Bi Coastal...

 
As I remember Peter  (They still call Australia home)  Allen used to say...he’s Bi-Coastal! L. A. and New York...Guess that’s me also not Los Angeles and New York exactly but bi-coastal meaning the north and south coasts of Brisbane.
 
I now live on the Gold Coast of Queensland but used to live two hours north on the Sunshine Coast and still have connections there hence the bi-coastal bit!
 
Both are equally attractive. Beautiful beaches and a busy cafe culture, restaurants and night life. Maybe more the Gold Coast for night life..if that’s what appeals.. but are both equally attractive.
 
When I lived on the Sunshine Coast my latest house was beachfront and I mean beach frontage. Just a brief walk out the back gate and on the beach. It was wonderful of course but always at the back of my mind come cyclone season was exactly that...cyclones! The last one was in the early 1980’s and a long time ago but locals always said it will happen again...oh it will happen and with so much housing built where there was no housing years ago I always wondered.
 
Maybe silly to worry about such things I know but when those things hit they certainly hit! Also usually they don’t travel this far south...but as I say they have done.
 
So for the last twelve years or so now I have lived on the Gold Coast in an apartment building with pools..one inside one outside. Large gardens that someone else has to look after plus they clean the pool. That was always a big job the daily pool cleaning as trees backed on to the property and leaves were a daily chore.
 
Mental note (to anyone) NEVER either build a pool or buy a house with a pool that’s near trees! Not that is if you want to spend a great deal of the time cleaning it. I love trees and they look wonderful but....
 
The difference between the two coasts is a fairly big one. The Gold Coasts population is around six hundred thousand plus and known for its many high rise apartment  buildings. It is the sixth largest and is said to be the fastest growing city in Australia. It has the top three fastest growing suburbs in the country as well. There is a very good transport system a new light rail or tram you would call it. That connects to the heavy rail and can be In Brisbane  less than an hour away. Many shopping centres. I could go to a different one every week for quite a few months or so if I wanted to but I always prefer Pacific Fair at Broadbeach. I would recommend that it’s always enjoyable...even just for grocery shopping. Good shopping and great atmosphere.
 
The green behind the gold of the Gold Coast is always a pleasure to explore with magical walks to waterfalls and tropical rainforests. There is a casino...if that’s your thing...not really mine. We do go really to watch the money being passed across the tables to the croupiers. I have no idea what some of these people must do as many seem to have hundreds of dollars of notes in their pockets. I always look in amazement. They scream and yell when they win and if they lose slide discreetly either out of the room or to yet another table.
 
The Sunshine Coast is equally beautiful in it’s natural beauty. Less people but growing rapidly with a population of around three hundred and forty thousand.  I guess Mooloolaba/Caloundra and Noosa are the most well known destinations. Some equally good shopping centres, beautiful beaches of course the same coffee culture and  restaurants. Noosa is known as the “trendy” place. Everyone from the southern states knows something about Noosa. Either they have holidayed there at one stage..known someone who lives there or have a holiday place there.
 
The Bruce highway can be a problem when it’s holiday period and we always time our journeys from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast by leaving in the mornings just after the morning  rush. On return making completely sure we travel early afternoon before the afternoon/evening rush of workers leaving Brisbane to return home to either coasts.
 
I always have many mixed emotions when on the Sunshine Coast though beautiful it holds many happy and many sad memories. I lived there with my Parents and they have both since passed on. I had businesses there, some good some not so good, also a business partnership I would rather forget but I shouldn’t let that spoil my memories of happy times spent on the coast and the really good people I met along the way.
 
I would say if anyone is thinking of visiting from another state of Australia, or from overseas, take the time to visit both coasts as well as Brisbane city of course on the way through. Between the two you certainly wont be disappointed and maybe even want to stay like so many others have done....including myself!

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