Where to live Cairns City or Northern Beaches??

[aarong89]

Hi,

 

So I am moving to Cairns from England on 19th October to work. I'm currently researching areas to live. I have a budget of $350 a week for a furnished apartment and can get suitable highish end properties in both Cairns City or the Beaches (Yorkeys Knob, Trinity Beach, Clifton or Palm Cove).

In terms of apartments I have narrowed it down to living in a resort style complex such as "The Lakes Cairns" or finding an apartment to the North just off the beach. My workplace is going to be in the Edge Hill area what would you recommend?

I love the idea of living on the Northern Beaches but have heard the traffic getting into the city in the morning can be horrible. I like to go to the gym in the mornings before work so would leave to get to the city at around 06:30 each morning.

 

Let me know your thoughts

 

Thanks 

 

Aaron

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Hi Aaron, thankfully you are renting so shouldn't be accountable for the body corp. Personally I would pass on the Lakes although it may well have changed since we were there.

When people say the traffic is bad it's nothing like the UK or Melbourne etc. If we are stuck behind 10 cars at traffic lights we would say it's a traffic jam. I think Palm Cove is lovely but it can get flooded by tourists at the weekend.

There are some lovely units in Edge Hill away from the Lakes. Have a look along Collins Avenue.  A lot of people like Trinity Beach. We had a pilot on the forum who moved from Port Douglas to Yorkeys and he liked it although you may get cut off once or twice a year if you get a decent wet season. 

Please don't take on a unit without looking at it first and knowing more about the complex. They can look lovely on paper in reality you could have some very unsavoury neighbors 

 

[Collie]

Never lived in Cairns, only visited.

I'd be very surprised if they have traffic jams though.

Cairns is not a city but a medium sized town.

[timmybuddha]

Do thebeaches dude beenand lived cairns allthough mostly was on yachts there...trust me you will regret it if u dont.however....if u r a party goer live in town..

[Lambethlad]

Go for Cairns City. More to do and a huge choice of restaurants. and there is a nice safe man-made lagoon to swim in. There's no point living on the beach cos with all the stingers, crocs and other nasties you can't swim in the sea anyway.

[starlight7]

Trinity Beach I reckon- best of both worlds and only a few mins to  Cairns.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Aaron I would say the max time from the Northern Beaches in to the CBD is going to be 30min unless wet season. You don't need to leave at 06:30. There are gyms all over in Cairns they even have some equipment on the esplanade.

@Lambethlad he would have to choose his area very carefully if living in the CBD, unlike most cities the rif raf tend to live near the city and the decent folk away. 

Aaron if you want any feedback on certain areas or complexes drop me a pm.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

On 12/08/2017 at 23:11, Collie said:

Never lived in Cairns, only visited.

I'd be very surprised if they have traffic jams though.

Cairns is not a city but a medium sized town.

Cairns is actually the 16th largest city in Australia. There are 160,000 or so residents and the number can double in tourist season

[Collie]

9 hours ago, The Pom Queen said:

Cairns is actually the 16th largest city in Australia. There are 160,000 or so residents and the number can double in tourist season

Hardly a city by international standards.  How many actually live in the "city" area?

IMO Australia really only has 5 cities worth talking about with another 4-5 decent sized towns (you could potentially argue for Canberra)

Anything < 500k people can't really be called a city IMO.  A decent airport with international flights is needed also (I know Jetstar touch down in Cairns on some flights to Asia) 

Still a nice part of the world though

[Guest The Pom Queen]

43 minutes ago, Collie said:

Hardly a city by international standards.  How many actually live in the "city" area?

IMO Australia really only has 5 cities worth talking about with another 4-5 decent sized towns (you could potentially argue for Canberra)

Anything < 500k people can't really be called a city IMO.  A decent airport with international flights is needed also (I know Jetstar touch down in Cairns on some flights to Asia) 

Still a nice part of the world though

Whether we agree with it being classed as a city or not is irrelevant. To be classed as a city you have to have over 1,000 population. 

Cairns does have an international airport which is in another terminal completely, walkable from domestic but a long way with luggage in tow.  Ok international flights aren't like the big cities but you can reach all the hubs like Hong Kong, China and Singapore, flights also operate to the Philippines, Japan, New Zealand, Bali etc. Airlines are Cathay Pacific, Jetstar, Silk Air, Air New Zealand, Phillipine Airlines and Hong Kong Airlines.

[starlight7]

A friend of mine moved into the hills looking down to Yorkeys Knob. They thought it was paradise there!


