What the locals love about the Sunshine Coast lifestyle

While it’s renowned for its beaches, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast has much more to offer, locals say, including a great climate, a welcoming community and easy access to important amenities.

Climate for year-round outdoor living

The mild winters, long summers and abundant clear days draw many to the Sunshine Coast, including the Clark family, who moved here from Torquay – a seaside town at the start of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.

“We love the beach, love surfing – and that’s what Torquay has. The Sunny Coast is exactly like it, but the climate is a million times better,” says Michael Clark, a mining company project manager who relocated with his wife and three children seven years ago.

“The coastal aspect, the hinterland – everything around here is stunning. And we can be outdoors pretty much 365 days a year.”

The climate definitely drives interstate migration to the area, says Sam Gardner, managing director of Gardner Vaughan Group, the developer responsible for Bask Bokarina.

Situated in Bokarina, a peaceful seaside suburb between the south-east Queensland coastal hubs of Mooloolaba and Caloundra, Bask Bokarina offers 135 spacious, beautifully appointed apartments in multiple styles over seven levels. 

“The Sunshine Coast is increasingly recognised as a lifestyle destination,” Gardner says. “It appeals to downsizers and tourists, and people have realised they can situate their families here to live and work.

“We’ve seen buyers come from Sydney and Melbourne who appreciate the warmer months and they’re spending more time in the water throughout the year. They’re just saying they wish they’d done it sooner.”     

Idyllic playground for hobbies

The weather lends itself to low-maintenance living and makes the Sunshine Coast a great place to follow your interests, says Kae Bullock, who retired to the area after selling her Gold Coast-based business.

She is now a member of a local Probus club. Along with cruises, lawn bowls and mini golf, the group often has lunch or dinner at one of the hundreds of cafes and restaurants on the coast. They also take bus trips to the hinterland and surrounding areas.

The community is very welcoming, Bullock says, and she “instantly gained a wonderful group of friends” at Probus.

Clark says his family slotted into the community through sport. His kids take part in surfing, netball, soccer and Aussie rules football, and he coaches an Aussie rules team.

Bokarina has great parks, walking tracks and waterways, he adds, and “on weekends, we’re out walking our dog or taking the kids for a bike ride – it’s really scenic and beautiful”.

Despite being packed with activities, the area is still peaceful, Clark says.

“We’re pretty isolated from the tourists during the holiday season,” he says. “When we go to the supermarket, we don’t have to worry about crowds.”

Gardner says the area appeals to people wanting to escape the hustle and bustle.

“Bokarina has a nice boutique beachside feel about it,” he says. “That’s one reason why our buyers love the Sunshine Coast. It’s more relaxed – they’re in their own little haven without being disconnected from infrastructure.”

Bask Bokarina offers “a community within a community”,  he adds, with facilities like a vegetable garden and shared relaxation spaces with pergolas, day beds and barbecues.

“But the key aspect has to be the percentage of green space paired with the proximity to the beach, all tied in with that connectivity,” Gardner says. “The design capitalises on the natural surroundings and the facilities offer our residents a great lifestyle experience.”

Bask Bokarina is within strolling distance of the ocean, with on-site walking paths, playgrounds and parklands. Lake Kawana is a stone’s throw away for water-based pursuits like kayaking. The picturesque Glasshouse Mountains, popular with bushwalkers and climbers, are about a 30-minute drive away.

Convenience and key amenities

Bokarina has easy access to schools, shops and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. 

“We don’t really leave this area much because everything’s nearby,” says Clark, who commutes to Brisbane twice per week for work. “A big thing for me is, it’s really easy to get to the freeway.” 

Getting around the Sunshine Coast is also easy, Bullock says.

“It takes 35 minutes to get anywhere,” she says. “And I don’t have the stress of knowing I’ve got to battle traffic.”

Gardner Vaughan Group strategically selects premium lifestyle locations for its developments, and, according to Gardner, “Bokarina fits this criteria perfectly”.

“Our buyers are attracted by the proximity of education and healthcare facilities, arterial roads and the Sunshine Coast airport,” he says.

“They’re all draw cards that make Bokarina an A-grade location.”

Bask Bokarina

Shop 6/42 Bokarina Boulevard, Bokarina, QLD 4575

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