Pattieone

I have never lived in Ashgrove, but have friends who have owned and lived in a house there for over 35 years. Also my sister and BIL owned a house on Waterworks Road for many years. What I like about Ashgrove is the wonderful, old (but many are restored) Queenslander houses with huge backyards, which make you feel like you are in a country town somewhere even though it is very close to the city. The only drawback would be Waterworks Road and Jubilee Terrace, which are both extremely busy roads and always filled with vehicles. I would not like to live on these roads. Everything is close by and there is a really good community spirit.

We lived in Caneby Street #8 for 6 months in 2003. We would have liked to stay there much longer, but the owners needed the home. It was right next to the park which runs along Collins Road on the other side. It has walkways and playing area for people as well as a dog enclosure.
It's and older street but very quiet and peaceful. Some of the houses were being bought and renovated by younger families.
I can recommend this street to anyone, although we lived there quite a while ago and things may have changed. There are also quite a lot of large newer houses in streets nearby. There is a small shopping centre (corner store) on North Pine Road. Schools are at Arana Hills and Everton Park. You would need to drive to Arana Hills or Everton Park to shop. Stafford city is the nearest Westfield, about 15 minutes drive away.

Coolum Beach is easily accessed from the Sunshine Coast airport and also makes coming and going to and from major cities of Australia easy.
Highway 1 (Bruce Highway) takes you to Brisbane in 1 hour 15minutes and is accessed from Coolum either via Yandina (a very pretty drive) or Sunshine Coast motorway (both 100kph) if you want to save 5 minutes. Bruce Highway speed limit is 110kph till Caboolture, where it changes to 100kph.

I lived in Tradewinds Avenue, Coolum Beach, Queensland from 1984 untill early 1999, and we still own the property.
I loved living there. It has great sea breezes and is only 1 km from the beach - easy walking distance and takes 10 minutes or 1 minute drive.

The neighbours are friendly, keen to help out, and easy going. It's a quiet street, with little through traffic. Neat gardens, some dogs, but council regulations require fencing.

Close to Primary school, shops and beach.
The Sunshine motorway is easily accessed and takes you south to Maroochydore, Mooloolaba or north to Noosa, Tewantin and on to Cooroy, Eumundi etc.

Churches: Catholic, Uniting, Anglican, Baptist, Assemblies of God all have churches in and near Coolum. CCF (Assemlies of God) also offer private education - preps - 12) and an Anglican college at Peregian Springs.

Coolum State school is just around the corner, whilst the State high school is about 5 minutes drive near Peregian off the David Low Way.

Waterfront restaurants, Surf Club and Coffee Club, Maccas, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Mexican and new style restaurants, offer eating out scenarios for all tastes. Lots of footpath dining. Coolum is becoming the new Noosa.

Great golfing (and food) at the Coolum Mountain Golf Club or Coolum Hyatt (2013 update: Now Palmer Coolum Resort) or further afield at Twin Waters, Pacific Paradise.

Recently opened Woolworths shopping precinct on South Coolum road is easily accessed from Tradewinds avenue.
Also IGA shopping centre and variety of shops and restaurants at Birtwill Street. (2013 update: This complex was bought by Coles and is now a modern A1 shopping complex with Coles, pharmacy, gifts, coffee shops, butcher, fish and chips, etc. Across the street there are some very popular eating venues, which always seem to be crowded, even in the off season.)

Banks: ANZ, NAB, Commonwealth, Heritage.
Swimming pool - Public 25 metre pool, and heated learning pool on David Low Way.
Private Learn to Swim pool - Cnr Beach Road and Santa Monica Ave.
Library: Situated behind the Coolum Beach Community Centre. Free lending - modern library equipped with WiFi. Need to book for internet time.

BEACH: This is THE attraction at Coolum. Great surf and you can walk to Sunshine beach along the same beach all the way. Beautiful sand dunes, as well as 3 bays for sheltered sunbathing, surfing etc.
Great rock fishing. Life savers patroll the beach in about 3 spots - great board riding, body surfing or sun bathing. Showers at beach, as well as toilets. A skate board pit/ramp and kids playground are situated in Tickle park above the beach next to the surf life saving club.
For a healthy walk/run, great board walks take you south to Yaroomba above the beach, and bike/walking paths take you as far as Town of Seaside, Marcoola, and the airport.
For families with little ones, there is Stumer's Creek, which runs into the ocean about 15 minutes walk north along the main beach, or easily accessed by road - turn right about 1 km north of Beach Rd /Esplanade T junction into Stumer's Beach track (bitumen), Showers/toilet block, picnic area, still fresh water. Don't worry about the colour of the water, as it is dark because of the Tea Tree roots but is safe to swim in.

