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Kelvin Grove is a small suburb, but densly populated on the outskirts of Brisbane central and in the vicinity of Qld University of Technology and Royal Brisbane Hospital. The area has access to all facilities that a city has and is a very strong rental area for workers in the city which is within walking distance.

There are large parks nearby, some quite magnificent architecture and with so many of the earlier homes of Brisbane here, there is an atmosphere all of its own. Many of the older homes have been renovated and are quite striking.

There are some main roads through the area though which can be noisy, as would be expected in a suburb so close to a large city. Many of the local streets are quite narrow and also many cars have to be parked on the street.

I mean to say, who put a horse and cart in a garage? So why would you build a garage in those early days?

There are many different nationalities living in the area and this is brought about by the university and its overseas students and also the fact that migrant workers can walk into the city for employment.

Beautiful old trees line the streets and are plentiful in the parks which makes this area very attractive from that point of view.

Kangaroo Point is across the Brisbane River from the Brisbane city centre and in fact the Story Bridge crosses over at its peak. What have become so popular in this area are the new apartment blocks for city living. It is only a matter of crossing over the bridge, or catching the ferry and there you are in the centre of the city.

This would be a great place to live you are the busy executive. Live in a no maintenance situation and entertain overlooking Brisbane and Brisbane River. Qute a desirable situation.

At this point you can jump on the highway and head north or south to the beaches for your weekend relaxation.

For a miriad of restaurants you are only a stone's throw from Brisbane, or drop down to South Bank for some dining near the river.

All Australian cities seem to have a Chinatown and in Brisbane, Fortitude Valley is the place. The Valley is really only 5 mins drive from Brisbane centre, so it is easy to get to and the younger, more alternative generation often see this as a place to go.

The main street of Fortitude Valley has been made into a Mall and has a very Chinese decor.

Although it is the Chinese centre of Brisbane, it also has many other nationalities selling food and other products. It really has become more Asian, rather than Chinese now.

It is not an area that would be recommended for wandering around on your own at night, and regardless care should be taken when travelling in the area.

There are many night time activities that are carried on which leaves one feeling a little unsafe.

Paddington was an area of old wooden 'Queenslanders' but over time they have been renovated and this area has taken on an atmosphere all of its own. It is set a little higher in the hills 20 mins drive north west of Brisbane and is a very strong rental area for those who are working in Brisbane proper.

It is just far enough out of town to be out of the hustle and bustle of Brisbane, but close enough to access anything that you may need. The restructuring of the Brisbane access routes has meant that Paddington now has quick access for people going north or south from the city.

The roads can be quite hilly and quite narrow and this all adds to its appeal, but I am sure for some it is not so desirable as many people have to leave their vehicles on the street.

This is another area of cafés, so enjoy.

West End is quite an unusual type of place in that there are many cafés, but there are the old and arty, then the very new and upmarket. Quite a mix.

This is an area that has become very popular with the art lovers and those that are a little alternative in their way of thinking and dress. There are all sorts of little drop in places and many little alternative shops for those with interests that are just that little different.

It has become quite an attraction to go to the restaurants and sit and relax in the area.

The weekend markets have proven to be very popular and they are very arty in their products which is good to see because so many markets have become quite commercial.

It used to be the pretty dingy side of town. Not very much too flash about it but it all changed all those years ago when Expo came to town. From that time on South Brisbane has continued to redevelop and incorporate new and exciting things to bring this area into modern times.

There are stunning buildings, especially in association with the Art Centre, large conference facilities, a man made beach at adjacent South Bank, lovely park area, outdoor dining and so much more. It is a place where you could easily spend the day looking around and enjoying what is on offer. There is something for all ages, races and interests.

When you go here, make sure you have the time to enjoy what is on offer.

From a commercial point of view, new buildings have been replacing the old.

South Brisbane and the adjacent West End and South Bank have tended to cater especially to the arty folk. There is much on offer for those with a strong interest in the arts. It tends to be an area where people with these interests are living and congregating.

Milton was the initiator of outdoor eating in Brisbane restaurants. The main street of Milton is about 50% devoted to restaurants that have quite large outdoor eating areas. Only 5 mins drive from Brisbane centre, Milton gained in popularity very quickly and has maintained this support over the years.

It is THE Place to be for the in set. Just look down the street and see the racy sports cars, the latest BMW and so on.

Supporting the restaurants in this area are also the boutique jewellery shops, clothing boutiques and the like. In total, it is a very trendy place to be.

Being so close to Brisbane city centre Milton is quite a popular place to live. Suncorp Stadium is within walking distance and this brings many visitors into the area on a regular basis.

A lot of businesses have their premises here as it is only a quick drive into town if there is a need to meet clients or business associates.

This is a city that has a holiday atmosphere. It is like an overgrown resort town. Being in the tropics, dress is a fairly casual and the design and restructure of the city centre focuses on the relaxed lifestyle. It should be called the city of outdoor 'cafés'. Just about every suburb has a range of cafés with outdoor eating. Brisbane locals just love to sit outside to dine.

