ado

'Oceana Drive' is a comparitively long road for Hobart. It starts in Howrah, intersecting the South Arm Highway and continues to stretch south through the growing riviera suburbs of South Howrah & Tranmere towards Droughty Point, along the hilly skyline visible across the water from Hobart.

Whilst previously segmented into 3 sections broken by bushland or paddock, 2 parts have recently joined providing Tranmere residents a better connection to the city. No doubt the remaining paddock will eventually be urbanised and Oceana Drive will become one continued length in future. The street's profile consists of almost all properties sloping westerly, commanding a guaranteed view of the Hobart trifecta; City, Mountain & Water. The street has underground services which ensures no ugly power-lines or poles interupt the view.

It is consistently a wide street allowing plenty of off-street parking, safe footpaths & a larger-than-normal setback requirement for houses. As the street has grown in length, so too has the experimentation in architectural style. Executive & designer houses & townhouses at the start of the street are generally from the 1980 period and as one travels its length the era gradually shifts through the 90's, 00's and today. Gardens of all ages are well-cared for and the variety of style each property offers make Oceana Drive an enjoyable, visually interesting walk.

The street is popular with cyclists, joggers & strollers but in my opinion could do with a decent avenue-style tree-planting program to provide more interest, leafy summer shade & wind protection. For a nature fix one can also access the native skyline bushland which Oceana Drive runs parallel with, which features a variety of wildlife, creeks, mountain bike & walking tracks.

Properties in South Howrah enjoy closer walking proximity to the Shoreline Centre, services & recreational facilities, including Little Howrah Beach & Howrah Point shops, whilst the lifestyle towards the end of Tranmere along Oceana becomes a little more car-dependant.

If you're planning to buy land & build along Oceana, be prepared to spend bucks on excavation upfront - Most of the land has little to no clay and alot of sandstone bedrock, which is good news for foundations & solid homes that will last.

Overall, Oceana Drive represents a stand-out address in Hobart.

Tranmere is situated on the Droughty Point/North Arm Corridor, on Hobart's eastern shore. It enjoys north-north-west aspects, all-day sun and million-dollar views of Hobart's trifecta: Mountain, City & Water. The sunsets from Tranmere are nothing short of spectacular year round & much of the suburb is orientated to maximise this lifestyle.

Tranmere is a developing suburb featuring a mix of architectural styles & influences. Ranging from a few average to large executive homes dating from the 1980's through to a vast majority of high quality architecturally-designed homes built in the past 7 years. Most houses & townhouses possess very-high green-star ratings with features such as heavy insulation, tinted glazing, solar panels, solar hot-water & rainwater harvesting, and most maximise the contemporary Australian style of indoor/outdoor living. Car & boat ownership is strong whilst gardens are just as immaculate.

Whilst possessing some glamorous riviera qualities such as foreshore reserves, walks and cycleway along the water's edge and a natural bush/forest hilltop skyline, the suburb does lack the walking-distance proximity to many services, recreational facilities & shops enjoyed by neighbouring suburb Howrah. However, such a4menities are only a short & pleasant drive to access. Weekends see a flurry of social activity as locals take to cycling, walking & jogging along the streets & foreshore as well as bbq get-togethers on decks facing the sunset views.

Tranmere is accessible within 10-15 minutes of the CBD, thanks to the Tasman Highway & Bellerive Bypass/South Arm Highway. The primary streets of Tranmere Road & Oceana Drive feed much of the Tranmere riviera yet are still considered quiet residential streets compared to their respective western-shore equivalents Sandy Bay Road & Churchill Avenue.

Tranmere is on the move, with people investing in their home & lifestyle for the long term. This is reflected in the rise in land value & the speed & volume of construction signalling a rush to 'get in now'. The downside of this is the loss of giant native trees in the area which are popular with the local birdlife.

There is a great deal of potential to maximise it's waterfront with better services in future, such as a boat-ramp, water-taxi jetty or even a yacht club/marina, restaurant/cafe & small shopping strip. Some local streetscapes, especially Oceana Drive & Tranmere Rd, could be enhanced with a decidious tree-planting program to ensure the area becomes 'leafier' in future. If any of these were to occur the appeal & value of the suburb would surely increase further.