Playing fields, tennis courts are situated behind the Swimming pool complex on David Low Way.
For those who wish to do a spot of climbing, there are Mt Coolum, Emu Mtn and Mt Ninderry or further afield, Mt Cooroy, Kin Kin Mountains etc. These can be accessed easily and are not too high but still get you breathing!

Well stocked modern Library with Internet access and wireless. Civic centre, neighbourhood centre.
Plenty of apartments for holiday makers.

Looking around, people are generally slender, fit looking...lots of beach walking I'd say! There are also several gyms in Coolum Beach.

Lovely lookouts at Pt Perry, and at top of Scrub Road.
Resorts line David Low Way, as well as Coolum Hyatt (2013: now Palmer Coolum Resort) which offers high end resort holidays.

Can't really say enough about this gorgeous little town...hope to move back there in the not too distant future! I miss living there!

We have lived in this street since March 2004. One week after we moved here I noticed all the houses looked similar, and realised we were in the middle of a housing commision street! The real estate people didn't tell us, and as we didn't know this side of the city (Brisbane) we had no clue. Our house is not a housing commission house...so we were quite disappointed. Then 3 different sets of people told me: "Oh you live THERE....that is the WORST street!" Then proceeded to tell me about domestics, drug dealers, yobbos etc etc.

This made me feel very bad and worried. Anyway it's now 2008 and apart from 2 domestics at the beginning and the occasional police car coming through ...like once every six months, it has been a quiet street and actually very liveable.
The street looks like any other, with footpaths neatly mowed, gardens kept well, some better than others, lots of trees and clear blue skies.

During the holidays and after school the neighbourhood kids often kick a soccer ball around, playing cricket in the little partial cul-de-sac in front of our house, which I think is really nice, seeing so many kids these days are always inside playing computer games, watching telly or on the internet.
{UPDATE 2013: We still live here and many of the young children have grown up and the street is now very quiet without virtually any problems.}

The people here are not rich or on the social ladder, in fact they are more just below the middle, yet they are friendly and quiet. People generally keep their cars and gardens nice and tidy...the street is clean and free from rubbish.

We are young early sixties, and still have our youngest teenage daughter at home.
At first we would not leave her home by herself because I did not feel comfortable with that, but nothing has ever happened, and my fears were unfounded.
( 2013 UPDATE: now late sixties :-) and daughter married.)

There are several dogs next door on each side of our house, but I never even know they are there...no barking ever...maybe they can't? One neighbour's dogs bark occasionally, but the people are quickly on top of it. Yesterday I videoed a special little visitor to our yard...Tricia the koala. She was climbing up our Gum Tree, and that was really nice. We have a resident Magpie, who flies down to say hello each time we eat outside on our patio.

This area is gazetted for resale as tenants move out of the Government houses. So eventually the area will become freehold, which may or may not improve the standard. Everyone needs somewhere to live and we all strive towards doing the best we can.

There are a number of parks just off our street, with playground equipment for the children, and huge PCYC (Police Citizens Youth Club) with soccer, netball, rugby, Aussie rules fields.
Cycle paths wind their way all throughout this area and a great way to see all the parks and gardens, new housing etc....
The area has plenty of schools. The state primary school is on Todd's road just near the end of Darcy Way. There is a child care centre opposite and a scout/girl guide den in Nightingale Street next to the park at the end of Darcy Way. There are also special schools for children with disabilities. The railway station is 900 metres away and an easy 10 mins walk or 1 minute drive.A easy train ride of about 30-35 minutes to the Brisbane CBD. The local tavern is a good economical place to eat...especially for pensioners...nice atmosphere and good food.

There are 2 churches on Frances Road...The Baptist and Assemblies of God. The local Catholic church is on Sparkes Road, about 2-3 kms nearby.
A large modern, lawn bowls club (Pine Rivers Bowls Club) is situated 1 km from our house. You can get good meals there and watch the bowlers or of course, play.
The aquatic centre is 1 km east on Cnr Lawnton Pocket Rd and features 25 and 50 mtr pools as well as a safety fenced area for little one to splash and play - there are toadstools with water cascading from them, as well as fountains that shoot up from the pools...lots of fun for mums and kids. The enclosed area also features playground equipment for littlies.
You can also sit under the sails and get a cappuchino from the kiosk...or cook up a barbie.
During the holiday periods, they put a huge plastic inflatable 'castle' in the main pool for kids to conquer and climb all over which is lots of fun.

There are several smaller shopping centres nearby, and a larger Westfield shopping centre in Strathpine about 3-5 minutes drive.
There are many restaurants along the main road and also a 5 theatre Cinema, Ten pin bowling, etc etc. Plenty of coffee shops, like Gloria Jeans, The Coffee club, etc. Pizza Hut,MacDonalds, KFC, Hungry Jacks, Thai, Chinese, Italian and Indian,