Nambour

Sunshine Coast – Nambour Includes:
BLI BLI, BURNSIDE, COES CREEK, COOLOOLABIN, DULONG, FLAXTON, HIGHWORTH, IMAGE FLAT, KIAMBA, KULANGOOR, KUREELPA, MAPLETON, MONTVILLE, NAMBOUR, NAMBOUR WEST, PARKLANDS, PERWILLOWEN, ROSEMOUNT, SUNSHINE COAST MC, TOWEN MOUNTAIN

Post Codes:
4560

In Brief:

Living slightly inland away from the frenetic Sunshine Coast, in the home of the Maroochy Council. 

Impressions of Sunshine Coast – Nambour

Nambour is in a valley surrounded by lush green hills. It is a reasonably large centre and being a transport hub, it is rather busy. It is also home to the Maroochy Council. There is no river, just a creek running through town which eventually flows into the Maroochy River, but you can swim in the Olympic Swim Centre. Plenty of big stores line the streets. The train line runs through Nambour and this is the stop which serves the Sunshine Coast. There is no longer any tourist information in the town as the volunteer force manning the centre lost interest, but no doubt so did the tourists. Tourists are attracted to Maroochydore (15kms away) or to Buderim (17kms away). Buderim, another inland town known for the Ginger Factory, is a colourful town in the hills with nice solid homes, some typical Queenslanders. Buderim and Nambour are good locations for people who like country life but who do not want to be in the thick of it and who don’t yearn for the sea breeze, and perhaps even want to live on acreage. Satellite villages between Nambour and Maroochydore include 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 centres.

Pros & Cons for Investment

Pros

1.    Property prices relatively cheap well below the regional average
2.    Close to the Sunshine Coast and major infrastructure
3.    Numerous satellite villages to live in out of Nambour
4.    Acreage available

Cons

1.    House and unit prices stagnant
2.    Slow population growth

Real Estate

The median price of houses as at the beginning of 2008 was $350,000. You can pick up a Queenslander here for below $380,000 or a property with a couple of acres and views to the Blackall Range for under $450,000. There are a number of small villages around Nambour with opportunities to purchase a house or acres. The median price for houses in Kuluin and Bli Bli was around $380,000.

‘Why we live here’ (Comments from locals)

Ex-Sydney couple “We were going no-where in Sydney except into debt, so we sold up and could afford a new home on a two acres at Bli Bli near the river, fully paid for what’s more. Apart from making sense economically it really was a lifestyle choice and we wish we had done it earlier.”
Craig Heppell, Sales and Marketing Manager, Carolans First National Nambour “Nambour has lost the tag of the Sunshine Coast’s ‘Less Fortunate Cousin’.  It has emerged once again as the hub of the Hinterland offering a relaxed country-town lifestyle and with every amenity a resident could ask for – rail, major shopping, private and public schools, hospital and associated medical facilities, sporting clubs, choice of residential or acreage living and only a few minutes drive to beaches.  The biggest advantage is still Nambour’s affordability. A family can purchase a very comfortable home in the $300,000 – $350,000 range. First home buyers and investors are able to get into the market under $300,000.”
 

Infrastructure

Roads

The roads servicing the Sunshine Coast 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.

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

Nambour. Also Buderim Police Beat (this means they visit, but do not reside, many rural areas complain of the problem of understaffing)

Newspapers

Sunshine Coast Daily

Beaches

There are no beaches here as it is 15kms from the coast. Maroochydore’s main beach is patrolled with a large surf club. Mooloolaba (the Spit) is patrolled and has parkland and picnic areas. Alexandra Headland, also patrolled. Also a number of sheltered beaches along the Cotton Tree Esplanade near the river.

Coastguard

Flotilla based at Mooloolaba, also home to the Auckland-Mooloolaba and Sydney-Mooloolaba yacht races.

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. 

Shopping

Adequate local shops in Nambour and no shortage of shopping on the Sunshine Coast only 20 minutes away. 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. Mooloolaba is has numerous small boutique shops.

Dining

Not a lot of great dining in Nambour but quite a selection in Buderim, Maroochydore and Mooloolaba. There are modern Australian and Mediterranean restaurants in Buderim as well as pizza, pasta and Asian. The Chopping Block Café is rated highly for breakfast and lunch. Maroochydore has numerous restaurants on the River Walk with plenty of diversity of cuisine and al fresco dining opportunities with views. 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 are seafood restaurants and also on Mooloolaba Harbour.

Things to Do

All the expected clubs are here or nearby, including golf, bowls, RSL and tennis. The Yacht Club is at Mooloolaba. Outdoor activities include golf (courses at Maroochydore, Buderim and Nambour), canoeing, crabbing, fishing, boating, kayaking, sailing, skiing, snorkeling and scuba diving. There is also a cinema/theatre complex in Maroochydore and of course a library. Local artists display at Mooloolaba and in hinterland galleries and the craft town of Montville. Churches represented include Anglican, Assemblies of God, Baha’i Faith, Baptist Union, Catholic, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah’s Witness, Lutheran, Seventh Day Adventist and Uniting.

No trip to Nambour would be complete without visiting the Big Pineapple and the Big Cow (3km north of Nambour town itself).

Population

Nambour had a population of just under 13,000 at the time of the 2001 Census growing slightly to 13,281 in the 2006 Census. 

Accessibility

The Bruce Highway runs past. Brisbane is just over 100kms south usually taking 1:30 hours to drive.

Educational Level

The proportion of adults who had achieved the HSC equivalent or higher as at the 2006 Census was 38%. 

Climate

Mean Daily Maximum Temperature ranges from 29.2C in January to 21.1C in July. Minimum temperatures range from 19.7C in February to 7.5C in July. Mean annual rainfall is 1,709mm. Average rain days 147pa. Annual number of clear days 75