am a social worker). Any advice about living there greatly appreciated. Anyone know of a similar type area with similar property prices for beachside locations but a bit nearer Brisbane (just thought I'd ask).

My OH is going out there next month to check out the Hervey Bay area (and some other areas north and south of Brisbane). Anyone in Hervey Bay able to meet with him end of April for a coldie would be greatly appreciated also.:thumbsup:

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

I think as a social worker you would know there will be downsides too.

Hervey bay has been discussed on here quite a few times, the search box will bring up heaps of threads covering many aspects.

If you want a quick summary.

Good, house prices lower than other coasts.
Quiet area loads of land etc to be developed.
Probably a great place when your kids are 4 and 7.
Pretty enough, average beaches but no surf, OK countryside but be aware of sandfly areas.
House prices are the big drawcard for many.

Bad, 4 hour drive from brisbane, may feel a bit too isolated after a while.
Not as many facilities as the other coasts, but all your basics are there.
Popular with retirees, a big chunk of the population, could be seen as too quite for many. Areas of high unemployment. Locals can be a bit 'country qld' in their thinking, not as multi cultural as say brisbane.
Would not be a place with that many opportunites for the teen, I think a lot of kids there would see it as the sort place you want to leave to see a bit more life.

One big thing will stand out if you viewed it compared to GC and SC, its much quiter and quite some distance from bris. That will be a plus for some, others a minus. Climate can be a degree or two warmer than GC etc.

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

It can be pretty wet in the 'summer'...

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology tells us that Maryborough receives 1152mm of rain each year on average. Much of it falls in Dec, Jan and Mar.

Melbourne gets 650mm.

Sydney gets 1087mm.

Manchester, UK gets 809mm.


All this said, the area is beautifully green and the winters are pretty perfect - clear skies and warm temperatures. Plus Noosa is only a short drive away if you're looking for a bit of glitz.

The bogans remark is justified.

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

I think the others have hit the nail on the head.

"Hervey Bay is full of tourists, old people and bogans" - spot on.

I was glad to leave after a couple of days, i remember 1 retail park, and a small town of about 20 shops on the front.
All the tourist head to Hervey bay to cross over to Frazer Island, other then them it's mostly the retired.
I would think it would be a bit boring for your children when there a little older.
I don't mean to sound negative about the place because it is nice, but just for visiting, if you want the laid back lifestyle why not head a bit closer to Brisbane, plenty of "quiet" towns with the option of catching a train into civilization.
I would think it would open more work opportunity's for you also.

Chris

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

I agree.

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

Thanks for all your honest opinions guys. Seems like you think there are more downsides than positives. Can anyone recommend a nice family coastal area nearer Brisbane and with similar houseprices to Hervey Bay. We are looking for a quiet lifestyle where the kids can be free and we can relax, be near the water and live affordably. Currently live in Glasgow and live a typical lifestyle of the "rat-race". P.S. can anyone fill me in on what a "bogan" is.:confused:
Cheers

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

[QUOTE=Pagani-Rennox;6064691]

"Hervey Bay is full of tourists, old people and bogans"

Quite clearly these people have not been there recently. Hervey Bay is full of young families. There is a huge expansion program going on and there was even another one announced last week to develop a large resort. There is also a large Marina expansion underway.

We drove from Brisbaine up to Arlie Beach and turned round and headed straight back to Hervey bay as it was so nice.

Last year saw the opening of Woolworths lagest store in QLD there. They would hardly do that if the town was not going to expand with future development.

There are at least 6 mini shoping mall areas each with approx 20 shops plus. That is without all the individual shops all along Boat Harbour Drive. We expected a one horse town but were incredibly suprise at the number of amenities.

Not as multi cultural as say brisbane, this is a great plus for us. Fed up with multi-culturalism!

There are buses from Hervey Bay & several flights per per day to Brisbaine and several flights a week to both Sydney & Melbourne. There are also trains from Maryborough.

We don't like Maryborough. We are from the South West of England and Hervey Bay feels just like home but with better weather. Everyone we have met has been helpful and very friendly.

As for tourists, you don't have to live right on the seafront and with global warming that would probably not be a good idea anyway.

This region is considered to have the 3rd best climate in the world.:thumbsup:

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

Lowlife, Chav, Feral, that kind of thing.....

