darren k

Does anyone live in Robina or Helensvale or anyone know if these areas are ok to set up home in? Going out on the 27th Jan staying in Sorrento first then looking at these two places for houses
any help welcome
thanks
Darren

steve`o

we live a couple of k out of robina in worongary
do you have kids ( thinking schools )

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...wloc=addr&om=0

what do you need to know ??

darren k

yeah steve o we have 2 boys aged 5 and 10, ps you are an expat legend you have helped me out alot on here what with the electrical license and that. The thing is I work on HV electrics in the substations and not domestic so still unsure what license to get for subbies, anyway back to Robina and this thread, what are the schools like and the family life , is there much to do as a family ect..?
thanks
Darren

sherie_in_oz

Helensvale high is meant to be the best state high school in the northern gold coast so helensvale primary is very popular

Having said that I prefer Robina shopping centre and the area around Robina as its more established but lots of brits live in helensvale and the area around so you have to visit and decide which is to your liking.

darren k

Thanks Sherie for the advice

steve`o

personally i`d try and get them into varsity primary we have friends with kids there and havnt heard a bad word said about it, our daughter goes to varsity college ( the senior school) and it very very good, you do however have to be within the catchement area

http://varsitycollege.eq.edu.au/wcms...o_i_enrol.html


regards steve

PaulandNic

AND quite hard to get into, or certainly get the subjects most kids want!

We tried to move ours from the Upper Coomera State College a short while ago as it just wasn't happening there, but altho the head of year said he could squeeze them in, they'd have to wait almost a year before they could study the subjects they wanted as already over subscribed.

They decided to stay put and daughter dropped out of year 11 not long ago, and son will leave too and do an apprenticeship once we get PR.

ONLY my opinion!!!!! ... but the UCSC is pants and did nothing for my 2. BOTH were doing VERY well in the UK and it's looking like BOTH will have left school without a qualification to their name ...

Sa la vie I spose!

sherie_in_oz

I am strong believer that you have to find the right school for the child, so suggest you visit a few and also for some you have to be in the catchment area.
We are in the robina catchment area but and our youngest 2 go to merrimac high and think its good, our 12 year old son desperately wanted to go there as he can do computer gaming as one of his subjects!!!!!!! so depends what you n they are looking for.

Carbery

I dont feel qualified to comment on Helensvale as I have only driven through it a couple of times. Robina is a fast growing, dynamic suburb which has plenty going for it - huge shopping centre, direct rail line to Brisbane, plenty of new housing, they are trying to get the CBD of the Gold Coast, new sports stadium and lots of over exciting developments. Despite all this whenever I visit Robina the same feeling comes over me - its Milton Keynes! Robina to me is soulless, architect designed ghetto which at the moment looks great but when the developers have left in a few years time I doubt if the sparkle will be quite so bright. Most of the affordable houses are on postage stamp size plots so that you can hear the neighbors dinner conversation and smell what they are eating. As for schools I can only recommend Merrimac High as our 16 year old daughter has excelled since starting there 18 months ago, and we have high hopes for our 12 year old boy who starts there in 2 weeks time. Robina residents - please disagree with me but dont abuse!

sherie_in_oz

Hi Steve, (Carbery)

Hope your business still going well.

Our 12 year old also starts Merrimac high very soon!

Have to say I like Robina, and the area around Mudgeeraba where we live, its has a more villagey feel, and on the edge of the country but has the convenience of Robina shops, cinemas etc for kids to go to.
Most of SE QLD is a big building development area because so many people are moving here from both interstate and overseas so lots of people do like it here

Sherie