Scottishmum

Hi Everyone,

We thought about moving to Australia last year but then put it off for a while. Well the time has come for us to start researching again so here I am, and I'd be most grateful for your help.

The sunshine coast has attracted us as most peeps seem to be happy there and not really a bad word has been said.

What are we looking for?

Well we have a nearly four year old who is awaiting a diagnosis of adhd, so we want a good outdoor lifestyle for him, if he's out the house and busy he gets in less trouble. Ideally we want to live somewhere affordable (we're not wealthy) thats within 10 - 20 mins walk of a good safe beach.

My husband is a panel beater so we would need a reasonable sized town that has a motor trade.

Good school is a must as although CJ is exceptionally intelligent, I imagine his learning difficulties will become more apparent when he starts primary school (he has emotional and social development problems at the moment).

I'm an office manager with book-keeping experience along with medical terminology qualifications and P.A. experience. I'd probably be looking to work part time while Cameron is at school.

Sorry so many questions and I'm sure no-one is going to just give me the magical place on a plate. But I'd really appreciate your input and links to any helpful websites would be great too.

Many thanks in advance, I look forward to hearing from you all

C xxxx

S J Jackson

Ideally we want to live somewhere affordable (we're not wealthy) thats within 10 - 20 mins walk of a good safe beach. Really depends what you mean by affordable - anywhere within walking distance of the beach will hold a more elevated price than housing which requires you to jump in the car when you head to the beach. What sort of house would you be looking for?? New or older established property?? Have a look on the property websites to see what the prices are like.
I am not in the motor trade but the Coast has numerous built up ares which would have panel beater shops. Would have thought that there would be that type of work but others in the motor trade would be better to answer that question.

Good school is a must as although CJ is exceptionally intelligent, I imagine his learning difficulties will become more apparent when he starts primary school (he has emotional and social development problems at the moment).
Plenty of good schools - both state and Private.

I'm an office manager with book-keeping experience along with medical terminology qualifications and P.A. experience. I'd probably be looking to work part time while Cameron is at school. Hospitals in Nambour - 15 minutes from the coast - Caloundra also and Caboolture (40 minutes towards Brisbane) and one in Noosa too I think. Also many medical cantres and private practises.

We love the Coast - think it is one of the best areas in Oz (compared to other places we have been) - but not everyone may agree - lots of expansion - some basic amenities struggling to keep up with the influx of people here. Clmate is great - occassionally too humid and hot in summer but we are getting used to it and we are more geared up for it now!!
Good luck with your plans to move.
Sarah

Scottishmum

Thanks Sarah.

We'll probably rent for first six months anyway until we get a feel for the place. We're not too bothered with older or newer properties. Not really sure how much we can afford, I can't imagine we'll be able to afford much more than a £10,000 deposit as we'd like to keep the rest for setting up our new life, car etc. From my research I think Ed will earn about $740 a week before tax and I have no idea whatsoever if I will earn much.

I suppose its just a dream to run down the road to the beach!

If any towns spring to mind peeps please mention them so I can look into them. I'm really grateful for your help.

Best wishes

C xxx

Scottishmum

Well from my research so far this morning, i've identified Caloundra as a very good possibility, it looks fantastic!!! Do any of you expats out there live in Caloundra?

According to Aus yellow pages it has 13 body repair centres in the area, so its looking better.

C xxx

jad n rich

Caloundra has some lovely beaches and beachfront parks, its also one of the cheaper housing areas. A lot of the cheapest houses tho are in estates and not a walk from the beach, a very easy drive tho.

You can sometimes pick up amazingly cheap rentals tho, right near/on the beach, obviously older houses and a bit in need of renovation rescue, eg were renting a 70's delight at Alexandra Headland for $300 a week we can roll out of bed into the surf. Amazing area, just about every facility you can think of within walking distance.

If your looking at realestate, you may already know it, but www.realestate.com.au is a good place to start by suburb.

annqldau

Caloundra is just the start of Sunshine Coast as such, which is why it is cheaper as not Noosa etc. but nearer Brisbane for when you need to go.

If you want to be nearer Noosa look at moving in land a bit as soon as you move off the coast prices drop dramatically look on www.realestate.com.au
and put in the areas around Sunshine Coast .

Scottishmum

Thanks for those replies, most helpful.

Can I ask another question? Sorry

Which areas can I consider to be within a 15 minute drive of Caloundra?

