From mountains and rainforests to stunning beaches, the Sunshine Coast is truly a great place to live. While some people may think of it as a tourist hub, there is still plenty of space for both tourists and residents to enjoy the area. For us, moving to the Sunshine Coast was a bit of a late decision. We had just sold our business in Sydney and were looking for a place to raise our children that wasn't as busy as Sydney had been.
So, we flew to Coolangatta, rented a car and started driving. We looked at the Tweed Heads but it wasn't quite what we were looking for. We drove along the coast, stopping in Manly, Redcliffe and then heading north. Eventually, we stopped in Buderim and it was the first suburb that caught our attention.
It was very green, full of trees and had hills that changed the landscape a bit. We drove along Buderim Avenue which takes you directly to the ocean and didn't realize we were now in Mooloolaba. Looking at the water I thought “Wow, we should move here”.We rented an apartment for a week in North Cliff, Maroochydore as suggested by the tourist information center and within a week we bought a house in Buderim. We didn't even look at any other suburbs.
After more than 15 years of living on the Sunshine Coast, have we adapted? Not completely. I still don't like humidity but I've learned a few things to manage this time of year.The Sunshine Coast has a relaxed holiday environment which suits me but many places don't open too late. You really can't eat after 8 pm compared to Sydney which is full of options. The food here has improved a lot but there is still room for further improvement.The area offers plenty of activities such as horseback riding, waterskiing, sailing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and even taking a seaplane to fly.
You can also take mountain bike rides to waterfalls or go mountaineering through the state forests.The area also offers plenty of educational options such as Chancellor State School which is connected to the University of the Sunshine Coast or Mountain Creek State School which has a great reputation. For private schools you have many options such as St Andrews at Peregian Beach, Suncoast Christian College in Woombye or Sunshine Grammar in Forest Glen.You can also find high-paying jobs in several hospitals, for the city council, in tourism and construction. I was told I wouldn't win as much on the Sunshine Coast as I did in Sydney but the opposite ended up being true. I moved here for lifestyle rather than money.From December to February it is very humid and hot so you need to be prepared for that.
Restaurants are getting better but they could still be better and some people may find it difficult to get a job but you just have to work harder. Overall, living on the Sunshine Coast is an incredible experience with plenty of activities and educational options available. It's a great place to raise children with its relaxed holiday environment and plenty of outdoor activities.
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