NigelW2

Lakewood is a little known, somewhat idyllic suburb of the Camden Haven Region of the Mid North Coast of NSW. Its neighbouring suburb of Laurieton is better known, with Lakewood's position about half way between Port Macquarie and Taree giving you a better feel for its geographic location.
The scenic splendour of this location is unparalleled in its beauty, with the sparkling waters of Queens Lake on one side and the majestic North Brother Mountain on the other. Wildlife ranging from Black Swans on the Lake to endangered Black Cockatoos on the Mountain make it a very special place to live.
The residents are largely respected retirees and successful professionals or trades people and their families. A real community spirit can be felt from the friendly residents of this area.
At present (2017) the suburb is booming with the scarce available residential land being snapped up by those lucky enough to discover the suburb's many benefits.
Effectively, those living in Lakewood are enjoying all of the life style that makes the Camden Haven (Laurieton) a very popular holiday destination but without actually being impacted by the seasonal influx of tourists.
There is a good range of schools and child care available for families with close proximity to Lakewood.
Check it out - its 5 minutes drive off the Pacific Highway at the Kew (NSW) turnoff.

Dakabin is in transition from semi rural small acreage properties to medium density urban environment with a decent amount of green space provided. Having built a new home here in 2012 I have seen the suburb grow into a vibrant community with a good mix of families, young professionals, and downsizing seniors. Its proximity to North Lakes is a major plus with the recent construction of a new bridge (Plantation Rd) making the trip a breeze (literally 5 minutes). This opens up all of the shopping (Costco, Masters, Bunnings, and Ikea which is under construction), medical, entertainment (cinemas under construction, golf course) and educational pluses (Uni to be constructed at Petrie - 5 minutes drive). If you are considering a move to Brisbane, this north side location provides all the advantages of close proximity to a satellite city (North Lakes) with an easy 40 minute commute to the Brisbane CBD if required (train 10 minute walk away). 20 minutes drive to the beaches and cafes/restaurants of Redcliffe Peninsula provides you with more recreational options. Permanent discounted petrol (thanks to Costco) makes this area very affordable. Overall an underrated suburb that meets or exceeds all aspects of the top 10 in Brisbane.