We live in Sydney and are moving to Queensland to retire and have narrowed our choices to Narangba or North Lakes to build our retirement home but as we are on the net reading the local papers and websites in both areas we are a little concerned with the constant mention of bad practices by the local Police in North Lakes toward the residents , it is not a good look for people interstate to see this.
The wife and I were up last week again looking at blocks of land and as we had a few hours before our plane we stopped at the little inn at the shopping centre to talk to the locals and were told some rather sorrowful stories about what has been occurring .
Our questions are , what has happened to allow this type of low behaviour ? and is it really happening or just stories getting bigger with every telling ?
We would apprecite any feed back as this will influence our decision on where to build.
Many thaks , Steve and Deb .

Personal opinion.. retire somewhere that is already well established. You'll see less renters, more home owners and things in the community will be a lot less turmoil.. which is what you want.

We've never had any problems with the local police and have always found them helpful and professional. Unfortunately, North Lakes has plenty of juvenile/ young adult ratbags that commit offences and THEY ARE the problem not the police.
I must also add that some resident of NL suffer from an "up themselves" attitude and believe they are better than anyone else and above the law. We are now looking at moving out of NL due to it becoming packed like a sardine can and the general attitude of people.
I sadly agree somewhat when my pommie mate calls NL "pikey town" or "chav town". I had to google it to see what he meant but he isn't too far wrong. Saying that, there of course good people here but a little too many are "up themselves" or "chavs" for our liking.

Regards,
S

Hi STEVEM,

Can you expand a little on “Police Behaviour”....what are people accusing them of doing. I occssionally see them out with radar or conducting RBT...so if you don’t speed or DUI, you shouldn’t have a problem.

We built out house and moved in 3 years ago and haven’t had any problems here at all. If anything it’s a little too quite and boring. Just like any suburb you can get the odd bad neighbours from time to time...it’s really just pot luck. We live in Bridgehaven and most people in our street take the time to wave or toot the horn when passing each other.

While NL suits us at the moment, it’s probably not the place we would retire though...we usually find ourselves heading up the coast on weekends so a beachside retirement is in the cards.

Pyrotix....I see you still haven’t managed to set up the “Utopia” website for your new place of residence.

G'day STEVEM,

I have some advice for you when listening to locals about anything not just the cops. If the story sounds like they heard it from someone who heard it from someone else etc etc, it's your usually furphy and should be treated as such.
As for the coppers from the local North Lakes station I know most of them and can honestly say I don't think any of them would be guilty of doing anything untoward to anybody. As another poster has already said, it could be bad mouthing coming from one who got caught doing the wrong thing.

Chances are if people don't do the wrong thing they won't have any contact from the Police.

Have a good one

XTC2, we're in two entirely different worlds. So close, yet so far. My worlds better, no site required. lol

Thumbs up for the local North Lakes police. I've lived in North Lakes for 8 years now and the Police presence is better than ever. Not a week goes by where I don't see a Police car somewhere around here. I have been pulled over for RBTs and the officers are always very polite and say hello to the kids in the back. We joke though that I've been in more RBT's in North Lakes in the past 12 months than in the last 12 years ! ... good thing though.

Having experienced some elements of Pyrotix's North Lakes experience I do have to agree that he had some real reasons for concern. Things did at times get a bit out of control with groups of teenagers over there. Snr Sgt Mike Verry did a great job by himself in those days.

There is a group of teenagers in the park next to our house at the moment having some fun but keeping it under control so good on them ... I suspect that the bulk of the issues are caused by a minority.

Scott

Deb and I thank you for your replies regarding the Police , it seems that its a case of things being a little distorted with sach telling , we were a little concerned as we farmed in the Riverina area some years back when it was not a very nice place with heavy criminal activity being aided by the Police so we were certainly concerned about those days returning .
We look forward to our move and will be putting a deposit on the North Lakes block tomorrow .
Once again thank you.
Steve and Deb Marshall

Come on Pyrotix what's with the 'less renters' comment? I thought we were over that in North Lakes already!!?? The fact that rent in North Lakes is rarely under $400 p/w means your going to have people with good jobs and good incomes and plenty of decency moving in. I earn more than enough to buy a home but I rent and I choose to rent because it's a simple 'no hassles' way to be in a home. We treat every home like our own and get on tremendously with our neighbours wherever we are. I think it's a bad stereotype labelled on a VERY small majority of renters. Plenty of people that own their own home treat it like crap and disrespect their neighbours also.
On the topic at hand though, the police in North Lakes are excellent, and it's just the fools that speed, vandalise and drink and drive that have the issues.
North Lakes is the best an there is no where else I'd rather live!

Darren, I didn't mention North Lakes. When I lived in North Lakes, we had great neighbours most of which were renters.

However friends of ours bought in a new estate in Narangba and found they were surrounded by rental properties which were priced at $345-$400 a week. What they saw was that younger renters were splitting the cost of the weekly rent and living out of the three bedrooms.

With the already small streets throughout the estate and one garage for a single car, you would often have one car parked across the lawn and the other taking up half the street. The problems go on, but you are right it is a small minority. However, if you have high density rental properties. Slightly cheaper than normal rent and a new estate, you find that minority attracted to that particular area.

Where we are living now, we are surrounded by renters however they are older and more established homes which have attracted families and we haven't had a single problem.

No probs Pyrotix I was just stirring you up mate! It was either comment about the renters thing or re mention you spewing up around the lake way back! hahaha

Oh you are such a troll Darren haha. You can add that to your list of stories to tell future Bootcampers!

"This one time, this guy decided to eat Sushi prior to one of my workouts.."

Reply to S

I have been here for 3 months, live in Eastridge North lakes. I totally agree with the comment of SOME residence think they are better than us, as thats my only prob NO one waves talks or even looks. we live in a court at the beginning and everyone in here just up them selves attitude. I love my house and VERY quiet area but also would like to be friendly to my neighbours.. FAT chance of that!
Maybe i am just a too friendly person!

Tassie mum...

Sorry you moved into a snobby street, when we were renting (in North Lakes) our neighbours were much the same (and the vast majority of them were also renting). However, we moved in December and our new street is very social, renters and home owners all come together and drink and natter out on the street almost daily! I wouldn't call our street quiet at all - there are always children playing out on the street and bounding from house to house to house (I love it, even when there are 9 or so little(and big) monkeys traipsing through my house!!) There is currently an empty, brand new rental house available next door to us right now... but suppose you're locked in.