Guest Guest95262 Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Hi there, I am currently living in Brisbane but we really would like to be closer to a beach, my Bf works in red bank at the moment and then after that he could be anywhere but it will be somewhere close ish, I work in Brisbane city but would change jobs with the move. we are looking for somewhere no more than 1 hour from red bank or brisbane CBD I have looked at Robina which looks great its slightly over 1 hour for travel but we get a nicer place for what we pay in the city, I am also conceded about traffic as at the moment he travels against traffic to get to work but going from gold coast to brisbane is pretty bad I'm guessing. I also need somewhere with work for me, I work in catering and work in cafes at the moment I am finding work easy as there are a lot of cafes around us, so somewhere what has like a new farm sort of vibe would be great. any help would be appreciated thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Robina to Redbank i bet would be nearer 2 hours in rush hour. Maybe have a look around the Northern end of the coast, Coomera, Pimpama,Helensvale, even then though you would pushing for an hours commute. We found the best way to get to the coast is 'cross country' rather than highway, you never seem to get stuck in traffic doing it that way, so look at maps like Whereis to see if you can find a better option. Hubby comes and goes via Logan Village and hops on the highway at Beenleigh, it takes him around 50 mins to get to Ashmore from where we are and we are 25 mins (ish) from Redbank Plains. I think you will struggle to find beach side within a hours commute of Redbank if im honest. Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest95262 Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 hi thanks for the reply would you say bad traffic even for working hours 6.30 to 2.30? he has some work mates who travel from gold coast it takes them 1 hour at these times but not sure where Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I would agree with calNgary that you need to be looking a little further north, We live in Redland city (Redlandshire) we travel down to the Gold coast regular on a weekend, and this takes 45-60min, with the city some 45 min away and Redbank would be about 1 hour, the Logan Motorway will have some hold ups in the morning at your stated time but the arvo should be plain sailing.Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozziepom Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I've been doing a commute from Hope Island to the CBD for about 3 years, wrote the post below after 3 months. Since then I'd say its got worse, its definately do-able but nothing I can say can adequately describe the driving on the Pacific Motorway, you have to see it to believe how bad it is, I've driven all over Aus inc Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, Qlders really are as mad as cut snakes. In terms of time it takes us around an hour to reach the CBD. We work 8-4PM so leave home before 7AM and get home around 5PM on a "normal" day. I've set off at 5AM and headed back at 2PM and its just as busy then. I'm still amazed with what I see everyday on the motorway, if you've ever seen NASCAR that would be the closest, it goes from a racetrack to Logan to a Car Park beyond. Any sort of accident on the freeway blows out the commute, took 2 hours the other night. There's a train but we gave up on it, locally known as the "Bombay express" due to overcrowding its expensive, slow, unreliable and crowded, however I think they put on a few more services recently. Hope I've given you an idea of what you're letting yourself in for. Here is what I wrote when I first started doing the commute... Three months of commuting Gold Coast to Bris - my impression I've read quite a few threads on commuting GC to Brisbane and was initially put off the idea, however when we arrived I really didn't fancy living in Brisbane or it suburbs (no offence meant and I'm no stranger to the area, lived here before) so our initial accommodation was a serviced apartment in Southport - Meriton, highly recommended. For the first few weeks we alternated between driving and taking the train from Helensvale, it was just a bit too longer commute for me, at least 90 mins each way in the car and longer on the train. However much of this was actually getting to the freeway or train station. We've now settled in Hope Island and been doing the drive for 2 months. I have to say its not bad, provided we leave by 7:00 we're in the CBD by 8:00 9 out of 10 days, occasionally 7:45. Travelling home is similar, we leave at 4PM and are home around 5:00. Nearby areas with similar commutes would be Helensvale, Pacific Pines, Coomera etc. None are on the beach but Paradise Point is 10-15 mins drive and Labrador another 10, 10 more to Surfers if that's for you. We've all but given up on the train, it is punctual but so slow and so crowded, its known as the Bombay Express due to overcrowding. One thing to mention is the driving on the Pacific Motorway has to be experienced to be believed! As you can pass on both sides basically you get 3 lanes of 110kmh traffic driving at most a couple of car lengths apart, and even then some folk swerving between lanes to make up the odd position. Traffic get heavy around Springwood and you have 10-15 km of stop start traffic, currently there are roadworks. Also as my wife and I travel together we get to use the T2 lane, but TBH I don't think it makes a huge difference. All in all, the commute is a pain, but I love living on (or at least very near) the Gold Coast and for us that's the compromise as neither of us are likely to find work there in the foreseeable future." