Gee21

Hi

I am Irish and my husband is English we lived in Manly in Sydney for 15 years and moved 2 years ago to Sunshine Coast Mooloolaba. We have two young kids and like the qld way of life but I miss the city and find the Sunshine Coast very quiet and very different to living in Sydney. We are now tossing up whether to move to the Gold Coast as my husband doesn't want to go back to Sydney. I feel we would be happier in Gold Coast and live either in Southport or Burleigh heads. To me the Gold Coast seems like if you want to party its there and if you want family life it is there ?? Is there is lot of Irish & English there as I haven't met one Irish person up here and we have been here 2 years, we have met a few English who are all nice. Don't get me wrong it is a nice place here but I think just a little quiet to what we had before in Sydney and think maybe Gold Coast would be a bit more in the middle.
Can anyone give me any suggestions on where to live?? Where do a lot of the English and Irish tend to live?? Any advice would help.

moneypenny20

Can't help with the Irish but stacks of English and Scots GC is fab. As you say, whatever you want out of life it's here. There are a few irish bars - Gilhooleys on Cavill Ave in Surfers is the main one. We are at the south end where it is really beautiful - hills trees and beaches but quiet. But only half an hour from Surfers. Loads of English and Scots up the top end - Helensvale, Upper Coomera, Oxenford, Pacific Pines area. Diddy is in Southport which is busier than further out, but not as busy as Surfers.
We love it here and can't imagine being anywhere else but horses for courses, plenty don't like it although quite a few of them think that GC is Surfers. Quite like that attitude - keeps more for us

Any questions, fire away

Sattman

Raciamalist

Whats wrong with the Welsh ?

Gee21

sorry only put down irish & english because that's what we are. love the welsh went out with a mad welsh man at Uni from Portcawl (not sure of spelling) they made me drink snakebites and taling about racism the welsh were horrible to me till they found out I was Irish and then they all spoke to me they thought I was English and none of them would talk to me in the pub !!
So from a welsh person can you tell me anymore about GC do you live there whats it like ??

Gee21

Thanks for the info. Do you know anything about Burleigh Heads and that end of surfers or Mermaid beach etc. Quite like the look of that. I think Helensvale etc would be a bit too far away from beach and coast for us. I want ot make sure that the next move will be our last I think my husband would kill me if I said I didn't like GC and wanted to move again.

Budgie

Hi,

The Sunshine Coast certainly is very different to Sydney! I think you'd be guaranteed to find more Irish and Australians on the Gold Coast - though a lot of them would be tourists and backpackers.

Don't take offence, but why do you only want to mix with Irish and English people? What's wrong with Australians? Don't you get on with them?

Gee21

I really like Australians and have got some really nice friends that are Irish but to be honest thats all there is on the Sunshine Coast. It is just full of Australians and not many other cultures which I miss. I like to feel your in a multicultural area and feel that buzz. I have some great friends that are Australian but do like to have that English/Irish connection as well.

moneypenny20

Don't know much about Mermaid Beach or that bit, apart from all the houses in the real estate paper around there seem piggin expensive. Burleigh Heads has some lovely areas and good shopping and eating. All the way down from Burleigh is lovely. If you want to be nearer Surfers, but within 10 - 15 minutes of the beach Robina is nice. We are down the bottom and it's perfect for us. Right on the coast - Palm Beach and Currumbin are good too.

Are you looking at schools as well or is it just the two of you? Do you know where work would be?

jad n rich

Sorry but where are you mixing?? were on the sunshine coast and have lived in Noosa, Twin waters, near perigaian and alexandra headland.

We know people from NZ, USA, Mexico, SAfrica, Singapore, India, Thailand, Germany, PNG and Scotland. As for poms there are hundreds everywhere. Have you tried the pig and whistle up at maroochydore, it was bursting on st pats day and theres a gilhooleys in mooloolaba.

I agree a bit with whoever said whats wrong with aussies too? Sure many have made their mates years ago, but some are friendly.

karenjc

Where do you want us to start

karenjc

We find you do get a mixed bag on the GC. You find just walking around and hearing the different accents is proof of that. Why not come down for a long weekend as it will give you a little bit of a better idea on what and who is here.

VeeBeeBee

I don't really understand what you want. It sounds as though you won't be happy anywhere unless you bring Ireland with you. I've only been here for ten months and have integrated well. I've married my English school friend who has lived here for 27 years and can't wait for my provisional visa to become permanent so that I might become an Australian citizen out of loyalty and respect. Australia has allowed me to live here so I'd like to show how much I appreciate that. I miss people in the UK, but I've chosen to live here with the man I adore, it's what I want and I love it. I have friends whose backgrounds are different from mine and some that are similar. Even the Lancashire versus Yorkshire myth has been knocked on the head! Stop looking for Molly Malone and be happy with Waltzing Matilda. All this is meant in the nicest possible way. I live on the Gold Coast and recommend it. VeeBeeBee

moneypenny20

If you read all of her op, she says she really wants livelier surroundings but also wants a bit of home. Nothing wrong with that. You say you have some friends with backgrounds similar to yours as well as different. I get the impression that she only has the different and needs a bit of similar

Gee21

Thank you for sticking up for me. I wasn't saying that all I want is irish people and irish dancing , irish pubs etc. I love Australia always have, I have been here 18 years all I am saying is that Sunshine Coast has been a huge sea change from Sydney and not sure if I want a life this quiet when I am only in my late 30's and find there is very limited things to do up here with kids apart from the beach. I have lots of Australian friends and love the Australian culture etc.
All I have been asking on this website is a bit of advice about Gold Coast and what is it like and feel I have to defend myself with every reply.

Irish Aussie Teen

Not sure about where to live but we moved to the gold coast a few weeks ago and my mam's irish and my dad's english! where abouts in ireland are you from?we lived in galway but now we live in robina