floss

I am working hard to try to persuade my husband (He's Australian, I'm British, 3 Dual Nationality children) to move to Australia... fed up with weather, schools, HUGE mortgage, etc, etc here, just turned 40 & need an adventure (not enough grey hair yet??).

Hubby's open to the idea but we're looking to go back to his hometown of Brisbane - love the lifestyle but all he can remember is the heat and humidity.... So we are looking at the possibility of moving to Mount Tamborine - apparently the height and breezes make it just a bit less hot and sticky!? I've scoured all the real estate, council & other websites I can find, but does anyone out there know the area? I'm trying to fill in the gaps - we're off for a visit in August & I don't want too many nasty surprises !

For example, how long does it really take to drive down from Eagle Heights to the highway? Do the shops I've read about sell milk, bread and useful stuff, or just pretty arty nicknacks? Will my footie-mad son really find other kids to kick a ball about with? Are the mosquitoes worse up there among all the trees :scared: ? And anything else, useful or otherwise, anyone can tell me about the area? .....

Or, alternatively, is there another spot we should consider (commutable to Brisbane for someone used to spending hours in the London traffic!!)

Thanks for any and all input

Sue from Manchester

Had a day trip up there and to be honest there didn't seem very much there. Just gift shops. Nice trip up from Surfers. Someone who lives there will be able to tell you more.

Deadmeat

Just like Sue I've only been up there for a day (looking for wedding venues and wine tasting ... mmmm!), it seemed very touristy to me too although nice with it.

Seemed cooler to me based on my rough-guide pommy senses although I'd say it'd get busy with tourist traffic at peak times which would put me off of living there ... as would the commute to the city.

I'm based on the southside (yo! sounds like L.A.) about 45 minutes out of the city around Logan, I didn't choose the spot but I can't complain. It's not very hilly but relatively peaceful if you can get away from the main roads and the endless big-exhaust 'utes.

Good value too apparently since it's not seen as a fashionable place ... I've not been here long enough to judge but it beats the hell out of commuting into London from Kent for me

Good Luck with your decision!

Matt

Pollyana

Thought you were heading for the northside Matt? Either way, do you fancy finally meeting some of us? we'll allow the "odd" male on for a night out tomorrow

ABCDiamond

Have a look at this thread: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278238

floss

Around Logan/Jimboobah (?) looks fab on real estate websites... but a little bird lead me to believe this was the heart of the bible belt?!? Not sure what practical difference this would make, but scared me slightly!

floss

Brilliant - just what I was after - thanks

freckles

Hi,
according to a friend of mine who lives near the Mt Tamborine-Brisbane road it is pretty crowded and busy. He also says that there are a lot of bikies going up to Mt Tamborine every weekend, which makes it noisy and busy. Quite a change from the eldery population that apparently usually resides there.
Bugger hey? It was one our possible places to live too, but since my friends comments we have decided to look elsewhere. Probably best to experience it first hand though.
Good luck!

floss

Big bugger, yeah! bugger, bugger!
Found anywhere else that ticks lots of boxes?

Deadmeat

Jimboombah isn't that far away from me, it's on the way to Beaudesert, which I really like ... a friend of mine has a olive farm on a hill overlooking the mountains up there, totally idyllic if you can afford that sort of space and can, er, grow olives.

Not heard much from the God Squad here though ... plenty of "you are a God-forsaken **** *** ***"-type cussin' so maybe they are about

Plenty of Buddhist temples and related activity though ... a very peaceful and relaxing lot. All together now ... "Ummmmmmmmmm"

Deadmeat

I'd second the comments on the roads and the bikes (yeh, I know, based on my one day ... hey, you gotta start somewhere!).

But there are hoons around everywhere ... I'm a fair way from the main road at the moment but there's always a constant rumble of family-bean-can-sized exhausts in the distance ... ah well, can't have everything

Deadmeat

'ello Pollyana, nope, I was always heading here, for better or worse, richer or poorer, etc, etc.

'fraid I can't make any social commitments at the moment, the little 'un is a bit restless and I start a new contract job in the city on Monday ... 5am starts, lovely ... it's gonna take me a while to adjust.

But once I have I'll be hunting out a Hobgoblinfest

lesleys

The bikes aren't really a problem. Look closely at the riders - average age about 55. Tourists are mostly confined to Gallery Walk and not exactly rowdy.
We're retired on the mountain (is 56 elderly?), love the place, love the bikes. The hang gliders don't make much noise either. There are about 6000 people live up here - the tourists don't usually notice.

Lesley

floss

Thanks for that, Lesley - I was thinking of asking you what you thought of this but don't want to wear out my welcome!! We currently live near a place called Box Hill in Surrey - long road going up and down called "Zig Zag Road" - and it is! Huge numbers of bikers come up and down the main dual carriage-way, and congregate (quietly) in a cafe at the bottom. They must go up & down the hill itself, but in many years I've neither seen nor heard them...

Was curious about the tourists though. Years back I used to have a house in Fort William in Scotland - in Summer you couldn't park, and it took ages to drive anywhere for all the visitors "soaking up the views" and enjoying "photo opportunities". Not a problem unless you actually have somewhere to be and a time to be there by!!! Still, at the moment I live in a funny little hidden village which literally drowns in people on Derby Day.... but I like to be a local... so the Mountain does sound right up my street....

Final, unconnected question - is the insect life, particularly mossies, VERY much worse up there? Yes, I'm still a whimpy pom and I've always argued that there is no mosquito problem in the UK because THEY ARE ALL HERE EATING ME!!!

Have a peaceful weekend

tonyk38

I hitched from Coomera to Lamington National Park and passed through the Mt Tambourine area. I'd seriously consider this area to settle in because it's so brilliant for wildlife and there are some great remnant rainforest areas which are now protected in ickle national parks. Also the Lamington plateau is brill. Hmm, maybe I'll go and live there....

Can't say bikers bother me, whatever their age. They're generally nice people in my experience....