Where do you want to live? A question everyone asks themselves at sometime throughout their life. Until you do some research to find out the best of certain locations, you should talk to a few local residents.They are a friendly bunch with a layback attitude, who are enjoying an amazing life in a fresh pristine environment.
1. Beach. Cool blue sea with gentle rolling waves or crashing surf, sunshine, blue skies and the occasional thunderstorm are all part of this stunning location. Sparkling seas and silky sand beaches run the full length of the Gold Coast from Main Beach to Rainbow Bay. Everyone has a favourite beach. Just a few are Surfers Paradise, Nobby’s, Palm Beach, Currumbin, Burleigh, or Rainbow Bay, but really it is up to you, as they all have so much to offer. Remember to also swim between the red and yellow flags. Our lifesavers do an amazing job. Whether it is surfing, swimming, body boarding, sun baking or just relaxing in the shade of a pandanus palm or Norfolk pine you can enjoy a light wafting breeze, while sipping on a cool drink. The possibilities are endless, as you will be spoilt for choice. During the whale migration season you may see some of these amazing creatures.
2. Accommodation can be anything from a duplex, townhouse, apartment, high-rise living, house, gated community, mansion or acreage blocks in the hinterland and valleys. There are some beautiful homes with very innovative designs to suit the coast lifestyle, some overlooking the ocean, mountains, canals or rivers. There are also many international hotels with some amazing package deals. Whether you are single, a couple or have a large family, you just have to choose what suits you and where you want to live. And I mean live. It is all here depending on your wallet and affordability. There are a lot of properties that are very reasonable and no matter where you decide to reside, you can still enjoy everything the coast has to offer.
3. Community spirit. This is alive and well if this is something you enjoy. There is a layback feel to the coast that you don’t get in the cities. Enjoy meeting and making new lifelong friends. You can join a variety of clubs and be involved in many activities, whether it may be Rotary, Youth Clubs, Art Centres, Churches, Schools, Sporting clubs, Senior’s centre’s, scenic tours, and many more. Gold Coast City Council have over 170 free activities such as yoga, tai chi, boxing, craft, dancing, group fitness, Pilates and water sports, just to name a few. Many markets are held on weekends with some exclusive local craft and produce.
4. Activities. Stand-up paddleboards in Currumbin Creek are a refreshing sight every day and will challenge you and make you fitter. Paddleboards, boats and jet-skis can be hired at an hourly or daily rate. During the holidays there are so many boats, jet skis and paddle boards that you realize people here are really living life to the full. Fishing is also popular in the estuaries and along the beach and rock walls. There is nothing better than catching your own dinner. Numerous parks and beaches are packed on the weekend with families and friends picnicking, barbequing or just relaxing.
5. Shopping. Shop ‘til you drop. There is nowhere quite like this for shopping centres – Robina Town Centre, Pacific Fair, Marina Mirage, Q Centre, The Pines, Harbourtown to name a few. These will cater to all your needs no matter what your budget is, from major department stores, supermarkets, exclusive international shops, cheaper variety stores to high-end boutiques.
6. Family living. What a great place to raise your family. The healthy, happy children you see running around on the beach and in parks is testament to the value of an outdoor lifestyle. There are so many activities for children, including all types of sports, dance, water sports, gymnastics, nipper’s lifesaving, swimming, playgrounds, parks, theme parks (Sea World, Wet n Wild, Dreamworld, Movie World, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Paradise Country) – the list goes on, as they are too numerous to mention. There are over 200 childcare centres and pre-schools and over 100 schools in the area from state, primary, secondary and private colleges to suit every child. There are also three major universities and many TAFE colleges to provide education for all age groups. Eight hospitals and many medical centres cater to the large population. The Gold Coast International Airport is located at Tugun. If you are looking for work, there are many careers here on offer as Gold Coast City has everything from industrial to corporate positions.
