2ndchancebritts

Anybody living or visited Arundel, Parkwood or Labrador Gold Coast suburbs, what are they like?
These are the area's we have chosen to look for our home.

devilishdean

we will be in Labrador the first week in May so we will let you know.
Stopping with my m8 for a few days and he has been there a few years now.

2ndchancebritts

That would be great, I will look forward to reading your post about the area when you return, have a good trip. Thanks.

devilishdean

Hi,
I wont be returning we are off for good.
Not having been to Oz before who Knows where we will end up..

2ndchancebritts

Way to go!! I sure you will live your dreams. Let us how it works out for you and good luck

Rob Morton-Jone

We have been renting in Arundel for the last 7 months and have now decided to buy here just by the golf course.

Lovely area, very quite...except for the birds

tinaj

All three are in great locations easy reach of everything. Parkwood and Arundel have much higher reputations than Labrador though. Labrador and Southport are 2 of the lessor areas that people refer to around here. They have lots of cheap old Queenslanders that are in poor repair and lots of permanent renters. This might put you off the area but it also means that places are cheaper and easier to find which may appeal.

Lots of money is being spent in Southport which is next to Labrador, to bring the area up. A few large high rises are going up and the apartments are not cheap. Predictions are that the area will boom in a couple of years and catch up with other suburbs.


Your choice but our catch phrase for Labrador is 'it's a dog of a place"

saoghalbeag

How random. My Nan and both aunts live on the Gold Coast (and have done since the 1970s). My Nan lives in Arundel, one in Parkwood and the other in Labrador!

Arundel is newer than Parkwood, is newer than Labrador. Arundel and Parkwood are in the vein of those 'new' types of Aussie suburbs (hmm, you may not know what I mean), can be a bit box-like - when my nan first moved there I was constantly getting lost trying to find her house because everything looked the same!! Bit like a maze. Arundel is a bit posher in parts. Nice Coles (supermarket).

I'd always thought Labrador was a bit dodgy but my aunt and uncle are fairly normal and they won't hear a word against the place. Both aunts have brought their families up in those 2 suburbs and think they are fantastic. Close to schools, shops, close enough to the beach. My aunt in Labrador is able to walk to the Broadwater but wouldn't be so easy from Parkwood. There's a large sporting complex near Parkwood and plenty of corner shops, as well as Australia Fair (shopping centre) nearby.

We all used to live at Runaway Bay before my dad moved us out of the GCoast to the sticks. Soon after the rest of his family made the big move too, but only got as far as Arundel (well didn't actually exist then), Parkwood and Labrador. They seem really happy about the location and could talk your ear off in support of it, so there must be benefits.

I lived at my grandparents house for my last year of College as they went away. I commuted to Brisbane every day for uni and used to drive through Arundel to the motorway - found it really close and convenient for that. Also close for work (I worked at Movieworld theme park) and also still just about 30 mins from the Beach or from Pacific Fair (shopping centre in Broadbeach that I prefer to Australia Fair).

It's growing pretty quickly on the Coast. My mum remembers learning to drive on Oxley Dve when it was gravel and mangroves.

I also lived at Mermaid Beach after leaving my grandparents. Maybe just rebellious youth but I always found the more southerly 'burbs funkier/cooller. I preferred to be on the beach. But property here is obviously more expensive and I had to give up a decent house for a crummy flat to have my beach.

I always loved the Gold Coast. Always so much going on. Would be great for kids, but my mum and dad thought differently and whisked us all away to the country (which is great for kids also), but we ended up with best of both worlds as we were frequently travelling into the Coast. It's really funny to see the impact environment can have on the outcome of a child - the differences between my siblings and I (the country cousins) and my cousins on the coast is quite obvious (but pretty superficial).

Anyway...I hope you like it. If I had to choose I'd go Labrador - although it's older the location is a bit better and there are still some funky older houses in amongst it (plus - and I may be wrong - houses cheaper?). Arundel second and Parkwood last. Parkwood a bit too boxy.

karenjc

They are all miles better than Chelmsley wood.

swissfabs

Hello! I live in Biggera Waters, which is literally accross the road (Brisbane road) from Labrador. I am one block from the broadwater.

Labrador as well as Biggera Waters used to have a dodgy reputation due to a lot of housing commission. It is much better now and still affordable. I bought a house a year ago and its value has now increased by over 10%. It is also easily accessible by public transport and they are planning to have "lightrail" going to Harbour Town shopping centre. My work is in the middle of Surfers and it takes me 10 min to drive there (usually - but they are building a new bridge between surfers and labrador next to the old one and there is a lot of traffic).

I also like Arundel and Parkwood a lot but I think Labrador / Biggera Waters suits my needs best as 1) it is closer to the water --> nice breeze in the summer and never too hot 2) close to the cafe district of near the water called Aqua.

Any of the 3 suburbs is also about 45 min drive to Brisbane which is fantastic as I do go there quite often for work. Lots of supermarkets, shopping centres (3 big ones literally 5 min away by car) and safe (-ish, as there are still houses being broken into, but thats everywhere).

Any question please feel free to ask!!

fabie