Wow! I've just woken (time difference Down Under) to check the enormous response from all. I'm absolutely thrilled & I will need some time to read through and analyse all the wonderful input, thanks so much. I'm very keen to search MCM. I love Queenslanders but thought that was trying to change the style into something its not to so was swaying towards a bungalow style of a home. We are located in the hinterland of the Gold Coast in Qld and want a home that suits our surrounds. I do not like modern I like cottage/bungalow style if thats possible. Its now 'get ready' for school time, so I'll be back. Thank you for all your ideas and opening my mind. Some ideas I have in pics attached.

Fear not .......I do have lots of greenery either end of the front yard ......the reason that it is void of plants in the front is because a car went through the front fence about 18mths ago and had to be completely rebuilt........so until we decide on paint colour we won't be planting anything also had to do water pipe replacement right through the lawn this past weekend ......so the real work will begin in the new year .......thanks for all the great ideas will put up pics when all painted and planted

Gyprocking is done. Picked the bathroom tiles and laundry tiles. They will go in this week. Need to pick the external tiles outside the main door. I am not sure if I should go with the same as the driveway exposed agg ( which I haven't picked yet).or to pick different tiles. According to the architects design, it's tiles. One side of the garage wall comes along this walk way and the garage will be painted Dulux-monument colour. So I'm not sure, if I should match the monument colour- tiles? Or go lighter colour tile matching my internal floors? Or go with exposed agg in this walkway as well? Too many decisions :p :D

The roof looks ok from the photos (no sag?) are they terracotta tiles? A pressure wash, reseal with clear and get the pointing re-done if needed- it will be brand new and cost you a fraction of what a new colourbond roof will. wuff- we've just replaced our very old iron roof with colourbond- the builder used roof blanket and batts- I seriously don't know when it is raining now (and our bed is build into a dormer and roof pitch!). I suspect the result is as quiet as tile, if not quieter. What is under the stucco? brick or fibro? I would probably just re-render in it's fibro. The cost of getting fibro (probably asbestos) off would be enormous! The cost of framing up for the weatherboards and the timber itself, equally enormous. The only advantage recladding gives you is the chance to re-insulate the walls. The rest is aeshetic, which could easily be achieved with fresh render in either of the colours you posted. Check out some of the new arcylic render texture-coats, they are almost maintenance free as the colour is in the render, this product is marketed as no repainting. You talk about the character of your area- your home contributes to that. Very few streets anywhere would have a uniform character. I love your cottage and can see so much scope to enhance it's character as it is.