Sunshine Coast

Living on the Sunshine Coast

sunshine_coast_bannerThe Sunshine Coast has a population of around 330,00 people and is an area of Queensland situated on the eastern coast, about one and a half to two and a half hours drive north of Brisbane. As with the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast is an area with beautiful beaches and stunning hinterland, all in one.The Sunshine Coast Location

So what is the difference between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast? People in these parts can argue all day long about which is best but they’re both great. But they are different.

In a nutshell, the difference is that the Gold Coast is more commercial, it’s busier and it is the home of many theme parks. But if you like your beaches a little quieter, although not too quiet, go Sunshine Coast.

Right in the middle of the Sunshine Coast is my favourite beach, Mooloolaba. The towns of Mooloolaba and Maroochydore are so close together they are almost one. Between them they offer beautiful beaches, plenty of cafes and restaurants, large shopping centres and the beautiful Maroochy River.

Nearby, the “world famous” Eumundi Markets are open each Wednesday and Saturday morning until around 2 PM in the afternoons with over 1000 arts and crafts stalls selling their wares. Described as more than just a market, fabulous food and world-class music.

Another world-class attraction not quite within the area, probably about 15 km outside, is the Australian Zoo, probably one of the best zoos in the world.

The real beauty of the Sunshine Coast is when you’ve had enough of the beach, you are literally 10 to 20 minutes drive away from stunning hinterland. The scenic drive from Maroochydore to Mapleton via the Bli Bli Road is breathtaking. When you arrive, you can enjoy a relaxing beer in the historic pub whilst taking in the rolling hill views looking back towards the sea.

You could continue your scenic drive by taking in Montville and Maleny and even push on about 20 km outside the Sunshine Coast area to see the Glass House Mountains.

The Sunshine Coast may not be as popular as the Gold Coast but it is less expensive and still has plenty to offer.

What’s the weather like?

Sunshine Coast Annual WeatherAgain, being so close to Brisbane the weather is very similar to the climate in the city. So no need to worry about winter and like the Gold Coast, you can use the beaches all year round.

And it will come as no surprise that possible severe weather that may affect the area from time to time. Those looking to move to this area and concerned about flooding should do some research.

If you Google “Sunshine Coast flood hazard mapping” you should easily find the Queensland government page with that information. Unfortunately, last time I looked, Adobe Flash Player version 11.1.0 or greater needed to be installed in order to view it, and that particular software is no longer recommended due to potential security issues.

If you already have it installed on your browser though, then the map is certainly worth a look.

Here’s a map of the Sunshine Coast

Sunshine Coast Map
The Sunshine Coast can be broken down into three main areas:

Questions about Sunshine Coast?

If you have any question about living in Sunshine Coast, please please feel free to ask them in the comments below. Or if you know this city well, why not tell us what you think of it or maybe even help out by answering some of the questions people have about the area. I’m sure anybody thinking of moving here would be very grateful for any help you can give them.

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{ 532 comments… add one }
  • Kathleen July 7, 2022, 4:25 am |

    Hi. Planning a move from the US to SC. Years ago we lived in Sydney. Husband can work remotely. Our biggest concern is finding a great community with a great state high school. Love that Mountain Creek HS has an IB program but can’t find any people’s thoughts about the school or MC as a community. Advice on MC and neighboring Buderims Chancellor much appreciated.

    • BobinOz July 7, 2022, 6:44 pm |

      I have heard a few good things about Buderim and also Mountain Creek HS from a couple of people who moved there, but that’s not really much to go on. Hopefully someone who lives locally in SC will see your comment and give you a better answer than I can. In the meantime though, you could always check out my page Which Suburb?. In the article there are links to 3 different places you can go to to research suburbs. For example, Homely states that Buderim is the 22nd most liked suburb in Sunshine Coast and you can read reviews from people who live there.

      Also have a look at my page Which school? you will see a link underneath the video to a website where you can research school performances, and if you look at what it says about Mountain Creek and then click on the NAPLAN link, you’ll see that their results are a mix of close to average and below average.

      So if you play around with the tools on both those pages you’ll probably be able to find a suburb that ranks higher than 22nd and maybe a school with slightly better results, but, as I say, I do believe that Buderim is a good suburb and that Mountain Creek is also a pretty good school. Hope that helps, Bob

    • Mika August 25, 2023, 8:17 am |

      Hi Kathleen, we are planning to move to SC in the end of the year. I assume you have settled down there already. If so, can you please give me some information about Mountain Creek HS? Thank you very much!

