We recently did a trial at the health club @ Albany Creek (the gym at the Albany Creek Leisure Centre). For the most part the equipment is newer and in better condition than the gym my husband is currently a member of, and there is certainly more space there, although it's an unusual set up being a gym at a leisure centre where people go for swimming lessons and social swimming. The drawbacks are that the room we did our yoga class in has primarily glass walls, so it's not very soundproof and, as the only yoga class was on at night at the same time as the spin class, it was a little hard to get into the relaxing part of the yoga class because the pumping music from the next door class was coming through the walls. There was also some sort of swimming event going on in the pool that involved lots of kids and loudspeakers, which really intruded on our class. Also, I felt a little bit like a goldfish in a bowl with the exterior wall being glass. The class itself was good but a bit crowded and the floor was a bit too hard for the thickness of my mat. Overall, a potentially good class and if they had thicker, more soundproof walls, it would have been a much better experience. Cost wise, membership was essentially the same as the nearest Healthworks gym.

This clinic does all things skin related including microdermabrasion, peels, cosmetic tattooing, fillers and wrinkle treatments. The staff are very friendly and there's parking on the side street. I've never been to a similar clinic so I don't know how the prices compare, but I'd guess they are better priced than their city-based competitors (and easier to get to if you're driving).

This dentist is more expensive than my previous dentist but the clinic is newer and nicer and they are in the Reading shopping centre in Newmarket where I'd imagine rent is high. The service was good and the dentist was nice and friendly. I felt pretty relaxed and they listened when I warned them about sensitivity in my teeth. They also do cosmetic dentistry, which was why I chose them. And they are MBF preferred providers.

This was my first physio experience so I didn't know what to expect. The therapist spent a reasonable amount of time asking what was wrong and then showed me some exercises but didn't do any actual treatment. I don't know if this is normal for physios or not. The exercises haven't been enough to fix my problem and obviously didn't provide instant relief, to I'm not sure if I'm supposed to go back or not. The staff were friendly although the premises seemed a little crowded (very small curtained treatment areas felt a little close and you could hear the other patients through the "walls").

I went to The Laser Lounge to try laser hair removal. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the salon is new with nice decor and a professional feel. I've only been for one visit and a touchup visit so far (they say to expect to do about six treatments per area for permanent hair removal), but it seems to be having an effect, particularly in the under arm area. Treatment isn't cheap, but if you consider how much you spend over the years on razors/waxing/hair removal creams etc, then it's definitely worth considering, especially if it means being able to go swimming or put on shorts in summer without worrying whether you've "done" your legs or not.

Paul Kelly is an American-trained chiropractor (which is my preference - they use a different style of treatment to Australian-trained chiropractors). He's a nice guy and manipulations at this clinic are done fully clothed unlike some clinics where you have to wear open backed gowns, which makes it faster to get in and out of your treatment.

This guy is local to us and we've used him a couple of times for that reason. I can't remember where we found him, but probably in the local paper. He's punctual and gets the job done, although he also charges very strictly to the quarter of an hour, so make sure you're organised and know what you want done ahead of time so you make the most effective use of your time.

We got a solid cedar door in a contemporary style from this company. We saved money by collecting the door ourselves. They custom make doors and windows as well as providing some "off the rack" options. Much better quality than some of the larger door companies. Worth the drive.

We had these guys retro fit an automatic sectional garage door to our house (it had a garage but no door when we bought it). They did a good job and the door works well. It wasn't cheap, but we'd already been burned by a cheaper company that took our money and never delivered on the door, so we're just happy this door exists and arrived when they said it would and works as promised.

We use this vet practice, which is near our house, when we need emergency items (they have a small selection of food and flea treatments etc) or can't get to our regular vet. It's a small, local practice and is linked to a larger surgery at Arana Hills. The service is fine and the staff seem friendly, and if you don't have a fussy pet, this practice is a good local find.