Thinking of moving to QLD

[Thecrazycatlady]

So DH and I are looking to relocate to Qld within in the next 12-18 mths. We have looked online at suburbs within North Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Cairns. I have family on the Gold coast and Brisbane. However we not to keen on living on the Gold coast. Ok for holidaying. I would like to know if anyone lives within these areas what are they like within raising a family? are the schools good? ppl ok. We currently live in country Vic been here 2 years it's nice and quite, however need to go into Melbourne for work. I currently am studying and a SAHM. DH can get a transfer from work so that helps. Looking for areas that have the basic things hospitals, schools, supermarkets and transportation. I dont mind if theses are in a near suburb except the transport I rely on that as I dont drive. we will be buying a house there..so this also depends on how much we get on our current house... maybe $520,000 -$550,000. Any advice/ tips would be helpful thanks

[SSecret Squirrel]

I live on the Northside of Brisbane. I like where we are. Schools are decent. There aren't too many buses where I live, but we are on a train line. I'm not comfortable saying exactly where I live on here but am happy to chat via pm.

Alternatively, if you wanted to say where you are looking at on the Northside of Brisbane I could let you know what the suburb is like in terms of facilities etc.

[babyno1onboard]

I’m on the Sunshine Coast and also used to live in Brisbane. Something to note is that real estate prices in both areas are starting to go up very quickly. I think with that budget you’ll be able to find something in a decent area but the areas that you’ll be able to afford would be limited.

As SSS suggested, if you have some areas in mind speak up! I have have some local knowledge.

[Thecrazycatlady]

[QUOTE=SSecret Squirrel;8970035]I live on the Northside of Brisbane. I like where we are. Schools are decent. There aren't too many buses where I live, but we are on a train line. I'm not comfortable saying exactly where I live on here but am happy to chat via pm.

Alternatively, if you wanted to say where you are looking at on the Northside of Brisbane I could let you know what the suburb is like in terms of facilities etc.[/QUOTE

Thanks for your reply, I looked at North Lakes, Kallangur area. I have stayed in that area many years ago early 2000 when my ex and I visited his sister. I have no idea if they are safe/ decent areas now days.

[SSecret Squirrel]

I’m on the Sunshine Coast and also used to live in Brisbane. Something to note is that real estate prices in both areas are starting to go up very quickly. I think with that budget you’ll be able to find something in a decent area but the areas that you’ll be able to afford would be limited.

As SSS suggested, if you have some areas in mind speak up! I have have some local knowledge.

True re realestate prices. Houses in my suburb are selling quickly (within days of hitting the market or selling before being listed on realestate.com.au). Prices have increased accordingly.

[SSecret Squirrel]

[QUOTE=Thecrazycatlady;8970041]

I live on the Northside of Brisbane. I like where we are. Schools are decent. There aren't too many buses where I live, but we are on a train line. I'm not comfortable saying exactly where I live on here but am happy to chat via pm.

Alternatively, if you wanted to say where you are looking at on the Northside of Brisbane I could let you know what the suburb is like in terms of facilities etc.[/QUOTE

Thanks for your reply, I looked at North Lakes, Kallangur area. I have stayed in that area many years ago early 2000 when my ex and I visited his sister. I have no idea if they are safe/ decent areas now days.

I think you would be able to get a nice house for that budget in those suburbs.

I'm not overly familiar with that area, however would go North Lakes over Kallangur, simply because if you can't drive North Lakes is better appointed with shops etc and depending on exactly where you buy, you would be better positioned to walk to facilities like schools, shops, library etc.

North Lakes is popular with young families. I've heard the schools are crowded as a result (state schools in particular). Consequently there are a number of private schools in the area that are also popular. Someone I who I used to work with lived at North Lakes chose a private school (I can't remember which one) over the state school due to crowding issues. North Lakes is well serviced with shops there is a Westfield, Costco and Ikea in the suburb. Something to be careful of though in North Lakes is block size. There are a lot of large houses on small blocks of land.