  • Annie May 16, 2022, 5:44 pm |

    Hi Bob,

    Just come back from QLD, we from Bundaberg down to Sunshine Coast and stay in Coolum Beach two nights. Unfortunately there were rain everywhere every day we couldn’t even walking to the beachside! But impressed the beautiful beaches and endless national parks. Thinking to move to Sunshine Coast couple of years later but prefer to buy some investment over there now. Would like to hear your opinions where to buy is the best return now.
    Like your website very much!

    Looking forward to hear from you soon

    Annie

    • BobinOz May 17, 2022, 5:44 pm |

      Yes, you chose a bad weekend to go to Coolum, non-stop rain all through. Normally though, it’s sunny, very sunny, just not this year. Sunshine Coast would be a great place to retire, and lots of people do go there to do that.

      I don’t really know enough to give you investment advice, but my gut feeling is that you have missed the boat in terms of getting value, I think prices have soared over the last couple of years or so to the point where they now seem to be overpriced to me. If were to retire in Sunshine Coast, I’d almost certainly go to Mooloolaba, that would be my pick

      Good luck with your plans, Bob

  • Glen April 27, 2022, 3:54 pm |

    Are there maps available showing existing Fiber Optic cable or planned infra struct for REAL Broad Band? Many places do not have town water sewage but Broadband is ESSENTIAL tom living in the 21st century and is mostly none existent. I have visited the area before and a lot of the time you are lucky if you can receive tv because of the hills disturbing signal strength. Things like 5g don’t cut it because rain, winfd, fog disturb signal.

    • BobinOz April 28, 2022, 7:58 pm |

      I’m not sure there is such a map, but if you go to nbnco.com.au/learn/rollout-map you can search by individual addresses to see what service they have. When I put in my address, it tells me that I have “nbn™ Fibre to the Node (FTTN)”, which as you know is not the same as fibre right away up to my premises. I get download speeds of around 40 Mbps which is a long way short of full fibre to the premises speeds.

      Strangely though, that’s enough for me, I don’t have any problems with the speed of my connection, but there is a strong rumour our suburb will soon be upgraded and will be able to accommodate fibre to the premises upgrades.

      In fact those upgrades are happening all around the country, and if you want fast internet in Sunshine Coast, I think you will be able to get it. I found this article, you may find interesting…

      https://www.nbnco.com.au/corporate-information/media-centre/media-statements/nbnco-announces-900000-more-homes-eligible-for-fibre-upgrade

  • Lee April 11, 2022, 2:02 pm |

    Great website. I have exactly that question, where to live in Sunshine Coast. I will be posted there for approximately 3 years for my job and just now starting to look around via the internet. I like the idea of being short walking distance to open air café’s, restaurants and bars. It is just me and the wife, no kids so schools and quiet neighborhoods are not so important. I am leaning towards Mooloolaba. Looks like there are a lot of open air cafes on the esplanade. The overall scene of the beach and esplanade seems to be what I might be looking for. But I am also considering Maroochydore. Can’t really tell what the vibe is there by looking at the photos. I have also considered Noosa, but it might be a bit longer commute than I want. My office will be near the MCY airport. As far as apartments go, we are probably looking for an apartment rather than a house but I definitely want the ability to BBQ and enjoy hanging outdoors while at home. Any words of wisdom you might have would be most welcome.

    • BobinOz April 12, 2022, 5:08 pm |

      Hi Lee, glad to hear you like my website. If I were to move to Sunshine Coast, and maybe one day I will, then I would definitely go to Mooloolaba and by the sounds of what you’re looking for, so should you.

