wewantoz

We are thinking of settling in Palm cove, has anyone been there to give me their opinion ta

steandleigh

We live 'down the road' at Kewarra Beach.

Palm Cove has some nice areas to live, albeit at a premium for the "Palm Cove" price tag. Nevertheless, a good area, nice beach (although touristy at peak times), some very good restaurants and it's out of the way.

Within 5 minutes drive you have a supermarket, bottle'o, fishing tackle store (!), pizza takeaway, pharmacy, dentist, newsagent and hairdressers, all located at Clifton beach within one large complex.

If you have the available funds and it suits your lifestyle, Palm Cove might be worth investigating further ... all depends what you are looking for. Everyones needs are so different.

Good luck and have fun!

Bix

The Cairns Beaches District of Cairns: A Profile of the People and Place of PALM COVE The Place
Palm Cove is one of the northern most beaches in the Local Government Area. It is increasingly characterised by tourist accommodation, resorts, and restaurants. The beach has a stinger net enclosure and a jetty.
The People
Community characteristics
The population of Palm Cove consists of the following characteristics.
Proportion of Cairns population: 1.6%
Age Aboriginality (total) Language Other Than English (LOTE) @ home Born overseas Family type Other household type Housing structure Housing tenure Housing Costs Household income Schooling/ education levels Schooling/ education current activities Employment These community characteristics are different from the broader Cairns population in the following ways.

• Older than average population
• Higher than average proportion of the population is non-indigenous Australian born, and English-speaking oversears born
• Very high proportion of the population are couples without children
• Higher than average proportion of the population are lone person and group member households
• There are relatively low levels of detached housing, and an extremely high level of flats and units
• Lower than average levels of home ownership and purchase
• Higher than average costs of housing
• Higher than average incomes
• Higher than average levels of education, although lower than average involvement in current education
• Low unemployment rate
• Lower than average proportion of the population in the labour force
• Higher than average levels of people employed as professionals and associated professionals
• Lower than average rates of travelling to work by car, higher rates of walking, and other/ combination means

Community life Palm Cove has few 'community' facilities and services, apart from the stinger-net enclosure on the beachfront; but it does have a large number of user pays facilities and services. The life of the local community is affected by tourist activities, and the associated impacts of these. It is considered to be one of the more 'exclusive' residential areas in the LGA.
Sunbus provides a public transport service to the area.
Active formal community leadership in the area is provided by the local councillor, Sno Bonneau, and state and federal government members.
Community needs and priorities
Key concerns that affect local people include;

• Environmental quality of the beaches
• Balance between the interests of local residents and commercial interests (e.g. tourism)
• Housing diversity and affordability
• Amenity and streetscape quality

Council facilities and services
Smithfield Library Opening Hours
Monday - Friday, 10.00am - 6.00pm
Saturday 9.00am - 12:00noon

jond

I went to my Sisters wedding at a hotel on the beach. A great spot, but I don't know what you would do for work around there.

John

Bix

It is chiefly a holiday spot if not THE holiday spot of Cairns.

It's the outer lying suburb in the North but only 30 minutes to the CBD.
Port Douglas is also 30 minutes away in the opposite direction.

steandleigh

First noticed this and thought: "How can all of those residents afford to live in Palm Cove, when only 17.6% of them earn over $78,000 per year? Particularly when their council rates are higher?

Yes, plenty would be old timers who bought years ago and cheaply, therefore sitting on their investment ever since, but even so... Only 17.6% bring in $78,000 a year and that is nothing when you have a family, lifestyle and a mortgage in Palm Cove

Then I realised that the actual total figures for household income add up to 86.1% and are therefore squewed.

13.9% of Palm Cove residents who are declining to disclose their household income must be the big buck earners...

Bix

There are a few of the items that need some explanation to "missing" percent points but you're probably right on the earnings. A lot did not answer that question and they are perhaps the big wallet brigade.

I think the figures do generally give the correct impression though.
That of a tourist area with low home ownership and interspersed with retired people and generally more well off working people.

wewantoz

It does not sound like a suitable place for us, as we don't want to pay through the nose to live somewhere,I guess as it is touristy the prices will be higher. Also am a tradesman so need work.mmm!!......any suggestions ....palm cove does look bloody nice though !! Bix help !!!.

Bix

Don't get us wrong, Palm Cove is nice. There are more convenient and family friendly places though.

Below is one I prepared earlier
I make no bones about the fact I prefer the North side of town.
Easier access to nearly everything.


