Dreams of Oz

We are looking to be over in Oz by March time next year.We have PR and have visited Brisbane April this year.
We know we want the Brisbane area but which suburb to choose is the question.
I have been looking at Caloundra,Kawana,Pelican Beach,Aroona,Belvisa,Little Mountain on real estate.com but wondered in this area if anyone had any views??
We would like to be near a beach and need to be within easy commute of a hospital because i need a job too!Any names of local hospitals in that area would be good too as im coming up with blanks.
My son is 10 and a good swimmer (county level) so maybe some names of local swim clubs would be good too.
Also , schools and Performing Arts colleges would be handy to be near.
Not too much to ask i feel!!!
Any advise would be great...or any hints on what to look at to find this out ourselves.
Thanks a lot.
Janice x

The Bloke

For starters, the areas you listed are nowhere near Brisbane. Are you sure you are wanting to move to Brisbane or to the Sunshine Coast, which is at least an hour and many miles away from Brisbane?
Also how far, ie time, etc from work etc do you want to be?
As there are many schools within reach of all these areas, including Brisbane, you may need to narrow your request.
You could try www.yellowpages.com.au
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/healths...byFacility.asp
www.qpac.com.au/education/ (Performing Arts centrally located at Southbank, Brisbane)
www.education.qld.gov.au/schools/directory/

Timber Floor Au

Good answers Bloke !

_________________
In the uk, studying an aussie map, sunshine coast is an inner city suburb or brizzy !! I oh so remember our geographical bumbling !

I remember speaking to a mate of mine, who had visited us from Uk, ... actually him and the entourage stayed a week or 3...

I was showing him the map, of QLD, and he was saying how far to eg. Toowoomba from you then... to which I found myself saying oh about an hour.

How fars that in Miles Ste, he would say... to which I found it hard to reply.

He then said , and gestured with 2 fingers, COMPASS fashion.. Toowoomba to Brisbane is that far, thank god its not a bigger map..

I said a bigger map, and it would take at least a cpl of hours !!!

pmsl.. he said FARK , Australia is BIG !


< at this point I banged my head on the table >

kevinbloomfield

Hi
All of those places are nice, to answer your questions:
Near beach - all of these locations are within 10 minutes of the beach
Hospital - there's a small hospital at Caloundra but the main hospital is at Nambour (15Km/s inland). They keep talking about building a super hospital at Kawana but they certainly haven't started it yet.
Swimming - Your son will be spoilt for choice, he can join the local surf clubs (and there's loads of them) and go in for competitions. He could also do the lifesaving stuff and really put his skills to good use.
Schools - We only know about our local high school (Mountain Creek High) and it is very good, the Mountain Creek Primary also gets good write ups on here. To go to either of these schools you'd have to live close by though.

Maybe you should look at Buderim and Mountain Creek as well as where you have been looking, close to the beaches, good schools, closer to the hospital (and the new one when it is built).

The Bloke

In the time it took to drive from Brighton(UK) to Bristol when I was over to see the UK rellies, which is practically coast to coast, I can drive to just past Wondai(in the South Burnett) when going to see my mother (2 hr 20 min). This is hardly any distance in Australia, as you know.

joeyballantyne

gday dreams

as another poster has said all these suburbs are nowhere near brisbane really - kawana, pelican, aroona, little mountain, bellvista are all suburbs of caloundra, caloundra being about an 45 mins - hour north of the brissie suburbs e.g. redcliffe, bracken ridge etc.

hospitals - small caloundra one, main at nambour which will take about 30 mins from caloundra or 1 - 1 hour 30 from brisbane. check out the links for qld health posted by others.

schools - loads, heaps, many many to choose from covering all those areas you mentioned in caloundra http://www.caloundra.qld.gov.au/Comm..._directory.htm

most have websites and you can contact them for brochures

sports -loads, heaps, even more chance to become the next sports superstar, as previous mentioned major swim clubs at caloundra and kawana, start with this link:
http://www.caloundra-aquatic.com.au/ - check out the clubs at the bottom of the home page

performing arts - i know this one is local, warana is a suburb of caloundra:
http://www.encorearts.com.au/index.html

you can google and i'm sure you'll get more small private places and theres also the qld performing arts college in brissie to try?

anything else???? i should get a job at SC Tourism i'm sure!