Kallangur - has a mix of older and new houses. If block size is important to you, you would be able to get an older house on a larger block. The primary schools Kallangur way are probably okay. I have no idea about the zoning of schools that way, but have heard not so great things about the state high schools in suburbs near Kallungur area from someone I know who used to teach at one. I would have to pull out a map to see if Kallangur is zoned for the particular high schools schools I am thinking of. ETA I've just checked and Kallangur is NOT zoned for the bad schools that I was thinking of.

FWIW you can check school zoning on this map here -

https://www.qgso.qld.gov.au/maps/edmap/

Zones may or may not be enforced - it depends entirely on the popularity of the school and their capacity to accommodate the students who live in area.

I'm not sure about public transport. The train line has been extended to Redcliffe so trains in both Kallungur and NorthLakes will be okay. I don't know what the buses are like though. It is in Moreton Bay Regional Council area and I don't think either Northlakes or Kallungur would be serviced by Brisbane City Council buses. A good way to get a feel for the availability of public transport would be to look at https://jp.translink.com.au/plan-you...ourney-planner and put in addresses of houses you are interested in and places you think you may need to get to eg local shops etc and then see what the results are. Again, you would be better positioned in North Lakes to walk to places like the Westfield and the library so lack of public transport may not be an issue.

[babyno1onboard]

As above - concur with everything SSS posted.
Just FYI - some other suburbs in that area (Narangba, Deception Bay and Rothwell) are not so nice. They probably will be one day (especially the waterfront areas) but not somewhere that I’d move my family to now.

North Lakes would def be my pick of that general area unless you’re looking for a large block.

[Thecrazycatlady]

I’m on the Sunshine Coast and also used to live in Brisbane. Something to note is that real estate prices in both areas are starting to go up very quickly. I think with that budget you’ll be able to find something in a decent area but the areas that you’ll be able to afford would be limited.

As SSS suggested, if you have some areas in mind speak up! I have have some local knowledge.

Hi,
As for sunshine Coast areas I looked at places near Australia Zoo/ Glass house Mountains, however I was reading there was a chicken farm somewhere near their and the smell is gross?? My cousin and his family live in southern suburbs of the Sunshine coast near beaches they are renting and I looked up that area its quite expensive. But if we did find the right house for us hubby said we could go a higher price..

[babyno1onboard]

Hi,
As for sunshine Coast areas I looked at places near Australia Zoo/ Glass house Mountains, however I was reading there was a chicken farm somewhere near their and the smell is gross?? My cousin and his family live in southern suburbs of the Sunshine coast near beaches they are renting and I looked up that area its quite expensive. But if we did find the right house for us hubby said we could go a higher price..

Ahhh I don’t know the glass house mountains very well... not sure about public transport availability there either, that would be something you’d need to confirm.

The beach suburbs are all nice - some nicer than others but all are nice. They are getting pretty pricey. Maybe somewhere like Bli Bli might work? It’s pretty central, new school, short drive to the beach. There are older places (70s, 80s builds) on big blocks or the new subdivision with new houses and small blocks.

[Thecrazycatlady]

Ahhh I don’t know the glass house mountains very well... not sure about public transport availability there either, that would be something you’d need to confirm.

The beach suburbs are all nice - some nicer than others but all are nice. They are getting pretty pricey. Maybe somewhere like Bli Bli might work? It’s pretty central, new school, short drive to the beach. There are older places (70s, 80s builds) on big blocks or the new subdivision with new houses and small blocks.

Thanks for that I will check out Bli Bli. We are looking at blocks around 600 to 900 m2 as we are currently on a 702m2 block built a house on it and have a dog depending on when we move she may come or she may not be with us anymore. she old but still loves playing with dd. It’s a lot like that now days new houses small blocks. I have noticed a lot of houses have pools in them? Is this a QLD thing?