      It does have a good Esplanade with several café’s and bars, and it has much better beaches than Maroochydore. Noosa is nice but it is very touristy, and can get very busy in the summer, gridlocked cars busy. I think you will also have a wider choice for apartments in Mooloolaba as well, so you will hopefully find one with a decent balcony and a barbecue. So there is no doubt in my mind that Mooloolaba would be your best option.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Karen Whittaker March 12, 2022, 10:11 am |

    Hi all,
    We live at Moffat Beach which is in the Caloundra area and on the southern end of the sunshine coast. We absolutely love it here. Quiet; central to schools and shopping; 5 beaches around us and 50 minutes from here to Chermside, Brisbane down the highway. Apart from surfing at ‘Moffs’, you can standup paddle at Golden Beach or Currimundi. We think this is the VERY best place to raise a family and Mum and Dad have a lifestyle too. We live in a quiet culdesac with beautiful neighbours that are friendly. (unusual these days). We have to downsize soon and move which will break our heart but getting old and our house is too big for us now. Welcome to all who emigrate. You will not regret the move. Great schools, hospitals, surfing, beaches, hinterland etc etc.

    • BobinOz March 15, 2022, 5:14 pm |

      It is, without doubt, a beautiful place to live. Friends of ours moved to Caloundra about eight years ago from Brisbane, they absolutely love it. In fact all of the Sunshine Coast is beautiful, right the way up to Noosa.

  • Emily September 1, 2021, 5:30 pm |

    I am looking to relocate to the sunshine from the cold of Tasmania in the New Year! I love the sunshine coast from visits we have done previously and interested in your thoughts on suburbs that would suit a 41yr old mum and her 16yr old daughter. Safety, beaches but not full on busy would be ideal reasonable travel to cafes and shopping is ok. Suggestions….

    • BobinOz September 2, 2021, 7:43 pm |

      My favourite is Mooloolaba, Maroochydore is also quite nice. Have a look at the comments below as well, for example Ben likes Peregian Springs and there are many more suggestions in other comments going back.

      It would be quite difficult to make a bad choice on Sunshine Coast, it is so liveable and the weather is just gorgeous.

  • Taviene Kessler August 18, 2021, 6:34 pm |

    Hi Bob – I am a frustrated Melburnian sick of being in lockdown -and not allowed to work – (whilst I am from Qld originally its been years so know the suburbs would have changed heaps!) so am looking to move back to the Sunshine Coast and set up my remedial massage business – any suggestions as to best suburb to do this would be helpful please!! Thanks in advance!

    • Ben August 19, 2021, 9:39 am |

      We moved to Peregian Springs, which has a great community and is only 5 mins from the beach. Plenty of people living here have businesses operating from their homes. It’s inbetween Noosa and Maroochydore, so everything is close by ?

      • BobinOz August 19, 2021, 5:21 pm |

        Peregian Springs is a great suggestion, I like it there too. Mooloolaba is probably my favourite place on Sunshine Coast, and Noosa is very much the posh end of SC, which may just suit your business, but also very touristy. Don’t forget to donate your coats to charity before you leave Melbourne 🙂

  • Andrea May 15, 2021, 3:23 pm |

    Chiming in on this forum for 2021, anyone here still able to help with questions etc. looking at the move from Melbourne to Mountain Creek in December.

    • Andrea May 15, 2021, 3:36 pm |

      Super excited about moving you family of 4 up to the Sunny Coast however the market is on steroids at the moment.
      What’s the feel amongst locals up there. Is this hike in prices here to stay or will it settle and fall over the next year or 2.
      Currently we are sitting on fence with sell & buy now or rent ours out to rent up there for the intrim until this post COVID blitz settles.
      Also random question for a mountain creek local.. do mosquitoes tend to be a problem in this area, also wondering if the bush land boarding the suburb is dodgy at all. Such beautiful homes backing on to it but wonder about the safety aspect.
      Thanks all, I’ll have plenty more questions coming I’d say before we move.

      • BobinOz May 18, 2021, 4:47 pm |

        Hi Andrea

        Hopefully somebody local will help you out with your questions, but I think I can chime in a little bit as I visit the Sunshine Coast very often. I mostly stay in Mooloolaba, but I know that isn’t very far away at all from where you plan to head.

        Never had any problem with mosquitoes, not over and above the norm anyway. I’ve heard the school is quite good in Mountain Creek, and the hinterland areas are just beautiful. Sunshine Coast really is, as far as I can see, a glorious place to live in Australia.

        As for the rising prices of property, that has been happening for quite some time, but I hear it has been fuelled further by, and you will love this, people who are fed up of living in Sydney and Melbourne selling their properties and heading to Queensland, which they are apparently doing rather large numbers at the moment. Whether or not those price rises continue is mostly guesswork, I would think.

