Babsw

Hi everyone, just thought i would post how we found Brisbane after our reccie/validation trip.
We arrived in torrential rain and cold temperatures which the friendly taxi driver told us was the best news ever as it had ended the drought so altho we were pleased for Qld we couldn't help but wish it had happened a week earlier.That first night i have never been so cold, not having enough warm clothes and being tired doesn't help.
However things soon picked up, the next day was cold but dry and each day after that was hot and sunny altho it did cool down quick in the evening but still nothing to compare to UK winter.
We stopped at Brisbane Holiday Village in a family villa( like a big mobile home) and it was fine. The staff were friendly and really helpful, the cabin was fitted out with everything, not the most modern but very clean and it had all the basics needed. There was a lovely pool area, the only down side i felt was the shop, it had very little stock,real emergency essentials only but it didn't matter as there was a Westfield shopping centre fifteen mins walk away.We realised you could book here for a hol. and for longer term accomodation if anyone was looking for something while finding a rental.That worked out about $400 a week with your electricity on top. (I think!!)
Anyway we did the usual tourist stuff, Surfers Paradise, Mooloolaba,Movie World, Castlemaine XXXX brewery tour(?),South Bank beaches,ferry's on the river etc etc and it was all brilliant. Would recommend it to any one!!
Then came the serious part- looking for areas to live,we had Cleveland and North Lakes as two possibilities but had decided not to rule out any where until we had seen them.
We started off with Cleveland, loved the millionaires harbour area but unfortunately knew we weren't in that league so had to lower sights a bit but thought Clelveland was really nice. A mixture of old and new houses on big streets.Lots of green areas.Had a cosy feel to town centre, not too big or small, bigger serious shopping was close by at Capaplaba and every restaurant, bar etc you could want in vicinity.Even teenage sons liked look of Cleveland High so all was looking good.I liked the way it felt 'in the country' as well as close to the sea.Where we were stopping at Mt. Gravatt/Eight Mile Plains was very much city suburb and altho nice was very busy and you knew you were close to city where Cleveland felt much more rural.
So that was good and we set off to North Lakes.This was as different as you could get,everything was brand new from shopping centre (which we were told would be twice as big again when all building was finished) to the roads.There is building work going on everywhere which didn't bother us but i could see might put some people off.
There were new estates of beautiful looking modern houses, not as close to each other as i had imagined from the way some people have talked about the area but yes, they didn't have the land with them that older houses in other areas have.
Everything was very tastefully set out with lakes, golf course etc and you can see that the whole area is set to grow and develop into a massive area.There is a state school which our boys preferred the look of to Cleveland and a private school and we were told another primary school is going to be built.There were two child care centres for pre schoolers and numerous shops etc.
One down side might be distance from the city if you are working in the city centre but public transport seemd pretty efficient .
We felt North Lakes was for us but if we'd had to move to Cleveland I wouldn't be sorry either.We did like the Redcliffe area which kind of sealed it for us, Redcliffe, Margate, Scarborough area was somewhere we could picture ourselves at weekends,close to North Lakes,easy access and different.We felt we didn't want to be driving miles to get somewhere at weekends and Redcliffe ticked all boxes.
Anyway we are back in UK now and feeling very flat.The aim is to be back by Oct. so there is a lot to sort including work ,rentals etc but it has helped to give a clearer pic. about any thing and for us has confirmed this is where we want to be.

Russ_Sarah

thats a great post...

good luck with getting things sorted for october.

adamrc

Hi There

Great post. We too (Wife, two year old daughter and me!!) loved North Lakes. We are all vised up but have property to sell here in the UK. We hope to be there by early next year. Being the saddie I am, we did a rush hour drive from Brissie CBD to North Lakes last time we were there Feb 2008. It took about 45mins so not too bad.

We spoke to loads of people whilst out there and heard 95% good stuff about the area. Also we have family in Bribie Island so that helps. Lots of building work but so I hear from family the prices are starting to even off out there. So hopefully what we lose on our UK sale we will pick up a bargin out there.

Hope you get your wish and make it back for October lucky things!!!!!

suzyt

Loved your thread, we are going to Brisbane ourselves and have been surfing the web madly at all the suburbs, and we to seem to keep going back to the same areas that you have been looking at, i know we havent been to see them yet but they do seem to be family friendly, keep us posted with how you get on.

mo33

Hi, great post. We are off to BHV for a month in September. Have you any hints/tips etc to steer us in the right direction?? Any info would be much appreciated!

Thanks, Mo

Babsw

Best tip would be to hire a car as soon as you get there. Altho' BHV is well situated for public transport ( bus stop to city is just outside and the bus station is at Westfield) if you want to go any where other than city it is so much easier with a car.We booked with Andy's Auto Rentals at Logan through the reception at BHV and they came to pick us up at BHV and took us to their office to sort the paper work and pick up the car and they brought us back when we returned the car.
Make sure you get to see the parrots feeding, they are brilliant!!!!
Don't bother using the internet on the site, it is so slow we found our money ran out before it loaded. Go to the Westfield coz there is a whole load of comp. you can use in there.
Hang onto your one and two dollar coins for the washing machines and get in there early or late,there is a lot of older people who live on the site and its kill or be killed in the race for a washer......and believe me i found out poms on holiday come low down on the pecking order.
Have a great time,is this a hol/reccie or move for permanent?If permanent all good luck, we should hopefully be about a month behind you, we may even cross over as we are considering going back there for the furnished acc. until we get a rental.

Colly-Gill

Hiya Babs

Have been thinking of you and how you'd find Australia on your reccie. Great post . We are going out in Oct as you know and we plan on booking into BHV for the first 3 weeks, we're going to stay in the cosmo villa, which one did you book to stay.

Gillian x

jad n rich

Probably a very good choice.

The Queensland Sunday Mail had a full 2 page article on the Wood Point/ Redcliffe area and the infrastructure going in such as massive road upgrades into the city and airport.

In short the areas were named the best investment in Australia due to the massive amount being spent there, The doubling up of the Hornibrook bridge is well under construction already. Its certainly very under priced for beaches that close to a major city.

Check Woody Point area they have stared the New Pier and foreshore and parklands development, we bought there a year ago, fab area loads to do everything you can think of within minutes, massive shops, beaches, city, even an olympic ice skating rink within 10 mins drive

Babsw

thanks for that,we drove thru Wood Point and thought there seemed to be a lot of re developement happening in the area.I just felt very 'at home' with the whole area.
Just can't wait to get back there, kids are moaning coz we're making them go back to school for 4 wks before we leave,Hah!