Overlooking lake 20 mins Brisbane 30 minutes sunshine coast and forest parks

The estate we live in consists of 250 houses of the 'Federation' style (c. 1900), but all are recently built. It is beside the Pine River about 25km (15 miles) from the centre of Brisbane and on the edge of the country. Koalas are common but difficult to find, whereas a 'mob' of kangaroos feed down by the river at dusk each evening. The Pine River estuary has varied birdlife and some fishing. Small boats can be hired for this.
20 minutes drive gets you to the sea with moderately good bathing and a ferry to Moreton Island, World Heritage listed, well worth a visit. 40 minutes drive north gets you to the Sunshine coast with excellent swimming and surfing, and the Glasshouse Mts. (ancient volcanoes)and rainforest.
Brisbane is sub-topical in climate and Australia's third largest city with a winding river through the centre, a small CBD of 'high rise'and the site of Expo '88 now known as South Bank (shops, markets, restaurants etc).
South of Brisbane (1 hr drive - easy, just get on the motorway nearby) is the Gold Coast with theme parks, the best high rise hotels, and always something hapening.
Drive west for an hour and a half and you will reach 'The Great Diving Range' a low range of hills (in Queensland) which separate the coastal strip from the inland plains of wheat, sorgum and cattle. Different!