        Hope that helps, it may also be worth reading some of the comments already made on this page as you may pick up some interesting suggestions.

        Other than that, as I say, hopefully a local will help you further. Good luck, Bob

  • Jackie April 20, 2021, 2:41 am |

    Hi Bob thanks for all your great tips! My young family and I are moving up to the Sunshine Coast but I would love if you could tell me where the best primary schools are (public and private) Our first priority is schools then find a place.

    Many Thanks:))

    • BobinOz April 21, 2021, 8:10 pm |

      Thanks Jackie, glad you like.

      Well I’ve heard good things about Buderim Mountain State School, but only anecdotally. I really don’t know the schools in the area very well, so hopefully a local will see your comment and give you a better answer than I can. You might also want to do some research, my page Which school? can help you with that.

  • Neil Beckett April 11, 2021, 1:58 pm |

    Love the website! Such a great resource for people.
    We have recently moved from the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria to Hervey Bay, Queensland. It was quite a shock to the system and still trying to adjust to the warmer climate. Hervey Bay is supposed to have a beautiful mild winter in the low 20’s which I will love. Property prices are much cheaper here, but so are wages so Its all relative. I love Australia, we have had some bumpy times, but wouldn’t change a thing. There is a strong Christian presence in Hervey Bay which we love as our family has a strong faith. Hervey Bay is just a 2 hr drive north of the Sunshine Coast.

    • BobinOz April 13, 2021, 7:59 pm |

      Thanks Neil, glad you like my website.

      Hervey Bay most definitely does have beautiful mild winters, you can go ahead and throw out your coats and jumpers I reckon. Me and my family were there a while back, did a bit of whale watching, struck really lucky. Have a look at the pictures on this post….

      https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/28663/whale-watching-in-hervey-bay-queensland/

      I hope you get to enjoy your new home, I think you’ve made a pretty good choice.

  • Ray Thomson February 11, 2021, 11:04 pm |

    Wow Bob, a great service offering advice like this. Well done mate!
    I’m a Sydney sider who has dreams of living on Sunny Coast. I’m not yet in a financial position to move and it’s killing me, anyway, I am interested in either Nambour, Peregian/Marcus Beach areas or a little west of there.
    I need to be within 30 minutes of maroochydore airport due to my business and don’t want neighbours breathing down my neck..ideally local markets would be perfect also.. what do you say.. trying to predict a year or two into the future..?

    • BobinOz February 15, 2021, 8:17 pm |

      Thanks Ray, glad you like.

      From my quite limited knowledge of Sunshine Coast, I’ve been to the places you mentioned only as a visitor, I think I would go for either Marcus Beach or Perigian Beach. You can’t beat the sea breezes and it’s a wonderful drive along the coast back down to Maroochydore.

      That said, my opinion isn’t worth much, I think you need to live in a place to really be able to give advice about what it’s like. Hopefully someone who lives on Sunshine Coast will see your question and help you out. Also, I know there are a lot of comments here on this page, but it would be worth you skimming through them and reading the ones that pique your interest.

      Nambour gets a few mentions, I know one person described the place as too dangerous to live, full of druggies, and one or two others piped in saying that was nonsense. Make of that what you will. I think you will learn a lot if you do read the comments though, so it may be well worth you spending the time because, that’s face it, any move to a completely new destination is a big move and a big risk.

      Knowledge is power, as they say.

  • Gemma August 30, 2020, 3:31 pm |

    Hello,

    What can you tell me about Sippy Downs please? tossing up between there and mountain Creek area. Is sippy downs a good place to live or will there be more community in mountain creek??! Decisions decisions! many thanks

    • BobinOz September 1, 2020, 3:45 pm |

      Difficult for me to say, not living in the area, but hopefully a local will see this and give you better advice than I can. I’ve heard good things about the school in Mountain Creek and I think that suburb might be a little livelier than Sippy Downs, but I can’t imagine there is much in it.

      I don’t think you’d be going far wrong with either though, that part of Sunshine Coast is one of my favourite areas in Australia.

