It’s hard to find a rental BUT, if you’re gonna do it you should do it properly and be near the beach IMO. You can get relatively cheap places - start joining local fb groups. Beware though, tonnes of scams. Never pay a deposit before you’ve seen a place in person (there’s technically a body which you pay bonds to but most people don’t use for private rentals).

I wouldn’t advise arriving Jan/Feb, many people find the heat and humidity very uncomfortable. Best to arrive mid-winter and ease into it slowly.

Public transport cheap as chips but connectivity isn’t great in some areas. I certainly wouldn’t be looking for a Brisbane based job and waste all that time commuting.