Secret Harbour is a decent family orientated suburb and would be a nice place to bring up kids, just a little to far out for your type of work, although plenty do live there and commute to the CBD.
I think SOR is nicer but that is just my opinion, I know people who have settled NOR initially the moved SOR and vice versa. SOR has the nicer safe beaches for sure.
Get a holiday rental somewhere fairly central initially and just drive around looking at places.