    • Ivan Colledge December 18, 2020, 11:22 am |

      Hello Gemma,
      This might be a bit late but it could also help others. Mountain Creek is a predominantly a quiet residential area with a small shopping centre and a school. It has nice houses and parks and at the edge is a golf club, and with good walks along the river. It is about 10 mins drive to Mooloolooba beach. In contrast is Sippy Downs which has two shopping centres, at the east end is the home to the Sunshine Coast University with a rapidly developing shopping centre, then at the western end is the Chancellor Park village with numerous shops and cafes, hotel, fitness centre, dog park, car dealership and a couple of big appliance retailers and many other facilities. It is conveniently located near the junction of the Bruce Highway and Sunshine Motorway and about 20 mins from Mooloolooba beach and shops. Both places have good medical facilities. I have lived on the edge of Sippy/Mountain Creek and find it a very pleasant place to live.

      • BobinOz December 22, 2020, 3:54 pm |

        Nice roundup Ivan, learnt a few things myself. Thanks, Bob

  • Nguyen Thanh Son November 24, 2019, 3:25 am |

    Hi Bob,
    Our childrent are 5 and 3 and we are going to move to Sunshine coast or anywhere in QLD in Mar 2020 excepted Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipwish, and we prefer sunshine coast to others because its weather and beaches; furthermore, objective is finding any kind of job in order to apply PR after 2 years stay in QLD.
    could you please give us any advices for our immigration?
    Thank you!
    Sean

    • BobinOz November 24, 2019, 5:47 pm |

      I would be happy to help if I can, but you would need to be more specific on the kind of advice you want. If it is where to live, then Sunshine Coast is a great area in which to live.

      Mooloolaba is a particular favourite of ours and anywhere near that town is pretty good.

  • Leigh Coombs June 6, 2019, 1:45 pm |

    Thank you for all the information in your site Bob, it has been our go to resource whilst we apply for our visas. We hope to be successful soon. Just to let you know there is (at the time of writing this) a broken link above on the “Flood Information Map” (sorry).
    All the very best
    Leigh

    • BobinOz June 6, 2019, 6:28 pm |

      No need to apologise Leigh, I appreciate you telling me about that broken link. I have kind of fixed it, you’ll see what I mean if you take a look at it.

      Glad to hear my site has been helpful to you with your research and I hope you secure your visas soon. Cheers, Bob

  • Nicole April 23, 2019, 6:55 am |

    Hey Bob , I am from New Zealand and my partner and I are looking at moving to the sunshine coast with out 3 boys, i have family in Nambour already but would like to know the best areas to raise a family? Great schools and great neighbours lots to do, I just want the best start for the kids as it will be a scary change for them!
    Thank you
    Nicole

    • Hannah Megennis June 21, 2019, 3:39 pm |

      Looking to do the same thing so would love to hear what you have to say on this 🙂

      • BobinOz June 21, 2019, 7:49 pm |

        Firstly, apologies to Nicole, for some reason I didn’t get a notification of her comment. So from what I know about the Sunshine Coast, I really like Mooloolaba and the surrounding area and I do know that the suburb of Buderim is well thought of and has good schools.

        If you go to the search function from the top menu of this website and then search for Mooloolaba, you’d see quite a few articles to read here.

        So that would be the area I would be looking in. Good luck, Bob

  • Edwina April 4, 2019, 10:02 pm |

    Hi,

    Can you tell me the best area of the Sunshine Coast to live by the beach and also private schooling , am from Melbourne .
    Thank you

    • BobinOz April 5, 2019, 4:59 pm |

      Personally, my favourite beach area on Sunshine Coast is Mooloolaba, but Noosa is very nice as well. Have a read of all the comments made below though, you will get a broader perspective by reading what others have to say as well.

      I have no idea about the schools, but my page Which school? might help.

  • roopali March 31, 2019, 11:52 pm |

    Hey Bob,
    i am from India and have got an invite to move to a regional are through visa 489. I am really nervous and worried as I do not know anyone in Sunshine coast and have no clue whom to ask for help regarding accommodation or jobs.Could you recommend a link or any group that helps immigrants with finding a house and job?

    • BobinOz April 1, 2019, 4:23 pm |

      Well, I haven’t heard of any such group that actively helps immigrants when they arrive here, but hopefully my pages Getting a Job or a Sponsorship and Cost of Buying or Renting a House in Australia will give you some help. Good luck, Bob

      • roopali April 1, 2019, 6:55 pm |

        thanks a ton Bob…I will check on the links you sent….and also I will keep troubling you for more advise 🙂

        • Claire April 17, 2019, 10:15 am |

          Hi roopali!
          There are lots of pages on Facebook like groups around Sunshine Coast, if you put that in the search bar you will find lots! Lots of people on there who live there with good information and social clubs you can join to meet new people when you arrive there!

