Carina - Brisbane Suburb Guide

Carina

Carina is a suburb of Brisbane, Australia. It is located 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) east of the CBD, and borders Carindale, Carina Heights, Cannon Hill and Camp Hill.

Carina is a mostly residential suburb.The Clem Jones Centre (a large sporting complex), and a Brisbane City Council bus depot are both situated on Creek Road in Carina. The suburb is home to the Carina Tigers Rugby League Football Club.

Public Transport 

There has been no railway station in Carina since the closure of the Belmont Tramway in 1926. However, the suburb is served effectively by three radial bus corridors; Richmond Road along its northern border, Meadowlands Road-Stanley Road centrally, and Old Cleveland Road along its southern border. Richmond East is an express bus stop on Richmond Road that is serviced relatively frequently by two alternating, direct routes between Cannon Hill bus station and Brisbane's central business district. Numerous stops on Stanley Road are serviced relatively frequently by two alternating, direct all-stops routes between Fortitude Valley, and Cannon Hill bus station and Carindale bus station respectively. These routes largely follow the corridor of the former trolleybus routes that closed in 1969. A peak period limited-stops route also services Stanley Road. Old Cleveland Road has numerous stops, the most significant being Carina bus stop at Carina's shopping precinct, which is serviced by a regular all-stops route that largely follows the corridor of the former tram route that closed in 1969, along with two alternating, high frequency express routes that travel between Brisbane's central business district and Carindale, and an express route that travels between The University of Queensland and Carindale bus station. Additional peak-only routes service Old Cleveland Road.

Carina is also serviced by three limited-stops bus routes along the Creek Road corridor, which strategically connect key metropolitan centres across Brisbane including Carindale shopping centre and Cannon Hill shopping centre. These routes service Meadowlands, Carina Depot, Carina North, and Old Stockyards express stops. One route operates frequently, seven days per week between Brisbane's north east and south east suburbs. The other two operate less frequently and not at all on Sunday, but circumnavigate Brisbane's outer suburbs, one clockwise and the other anti-clockwise.

The suburb straddles TransLink Zones 2 and 3 from west to east. The western portion of the suburb is marginally more attractive to city commuters with respect to relatively cost effective transit travel.

Walking and Cycling 

Carina's terrain varies from flat on the Bulimba Creek floodplain in the suburb's east, to hilly in the suburb's west towards Seven Hills and Camp Hill. Traffic conditions are busy along its major roads including Old Cleveland Road, Meadowlands Road and Stanley Road, Richmond Road, and Creek Road. Recreational cycling opportunities are consequently limited on the west side of the suburb. However, the presence of Porter's Paddock parkland including the Bulimba Creek Cycleway provides for good opportunities on its east side. As at February 2016 several city-wide, on-road cycle routes pass through Carina. Old Cleveland Road is a radial route that includes intermittent, formal bicycle lanes. Meadowlands Road is a radial route that contains paved shoulders that serve as informal cycle lanes, while Stanley Road is line-marked as a Bicycle Awareness Zone (yellow stencil stylized bicycle marked on edge of vehicle travel lane). Richmond road contains a formal bicycle lane westbound and a Bicycle Awareness Zone eastbound, while parts of Creek Road have paved shoulders that serve as informal cycle lanes. Packs of cyclists are commonplace along Old Cleveland Road early on weekend mornings.

The hilly terrain in the suburb's west side and busy traffic conditions also impose some impediment to local walking opportunities. However, the grid structure of the road and street network and the presence of urban borders (verges) on almost all roadways promote relatively direct and safe walking conditions. The higher order local streets and the major roads mostly have paved footpaths on one or both sides. The major roads contain numerous signalised intersections with pedestrian control, which are typically located adjacent to bus stops. Refuge islands support safe crossing of certain other roads and streets. In addition to local pocket parks, nearby recreational walking attractions include Seven Hills Bushland Reserve to the northwest, and Potter's Paddock parkland in the suburb's east.

Shopping

As well as local shops Carina is only 5 minutes from the huge shopping complex of Westfield Carindale which has all the large department stores, restaurants and movies under one roof.It is the largest shopping centre in Queensland. The centre became the third-largest shopping centre in Australia on completion of redevelopment in 2012. The centre contains over 450 specialty stores (over 40 more than Westfield Chermside and 25 more than Westfield Garden City) and almost 6,000 car parking spaces. Other features include a food court, brand new Brisbane City Council Library, and a state of the art luxury Glasshouse Dining Precinct.

2 Minutes to Cannon Hill Shopping Complex Cannon Hill Kmart Plaza opened in 1973 and is located just 15 minutes from the CBD on the corner of Wynnum and Creek Roads at Cannon Hill.

Schools

The two government schools in the Carina zone are

Primary Carina State School - Prep - Yr 6 - A good school

Secondary - White Hills State College - Average school

Other schools in the area are:

Primary

St Martins - Catholic Primary - Good School

St Martin's School is a Catholic primary school situated on 3.3 hectares in the suburb of Carina, Brisbane. The buildings are strategically placed to preserve the beautiful park-like grounds, and provide teaching and learning facilities which include technology, the arts and physical education.

Mayfield State School - Prep - Yr 6 - Please check zoning 

Secondary 

San Sisto - Catholic Secondary

San Sisto College, located 15 minutes from Brisbane's CBD, is an Archdiocesan Catholic girls' college.

Combined

Cannon Hill Anglican College - Prep to Yr 12

Cannon Hill Anglican College is a dynamic Christian, co-educational learning community which strives to offer a balanced and holistic educational environment, in order to develop the intellectual, social, physical, emotional, aesthetic and spiritual dimensions of each of its members. The distinctiveness of the College can be found in its creative energy, contemporary educational approach and warm and respectful connectedness between staff, students and community, anchored in the principles and traditions of the Anglican Church. With the addition of our Early Years Precinct from January 2014, the College provides seamless educational opportunities