Hi
in relation to your query re Gladstone estates. Don't touch Stoneybrook, wacking up very cheap houses, so tiny, and aim to do one a week. My relatives looked at one and said some of frames don't even sit on the slabs. Out of town company based on GC. Rooster mentioned Billabong estate earlier, he was probably referring to Billabong Heights, which is right next door to Stoneybrook and had some cheap homes built by another wackem up builder. Billabong Estate is across the creek from their and is a very nice estate with huge blocks of land (min 1220 m2), strict covenants and better class of houses. Properties from $500k upwards (recent land release starts at $300k for a block). Gecko valley is another better area right beside Billabong Estate.
South Gladstone and Barney Point suffer from alot of caustic smells from alumina plant at times. Barney Point also has alot of housing commission properties which are quite dated looking. Emmadale is established suburb has variety of house sizes and nice suburb. Parkesville estate is more prestigious suburb near Emmadale with big house blocks and houses. Seaview heights is also well established suburb and okay-but not newer stuff that is close to river, as they suffer from sandflies in that area, quite badly. Knew someone renting their and left as soon as lease was up. Clinton and New Auckland are older suburbs-early 70's. Some of the housing is definitely very 70's and older parts of New Auckland are housing commission. Telina is a very good suburb and one of the areas people prefer to live. Kin Kora and Sun Valley are older suburbs, but not bad areas to live or for a rental. Very close to shopping centres and schools so rentals are popular. Not sure I would recommend town area. Big issue here at the moment is coal dust in town. Coal export keeps expanding, so do stockpiles and of course coal dust exposure. Also suffers from caustic smell at times (sorry they do assure us it is only steam)-as we predominantly have South East winds. Yes I do live in Gladstone and love it-born and bred, but just pick where I live. Can't live on South side of town due to the odours as once lived there and my son had breathing difficulties-not now since we moved.