  • Emmanuel Dos Santos March 21, 2019, 11:03 am |

    Hello Bob,
    I’m looking to move into Sunshine Coast, but I would like to know what is the region where are more restaurants/cafes/bars.
    Thanks fo the help

    • BobinOz March 22, 2019, 7:56 pm |

      I’d say that would be Noosa, but it is very touristy there and be quite busy during the holiday seasons. Second would be Mooloolaba, third would be Caloundra, so no surprises, they are the three biggest towns on the Sunshine Coast.

      It’s not an area brimming with nightlife though, it’s a bit more laid-back than that and not much will be happening past midnight. You need to be in a city for that.

  • Gemma January 29, 2019, 9:29 pm |

    HI Bob,

    Looking at movinh to the sunny coast…. Can you tell me a bit about Nambour please? 🙂

    Many thanks,
    Gemma

    • BobinOz January 30, 2019, 8:13 pm |

      If you search for ‘Nambour’ on this page, most browsers allow you to search for a specific word on a page, you’ll see there are at least 15 mentions of it. Alternatively, scroll down to October 11, 2017 and a comment from Fais, then start looking at the answers below that.

      There are some very different views from different people about Nambour, but either way, I think you might find what’s been said already quite interesting.

      If anybody reading this wants to add their take on Nambour we love to hear from you.

  • Leann Murray November 26, 2018, 11:17 pm |

    Hi there ,
    Your information and knowledge is so helpful to read . Myself my husband and our two children ages 3 & 13 are looking to emigrate from Dublin Ireland to Queensland. I myself have lived in Perth before and loved it . My husband works for BMW cars and has the opportunity to transfere over . We are looking at the area of Calhundra at the moment but any advice you have would be so much appricated . We are looking for a costly suburb with good schooling and family area , a good place to bring up your children. Where would you suggest would be a good place ? Thanks Leann

    • BobinOz November 27, 2018, 8:59 pm |

      Sunshine Coast is a great place to bring up kids, so I do highly recommend your choice. Caloundra is not bad, and of the three main towns in Sunshine Coast, it’s probably the cheapest for property. The further north you get, the higher the prices.

      In the middle is Mooloolaba, and I just love that place, and would highly recommend it. Property is a little dearer than Caloundra, but in my view, worth paying the extra. At least check out Mooloolaba for yourselves if you can.

      Furthest north in SC is Noosa, probably the most expensive for property and also it’s very touristy, to the extent where it can get quite crowded during holiday periods.

      So my choice would be Mooloolaba, and as for schools, I don’t know which would be best, but you can research it on my page called Which school?

      Hope that helps and good luck with your search. Cheers, Bob

      • Leann Murray November 28, 2018, 7:31 pm |

        Thank you so much Bob for your reply & advice it’s much appricated I will be sure to check out all the info you mentioned . Just another quick one for you we are having a total head spin with seeing which visas we need to apply for lol I read your link on the mara emergration agents on helping you with your visa application etc you think this is the best way to see which visa that we need ? And to go with the one you recommended on your page? Thanks
        Leann

        • BobinOz November 29, 2018, 8:32 pm |

          Yes I do, definitely. As you have found out for yourself, it’s a bit of a minefield and it can be very difficult to work out which visa or visas you might qualify for and which is best to go for.

          A MARA registered migration agent can work that all out for you.

          I do highly recommend my MARA agent, he is very good and you will get excellent value if you go through the Visa Assessment Service.

          Good luck, Bob

          • Leann Murray December 3, 2018, 10:37 pm |

            Thanks so much Bob
            Your help has been great 🙂
            Leann

  • Russ October 26, 2018, 9:34 pm |

    Hi Bob! Russ from the USA back again! I wanted to let you know I have been in Australia for 6 weeks now. I landed in Brisbane, but stayed briefly in Surfers Paradise. I was told to check out Byron Bay and headed there for a week. I really liked it there but school holiday made it impossible to stay longer. On a side note, if anyone reads this, you really must go check out Nimbin. Very friendly people.

