Townsville suburbs for families?

[Kitty33]

Hi all,

Moving to Townsville in a couple of months with husband and 2 kids aged 3&1. We will be there for a 12 month period then heading south to Sunshine Coast. Looking for good areas to rent for families (any good nurseries?) but also wouldn't mind being close to the strand, having read some older threads it looks like North Ward, Mount Louisa, Bushland beach, Annandale and there are some areas that seem more crime prone than others. Husband will be working in Townsville hospital, I will be central town.

any advice appreciated, thank you 

[safarichick]

Hi Kitty, we are living in Townsville, if you want to be close to the hospital and city, then look at Annanadale, Idalia, Douglas, Rosslea.  All good suburbs.  Another just off the A1 is Bohle Plains. I would avoid Kelso, Rasmussen, parts of Kirwan, Currajong, Vincent all have high crime.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Hi @Kitty33 sorry I’ve only just seen your post. We lived in West End and a couple of doctors who worked at the hospital live there as well, 2 of which cycle to work each day. I think Bushy Beach will be too far out for you. Pallarenda is stunning, right on the beach, a lovely community feel, the only downside is the mozzies.Others near the Strand are Rowe’s Bay and Belgian Gardens

Douglas is where my son lived for 4 years before moving to Annandale. I much prefer Douglas to Annandale especially where he lived off Riverside Blvd, the walks along the river are lovely and he use to walk to the University which is just after the hospital, depending where you live on there it would be a 20 min walk to the hospital. 

Fairfield Waters was becoming the in place whilst we were there. It use to be a dump and was built on a swamp but it’s all new houses surrounded by lakes and gardens now. Same with Oonoonba.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

On 17/08/2018 at 10:56, safarichick said:

Hi Kitty, we are living in Townsville, if you want to be close to the hospital and city, then look at Annanadale, Idalia, Douglas, Rosslea.  All good suburbs.  Another just off the A1 is Bohle Plains. I would avoid Kelso, Rasmussen, parts of Kirwan, Currajong, Vincent all have high crime.

I beg to differ re certain suburbs having a high crime rate. It is the one area in Australia where I have lived where the crime rate is shared equally among Suburbs. In fact Douglas is said to be the in place yet around 2 years ago the police went around the area trying peoples car doors and houses to see if they were left open. My son was one of them where the police just walked straight in whilst he was asleep one night, they scared the hell out of him, but thankfully gave him a lecture that he seemed to listen to as he never listened to me every time he went out he always left the doors unlocked.

Now if you would have said Rasmussen, Kelso are where a lot of the unemployed live then I would have agreed with you as personally I wouldn’t live there.