It used to be a city of hats and gloves before it developed into the more relaxed lifestyle of today. It was a city where all the rural property owners arrived with all their refinery and treated it as 'the big trip of the year', but with modern transport all that has changed.

The city itself is some 25km up river and nestled both sides of it. There is a man made lagoon and beach on the southern side which is ever so popular with the locals and tourists alike.

Because the weather in Queensland is so accommodating, there is almost any outdoor sport you can think of available to do somewhere in or around Brisbane. There is something to do for all age groups.

Brisbane has in latter years, been attracting 'the younger professional set' as they have discovered that the lifestyle that Brisbane offers is better than most other capital cities in Australia.

Many Brisbane residents drive north to the Sunshine Coast, or south to the Gold Coast for their weekend leisure time.

Cotton Tree has modernised over the last few years and the park area that runs along the Maroochy River now boosts play areas for children, covered BBQ areas, clean safe beach, concrete walkways, and large grassed areas for activities. The park is often used for promotional functions and other fun commercial activities.

Cotton Tree has a Sunday market which is very popular and draws many people into the area who then go on to enjoy other activities.

There are many quality restaurants of all standards which cater to all age groups and economic conditions. Also there are many coffee shops open during the day and you will see people lounging away their time in these, enjoying the warm weather.

One of the Sunshine Coast's most popular bowing greens is in Cotton Tree and during the winter months this attracts hundreds of southern and kiwi bowlers for the winter tournament.

Backing on to Cotton Tree is the Maroochydore surf beach which is always popular and many go and sit in the renovated surf club and have a leisurely lunch while overlooking the surf.

Cotton Tree is only a short walk to the modern Maroochydore shopping centre where people spend hours wandering around and entertaining themselves.

The area is slowly becoming more and more tourist and apartment orientated as the older homes of the area are pulled down and the area redeveloped.

The years we spent in Maroocy Waters were very enjoyable. Maroochy Waters Drive where we lived was developing at the time and eventually became a bit of a race track, but that was taken care of by new judder bars and chicanes being installed.

There were notably two things we liked about living there. It was great going for walks along the river and fishing there as well, and also it is not far from the Sunshine Coast highway so you could get on to that and go north or south, allowing you quick access to any area you wanted.

Round the corner is the hotel with an appealing outdoor dining area and a couple of little restaurants as well. A small shopping centre catered for your daily needs and the large modern shopping centre at Maroochydore was only 5 mins away by car.

What was once a residential area is now very much catering to the tourist as well. The local council has done a great job dressing up the park area adjacent to the beach. There is room to kick a ball around, BBQ's, children's safe play area and lots of parking.

This is not a big area but the locals support it very strongly because of the park facilities and the cafes that are so popular. You can have a leisurely lunch or dinner, sit there as long as you like and enjoy the view out over the park and playground out to see. It is just so relaxing. Send hubby for a surf and sit there with your friends for a drink!

It is little bit hilly to the south east and this adds character to the area.

Only 5 mins drive into the city of Caloundra, you really do not want for anything if you live here. It is a very popular area for locals in behind the shops and beach area. Not very far from primary schools and high school, it is a well sort after area.

Wurtulla is the last of the coastal strip between Caloundra and Kawana to fully develop. The last beach blocks are going to be built on any day. This is an area where the young families have gravitated to, especially those where dad likes to surf at every available opportunity. Not so very long ago the real estate was quite cheap and many home owners have had huge increases in their real estate values.

It is an area where a large number of older 3brm homes have been renovated by the younger families and now it is more modern area and very appealing for residential living.

It is only a short drive to either Caloundra or Kawana shopping centres although there are some smaller shopping centres closer than that for everyday living needs. All other services are in the area and convenient.

It is only a short walk to a very popular bowls club that also has cheap evening meals.

What used to be a laid back coastal beach settlement is now a thriving modern beach area with a great park area that is fantastic for young families. A young family can spend all morning in this area and find heaps to do. The park has been set up with fountains, play gyms and other apparatus so that children of all ages can enjoy themselves for ages.

The beach is not very long but it is a well known surf beach and the surfers can nearly always get a ride here.

The local pub is back a little and elevated so it catches the sea breezes and from the balcony you can look out over the park out to sea.

Holiday accommodation is in every direction that you look, mostly in the form of apartments, but there are also some houses that are let for holiday accommodation. Because of the weather in the south east of Qld, this area attracts tourists most of the year.

Winter is the big bowling carnival with bowlers coming from all over Australia and New Zealand for a couple of months.

Golden Beach was known as 'the retirement village' but over the years that has changed and a lot of the old fibro beach houses have been pulled down and apartment blocks have taken their place. These apartment blocks have been either for permanent living or holiday accommodation. Most of the people that holiday in Golden Beach are families with young children (because the swimming area is safe) or retirees.