Sent from my iPad using PomsinOz

[Cerberus1]

2 hours ago, starlight7 said:

A friend of mine moved into the hills looking down to Yorkeys Knob. They thought it was paradise there!


Sent from my iPad using PomsinOz

We looked at Northern Beaches, but ended up moving to the hills/edge of rain-forest, was pretty much paradise

[aarong89]

Thanks for all your replies!!

 

After looking into it I am leaning more towards getting an unfurnished apartment in the Yorkey's Knob or Trinity Beach area and furnishing with the essentials to begin with . The furniture in the furnished apartments looks a bit hit and miss so I was thinking if I rent an unfurnished for slightly less any money I save can go towards furniture which helps in the long term

One example I came across was this https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-yorkeys+knob-404484256 though it doesn't have built in wardrobes or any white goods which would be preferable. A similar furnished property would be around $350 so a $75 difference a week thats a $1950 saving over a 6 month lease plus a $300 less upfront on the bond.

Have budgeted myself $2000-2500 to begin with for basic furniture ( a second hand sofa, fridge, bed frame, wardrobe if they are not built in and a decent brand new mattress which I have found for $299) Can live without a TV for a while. Does this sound feasible? m bringing basic cooking utensils, pots pans bedding etc. in an extra suitcase as my airline have given me 2 suitcases and 46kg baggage allowance.

 

Im bringing about over $20,000 but that includes about $7-8000 for a car and so didn’t want to dip into my savings too much until I start work, which could be 1-1.5 months depending on paperwork, after which I can start picking up non-essentials such as cabinets etc.

Finding it hard to organise a viewing that my employers can go to for somewhere as all properties seem to be available immediately. Even though I'm  flying out in 5 weeks still appears to soon to secure somewhere!

@Cerberus1 where exactly was the place you rented looks amazing!

Thanks for all your help

Aaron

 

[Cerberus1]

2 hours ago, aarong89 said:

Thanks for all your replies!!

 

After looking into it I am leaning more towards getting an unfurnished apartment in the Yorkey's Knob or Trinity Beach area and furnishing with the essentials to begin with . The furniture in the furnished apartments looks a bit hit and miss so I was thinking if I rent an unfurnished for slightly less any money I save can go towards furniture which helps in the long term

One example I came across was this https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-yorkeys+knob-404484256 though it doesn't have built in wardrobes or any white goods which would be preferable. A similar furnished property would be around $350 so a $75 difference a week thats a $1950 saving over a 6 month lease plus a $300 less upfront on the bond.

Have budgeted myself $2000-2500 to begin with for basic furniture ( a second hand sofa, fridge, bed frame, wardrobe if they are not built in and a decent brand new mattress which I have found for $299) Can live without a TV for a while. Does this sound feasible? m bringing basic cooking utensils, pots pans bedding etc. in an extra suitcase as my airline have given me 2 suitcases and 46kg baggage allowance.

 

Im bringing about over $20,000 but that includes about $7-8000 for a car and so didn’t want to dip into my savings too much until I start work, which could be 1-1.5 months depending on paperwork, after which I can start picking up non-essentials such as cabinets etc.

Finding it hard to organise a viewing that my employers can go to for somewhere as all properties seem to be available immediately. Even though I'm  flying out in 5 weeks still appears to soon to secure somewhere!

@Cerberus1 where exactly was the place you rented looks amazing!

Thanks for all your help

Aaron

 

Redlynch Valley

[Collie]

7 hours ago, aarong89 said:

Thanks for all your replies!!

 

After looking into it I am leaning more towards getting an unfurnished apartment in the Yorkey's Knob or Trinity Beach area and furnishing with the essentials to begin with . The furniture in the furnished apartments looks a bit hit and miss so I was thinking if I rent an unfurnished for slightly less any money I save can go towards furniture which helps in the long term

One example I came across was this https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-yorkeys+knob-404484256 though it doesn't have built in wardrobes or any white goods which would be preferable. A similar furnished property would be around $350 so a $75 difference a week thats a $1950 saving over a 6 month lease plus a $300 less upfront on the bond.

Have budgeted myself $2000-2500 to begin with for basic furniture ( a second hand sofa, fridge, bed frame, wardrobe if they are not built in and a decent brand new mattress which I have found for $299) Can live without a TV for a while. Does this sound feasible? m bringing basic cooking utensils, pots pans bedding etc. in an extra suitcase as my airline have given me 2 suitcases and 46kg baggage allowance.

