Amanda's story; moving from Bondi to the Gold Coast

Amanda was craving space, and the Bondi traffic was driving her mad, so she packed up her family and moved from busy Bondi in Sydney to the Gold Coast in 2017. Here's her story. Why did you decide to move to the Gold Coast? We were living in an apartment in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, and I was craving space for my boys (and me). And was fed up doing 5 laps around the block just to pick up a takeaway coffee! We considered a move to Sydney's Northern Beaches, but that would have meant a lot more commuting for my husband, he would have spent another couple hours a day in traffic, what’s the point right? We also briefly contemplated the South Coast of NSW, but I was eager to be closer to my family (who are in Brisbane), the beach and the glorious Queensland weather. That's why we ultimately settled on the Gold Coast. Where on the Gold Coast did you settle? On a weekend away, my husband had fallen in love with the Tallebudgera Valley. And I really liked the Tallebudgera State School so we needed a home within the catchment area for the school. We rented a house in Currumbin Valley for 12 months at first, just to make sure we were happy about such a big move. After that we bought our current home in Currumbin Waters. We love the rural rainforest and bush feel with close proximity to the beach, and the cruisiness of the south end of the coast. What schools do your kids attend? Both boys went to Tallebudgera State School . We chose this school because of the space, so much beautiful green space, backing onto horse paddocks and a nature reserve. There are koalas in the trees!! It’s a beautiful country school vibe but with exceptional teachers and program. My oldest son now goes to St Andrew’s Lutheran College . It's a really kind, caring and nurturing school. Was it hard to find work? My husband moved up with a job as a BDM for an experience design and digital consultancy. I took some time to reconfigure my extensive experience as a professional makeup artist and have built a new business positioned as an over 40’s makeup expert. I've created an online makeup masterclass series The Shine Sessions and opened an online shop catering to this group of women. What was the hardest about the transition to the GC? Leaving our friends behind. How's life on the Gold Coast? I love that it's a great mix of super chilled beachside and rural lifestyle with lots of entrepreneurial people doing really cool and interesting projects. What I miss is having a “central” place to hang... everything on the GC is super spread out, there’s no real hub. This is changing though as Burleigh Heads becomes more of a meeting place. I just wish Surfers Paradise could get a makeover, and be a bit of a Surry Hills of Sydney or Melbourne CBD type location with good bars, cafes and restaurants... I would love it to move away from the cheap fast food outlet and naff tourist shops. It’s just so soulless there... and I feel like there is a huge opportunity to transform it into a place GC locals want to hang out. Any advise for anyone considering moving to the Gold Coast? Do it!