Golden Beach is just that far enough away from Caloundra not to be inconvenient, but it is a little quieter in this area than other parts of Caloundra city.

Golden Beach runs along the shores of the Bribie Passage and therefore those that like to sail, fish, swim, windsurf or any other water sports, will find this a good place to stay.

There is not much here for singles and they tend to stay more over at Kings Beach area where there is some night life on offer.

A lot of thought has gone into planning Pelican Waters and it is a very modern city with some lovely canal homes, upmarket hotel accommodation, shopping centre, golf course and other facilities. The area is protected by Bribie Island which means that boating is popular and so too, are other water sports in the Bribie Passage.

Being so close to Caloundra it is a great place to bring up a family, especially a teenage family, lots of room and things to do.

To get to Pelican Waters you access from Caloundra through Golden Beach.

It is still in the growing stage so at the moment one has to drive back through Caloundra to get access to the Bruce Highway. When the estate is complete there will be access directly out to the Bruce Highway and this will cut about 20 mins off the drive to Brisbane.

To be honest Tin Can Bay did not do a lot for me, but that is purely my opinion. It probably did not help that the tide was way out and therefore a long stretch of muddy sand leading out to the river. I have seen pictures of Tin Can Bay with the tide in and it does look lovely.

At Tin Can Bay you are allowed to hand feed the dolphins. This is a big attraction for the area as there are only 3 places in Australia where you are allowed to do this.

It is a very strong fishing area as it is on an outreach of the Mary River that heads south and the land forms a small peninsular with the river on both sides. Quite a unique set up really. It is very safe for swimming for the little ones.

There is not a lot in the way of services here and most people would travel into Gympie for anything major. Gympie is some 60 klm drive inland.

Situated on the northern side of the Maroochy River, Bli Bli is very much a residential area, mainly for young families and retirees. Generally speaking the standard of housing is cheaper, not nasty, but the basic 3brm home as opposed to large 4 or 5 brm homes. This is what has allowed the younger families to buy here for their first homes. In saying all that, there are new estates being opened up at the back of Bli Bli now and in these estates it is expected that there will be more expensive housing built because of the covenants in the estates.

It is only a 10 min drive into Maroochydore where all facilities are available and a modern shopping centre of very higher standard. Bli Bli is inland a little and even though it is on the northern side of the river, most of the housing is not actually near the river.

A small local shopping centre services the area very well for everyday needs.

The areas north and south of Peregian Beach have been expanding over the years and what was a quiet beach area has now become more and more popular. The shopping centre has been upgraded and has a rather unique set up in that the shops actually form a large square with a good sized park area in the middle where people sit under the trees and drink their coffee and eat their meals.

Even though the town has been upgraded there is still a very laid back lifestyle. The beach is a surf beach and seems to stretch for miles. The area is undulating behind the beach area and therefore some of the homes have uninterrupted views out to the ocean.

Some 15 mins drive from Noosa and 30 mins drive south to Maroochydore no major centre is too far away. Most minor services are available in Peregian as it is a growing area and it also services the coast north and south from it.

Sunshine Beach is a fairly small suburb 3 mins drive from Noosa main street and set amongst the hills leading off the beach. There are some really lovely settings with spectactular views out over the ocean. The beach itself is a surf beach and very popular with the locals.

The shopping centre is quite small and the locals get to know each other quite well at the little cafes. There are quite a few retired people here and also a number of the homes are 'holiday homes' for Brisbane residents who use them for weekenders.

Cost wise the real estate has crept up over the years and many a property now sports a very modern house.

Only 3 mins from Noosa residents seem to have the best of both worlds: the glitz of Noosa, yet the more quiet laid back lifestyle of Sunshine Beach. As well as that it is only 1.45 hr drive to Brisbane.

Perth has so many features to offer locals and tourists alike. I have heard so many people say that if Perth was closer to the east, then that is where they would choose to live. The climate is great (hot and dry), it has the atmosphere of a holiday town, it has the money from the big mining corporations and it has the tourists who love to flock there.

It does not have a lot of the historical buildings that some of the other capital cities have and therefore gives the appearance of being more modern overall.

The beaches seem to stretch on for ever, and the Swan River runs from the coast in past Perth itself. This gives a lovely feel to the city. There is also much activity on the river itself.

There has been a lot of growth in Perth over the past few years and this has shown in the price of real estate. House prices were some of the fastest rising prices in Australia during 2007-2008.

Initially develpment ran along the foreshore but with the growth has been heading up into the surrounding hills forming very popular townships with a 'get-away' feel.

It is a city that has everything to offer and of course it has to, it is so far from everywhere else.

The port of Freemantle is at the beginning fo the Swan River and puts through a huge load of almost anything you can think of. I say this because, although there are other ports up and down the W.A. coast, the ports of Freemantle have to supply a vast area with every possible thing you can think of.