Escape to Pomona, Queensland: 'It's turned out to be the best move ever'

A town tucked away in the Noosa Hinterland, at the base of Mount Cooroora, Pomona is home to quite the collection of heritage buildings, including the world’s longest continuously running silent theatre, the Majestic.

It also boasts wonderful weather, great services, and what one resident describes as “the best of both worlds” – the happy combination of country-style living with the city just a short hop away.

Population: 2910, as of the 2016 Census.

Who lives here?

Locals say the community is a blend of country folk, creative types, city-dwellers chasing a quieter life, young families and retirees.

One resident who was after a more relaxed vibe is Tia Carrigan, from This Bird Florist and Creative Studio. She has been in Pomona for two and a half years, having previously lived in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

“I grew up in small town out west, and I was craving that community feel,” she said.  “It’s a great little community. A mix of old country vibe with real artistic and creative tendencies – it’s got a really laid-back, hippie vibe.”

“I’m an artist, and it’s turned out to be the best move ever.”

Alison Hadfield, from the Majestic Theatre, describe the town’s population as a mix, with Pomona also acting as a centre for many of the smaller surrounding villages such as Kin Kin.

“It’s a mixture of families – we do have the state high school here – and a large bulk of retirees,” she said.

Sandy Roulston, from Raine & Horne Noosa Hinterland, said she was seeing people relocate to the area both from the south – Sydney and Melbourne – and from Darwin and Townsville.

“Demographically, there’s young families coming into the area, which is lovely,” she said.

What happens here?

Quite a lot, as it turns out. Pomona is hosting its annual King of the Mountain Festival in July, an all-day event with the marquee activity a race up and down Mount Cooroora.

“That is fantastic, that is a great event,” said Ms Carrigan. “It’s very family-oriented, with a lot of international runners.”

Pomona also hosted the Pomona Music Festival in April, and there are regular silent film screenings and live shows held at the Majestic.

“There a lot of music gigs, local talent and nationally recognised – there’s alway something going on, lots of music, lots of art,” Ms Carrigan said.

Ms Hadfield said: “There’s stacks to keep you busy. And really nice cafes, a beautiful park, and fantastic markets every second and fourth Saturday of the month.”

The town also is also home to a delightful antiques store, the Noosa Museum, the Railway Art Gallery and the Noosa Country Trail.

What’s life like here?

While the city is close, Pomona offered a country lifestyle,  Ms Hadfield said, complete with a proper country show.

“People come from Noosa and think they’re coming into the country!” she said.

“It’s very laid back – it’s a place where you walk down the street and people look you in the eye and say ‘good morning’, even if you don’t know them,” said Ms Carrigan. “It’s got that really friendly vibe, people have time to connect and engage with people.”

Ms Roulston also remarked on the country vibe.

“It does have a village feel,” she said. “Sometimes you can walk outside and there’s six horses tied up there, while the owners go to the coffee shop.”

What jobs are here?

“A lot of people work in Gympie and Noosa – it’s just a half-an-hour drive,” Ms Hadfield said, adding that even commuting to the north side of Brisbane was quite doable.

“There’s a lot of small business in town,” Ms Carrigan said. “And there’s a lot of accommodation in town, there’s an eco resort being built at the moment.”

Ms Roulston added that some residents worked at the hospital in Nambour, or even at Maroochydore, which was only a 45-minute drive away.

Why move here?

“Pomona is a great mix of the city meeting the country,” said Ms Carrigan. “It’s only 25 minutes to the beach, but you get to live in the rolling green hills.

“It’s just a really lovely lifestyle.”

“If they were coming from the city, I’d say for a quieter life – a nice lifestyle,” said Ms Hadfield, who originally came from Sydney. “There’s hardly any crime here. I saw a paddy wagon for the first time in a long time just recently, and I think he was just lost!

“That’s the first thing I noticed – there were no sirens. It’s a good place to live.”

Ms Roulston agreed, saying the town was a “nice, safe, secure area”, and a great place to raise kids.

“We’ve got a lot of netball, touch footy, AFL – it’s got a really nice family feel,” she said. 

“There’s only one set of traffic lights between here and Noosa, and that’s at the school. Don’t tell anyone you’re moving here – they’ll all want to come!”