Moving to the Gold Coast...working in Brisbane? Which Suberbs?

SaintsDownUnder · #1 (**permalink**) 15th April 2011, 08:26 PM

Hello there...

I have jus joined and thought I would try this out.
I'm moving to the GC in august with my good lady for a couple of years (or maybe more) :-)...
She is a doctor and will be working in one of the hospitals there...probs both. Anyway I'm in IT (pmo consultant) and the chances of getting work in GC I think will be slim...so I am gonna have to do a commute to Brissie I think...

Does anyone have any experience of the train journey from say Robina or Southport in to the city? Can you get a seat/are the trains like ovens in the heat/are they punctual etc?? If I'm gonna have to do it everyday, be nice to know it's not going to drive me crazy.

On that note, what is Robina and southport like as suburbs? I've also looked at Hope Island...basically everywhere :-/

Want ti make sure there are things to do/sports clubs close enough to get involved.

Any advice would be really grateful...we are so excited now its finally getting sorted...:-D

Thanks...

Weebie · #2 (**permalink**) 16th April 2011, 02:25 AM

Gold Coast has the worst unemployment rate in Australia at the moment it's basically on par with America. having said that though IT seems to be invincible from this downturn and of course your partner has a job already. Should be ok I suspect.

SaintsDownUnder · #3 (**permalink**) 16th April 2011, 08:29 AM

Thanks...jeese I didn't realise. Guess u jus assume things will be different other there. Like that here at the minute. Eye opener that....

Jen_21 · #4 (**permalink**) 16th April 2011, 10:27 AM

My aunt commutes to Brisbane by car from Runcorn. She's inland and housing is much more affordable.

SaintsDownUnder · #5 (**permalink**) 16th April 2011, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jen_21

My aunt commutes to Brisbane by car from Runcorn. She's inland and housing is much more affordable.

Cheers...

SaintsDownUnder · #6 (**permalink**) 16th April 2011, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaintsDownUnder

Cheers...

I think that's a better option to look in land a little...I'll check it out

Cheers

Hessi · #7 (**permalink**) 17th April 2011, 09:20 AM

Hey,

I lived in Robina for a while. If you are looking for a quite area, aprox. 15 min drive from the beach, with lots of canals, Robina is the place to go. The train to Brissie takes roughly an hour. can't really comment on the commute, since I didn't have to go to Brissie that often.
I do remember that the train line was under construction when I was there last time (2008) and you had to switch from a train to a bus and back to the train which kinda sucked. but the train line might be fixed by now ( you would think so, right).

there is not much going on in Robina. (there is a University located in Robina: Bond Uni), but the student parties happen on campus or in Surfers...so you shouldn't be concerned about a lot of noise. As I said, it is a pretty quite (=boring???) place.

Cheers

SaintsDownUnder · #8 (**permalink**) 24th April 2011, 05:39 AM

Hey, thanks for that...

I'm not really bothered about a party central. Rather good food and a nice place to live.

I'm started to read a lot about crime and hassle on the Gold Coast, is this right? We have the chance to move to Sydney instead - but the housing and standard of accommodation for your money seems considerably better than sydney.

I kno everywhere has it's fights on a Saturday night...but I guess when your moving somewhere you don't wanna walk into a fight zone or somewhere you can't go out after dark!!!

Been looking at Burleigh Heads for accom too...any comments about that suburb?

Is surfers paradise really such a hole?? It's all everyone says...Blackpool in the sun I heard a few times!

I think the commute for me is definitely on, an hour isn't so bad...:-/
To live in the sun!!

Thanks for the advice...but please keep it coming :-D

slympro · #9 (**permalink**) 26th April 2011, 06:54 AM

Hi,
I am also new to this forum.
My wife, 2 kids & I have lived on the Gold Coast for 7 months now, moving from Melbourne, where we we first located when we emigrated nearly 3 years ago. I cannot comment on the commute via train to brissy because i have never had to do it.
Robina centre is massive new development, with restaurants, cafes, cinemas with lots of gated communities, some good & some not so good, determined by who your neighbors are. Theres a new hospital in Robina & a new one being built near southport (my wife is a nurse on the GC)
Personally, if you dont have kids, i would get as close the the beach as possible for the best outdoor lifestyle & foreshore activities. Burliegh Heads is nice with a great forshore and there are nice areas between Broadbeach & Mermaid Beach. Beach & almost beach front dwellings offer the best lifestyle & are out of the rental budgets for most of the undesirables, if your not out after 10pm you almost certainly never experience any trouble. Most of my friends work in security and say there's plenty of drama, fueled by drunks after midnight as with most cities, otherwise and in my experience it is very safe.
I would also consider Clear Island Waters, 3 km to Broadbeach 10 min to Nerang Station & afforable, cannot comment on Southport or Hope Island.
Surfers btw is no-way comparable to Blackpool which was dated, dirty, classless sh.thole last time I visited.
Hope This helps
Paul

Weebie · #10 (**permalink**) 26th April 2011, 07:30 AM

Gold Coast has many family orientated areas but historically the city (if you want to call it that) is a vegas modelled in and out party town which is what the economy is based on (tourism) FYI the Russian Mafia have a huge influence in the city.

The same rules apply though if you live in a cheap area you might run into problems if you live in a nice area you won't have too many problems. Australia is a classic example of you get what you pay for.

The real problem with the gold coast is the city has a huge crystal meth problem like many parts of Australia though. In general though the city is safe.