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

Wow, thanks very much 'Ray2Gill' for your very encouraging post. The way you describe Hervey Bay is exactly how I have been reading it to be and was quite surprised and disheartened by the previous posts. We currently live a very busy life in a large city and are looking for a complete life change. Hervey Bay seems to fit the bill with all it's facilities/ rapid rate of development/ low house prices but at the same time still have a coastal lifestyle. I know there is an established elderly community there, but there is also there are four primary schools and 2 high schools so there must be enough families with children to fill the places. As far as I can see there is a college and University also. So it can't be completely a retirement community. We are not looking for a glitzy glam area with lots of nightlife - done all that when I was younger. Just want to be able to finish the day saying "wow just had an amazing day in an amazing place" after being fishing/down at the beach/cycling/ whale watching/ sea kayaking/ scuba diving :thumbsup:and above all spending real quality time with the kids. I know that Hervey Bay has loads of restaurants, bars etc so that suits me. Anyway hubbie is going to Hervey Bay next month to check it all out. So again Ray2Gill, cheers for your info, I now feel positive again as was starting to feel a bit dispondant after some of the comments of the previous posts.

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

Your thread title, did ask for the negatives, so most people gave them. I tried to be more balanced offering you both sides. Did you do the searches I suggested, you would see quite a few posts from people living there and 'lovin it' as the saying goes.

Personal experience, there is a fair bit of development there, we were offered a major project there but with boys 11 14 and 21 it was not for us at all.

Have two lots of friends there, both older couples, no kids in late 40's early 50's, they both hail from sunny coast and have made smart financial moves saving about $200,000 on their house price - reason for many peoples move there.

You can get similar (slightly dearer) house prices to hervey bay but very close closer to brisbane, similar water/beaches to hervey bay too. About 25klm from brisbane, woody point, another area is redcliffe. These areas were like hervey bay with a bit of a bogon reputation, now the councils are injecting mega millions into the beachfronts, development of luxury apartments, there would be already be 10 times the shopping of HB with more planned. A new highway link/bridge into the city and airport, already approved the currently very busy traffic will be cut dramatically, currently it takes about 30 mins. The area is much overlooked, we bought there to save commuting from SC when into the brisbane jobs, Great area, snapped up a little waterfront house at one third of the price of SC, councils about to spend 8.7 million on pier/ aquatic reef/ parks outside the front door:thumbsup:

I think being closer to brisbane than hervey bay, may not be an immediate problem, its after youve lived somewhere 6 months plus and youve done all the to dos many many times, thats when the locations proximity to other places becomes VERY important.

Good luck with it all anyway.

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

Thanks 'jad n rich' for your additional good info. Looked at Redcliffe too but lower beachfront houseprices in Hervey Bay has pulled us more toward there. I won't be ruling Redcliffe out though and have put down this area as one of my location preferences during my interview with Queensland Health. In fact, will go onto realestate.com.au right now and check out Redcliffe prices again. Cheers:thumbup: and thanks for your good wishes

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

[QUOTE=Pagani-Rennox;6066923]

If you go outside of Hervey Bay which is made up of I think 5 small towns which are now all joined together. There are some fantastic beaches, quite only a couple of people on them or nobody at all with little restuarants. You just have to go and explore.

We have always stayed at the Big 4, Point Vernon when visiting. The owners there have been really helpful. Told us where to go to buy palm treees at rediculously cheap prices etc. and locations.

Like you we have done the glitz and the night club thing looking for a nice quite location where there are lots of things to do like, walking, cycling, fishing, sailing etc.

Gillian

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

One could take offense you know:p

Re: Anyone got anything bad to say about Hervey Bay
 

Redcliffe is an older suburb, and there is either very working class bits or expensive bits (Scarborough boat harbour) there is not an in between, and personally I would not choose it as a favourable location to live. We lived there for a while when we first came here. Hervey Bay is nice, but a little isolated, but there are plans to develop it further and it is very popular with retired people. The beaches are very nice there though, but it does have an isolated feel. I was offered a job there myself and have spent time there, and we also go there to work at the shopping centre as well, so I know it well. You would be 4 hours drive from Brisbane and it's suburbs. It depends what lifestyle you are after. If you want beaches, then head north of Brisbane unless the Gold Coast appeals, as the bay does not really have any except Margate, Redcliffe, Brighton and Sandgate, as Stradbroke island prevents this from being a possibility. If you like clean modern suburbs, it may not be your cup of tea. About an hour north of Brisbane, Bribie Island offers a decent lifestyle. Woorim has surf beaches, the west side is not tidal. Sandstone Point is on the mainland and affordable. Mainly modern houses. Deception Bay I would not choose (for reasons which I am not going into at risk of offending people who may have a different opinion). I found the best thing about Maryborough was watching it disappear in the rear view mirror. Tin can Bay is I think isolated and has no facilities. We also chose against Bundaberg, Gladstone, Boyne Island and Tannum Sands as well. Once you get north of here, it gets hot and humid. Any more advice feel free to drop me a PM.