Kiwipaul

Got to agree Broardbeach is only 5kms from Surfers and it's like a different world, with few of the problems you find in Surfers. Also I'm thinking of moving down to GC and my personnel preference would be Robina (as I cannot afford Broardbeach). So different people enjoy different thing ( I cannot imagine living in a Queenslander as some people rave over) their is nothing wrong with that just different priorities.

So think carefully and visit the places before you make a life changing decision and maybe rent before you commit and buy a house.

debsy

I agree paul. If I was loaded I would live at Nobbys Beach/Miami - the beachside area is lovely.

scissors

Thanks ABC,we have looked a lot at bayside,and it might be were we end up going especially if the journey in is as easy as you say,you say ythe train runs from cleveland,is there a station anywhere else in bayside?

tracey.

scissors

Thanks for your help mrs dagboy and debsy,,no i wouldnt want to live right in the gc definatly to busy,we will of course have a good look round once we get there but i want to get as clearer picture as i can before we come,and i quess im trying to please all of us,i will be seaching the suburbs around the gold coast and i ll also look a bit closer at bayside i quess if kerry wanted to go somewhere more lively she could get on the train and go,i do go on the other site and have talked to some people in bayside but not many of those that ive spoke to seem to have teenagers,they mostly seem to have young children,doesnt bother me and kerry loves young children but she needs poeple her own age as well,hope you can see where im coming from.I would be happy going out for meals and brbys and all the usual thing that families do,so would kerry up to a point,but i think she would soon get board if there was no one her own age going to these things.

tracey.








iOTE=MrsDagboy]Tracey, I dont know, all I know is that I wouldnt live on the Gold Coast if you paid me (not even lots & lots of money! ) but then I dont have a 16 year old and im sure there are people who think the same about the bayside area. I guess it comes down to expectations, especially your daughters, as I said, if she wants glitz & glam, has a dream of being out every night partying, being able to shop in a million designer, surfwear & tourist shops & surfing every day after school then bayside is going to be a bit of a let down to say the least!

If however she would be happy with interesting things to do on weekends, sporting clubs & other extracurricular activities & classes (sounds dodgy LOL, but dont know how else to explain it) then she would probably be happy here.

As ABC mentioned, its only a 30-45 min drive into Brisbane CBD from this area & theres also a reliable train service if you need nightlife. I doubt that you would be living right in the tourist strip on the GC, so you'd have to travel to the nightlife down there anyway.

As for areas between GC & bayside, if you mean that are on/near the water & may fit your criteria - there arent any, sorry. Theres really only a small corridor of housing that runs close to the GC freeway & they are even more bereft of nightlife than bayside - think a dozen corner shops . You may be better off considering the Sunshine Coast if you dont think bayside will suit (although that has many of the same problems as GC, just not as glitzy)[/QUOTE]

new horizons

I cant comment on Bayside although I do know the Indooroopilly part of brissie and think it is a very user friendly place for families, restaurants and schools etc. I have "matured" so nightclubs dont have the thrill of the kill anymore like they used to. Definitely a spot I could settle into nicely. However so too is the Gold coast. Need to put some perspective on the term gold coast- it is actually well spread out and home officially to 500000 people. The beauty of the GC is that you can live close enough to have everything yet not too close to be overwhelmed by any of it. Have friends who have a unit right in the centre of Surfers paradise (the nightclub centre) and they love it but equally have friends who live in other parts and have a 10-15 min travel if they want to visit the night clubs. Restaurants are dotted all over the GC and so too are other nightclubs although the mecca for nightlife for teenagers still remains Surfers paradise.
As a pom who used to live right in the middle of Soho and haunted the nightclubs I can see what teenagers like but remember it is really only 10 - 15 mins from anywhere on the GC so you dont need to live right in Surfers P to enjoy the benefits. That also means you dont have to put up with the tourist swell unless you want to feel the rush etc. Plenty of beaches and other recreational places thruout the GC and lots away from the tourist tracks.
Dont feel you cant make long term friends on the GC - remember 500000 people live there and there is a great range of young , medium age and older age families. Same if you want to get into the social scene as parents - you pick what level you want. Join a tennis club and several surf clubs (read social clubs) and you will wonder how you ever had a free evening to yourselves. The GC is just one of those places that suits so many types but overall it has a vibrant fun overlay.
Do I sound a tad biased - yep I am - I love the GC and actually so too do I for the part of Brissie I know. If my kids werent in a crucial time of their schooling we would be there. Qld is certainly the thriving state. If I have confused you I apologise but I figure you need to consider every side of the coin. Good luck.