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Redcliffe has a bayside beach and a train nearby if this suits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Redcliffe has a bayside beach and a train nearby if this suits. Redcliffe to Redbank would be as bad as Robina to Redbank i think,as the Gateway is also a nightmare ,the big downside is there is no way you could avoid it either, travelling between those locations to save time. Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest95262 Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I've been doing a commute from Hope Island to the CBD for about 3 years, wrote the post below after 3 months. Since then I'd say its got worse, its definately do-able but nothing I can say can adequately describe the driving on the Pacific Motorway, you have to see it to believe how bad it is, I've driven all over Aus inc Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, Qlders really are as mad as cut snakes. In terms of time it takes us around an hour to reach the CBD. We work 8-4PM so leave home before 7AM and get home around 5PM on a "normal" day. I've set off at 5AM and headed back at 2PM and its just as busy then. I'm still amazed with what I see everyday on the motorway, if you've ever seen NASCAR that would be the closest, it goes from a racetrack to Logan to a Car Park beyond. Any sort of accident on the freeway blows out the commute, took 2 hours the other night. There's a train but we gave up on it, locally known as the "Bombay express" due to overcrowding its expensive, slow, unreliable and crowded, however I think they put on a few more services recently. Hope I've given you an idea of what you're letting yourself in for. Here is what I wrote when I first started doing the commute... Three months of commuting Gold Coast to Bris - my impression I've read quite a few threads on commuting GC to Brisbane and was initially put off the idea, however when we arrived I really didn't fancy living in Brisbane or it suburbs (no offence meant and I'm no stranger to the area, lived here before) so our initial accommodation was a serviced apartment in Southport - Meriton, highly recommended. For the first few weeks we alternated between driving and taking the train from Helensvale, it was just a bit too longer commute for me, at least 90 mins each way in the car and longer on the train. However much of this was actually getting to the freeway or train station. We've now settled in Hope Island and been doing the drive for 2 months. I have to say its not bad, provided we leave by 7:00 we're in the CBD by 8:00 9 out of 10 days, occasionally 7:45. Travelling home is similar, we leave at 4PM and are home around 5:00. Nearby areas with similar commutes would be Helensvale, Pacific Pines, Coomera etc. None are on the beach but Paradise Point is 10-15 mins drive and Labrador another 10, 10 more to Surfers if that's for you. We've all but given up on the train, it is punctual but so slow and so crowded, its known as the Bombay Express due to overcrowding. One thing to mention is the driving on the Pacific Motorway has to be experienced to be believed! As you can pass on both sides basically you get 3 lanes of 110kmh traffic driving at most a couple of car lengths apart, and even then some folk swerving between lanes to make up the odd position. Traffic get heavy around Springwood and you have 10-15 km of stop start traffic, currently there are roadworks. Also as my wife and I travel together we get to use the T2 lane, but TBH I don't think it makes a huge difference. All in all, the commute is a pain, but I love living on (or at least very near) the Gold Coast and for us that's the compromise as neither of us are likely to find work there in the foreseeable future." hi there thanks for the replays. I know of the bad driving I used to travel brisbane to yatala and that was quite bad even though I was against traffic. we have looked at hope island and it looks really good for what we pay here we can get a 3 bedroom house in a complex which is quite a step up to say the least, can you tell me how the traffic is before getting off for logan highway and getting on at logan highway in the afternoon, I will be setting off at 5.20 so should miss a lot of the traffic but i can finish anywhere between 2.30 and 4.30 so could hit quite some traffic there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Redcliffe to Redbank would be as bad as Robina to Redbank i think,as the Gateway is also a nightmare ,the big downside is there is no way you could avoid it either, travelling between those locations to save time. Cal x Oops, missed the redbank bit As an aside I probably wouldn't take the gateway to get to redbank from redcliffe. Would take sandgate rd and either the airport link or clem 7 or both and then travel out the M7 to redbank, or use the M5 possibly through legacy way when open. @OP: none of the outer suburban estates will have the New Farm vibe you were hoping for. You may be able to drive to the Gold Coast to access a bunch of cafes for your work ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozziepom Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 we have looked at hope island and it looks really good for what we pay here we can get a 3 bedroom house in a complex which is quite a step up to say the least, can you tell me how the traffic is before getting off for logan highway and getting on at logan highway in the afternoon, I will be setting off at 5.20 so should miss a lot of the traffic but i can finish anywhere between 2.30 and 4.30 so could hit quite some traffic there. Hope Island is really nice, and if you're gated even better, people rock around on Golf buggies and the Marina with supermarket and restaurants & pub is also buggy accessible, great fun. We're next door and Sanctuary Cove now which we really love. I've just looked at where Redbank is and it would probably be an hour each way, the bit we drive up to & from the Logan Mwy