check this info:
http://www.pleasetakemeto.com/austra...st/destination

caloundra is beautiful, and many poms here, after a couple of years its still like being on hols - yes we work, and get up early, make the arnies, get the kids sorted to school, and come back knackered, get the kids sorted etc - BUT whilst doing all of this we can enjoy a pretty stunning place to live and work, and outside work hours its a pretty fantastic 'outdoor' lifestyle - as i write that the wind is howling and theres a storm coming apparently, but we've just come back from caloundra boardwalk to see the waves and the surf, its pretty rough looking as you can image but if you want a look check this link out for surf cams, and go to kings or bulcock:
http://www.coastalwatch.com/camera/c...dows&state=QLD

any more for any more???? good luck guys!

Dreams of Oz

Thankyou so much for your replies.
Yes i do know that Caloundra is about an hours drive from Brisbane...maybe i did nt make myself too clear.We want to be in the " Brisbane area " as a pose to the "Sydney area " or the "Adelaide area ". Does that make sense ?
We originally wanted to be just south of Brisbane....cleveland etc but no jobs for me are coming forward so i began to look further afield thats all.
Looking at maps is no good whatsoever as you all agree...everywhere just looks so close when its probably hundreds of kms away!
So long as you agree that these places are all nice areas with the vast majority of things we re looking for thats great.
I dont mind being 1 hour from Brisbane...although the city took my breath away every time i drove into it.
Any more comments greatfully received...keep them coming!
Thanks again to all who have replied already.

Sunny Devon

Good Afternoon Janice

We emigrated in September this year to the Caloundra area. Firstly it will take you in rush hour between 1-2hrs to get to Brisbane taking that there will be no accidents on the Bruce Highway. There are 2 hospitals in Caloundra one is Private one state there are also LOTS of agencies that are screaming out for nurses, Clinical one, OZ care, RSL care go on the web and search.
Schools there are state and private schools, we and our children picked a state school, Kawana State high school they take children from age 5 up to 17. They are situated right next to the local (and very good) aquatic centre where children come from miles around to practice for regional and state squads. The school also has its own Dance/Performing arts centre and a scoccer school of excellence. Discipline is very good and they inforce school uniform.
Any of the areas that you listed are good areas and they are close to the beaches maximum travelling by car 6 mins!
To get a rental you will have to be here to go personnally to the local estate agents.
If you want anymore lets us know. We have had no problems and love the area and the people.

Bradburns

Hi,

Sorry for butting in, me and my family are also thinking of moving to Caloundra. We live in Redland Bay, Bayside at the moment, but want to live by a nice beach. The Sunshine coast was where we were origionally supposed to go, but hubbys sister is in Redland Bay, so we decided to settle there for that reason. Is it really hard to find work up there? I can remember posting that question on here about 2 years ago and from the replies i got, seemed like there was nothing about. I have a job with Bunnings, and was told that you can transfer to other branches, so that shouldn't be too bad, but was thinking more for my hubby. He worked in the building industry in the UK, but is on a furnature making course at Acacia Ridge Tafe, so would preferably want something in the same sort of field, ie cabinet making. Where would you say is the best area in Caloundra and why? Thanks, Lisa

kevinbloomfield

Hi
I'd say there is plenty of work up here for a cabinet maker. On the trading estate that my business is located (Kunda Park) there must be at least 5 cabinet making companies.
Caloundra is really getting popular now, especially if you can afford a place near the beach (Shelly, Dicky, Golden etc). I reckon within a few years it'll be like Mooloolaba and beach properties will be out of the reach of most people. There is also a Bunnings at Caloundra so you will be sorted :-)
Less expensive places to look are Warana, Buddina, Currumundi.

Come up, have a look around - I'm sure you'll love it - we do

Bradburns

Cheers Kevin,

Glad there are plenty of cabinet making firms up there. You're in Mountain Creek aren't you? Is that also where your business is or is your business in Coloundra? Hubby will travel anyway. Thaks for your advice. Cheers, Lisa.

calNgary

Hi noticed you mention working at the hospital why dont you get your job from uk then you get your relocation costs, just state the area you wish to work GARY

kevinbloomfield

Hi
My business (iSolveIT) which is an IT business is based at Kunda Park which is between Nambour and Maroochydore.
If you were coming from Caloundra you'd hop onto the Bruce highway and go up a couple of junctions. I'm sure there's plenty of cabinet makers in Caloundra though
Kevin