Mareeba, QLD 4880

Mareeba is a great mid sized town, not too small and not too big. Perfect place to raise a family without the fear of the kids getting bored. Plenty of shops, schools, a public swimming pool, gyms, pony club, turf club, sport clubs etc... Fantastic for the horse lovers, with plenty of horse and acreage properties within minutes from the heart of town and excellent Rodeo Grounds Facilities where many horse events and Mareeba's iconic annual Rodeo is held. Very friendly bubbly place to live and only 45 minutes to Cairns. Also many beautiful water holes and rainforrest hideaways close by, makes it easy to get out of town and enjoy all the Tablelands beauty has to offer, without having to drive very far. Climate is ideallic, Summer months bring the wet season rains yet the temperature is not as hot or humid as Cairns being situated at a higher alttitude. Winter brings fine sunny days and cool nights. Spring and Autum... heavenly!

A multi-cultural district rich in wildlife, museums, coffee and wine, with clear blue skies perfect for flying, Mareeba has a rich history going back to the gold mining days.

Couple that with a strong sense of community that hosts a Multi-Cultural Festival each August and embraces traditional outback sports such as the famous Mareeba Rodeo and The Great Wheelbarrow Race and you have a fun, vibrant and thriving stop off point.

The region is a magnet for self–drive visitors, and a popular destination for Grey Nomads who enjoy Mareeba as a base to explore the Atherton Tablelands. It’s also a gateway to Cape York and Gulf destinations.

Mareeba is situated 45mins from Cairns and 30 minutes from the the Tablelands. If you're looking for a place to raise kids that has a great community then this is it. There are three primary schools including two in town and one 5 mins out of town, as well as a state high and a Catholic college. There are two huge parks that are great for younger children and which also host markets. There is a skate park in town as well as swimming pool and swimming holes. The crime rate is average for the area and includes crime that is pravalent in other places such as vandalism, break and enters etc. There's plenty of clubs for kids to join whether footy or soccer, or the scouts, girl guides and the air force cadets. Having lived here most of my life, moved away then moved back to raise my family I'd suggest mareeba to anyone who wants a slow steady pace to life where everyone knows each other. Public transport includes taxi service and a bus service which can transport you to cairns or the rest of the Tablelands. Nightlife is limited but there are plenty of nice places to eat out and if you're looking for the odd clubbing outing the Gateway hosts a nightclub once a month.

My family and I had a five year plan to leave the Gold Coast and find somewhere nice to live and perhaps buy our last home. We had moved around a bit doing some travelling for 5 years and opportunity presented itself to move to Cairns. Rented for a year and then "discovered" Mareeba. This regional town has practically everything you need from entertainment community groups and what you can't find here you can find in Cairns, only 45 minutes drive away. Positioned on the tablelands there are heaps of fantastic scenic places to visit, Kuranda is gorgeous, the Barron River offers up plenty of spectacles, sports and swimming. Living in the tropics has it's interesting aspects (beware of crocodiles and stingers) but the weather is great, the people are amazing and the town is very friendly. Regional towns like Mareeba offer so much opportunity for families and people looking for a tree change - you just need to look for it.

Mareeba is a tiny town that is too far away from Cairns and too far away from the other towns that are also living on the Tablelands. Lack of public transport always all week long, properties are too cheap there because the location sucks and the town itself is never growing into anything new or lack of change to make the town a good place to live. There isn't much schools to choose from because it's limited to choosing a school near town or far away from town, children are always bored so they complain about it all day and have to spend 45mins wasting fuel to find some entertainment down in Cairns. This town needs to grow more of resources and entertainment, because I do not recommend it for raising a family.