Jonahs_mummy

I understand what you mean but the suburbs of Southport are lovely and quiet......... what you have descrobed is basically Surfers! There is more to the Gold Coast than Surfers!

Jonahs_mummy

Hi Tracey

I will get in touch with Jimmy today & check its okay to give you his mobile number. Can't see a problem. BTW - he was Young Australian of the Year for Gold Coast & runner up for Australia the other year! (not that I am bragging or owt!) LOL

We are getting there - we have decided to go with an agent, not letting on who yet as I would like to get in touch with the one we have decided against to let them know, rather than shouting it on the boards.... you understand........

I have been to Gold Coast many many times as you know from our chat in London...... it is rowdy in Surfers - that I will not dispute, but the surrounding suburbs and the hinterland are beautiful & ideal for kids! If you want solitude but to be in reach of the liveliness of the city you could even live on Tambourine Mountain!!!!!!!!!


Love C
xxx

scissors

wow, what information, thanks guys i ll definatly check out these suburbs,this is gonna keep me up all week at this rate, i appreciate your honesty,i need to get a clear picture from all perspectives.

thanks claire,your a star, will you be coming to the xmas meet,if so i ll maybe bring kerry im sure she would love to talk to you about the gold coast.

tracey.

ABCDiamond

Here is a link to a map of the train station on our route.
http://www.citytrain.com.au/stations...north_east.asp

The dark line from Birkdale to Capalaba is an intergrated bus connection, not a train.

The last stop on the line is Cleveland, and I am pretty sure that ALL trains stop at all stations. It takes about 50-60 minutes from Cleveland to the City.

Most of the area has a pretty good bus service, even out where I am

If Cinemas are needed, the main ones near here are currently in Capalaba and Carindale, although they will have completed our 6 screen one in Victoria Point in about 12 months time.

Jonahs_mummy

Xmas meet????? Where??????
I would love to meet her! ;o)

C
xxx

scissors

Hi claire,sorry i forgot that you left earlier than we did at the last meet, some oof us that were left said we would like to get together a xmas meet and it was suggested that leeds would be a good central place for all of us,ive just put up a new thread about it,if you have any other ideas let us know nothing is decided definatly yet.

tracey.

scissors

hi, guys i dont seem to be having much luck searching these areas you have recommened,suburbs on the gold coast,could anyone recommend a site i could go on to search different areas and property rentals and sales for those areas,cheers,

tracey.

Jonahs_mummy

try www.coasthomes.com.au

thats the site for gold coast homes......


good hunting!

worzel

Doh! I have a heavy cold at the moment which is making me hard of thinking!
We drove all the way down the East coast 18 months ago but missed Bayside as it was the only time we went inland (Ipswich / Warwick). I still have a really uneasy feeling about both Adelaide (too quiet) and Melbourne (too expensive) so might seriously consider Brisbane / Gold Coast. It sounds like the best ex-pat scenes are over that way and in Perth. I am just a bit worried it may be too hot as we sweltered when we were there in early May which is just about mid-winter.
Not sure about a xmas meet just yet. We are telling Sam's family on the weekend of 27th Nov and my family the weekend after (though my Dad may not be there now). Am I right in thinking there are 2 meets, one at a Brewster in Peterborough and a new one in Leeds. Probably completely wrong, but like I say, this cold is turing my brain to jelly

scissors

Hi worzel, yeh there is 2 xmas meets,greedy arent we, be good if you could come along to one of them,if not and you want to meet up maybe we could arrange something else, cant remember where you live.

Difficult decision, where to live isnt it,when we first started out on this venture we couldnt decide on melbourne or brisbane,then decided that maybe melbourne weather might be to much like englandand decided on brisbane,and it didnt take us long talking to people and searching to decide on bayside,im just wavering a bit, only cos of our daughter really, shes got to be happy to for this to work,im just trying to search these areas on the gold coast but havent come up with much yet.

Good luck with telling your families,hope they take it alright.

tracey