Vernons

Morning

OH has mentioned there may be a job going in Coffs Harbour. We are very happy on the Sunshine Coast and think it is beautiful but I am up for living in different places and seeing what Australia has to offer. Has anyone been to Coffs Harbour? What are your thoughts? Have done lots of internet searches and it looks great but always good to hear people's opinions. If we think we may go for it we will of course take a trip down ourselves but at this moment in time I would love to hear what you all thinkof it. I would especially like to hear from people who have been to Coff's Harbour and the Sunshine Coast so you can give me a comparison. Is it bigger/smaller? Quieter? Cheaper housing or more exensive? Friendly people? Similar climate to Sunshine Coast? How would you compare the beaches?

Thanks in advance to everyone.

mark937

just my experience, and only as a tourist, but we (family of 5) had worst holiday there ever! Once we'd had our snap taken with the big banana we were left twiddling our thumbs - bad timing with weather as very windy, mossies everywhere especially moonie beach, hinterland better with some good walks but we felt the town a little down trodden. Maybe its an area still developing? It would probably be different if your living and working there?

Vernons

Hi
Thanks I do appreciate all opinions, it helps to hear what people think, good and bad.

mark937

forgot to mention we live on the sunshine coast, we're happy up here definately wouldn't live down there although tweed/lismore area hinterland beautiful. People appeared friendly enough, area felt very 'dry' in comparison to up here, beaches were just beaches, moonie and emerald were very small, bit rocky. Town very small, needs money spent on it, reminded us of Fareham/Gosport in the UK.

mark937

wifes got some pics on her blog in the 2006 lot:

www.glittababe007.blogspot.com

mark937

the pic of the beach below the big banana isn't Coffs, its Byron Bay. Will try and find some of Coffs

mark937

here go.......

Vernons

Hello Mark 937
Thank you for letting me look at your wife's blog. It is fantastic. Coff's harbour looks okay but the Sunshine Coast is so much better and I now realise how lucky we are to live here. It is brilliant. I absolutely love being a primary school teacher so hopefully people will see this passion when I am supply teaching for them and who knows what will happen. Seeing pictures of your boys reminded me what this place has to offer and I can not wait to have a family of my own. Thank you for letting me share it. Oh and the photographs are fantatsic, your wife is very talented.
Michelle

mark937

we feel very settled. Had a rocky start in 2004, had to go back to UK to sell house etc Spent many weekends up here, just loved the Noosa hinterland from the moment we saw it, especially Eumundi, Doonan and Verrierdale. Made the decision to move up here very early on and stuck to it. They always need teachers at Eumundi and its classed as rural and remote? Its a beautiful little school, kids are very happy there. Teachers are very laid back, emphasis is on play, arts and culture. Our boys have learnt; that dressing in a grass skirt just for the hell of is cool, anyone can play a guitar and diggeridoos are great for waking up parents at 4am! When we went to look round, the teacher had transformed the classroom into the inside of an aeroplane! She'd put little round windows, put the desks in rows and even had a 'fruit' trolley for fruit time! It was so sweet. The focus was obviously on travel. They did a pay at the end of term about a family travelling to fiji, made their own passports and took turns to be the pilot (in charge of class for the day), trolley dollies and passengers! It was very cute and very fun. They got to dress up every day and flew their imaginery plane to all kinds of destinations! That was just one term! They've done so many other themes since!

Vernons

What a fantastic place! That is what primary school should be about. Yes children need to learn the basics but it is also equally important that they learn how to express themselves, to have fun and to be children! My previous school in the UK was very SATS focused. It was very regimented and there was no time to just explore themes and ideas with the children. I will send my CV to Eumundi as it sounds like a great place to work. Can you recommend any walks in Doonan and Verrierdale? We have not been there yet.

MrsDagboy

If you were left twiddling your thumbs in Coffs Harbour & surrounding area, there is something seriously wrong .


I know where I would pick & it wouldnt be the Sunshine Coast, but that's just my opinion .

Edited to add - I wouldnt be choosing somewhere to live based on anyone elses opinion anyway, get in the car & drive down there, its only about 6 hrs drive (we've just come back from a weeks holiday down there), it's not that far, go & look for yourself!

karenjc

Not overly impressed with Coff's Harbour. Stayed there on the way down to Sydney can't say we'll go again. Lovely place & all, small and not much to do compared to where we are now.
All depends what you are looking for I suppose.
Kaz x

Vernons

I did say in my post that we would go down and have a look before we moved there. We obviously wouldn't sell our house and change jobs based on people's opinions. It is just useful to have them when we have job offers to consider. So thank you to everyone for your opinions.

glittababe

Hi Michelle, just taking over from Mark's post! When you've got some time, pack a tent and head down south, it might be what your looking for. Definately put your CV into Eumundi school

http://www.eumundiss.eq.edu.au/

Our boys have so much fun, Aaron even got to name the new class chook (its ok, they have a mini farm and do permaculture and organic farming). Classes take turns to do the farming, they all grow little seedlings,plant then look after them and watch them grow (incidentally the chooks called Mrs Hairstyle cos shes got a weird shaped hairdo)! The teachers genuinely love the kids, class sizes are probably above the average (25 per class) but I think thats a state school thing!

Not sure about walks around Doonan/Verrierdale. Mark does a lot of cycling around there. We tend to do a lot of bush walking around Belli/Kenilworth area. Good cheap campsites there too. Hope this helps X

Vernons

Hi Glitterbabe
I am not sure if you remember but you emailed me some photographs of your container when we were thinking of shipping our own furniture. Well we are here now and absolutely love it. The Sunshine coast has everything we hoped for. Hopefully I will get my teaching sorted and then everything will be great! Your photographs are really good, enjoyed looking at them. Thnaks