is usually not backed up so pretty fast, traffic tends to crawl just north of Logan Mwy so you'd miss that, obviously that part is toll so you'd be up for that, not sure how much but probably $10ish per day. Best do a dry run or two of the drive but I can highly recommend the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest95262 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Hope Island is really nice, and if you're gated even better, people rock around on Golf buggies and the Marina with supermarket and restaurants & pub is also buggy accessible, great fun. We're next door and Sanctuary Cove now which we really love. I've just looked at where Redbank is and it would probably be an hour each way, the bit we drive up to & from the Logan Mwy is usually not backed up so pretty fast, traffic tends to crawl just north of Logan Mwy so you'd miss that, obviously that part is toll so you'd be up for that, not sure how much but probably $10ish per day. Best do a dry run or two of the drive but I can highly recommend the area. is there anywhere to avoid down there? I have mates in labradors who say its not great. My BF was talking to some go his mates who live on palm beach and its a 1 hour commute to work as its all motor way so we are looking at places there, is it as nice as it looks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozziepom Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 is there anywhere to avoid down there? I have mates in labradors who say its not great. My BF was talking to some go his mates who live on palm beach and its a 1 hour commute to work as its all motor way so we are looking at places there, is it as nice as it looks? Palm beach in rush hours (5AM to 9AM and 2PM to 7PM) would be more than an hour, somewhere between 1.5 and 2 hours each way - having done hope island to bris for 3 years I wouldn't even consider it. My commute (just) averages an hour, but any accident or even breakdown can add 30-60mins, Palm Beach is 90km vs my 60 and the freeway is busy for much of that. The pacific motorway is not all fast, a few spots where it crawls every day. Yes,much of the GC as it looks, like all cities (GC is Australia's biggest non-capital city 6th biggest overall) it has good and bad area's but the broadwater, broadbeach, golf resorts etc etc are just stunning. Lots of crime reported on TV but I've hardly noticed any. I'd really take the "1 hour from Palm Beach" with a huge grain of salt though, PB is OK but there are lots of nicer suburbs, which are also further north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest95262 Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Palm beach in rush hours (5AM to 9AM and 2PM to 7PM) would be more than an hour, somewhere between 1.5 and 2 hours each way - having done hope island to bris for 3 years I wouldn't even consider it. My commute (just) averages an hour, but any accident or even breakdown can add 30-60mins, Palm Beach is 90km vs my 60 and the freeway is busy for much of that. The pacific motorway is not all fast, a few spots where it crawls every day. Yes,much of the GC as it looks, like all cities (GC is Australia's biggest non-capital city 6th biggest overall) it has good and bad area's but the broadwater, broadbeach, golf resorts etc etc are just stunning. Lots of crime reported on TV but I've hardly noticed any. I'd really take the "1 hour from Palm Beach" with a huge grain of salt though, PB is OK but there are lots of nicer suburbs, which are also further north. hi thsnks i was wrong they live in ashore. looks like right on the beach is going to be to much hassle but places like hope island do look really good but am i right in thinking that main beach would be the closest beach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozziepom Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 hi thsnks i was wrong they live in ashore. looks like right on the beach is going to be to much hassle but places like hope island do look really good but am i right in thinking that main beach would be the closest beach? There is a beach at Paradise Point 10 mins away, nice but no surf as its protected by the islands, lots of BBQ areas, heaps of families having kids parties there every weekend, bars, restaurants etc. Nearest Surf beach is Main Beach ~25 mins away (depending on traffic), from there its one long streach of beach to Coolangatta 28kms away, apart from a few meters at burleigh where the creek joins. So its not exactly busy even on holidays, it is pretty cool I have to say... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DamonDamon Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 There is a beach at Paradise Point 10 mins away, nice but no surf as its protected by the islands, lots of BBQ areas, heaps of families having kids parties there every weekend, bars, restaurants etc. Nearest Surf beach is Main Beach ~25 mins away (depending on traffic), from there its one long streach of beach to Coolangatta 28kms away, apart from a few meters at burleigh where the creek joins. So its not exactly busy even on holidays, it is pretty cool I have to say... I am totally agree with you. You are 100% good here that nice but no surf as its protected by the islands, lots of BBQ areas, heaps of families having kids parties there every weekend, bars, restaurants. Evrerything is there so inviting and comfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rental Hunter Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Hi, I agree Paradise Point is beautiful. I have lived here for 7 years and we love it. Very peaceful, clean, safe and family orientated. Heaps of Restaurants to keep you entertained!! My husband also drives to Brisbane for work and yes it can be a pain and agree with Ozziepom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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