Nessy69

Hey, I’m looking to move my family to Hervery Bay some time this year. Kids 13 and 12 all needing change of life away from hectic schedules and stress. Hervery bay looks amazing.

Is it as good as it looks online and in you tube videos, as I’ve read some conflicting views but they were a few years ago.

Advice and help greatly appreciated xx

themerlin

Where are you moving from?

Nessy69

Hi, Were moving from UK. Currently live in between Basingstoke and Winchester in Hampshire in south. Fairly rural. Looking for quiet but with 2 kids heading into teen years need to know schooling and making friends and entertainment for them is going to be excellent. We own our own business so need to sell this first an then ideally looking to set up our own business in Oz.

Looking at Hervey Bay as hubby lived in Oz for few years 15-20 years ago and fell in love with Frazer and house prices still look pretty amazing in HB. We are desperately looking for a change of life, brighter and warmer climate and a better life for our kids. We have discussed doing this for the last 12 years but time never seemed right. With the events of 2020 we feel our kids will be paying for the impact for Covid for the rest of their lives here in the UK so no better time than now.

themerlin

I have only been to Harvey bay when visiting Fraser Island. I personally think it's far too small to live in. Normally cheaper house prices are due to lower incomes/ lack of jobs in the Area.

Fraser Island is nice and the area is good for boating, but that won't pay the bills

bcworld

Not sure what the kids will think. Hervey Bay is a retirement town with median age way in excess of the Qld average. I think the area suffers from consistently high unemployment and some social problems.

scilly

I have a cousin living in Hervey Bay, they love it. BUT they are retired, and living in a retirement community. As bcworld says above ............... the whole town seems to be geared more to retirement age. Not sure how teenagers would like it!

Fraser Island is fantastic, but ................

abner

Given your present environment is "fairly rural" and your hubby has direct experience of the HB area from the past, I don't think you'll be surprised or disappointed by how you'd find Hervey Bay today. Yes, there's a somewhat higher percentage of retirees in the local population, but they provide a bedrock for both the local community and economy. (To put it another way, the oldies on this stretch of the QLD coast aren't necessarily rich, but they're not living from deposit to deposit on the Age Pension either.)

Indeed, overall it's one of the more pleasant QLD coastal towns available, just beyond weekend-commuting "2nd-home" distance from Brisbane, and therefore still affordable.