7. Weekend excursions. Enjoy a scenic drive and maybe pack a picnic lunch for a short trip to the hinterland in the north to Mount Tamborine or further south to Springbrook, Natural Arch, Cedar Creek Falls, Tallebudgera Valley, or Currumbin Valley where you will leave the everyday world behind. When you see the breathtaking views, trees, forests, mountains, waterfalls, rock pools, native animals and wildflowers, your soul will be restored. Breathe. The closeness of the ocean to the hinterland is exhilarating as you have the best of both worlds. The panoramic views are some of the best in the world.
8. Eating out. Allure, Currumbin, Budd’s Beach Bumbles, The Garden Restaurant, Jupiter’s Star Casino, Moo Moo’s Broadbeach, Little Truffle, Mermaid Beach, Oskars on Burleigh, Hellenika, Nobby’s Beach, The Fish House Burleigh are just a few of the excellent restaurants providing both local and international cuisine. There are so many, it would take a lifetime to eat at them all. It is a true taste sensation for breakfast, lunch or dinner with some offering fine dining and first class food. Most are dine-in, but there are many takeaway venues as well.
9. Clubs. There is nothing better than taking in the ocean views and listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks or beach while enjoying breakfast, lunch or dinner and a cold drink. Surf Life Savings Clubs – Currumbin Vikings. sits partly over the ocean. Club Talle, great food and entertainment, bands on a Sunday afternoon. Burleigh Heads; great barramundi. There are many RSL’s; Surfers Paradise, Nerang, Currumbin has won many awards, to name only a few. There are many nightclubs throughout the coast providing a party atmosphere. Some of them have live performances, bands and entertainment on weekends.
10. Events. Magic Millions Racing Queensland Summer Carnival is held every January and is Australia’s richest horse racing meeting ranked in the world’s top 10. International stars and royalty are present every year. High profile buyers from various countries attend to purchase horses. Many locals attend making it one of the highlights of the year. The Castrol Gold Coast 600 with V8 supercars is another popular event during October in Surfers Paradise. Many International stars of the musical industry provide lots of entertainment and are a popular draw card at many venues. Rainbow Bay – Cooly Rocks On is a yearly festival with hot rods, vintage cars, rock ‘n’ roll musicians, dancing, markets and just an all round great week 7th-11th June 2017. Jazz and Blues and County music festivals are also held throughout the year.
11. Boating. Marina Mirage at Main Beach is full of restaurants and boutiques and is also where the boats leave the wharf for various canal tours, ferrying to islands, water sports or just cruising. South Stradbroke is a favourite destination for fishing and camping. It is amazing just to see the size of some of the yachts docked at the wharf. Sanctuary Cove also is another beautiful area also popular with the locals and visitors for sailing and yachting.
As you can see, the array of events and activities are endless. It is whatever you want – glitz, glamour, fun, quietness, lolling in the sea, bushwalking in the breathtaking hinterland, enjoying water sports, eating at award winning restaurants, sipping coffee at café’s or shopping at world-class boutiques and shopping centres or escaping to the rainforest, rock pools and waterfalls. The Gold Coast is such a diverse place with the country life with cows, horses, llamas and goats to the native life of a large variety of birdlife, kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats and echidna’s only a few kilometers from the surging ocean.
If you are thinking about living here, do not hesitate, as you will never be bored. There you have it: a description of the most perfect place to live. It’s not only my opinion, but also that of approximately 680,000 residents who have made the sea change.
By Kayla Matthews associated with Consumer technology is smarter than ever. This is especially true around the home, where appliances and lights connect with the internet in new and unprecedented ways. On top of that, devices with built-in virtual assistants make it possible to control some of this hardware with nothing … Read more
There are 2.03 million property investors in Australia, most of whom only own one property, according to CoreLogic. If you count yourself amongst this group, or you’re looking to purchase an investment soon, you’ll face several challenges before the money starts rolling in. Improve your chances of success and make … Read more