Sunshine Coast – Mooloolaba Includes:
BUNDILLA, KAWANA ISLAND, MOOLOOLABA, MOUNTAIN CREEK
Post Codes:
4557
In Brief:
The Gold Coast lifestyle on a more manageable scale.
Impressions of Sunshine Coast – Mooloolaba
Mooloolaba is on the Mooloolaba River, the mouth of which has been transformed into an all-weather harbour which is home to the Auckland-Mooloolaba and Sydney-Mooloolaba yacht races. There is also a fishing fleet and fresh sea food restaurants perched on the harbour side. The sandy beach is wide and pure white. Past the extensive marinas the river has been turned into a complicated tangle of canals with many homes enjoying access to the river. The Sunshine Motorway cuts a swathe through the town and near the town centre makes a sharp 90˚ turn as though someone suddenly realised it wasn’t supposed to be there. The beach runs all the way along Pacific Boulevard and further on to the south. To the north the beach runs all the way to Maroochydore. Mooloolaba is less crowded than Maroochydore and looks better planned. There are numerous satellite villages between Mooloolaba and Nambour including Bli Bli on the Maroochy River and Kuluin which are small suburban areas appealing to people who want to be just out of the main centre.
Pros & Cons for Investment
Pros
1. Population growing
2. Option of canal homes, water views apartments, beach houses
3. A strong real estate market ahead of the average for towns in the region
4. Warm year round climate
Cons
1. Quality real estate is not cheap.
Real Estate
The median price for houses as at the beginning of 2008 was $650,000. Mountain Creek was cheaper at $490,000.
The prices range from $250,000 for apartments to well over one million for some very special waterfront homes.
‘Why we live here’ (Comments from locals)
Retiree: “Mooloolaba is the pick of the Sunshine Coast and we certainly wouldn’t choose the Gold Coast. Too many people. Maroochydore’s too crowded too. Here you have room to move and the waterways provide the fresh air to breathe. The harbour is like the heart which keeps the blood flowing and keeps us healthy.”
Jared: “The Sunshine Coast lifestyle has a proven formula for attracting both interstate and Brisbane buyers and the stretch from Mooloolaba to Maroochydore is the central hub of all activity in the area. This allows investors and owner-occupiers alike to be confident of a great return when buying into the area, hence the healthy growth rate of property prices over the past 4-5 years. It seems that the lure of the sand and surf virtually at your doorstep is the reason why the coast continues to experience both population and capital growth year after year.”
Infrastructure
Roads
The roads here are only just coping with the increasing traffic.
Nearest airports
Maroochydore with regular services to all capital cities
Nearest Rail
Nambour. From Brisbane this takes 1:50 hours, then a bus trip of 16kms to Maroochydore taking about 20 minutes
Buses Intercity coach services and local scheduled services
Taxi
Yes
Hospitals
Nambour Hospital, Selangor Private Hospital, Nambour Day Surgery, Sunshine Coast Private Hospital
Retirement Villages
Several in Maroochydore
Police Stations
Maroochydore, Mooloolaba Police Beat (this means they visit, but do not reside)
Newspapers
Sunshine Coast Daily
Beaches
Maroochydore’s main beach is patrolled with a large surf club. Mooloolaba (the Spit) is patrolled and has parkland and picnic areas. Alexandra Headland is also patrolled. There’s a number of sheltered beaches along the Cotton Tree Esplanade near the river.
Coastguard
Flotilla Based at Mooloolaba
Cycle Ways
On and off road to Mooloolaba and to Buderim as well as on Aerodrome Road and in some parks.
Bushwalking, National Parks
In the hinterland is Mount Coolum National Park with spectacular views of the coast from the top of Mt. Coolum. The track to the top, although not a great distance, is steep and rocky. There is also Mooloolah River National Park, southwest of Mooloolaba. This is an undeveloped park with plenty of birdlife. Most of the access is from the river.
Mooloolaba is well known for its small boutique shops. It doesn’t have the extensive shopping precinct of Maroochydore but that’s less than five kilometres away if you want to take advantage. Maroochydore boasts the Sunshine Plaza Shopping Centre which contains over 200 specialty shops, cinemas, cafes, as well as Myer, Target, K-Mart, Best & Less, Coles and Woolworths. Also the Big Top Shopping Centre. Two weekly markets provide fresh fruit, vegetables, arts and crafts.
Dining
Cosmopolitan cuisine served in al fresco surrounds, Mooloolaba has at least twenty eateries. Some, such as on the Esplanade and in the surf club, overlook the white sands of the beach. At the Spit and also on Mooloolaba Harbour are seafood restaurants.
Things to Do
The Mooloolaba Yacht Club is located on the harbour. Nearby are all the expected clubs including golf, bowls, RSL and tennis. Outdoor activities include golf (courses at Maroochydore, Coolum, Buderim and Nambour), canoeing, crabbing, fishing, boating, kayaking, sailing, waterskiing, snorkeling and scuba diving. There is also a cinema/theatre complex. Maroochydore has its own library. Local artists display at Mooloolaba and in hinterland galleries and the craft town of Montville. In the hinterland, there are also numerous walking tracks through rainforest. Churches represented include Anglican, Assemblies of God, Catholic, Jehovah’s Witness, Seventh Day Adventist and Uniting.
Population
The population of Mooloolaba post code 4557 fell 3.5% between the 2001 and 2006 Censuses. The population had been growing at around 13% in the five years between the 1996 and 2001 Census. The population of the entire shire of Maroochy as at the 2006 Census was 142,839.
Accessibility
Mooloolaba is 97kms from Brisbane, a traveling time of approximately 1:40 hours on busy roads. There is also the regional airport at Maroochydore just five minutes away.
Educational Level
The proportion of adult residents who had achieved the HSC equivalent or higher as at the 2006 Census was 47.5%.
Climate
Mean Daily Maximum Temperature ranges from 29.1C in December to 21.2C in July. Minimum temperatures range from 20.8C in February to 6.9C in July. Mean annual rainfall is 1643mm. Average rain days 133pa. Annual number of clear days 101
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