Mamasita

Hi, all. New to all this so please bear with me !
We are hoping to move to Cairns in early August 2008. Visa's are all in place and house under offer... but contracts not yet signed.
Any advice any one can give me at all is welcome but in particular regarding good family neighbourhoods to live in and what documentation I will need to get a rental.
We were going to move nearer Brisbane and had scouted that location, circumstances now mean a different location and only have internet research to go on plus one visit to Cairns a few years ago.

Been recommended to speak to Bix da Boss- especially as from same part of the world.

wanderingwombat

Have a search for Bix's suburb listing.

Basically, the central part of Cairns is more expensive but convenient. Southern suburbs are cheaper.
Northern suburbs have beaches.
Commutes from north & south can be a pain (for Cairns) at times.

WW

Mamasita

Smithfield Village looks good- any knowledge ? My buyers have arranged their Survey today so all looking ghod.

rachaey

Hi, we are also moving to cairns in nov hopefully, just been granted visa, we have ben looking at the northern suburbs, Redlynch, freshwater, smithfield all seem very nice and reccomended by bix and my brother who lives there, apparently very nice schools and family orientated, also you may want to check out Kewarra and Trinity beach also look good. We are currently doing lots of reserach into different areas so would be nice to share info,

Take care
Rach

tripawaymars

Hi
I am moving today..just saw your post so just a quick note. I agree with other posts..South is cheaper but it depends if you want to be near beach or city..I have opted for Northern beaches but really depends whether you want to be near the sea or city..Smithfiled looks good..as is redlynch, brinsmead, trinity beach, kewarra beach..forest gardens to the south is a nice area.

i will post more once I get there and am settled..good luck with your plans.

Bix

Hi Mamasita

Why would anyone want to leave a place like Falmouth and head to Cairns ? No decent pasties ere me luver.

Some good info in this thread for rental documents.....
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ntal+documents

And if you didn't find it here's a thread with the suburb info.....
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...cairns+suburbs

Sorry Brisbane fell through for you but you won't regret coming here

That Bix da Boss person is from my part of the world too but I don't speak to them more than I have to. She's been so busy pasty making she probably hasn't seen this thread.

Kernow

Oh no!!!! not another cornish pixie coming over

Kernow

Gill Chuck us a pasty in the oven too .. Thanks bird
Troll

Bix

And how is sunny Wrexham ?

Bix

I know of 9 families scattered about Cairns and for sure there are more.

Won'r be long before we can form a Morris dancing troupe

Bix

G'day Mr.Troll

Took her a while to get the pastry right over here but tis a big success story now

Bix

Smithfield is a good area and is being expanded.

The largest Bunnings store in Queensland is under construction.
There is already a shopping mall but they are talking of building an additional one.

The village is going to be quite a large development.....
http://www.satterley.com.au/go/resid...hfield-village

My concerns would be:

1) The land they are building it on is cane field wetland. Will it flood ?

2) The village will border the local dump / recycling depot. Prevailing wind is
South Easterly = pong. Looks like there is a sewerage or water treatment plant of some sort close to the dump.

See the picture of the estate on the website. I've done a matching Google shot too.

rachaey

Hi Bix, Wrexham is wet and cold today with a few hale stones thrown in cant wait to come over, do you know what the schools are like at trinity and kewarra, cheers for all the info you give on here youre a great help when researching!
cheers!!

Bix

Haven't seen a hailstone for yonks


Mates kids went to Trinity - said he was happy with it.

The Kewarra one is Trinity Anglican School = TAS.
The White Rock Campus caters for students from our Prep program through to Year 12; the Marlin Coast campus serves students from Prep to Year 7.
I think it is the most expensive private school in Cairns.
http://www.tas.qld.edu.au/about.htm
Depending on your residency status it can be very, very expensive.

I don't have school age kids so my experience is just word of mouth from people I know or what I've read. I don't hear many negatives especially for Primary age.

Smithfield High - sketchy. Some good reports, some bad.
Cairns State High - excellent.
Redlynch St.Andrews Catholic - excellent.
Redlynch State school - good.
Bentley Park College - the pits.

Not conclusive by any means but may help a bit.


http://www.studycairns.com.au/

wanderingwombat

I'm sure Tjapukai is really worried about the impact your troupe will have on their tourist numbers.

On the other hand, Kuranda could benefit ...

WW