 

Im bringing about over $20,000 but that includes about $7-8000 for a car and so didn’t want to dip into my savings too much until I start work, which could be 1-1.5 months depending on paperwork, after which I can start picking up non-essentials such as cabinets etc.

Finding it hard to organise a viewing that my employers can go to for somewhere as all properties seem to be available immediately. Even though I'm  flying out in 5 weeks still appears to soon to secure somewhere!

@Cerberus1 where exactly was the place you rented looks amazing!

Thanks for all your help

Aaron

 

Hey mate,

Facebook marketplace and gumtree are good for 2nd hand furniture.

Regarding the cooking utensils, pots & pans etc, I wouldn't bother.  You can get that stuff fairly cheaply in Kmart, target etc  Also the bedding etc may be differnt sizes when you get here.  Won't need too much in Cairns (ie no point bring a winter duvet or many winter clothes)

Just book an airbnb for 1-2 weeks for when you arrive and then you can sort that stuff out when you are on the ground and have had a chance to look around.

 

Good luck

 

 

 

[timmybuddha]

If you get a motorbike around there be bloody carEful..'P' platers come out of nowhere doing totally the wrong thing havent ridden a bike since..my ex Partner and i nearly died on it there..never before...even in London

also the port doug road has numerous deaths and incidents and the road down from kuranda at the bottom

Not to mention the wet

a bit irrelevant but worth mentioning...

..theres a local croc at cape trib

good choice by the way...congrats :-)

Edited September 13, 2017 by timmybuddha

[Guest The Pom Queen]

On 11/09/2017 at 07:52, aarong89 said:

Thanks for all your replies!!

 

After looking into it I am leaning more towards getting an unfurnished apartment in the Yorkey's Knob or Trinity Beach area and furnishing with the essentials to begin with . The furniture in the furnished apartments looks a bit hit and miss so I was thinking if I rent an unfurnished for slightly less any money I save can go towards furniture which helps in the long term

One example I came across was this https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-yorkeys+knob-404484256 though it doesn't have built in wardrobes or any white goods which would be preferable. A similar furnished property would be around $350 so a $75 difference a week thats a $1950 saving over a 6 month lease plus a $300 less upfront on the bond.

Have budgeted myself $2000-2500 to begin with for basic furniture ( a second hand sofa, fridge, bed frame, wardrobe if they are not built in and a decent brand new mattress which I have found for $299) Can live without a TV for a while. Does this sound feasible? m bringing basic cooking utensils, pots pans bedding etc. in an extra suitcase as my airline have given me 2 suitcases and 46kg baggage allowance.

 

Im bringing about over $20,000 but that includes about $7-8000 for a car and so didn’t want to dip into my savings too much until I start work, which could be 1-1.5 months depending on paperwork, after which I can start picking up non-essentials such as cabinets etc.

Finding it hard to organise a viewing that my employers can go to for somewhere as all properties seem to be available immediately. Even though I'm  flying out in 5 weeks still appears to soon to secure somewhere!

@Cerberus1 where exactly was the place you rented looks amazing!

Thanks for all your help

Aaron

 

@aarong89 The photos @Cerberus1 posted was our house when we lived up there, we sold up and moved to Townsville (bad move) Redlynch Valley is a lovely area with the creek, plenty of parkland/rainforest and Crystal Cascades Waterfalls. We have travelled all over Australia and there was my paradise.

I can't get your link to open but in Yorkers I would highly recommend the ones on the hill/knob  a very exclusive area https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-qld-yorkeys+knob-421992246

This photo isn't great but shows you the hill I'm talking about. Also there is no chance of flooding up there.

 

the ones at at the bottom of the photo are on the Esplanade this is one such property https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-yorkeys+knob-416558449

Lovely beach front although come holiday season you may find the tourists quite loud.

Other streets are Deauville Close and Buckley Street

I would avoid Varley it's the Main Street in and out and watch those flood areas, it's ok if you are on the 2nd floor of an apartment block but you may end up stranded. We had quite a few cyclones whilst living there, Yasi Cat 5 the largest and yes Yorkeys got cut off, but it's not that often it happens, maybe once or twice a year for a day or two, it wouldn't stop me moving there.

Here is the flood map for Yorkeys as you can see most of it is in a flood zone

 

I would consider Trinity Beach, there are nicer apartment units there and the area has less chance of flooding. My sons lived in Trinity Park, people rave about it but I wasn't as keen. I like Clifton Beach and Palm Cove. Here is the flood map for the NB

 

Personally I would avoid the Suburbs of Portsmith, Westcourt, Manoora, Moorooboola