Inga Tamminga

It really depends if you are moving from the tropics or from another city/state as to what you need to know before moving to Mission Beach / Wongaling Beach / South Mission Beach.

It is a stunning place to live there is no doubt about it. So beautiful and nature everywhere. There is nowhere quite like it.

It rains ALOT with that comes mould. It can grow so fast on everything! High heels, backs of picture frames, my kids doll house & toys, handbags, baskets, ceilings anything and everything. Especially keep it in mind if buying a older style home. Dehumidifiers will be your best friend. You will need multiple.

The winters are lovely (between the rain). The summers are intense but you can get use to it. If you don't like sweat don't bother. Its like Bali weather.

The town seems not very united. You hear about small towns with a great sense of community but I have never felt that here. There are various rifts between community members that everyone knows about. There is half the people that want progress for the town and some don't. Half want to run progressive thriving businesses and some want the holiday life with a business on the side like a hobby. So it doesn't make it very attractive to tourists as you could come and find next to nothing open.

If you are looking to buy North Mission and Wongaling are my preferred suburbs. South Mission is a little further and not many services. Cheap properties though.

I have also written a review for Wongaling Beach with most of it also applying to Mission Beach (known as North Mission).

Wongaling Beach is esentially the centre of Mission Beach it is right in the middle of everything with all the esential services - woolies, BWS, petrol, library, doctor, vet, dentist, cafes, chemist, day care etc. Not to mention the wonderful primary school where my daughter has loved every day. It is beautiful, as is all of the Mission Beach area, rainforest meets the barrier reef so you can't really beat that.

The thing I love is crime is very low, which for a small town is almost unheard of. I'm sure it has some issues somewhere but I have never heard of any major issues. I was wondering what was going on when I heard sirens one day as its so rare, then realised santa was handing out lollies! Lol.

There are some low density parts which offer beautiful big blocks that make you feel like youre a million miles away & live surrounded by nature but are just 2mins from woolies and 800m to the stunning beach (around the big Cassorwary shops behind the Hibiscus caravan park).

There are only three draw backs to living in paradise...

1- it is a small town & people have nothing to do but talk about other people, especially the older generation. Yet they talk behind your back not to your face. So if you like nonstop gossip you'll be right at home.

2- there is a lack of employment as it is a small place, be prepared to travel 45min each way to Innisfail for work & even there it is very limited. Unless you are in hospitality.

3- It is in the tropics so is humid & rains ALOT. That isn't the issue so much but there aren't many options when it rains as everything is outdoors. No shopping centres, movies etc within 2hr drive. So keep this in mind if you have children.

There is no high school in Mission Beach / Wongaling beach but a bus service to Tully high and a private school in Innisfail.

If you are looking for a slow pace of life away from it all then you may love it. It's not for everyone and takes abit of time to adjust if moving from the city like we did.