    From there I headed to Mooloolaba and stayed on the esplanade by the wharf. I went swimming with the wales! I’ve done all sorts of things, but can say the weather has been on the cool side and rained quite a bit. I was told told to head north….
    I am now in Port Douglas. This is a fantastic place, not to mention the Daintree in your backyard! And snorkeling in the Great Barrier reef. The weather has been magnificient! I will report back but can say this area has been my favorite.

    I still like Mooloolaba, and am very greatful I found your site.
    I have been told flat out that buying an investment type property in ALL the places I have visited is never going to make money and the payback will be decades at least. That’s ok. If I come back to Australia, I would most likley return to Port Douglas and spend a fraction of the cost of buying for a nice 6 week rental. This area is definately a vacationland / retirement destination and tourism is the main job provider. I know they are looking hard for younger people to work in service type jobs up here.
    Russ

    • BobinOz October 29, 2018, 5:41 pm |

      Hi Russ,

      Well, I’m not surprised you are having fun, you’ve pick some absolutely beautiful spots to visit.

      Firstly, Byron Bay, I absolutely love it there. I have been many many times, and I’ve written quite a few articles about it, is one of them…

      https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/21631/the-alternative-lifestyle-in-australia-byron-bay/

      A couple of years ago, I did a road trip up the Queensland coast, from Brisbane up to Port Douglas. Only spent three days in Port Douglas, fell in love with it. I can easily see myself retiring there. Must be great having places like Cairns and Daintree on your doorstep…

      https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/22588/6-must-dos-in-cairns-and-port-douglas-a-queensland-coast-road-trip/

      And Mooloolaba, we go there at least twice a year, maybe three times for a long weekend beach break. So in Byron, Mooloolaba and Port Douglas you have probably picked my three favourite towns in all of Australia. And then there’s Nimbin, what can I say about Nimbin? This…

      https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/19724/nimbin-the-most-unusual-small-town-in-all-of-australia/

      Interesting what you say about property prices, because recently I’ve been looking at prices in Mooloolaba, and whilst historically they have been very steady, rising about 25% in nine years, in the last year they have risen by about 17%, according to my research. Sounds like they are going through a property boom, so it does happen. Probably fuelled by people escaping Sydney and Melbourne 🙂

      Glad to hear you are having fun, it’s made me think that perhaps I need another road trip myself. Take care, Bob

      • Russ December 14, 2018, 3:30 pm |

        Hi Bob, I finally made it back home to the USA after a 2 month long vacation! So, the very first thing I learned the day I arrived in Australia: Lite beer in the USA means reduced calories…..in Australia it means reduced alcohol! I had 4 of them at the pool before I realized the problem. Why Corona and Peroni are so big there I do not understand? Lastly, beer is damn expensive. The fact that you don’t have to tip 20% for meals and drinks makes up for it though.

        Regarding the real estate and the payback, I am hamstrung by the Foreign Investment Review Board, so I can only purchase a brand new property. If I could buy ANY property then that would make things easier… I had no interest in Brisbane or Surfers Paradise, but was told Broad Beach was the place to invest. That area was also not of interest to me as I want what ended up being like a Port Douglas setting. Byron Bay is built out, and unless you are Thor and have his $$$, that too would be a problem. I did see his mansion/estate being built while in town.
        Mooloolaba was by far the most built out on the waterfront / esplanade. I also found out that I had been mispronouncing it for 6 months as well. Moo-loo-laba is NOT the way to say it….lol But there were so many little restaurants and cafes. Char has a great steak, but also some really great Italian places as well.
        Port Douglas was also built out and it looks like they are playing smart and restricting new growth. As you know, the weather was amazing the entire stay. They have amazing restaurants there as well, especially seafood. I had a Thai style, wild caught, whole baby baramundi at a place called 2Fish. I went back and got it 3 more times over a month it was so good.
        On a not so nice note, there was a young woman murdered on Wengetti beach between Port Douglas and Cains when I was there. Looks like there hasn’t been any progress on finding those responsible. I think it’s the first murder there in modern times. Other than that, I could not be happier with my vacation. Weather was a little off for the first part around Brisbane area, but headed North cured that problem. Upon my return I have been seeing a lot of clouds on the horizon for the World economy. I am glad I was able to get over there and would love to return someday.
        Thanks again for your site!
        Russ

        • BobinOz December 17, 2018, 7:15 pm |

          Well, you’ve only got yourself to blame Russ with that light beer, you should have read my post Lights, Heavies, Mids and Schooners Explained 🙂 Glad to hear you didn’t drink them for the entirety of your stay, that would have really spoilt the holiday. Yes, beer is very expensive here, so it is very lucky that we do not have a tipping culture.