Thanks

C xxx

fishface

Hi we lived in caloundra for 6 months and plan to go back end of this yr. We lived in a place called kawana forest in caloundra 10 min drive to beach shops etc. Local school had one of the bet reputations on the east coast called pacific Lutheran. took from prep to yr 12. was public but fees were supported by Lutheran church and government. was about $250 a month.
Local good primary state school was called Talara primary school. had a really good reputation but we couldn't get our son in, many kids on waiting list from young age.
pelican waters is really nice area nr golden beach, little bit pricier, but can walk or cycle to beaches and main part of caloundra. currimundi and aroona are nice and iverdale lakes. For more house for your money little mountain and belvista is a little bit further out from caloundra but also nice. Kawana island the other side of caloundra is nice but gets more pricey again!! caloundra is a small ish place really, but with plenty going on, so nothing is too far away. only took us 20 mins by car to get to Maroochydore/Mooloolaba.
Please excuse spelling of places!!
it took us 50 mins to get to Brisbane and me about 40-45 to get to Nambour general. good luck, maybe see you there!!

Scottishmum

Thanks very much for your reply

Since typing that post, I think we've decided to initially rent in Mooloolaba with a view to hopefully settling in Mountain Creek, that way dh has a choice of all the body repairs centres up there as well as commuting into Caloundra.

Thanks again and good luck!

Catherine x

Budgie

If Caloundra and the immediate area are a bit pricey, try Landsborough and Beerwah (I lived in Landsborough for a year). They don't have as much going on as Caloundra, but they are much cheaper and quieter. They are only 15 mins inland from Caloundra and are on the train line to Brisbane. They're also really close to Maleny - a lovely place in the hills - and the Glasshouse Mountains national parks. Oh, and Steve Irwins Australia Zoo is just down the road. What more could you want? Crikey!

Rooksie

sounds good!!

k on its way!!

crikey!! 5 blue boxes!!!

S J Jackson

Seen a couple of advertised jobs for panel beaters in the Sunshine Coast Daily in the last couple of weeks.

Sarah

joeyballantyne

hey

we started off in redcliffe, margate to be precise and planned to live and work in brisbane. came up to reminisce in caloundra as had been here 3 years previously and thought hang on!!!! wanted to be like you and live/walk to the beach. margate didnt get a look-in, we cancelled our rental in rothwell i think and we gambled on being able to afford living and finding work here - i'm in education and unless someone dies you aint getting a job - and now we live very happily in pelican waters in caloundra

http://www.pelicanwaters.com/

http://www.caloundratourism.com.au/index.php

and for families its excellent. we can walk or ride to the nearby golden beach. pricey but we're just managing to get by and the lifestyles worth the hard work. caloundra has five beaches all great and different - golden beach for families and windsurfers, bulcock beach for families and fish and chips, kings beach for everyone and nice ice cream, then theres shelley, dicky and moffat beaches! if you're happy to walk for 10-20 mins then finding a place should be easy - mind, gets a bit hot sometimes walking 5 mins around here in summer.

not sure about beaches near mountain creek, but know some colleagues really like living there.

we have golden beach state school and caloundra city private school just down the road - theres also the schools in other areas posters have mentioned e.g. aroona. check:

http://www.caloundra.qld.gov.au/Comm..._directory.htm

our 4 year old goes to caloundra city - he's not quite adhd but he's getting there. for an outdoor/active lifestyle the coast is great, and easy to get around, as others have said from caloundra you can be in buderim/mountain creek in 20 mins, maroochydore/mooloolaba in 25 mins, 35 mins to noosa. so we have swimming at caloundra city aquatic centre - $11 dollars for 4 of us, beach free, beach parks free, just chillin by the sea free. driving the moutain (maleny) range or glasshouse mountain way - free.

visits to mooloolaba and noosa, free. we've been to christmas carol services on the beach, fireworks for australia day etc, all free. and all outdoors so our 4 year old can go crazy. and he does.

workwise - your old man should be ok, will need to register for Tax File Number etc, then might be worth registering at job network e.g. cadet, workdirections as you can use their jobsearch computers/reources for free! you will hopefully be able to get office/medical office work - say hopefully as qld a bit obsessed with certificates for this and that - theres certs here from keno workers - thats licensed gambling, and for hotel resort cleaning, to medical reception, teaching and training.

apply just before you get here or when you land. search:

www.jobsearch.gov.au
www.careerone.com.au
www.seek.com.au

good luck mate - time to get your swerve on...

Scottishmum

Thanks everyone, Karma on its way for those excellent replies!

Catherine xxxx

OMG How much do I want to live in Pelican Waters, don't think I can afford it though!

Rooksie

ditto