CAIRNS SUBURBS

Loads of personal factors come into play when deciding where to live and everyone has different criteria as to what is good and what is bad.
I have tried to keep this concise without too much personal prejudice but that is difficult as my view is coloured by - my view.
I could have elaborated but would that serve a purpose ? I’m not sure.
I do not pretend to know Cairns inside out and have a lot to learn about it myself.


BEACHES:
Palm Cove – Caters for holiday trade with seafront hotels, apartments and restaurants along the Esplanade. Very nice. Housing could be pricey. Away from the beach will be cheaper.
Clifton Beach – No Esplanade as such. New small shopping centre out at the main Roadside. No real holiday industry here. Expensive at the water front.
Kewarra Beach – More affordable areas. Large development taking place. Not much in the way of facilities but not far to travel to them.
Trinity Beach – A mini Palm Cove. Very nice.
Trinity Park – No beach. Water inlet. Big money going in here. Want to park your yacht at the bottom of the garden ?
Yorkeys Knob – Marina and small beach. In flight path.
Holloways Beach - Flight path. Mmmmmm not my cup of tea.
Machans Beach - Flight path. Poor reputation.

NORTH:
Smithfield – Being developed a lot. Big shopping centre just revamped. Smithfield Heights area is very good. Gateway to the Tablelands and Kuranda.
Caravonica – Some very nice new housing.
Kamerunga – Mainly rainforest type living. Pole homes.
Freshwater – Older but seems okay.
Stratford – Tipped to become the next Edge Hill.
Redlynch – Offers a lot. New suburb spread over several km.
Brinsmead – Old and new. Better stuff tends to be up the hill. Good.
Park Ridge – East is virtually millionaire territory. West can be pricey. Good.
Whitfield – Older leafy burb. Some good, some bad.
Edge Hill – Older leafy burb in excellent location and has a good reputation. Where the yuppies live.
Kanimbla – New burb nearing completion. Looks good.
Mooroobool – Prime example of where good meets bad. Some very good and some very bad. City Views within Mooroobool is where a lot of big money people live.


CITY SUBURBS:
Old and undesirable places to be living unless it’s in a gated apartment complex:
Aeroglen – Read airport.
Bungalow – Old housing meets industrial.
Manoora – Probably the worst burb in Cairns.
Manunda – Similar
Parramatta Park – Just made the news due to increasing crime rate.
Portsmith – Not much housing. Industrial leading to the port.
Westcourt – Bordering the main Mulgrave Road.
Woree – Same as Westcourt.

SOUTHSIDE:
Earlville – Older. Better stuff is at the back toward the hills.
Bayview Heights – Where the original money people of Cairns live – or lived ? Better at the back toward the hills. New development there.
White Rock – Lived there 3 months. Never again
Forest Gardens - New burb nearing completion. Some good stuff.
Mount Sheridan – Older leafy burb.
Bentley Park – Nicknamed Nappy Valley. Cheaper housing. Lot of development out the back where it is now adjoining Edmonton.
Edmonton – High velocity expansion. Will be the largest burb I would think in terms of housing stock. Plans to join it with Gordonvale which is a 10 minute drive to the South so that will be a major development with new shopping centre. Plans to build another town centre.
Gordonvale – Semi rural. Farming and cane field country. About to go big over the next few years.Gateway to the Tablelands.

Bix

And you can check out the official suburb profiles here.....

http://cairns.qld.gov.au/community/p...b_profiles.htm

Bix

Here's another take on it.
Mostly the same info.....

http://www.domain.com.au/public/subu...irns#mapanchor

steandleigh

That just about covers it!

wewantoz

cheers Bix I guess that does, will take a good long read at it now.....and come back and post later.

Nerine

Palm Cove is lovely, wonderful place to stay but more of a tourist / retirement place. You're probably better off looking at Cairns for work and facilities.

windog

We're in a rental at Trinity Beach and I would have to say in my opinion it's a very nice area....close enough to Smithfield for major shopping, enough small shops in a mini shopping area for quick stuff, and still a "quiet" suburb to live in. OH works in the hospital, just on the north side of the CBD and it takes a maximum of 20 mins to get there. The only problem we've found is that we put our kids in Redlynch school, as we liked the look of it , brand new buildings, with seemingly a good work & discipline ethic, but a nightmare to get to & from by bus! At the moment its not a problem as I havent started working yet, but it could take them well over an hour to get to & from when I finally get off my backside & start working!