          Didn’t know if they still had that rule, sounds like they do, and I think they clearly want foreign investors in property to boost our economy by building new property and so creating jobs for our tradies. Byron Bay is ridiculously expensive now, and as much as I love visiting for a short break now and then, I think living there would drive me mad. It gets so busy at times and the roads can’t cope, you can be in gridlock just coming back from the grocery store.

          Ha ha, that made me laugh, I used to mispronounce Mooloolaba myself. We also have a suburb near where I live called Indooroopilly, I used to pronounce it in-doo-roo-pilly when I first got here, because that obviously made sense, but no, it’s pronounced indra-pilly. Much easier to say though.

          Yes, shocking that murder, and as you say, that sort of thing doesn’t happen often in those parts. Made big news here in Queensland and you are right, so far no one has been charged, although police do say they have several ‘people of interest’. Hope they catch whoever did it soon.

          Anyway, sounds like you pretty much had a blast while you are here, well, how could you not, you’ve visited some of the best places on our eastern coast. Hope you get the chance to come back again someday soon.

          Cheers, Bob

  • Paul bennett October 23, 2018, 8:42 pm |

    Where should we retire too
    We visit WA a lot and love a suburb south of Perth called Mandurah. Canal type homes
    But we’ve been told MOOLALOOBA or NOOSA across east are the places to retire too
    I did visit Brisbane some 30 years ago and loved surfer paradise and Noosa. But I’m guessing in the 30 years there have been changes we’re looking for beaches safety canal type home with jetty. Coffee shops nice bar. Restaurants

    • BobinOz October 24, 2018, 7:43 pm |

      I’ve been to Mandurah, only passing through on the way to Margaret River, but if I remember it would be quite a place to kick back and relax. We stopped for a snack there at lunchtime on the boardwalk’s overlooking the sea. Very pleasant.

      Noosa would be a lot busier and more commercial these days, I’ve been there quite a lot and it can get very busy with tourists. Property in Mooloolaba is cheaper, but prices have risen quite substantially in the last 12 months. We love Mooloolaba, but I couldn’t really say how it would compare to Mandurah.

      It’s really difficult to say which would be best, if possible though, maybe you should visit Mooloolaba and Noosa for a two or three week break to check it out over here? Then you can compare it with Mandurah which, by the sound of it, you know pretty well.

      Pretty sure any one of them would be a great place to retire though.

    • Bernie October 27, 2018, 8:23 am |

      Hi there
      I live at the moment in Bendigo.
      Thinking as well where to retire.all depends on what you like and how much money you have.
      We like the sun and hate the cold.
      So for us we will buy a place in north queensland and another place in Europe.we have a house in vegas already which is rented out.but we will have possession when we retire.
      North queensland is too humid and hot for us in summer.but 6months of the year, march to sept it will be great to live there

      • BobinOz October 29, 2018, 5:51 pm |

        Port Douglas would be worth looking into, beautiful town on the coast.

  • Juliet October 15, 2018, 3:02 am |

    Hi, I will be migrating to regional Queensland in some months time but the truth is I don’t know the city to migrate to. Am a health promotion officer, married with 3 kids(5,3,1).

    I would like an inland, access to train, airport and parks. I would really love a city with job opportunities.

    Please which regional area would best suit me?

    • BobinOz October 15, 2018, 9:05 pm |

      Queensland is a massive state, and as far as I’m aware, the only place with a train network of any real use to the general public would be Brisbane, and that’s not regional.

      May I suggest you have a look at my page about Queensland and the list of towns and cities I have on there and try and narrow down your search from the list of cities that you are allowed to go to under your visa?

      Also, have a look at the comments on that page as there is some chat about what these towns are like. You could also look for the words ‘road trip’ from my tags menu (see the very bottom of the page in the orange bit) as I have written quite a bit about some of the towns and cities on the Queensland coast.

      Good luck, Bob

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