debsy

Hi
Those of you that live in these areas - could you please give me some advice. We are thinking about settling in the Gold Coast but we could change our minds and think about the Sunshine Coast. We have two children (girls) ages 6 & 8.

My husband has been in the hospitality business (hotels) for years.

look forward to your comments!

debsy

oh dear no replies!

ohsohopeful

Sunshine if I had to chose but don't have family so my priorities are a bit different to yours.

Gold Coast a lot more built up and tourism related as far as I could see, but then that might suit you better work wise?

debsy

yes i think that you are right. He is going to send his cv to some of the big hotel chains when we get our visa

PeteY

Gold coast is indeed very touristy....

The sunshine coast is nice, and its alot cheaper if you are willing to live a little way inland. The coastal strip (right on the sea) tends to be pricey, well out of our price range anyway! Theres a small town/burb just inland from noosa on weyba creek.... name escapes me at the moment, but it seemed nice when we stayed there a few days and the house prices were reasonable.

I'll look it up when i get home.

debsy

thanks Pete - that will be interesting. I was thinking about living away from the beach.

Wendy&Mike

Hi
we move in 4 weeks, with 3 kids, and after visiting last year we have decided on the sunshine coast. We found the gold coast expensive, relatively crowded, very touristy and i felt like i would constantly feel like i was on holiday if i lived there. I found the sunshine coast less occupied, less touristy and much more affordable.
We decided on inland by about 20 mins, we may even come down a bit towards Brissy, after visiting the coast and inland as we think it will suit our lifestyle better.
Although we spent 5 weeks there last year we still intend to spend the first 3 months of our imigration in rented accomodation so we can have a thorough look around before deciding on the exact location to settle.
wendy

Jaykay

Hi Debsy

I lived on the Gold Coast for 3 years and I absolutely loved it. Lived in a place called Oxenford first, which is about 10-15 minutes drive away, just off the Highway (near the Waterpark). Place just starting to develop then. Then we moved to Carrara which is much more developed.

Both places were very quiet, leafy, and with large properties. If we wanted a night out it was only a 10 minute drive into Surfers and all the bars/clubs or over to Broadbeach if we wanted to go to the casino. Most places were open till 7am, and lots of eating places were open 24 hours (pancakes at 7am after a full night out were great!!).

Have now settled down with a 4 year old child and I would still enjoy living on the gold coast as there is so much to do. Even if you wanted to go to the beach, you can avoid the touristy areas by driving up to the Spit or drive down a bit to places like Kirra which are mainly deserted beaches.

We also used to do weekends at the Sunshine Coast which I enjoyed too, but found it to be much quieter but just as nice places, although not so much to do in the evenings.

We're moving back to Melbourne in September as that's where I was brought up and where my heart lies (also where most of the family and friends are).

Regards

debsy

Thanks Wendy - The info on the bond was great. What will you do when you get there?

Jay, thanks for the info. We have been to the Gold Coast but we stayed at Chevron Island. I was thinking about Robina, Nerang or Clear Island Waters (some of the names are great) .........or theres always Runaway Bay!!!!

We did go to the Sunshine Coast (Mooloolaba??). The Gold Coast seemed to be much more touristy. At the moment I am living in a tourist resort as my husband runs a hotel so we live on the beach.

thanks
debs

kaleb777

There is an 8 lane freeway between the Gold Coast and central Brisbane. The Sunshine coast has a 4 lane freeway to the northern subs of Brisbane then you drive through the surface streets to Brisbane CBD which is about 25 sets of lights. The Sunshine Coast is cheaper real estate wise, is slower, has more space, less tourists and traffic. The Sunshine Coast has a few built up strips spaced between areas where there are a few blocks wide from the beach. The Gold Coast sprawls from the coast back to the mountains and for 100KM up and down to beach. If you are going to live in the sprawl away from the beach you may as well live in Brisbane. The two are joined now anyway.

jayr

It's hard to say, depending on your priorities, but with kids of that age I presume you will be after the convenience of easily getting to shops and variety of things to do etc. I suspect the Gold Coast would be best for this and also has the theme parks for the kids and probably a lot more options for work (and probably better pay). Also easier to get to Brissy from Gold Coast than Sunshine. I prefer Sunshine myself to visit but if I was to live in one with small kids would probably pick Gold, then move later to Sunshine once kids grown up and gone!

debsy

I think that is what we might do jayr. We still like the Gold Coast' but if we are offered a good business opportunity on the Sunshine Coast we will take it.

Billabong

Debsy,

The Sunshine Coast is the area the aussies prefer. The few I've spoken to think that the Gold Coast is like our Blackpool

No offense to Blackpool!!

floweroscotland

Debsy,

i am moving to the Gold Coast in a few weeks, I have 2 girls 4 and 6, there are some really lovely parts of the Gold Coast and not all like blackpool, surfers is the busiest as its the heart of the Gold Coast, we are considering robina, ashmore or labrador, and have found some beautiful rental properties, at what i would say is pretty reasonable, roughly $250.00 a week, look at www.seqrents.com.au. What do you get in the Uk for this amount? if you look at one of my previous posts useful websites for Brisbane, you will see loads of web sites i have found for the Gold Coast, from schools www.education.qld.gov.au, to restaurants to jobs. If you need any more info let me know, as no doubt I will have come across it too. I think the Gold Coast would be ideal considering your husbands job prospects, and the kids would never be bored, with so much to do within easy reach!!!

Lisa

debsy

Hi Lisa
Hooray -someone else who is going to the Gold Coast We are leaving in Spetmeber. We came bak two weeks ago after validating our visa. We had a look around and we were thinking about buying property funnily enough in Robina or Ashmore! We are now looking at buying a business now and the business comes with a home so we will now have to live wherever we buy the business.

Please keep in touch lisa and let me know how you are getting on.

Debs