Marian, QLD 4753

Marian lies in the heart of the pretty Pioneer Valley with the river on the north side of town and surrounded by distant hills and mountains across lush sugar cane paddocks. The town itself is a little schizophrenic, the older established houses mainly timber, many elevated, with substantial gardens and trees. The newer estates are flat block boxes on concrete slabs without a tree in site. This makes very little sense in tropical summers unless one has a secret desire to subsidise the electricity company.

Promised shopping centres have been just that for years, but the reality is that a car is essential, and for most families, two cars, and with a 60km round trip to town that soons adds up to a lot of kilometres. For those working in the mines price and commuting time are not an issue, but for ordinary workers costs soon add up. However, the place is definitely friendly. Just not sure if its sustainable.

We rented in Marian by accident - but the best thing we could have done. We have since bought our own house around the corner and I have never lived in a better street or suburb. The people around here wave to you as they drive past, you can have a chat if you want or you can remain private - I have a mixture of neighbours that I hardly see and others I chat to regularly over a beer in the street. The local primary school is fantastic - and my 7 yo son walks home from school by himself (400 meters but he thinks its great to be independant), now where could you ever let a 7 yo walk home alone other then Marian. We are going to get a shopping centre oneday, other wise everything you need is at Walkerston and Bunnings and the major shopping centres are only 20 - 25 minute drive away. There is a pub out here, post office, servo, fish & chip shop and and convenient store - more then enough to live comfortably. Marian is awsome - as I said before it is the best place I have lived (and I have lived in severla locations over Australia).