Pakistanis Settling in Brisbane

Suburbs 

The suburbs where the majority of Pakistanis tend to reside in Brisbane are Sunnybank, Sunnybank Hills, Runcorn, Holland Park, Logan, Underwood, Woodridge, Kuraby, Mt. Gravatt, Algester and Robertson. Living in these suburbs is great if you are a Pakistani as it gives the advantage to draw closer to the Pakistani community, multicultural events, mosques and a wide variety of Pakistani/Halal cuisines.

Mosques

Majority of Pakistanis are Muslims, therefore, before choosing a location to live in, the location of the nearest mosque/prayer hall plays a vital role in the decision making process. In Brisbane, there are many mosques present. A list of some of these mosques are: 

 ·         Holland Park Mosque

·         Kuraby Islamic Mosque

·         Algester Mosque

·         Logan City Mosque

·         Rochedale Mosque

·         Masjid Taqwah Bald Hills Brisbane

Public Transportation

There are less crowds and less traffic in Brisbane as compared to Sydney. If you are looking to use public transport there are trains, taxis and buses available. From my experience using a ride-sharing app such as Uber is a great option. Roads in Brisbane are generally wider and have less traffic flow which is a great advantage for you to reach to your desired destination in time.

Employment

Depending on your skills, qualifications and experience you can find a suitable job. Most of the professional jobs are located in the main CBD area. There are also many security jobs where you would require a security license to work. There is also an option to drive as an Uber driver to earn some extra cash on the side. You can find full-time, part-time and casual jobs on websites such as Seek, Gumtree and Indeed.com.

 Islamic Schools 

 There are a number of Islamic schools around Brisbane. These schools offer a variety of courses relating to General studies, Islamic studies and learning Arabic. You can visit the schools websites to get information about enrolments, courses and curriculum. Some of the names of Islamic schools are listed below:

·         Islamic College of Brisbane located in Karawatha

·         Australian International Islamic College located in Durack

·         Darul Uloom Islamic Academy Of Brisbane located in Woolloongabba

·         Sharjah Islamic Kindergarten located in Rochedale

 Halal/Pakistani Restaurants 

 There are a large number of Pakistanis whom reside in Brisbane, therefore, many options are available for you to enjoy Halal Pakistani food and Halal foods of different cuisines. From my personal experience and popular reviews from customers, here are a few restaurants I will name that are great in taste and flavour. Following restaurants are Halal certified around Brisbane:

 ·         Arabellas Middle Eastern Food- Upper Mount Gravatt

·         Sultans Turkish Family Restaurant- Boondall

·         Top in town Indian Restaurant & Biryani House- Logan Rd.

·         Nandos- multiple locations

·         Mahendra’s Indian Cuisine- Acacia Ridge

·         Sams Gourmet Pizza- Kuraby

·         Zam Zam- Slacks Creek

 There are also many home-caterers whom prepare traditional Pakistani food which prove to be very cost effective especially if you are a student. You can order and pick up these home-made and delicious meals simply by a text or phone call. You can find their location, menu, deals and prices on Facebook.

Pakistani Groceries and Halal Butcher Shops

 You can find a wide variety of Pakistani and Indian groceries which include vegetables, fruits, spices, biscuits, sweets, etc. A few of these shops are;

 ·         Global Convenience- Underwood

·         International Groceries- Loganholme

·         Zillmere Spice House- Zillmere

If you are looking for Halal butcher shops you can find many shops in several locations such as:

 ·         Palmdale Halal Quality Meats- Upper Mount Gravatt

·         Continental Halal Meats- Runcorn

·         Ismail’s Discount Halal Meats- Fortitude Valley

Events

 There are many cultural and fun-filled events that are held around Brisbane which usually take place on the weekends or on public holidays. These events are great as people of the community can come together and enjoy with their family and friends. Some of these events include:

Eid Festivals

There are a few Eid Day Festivals (celebrations after the month of Ramadan) that take place in suburbs like Kuraby, Karawatha and Mt. Gravatt Showgrounds. At this event you can find the community coming together and enjoying with their kids, friends and family members. There is a wide variety of food stalls, henna stalls, music, dances, prizes, different cultural performances, ice cream, toys, jewellery, etc. There is also a mini carnival and games for the kids to enjoy.

Cricket Matches 

Almost every Pakistani is a huge fan of cricket. You can attend different cricket matches at the “Gabba Stadium” located in Woolloongabba. Usually when there is a match between Pakistan and Australia, lots of Pakistanis book their tickets in advance so they don’t miss out.

Pakistan Cultural Gala Day

There are some fun events organised for Pakistanis to celebrate Pakistan Day. Tickets usually range from $5-10. The main highlights in these type of events are food stalls, fashion parades, singing performances, music, dances and fireworks.

 Pakistani Cinema

If you are in the mood to watch a Pakistani Movie or even a Bollywood movie, there are cinemas in Brisbane that play the latest movies. Cinemas such as Events Cinemas and Hoyts Cinema do play popular Pakistani and Bollywood films. The cinemas are typically located in Sunnybank Hills, Upper Mt Gravatt, Chermside, etc.  These movies are usually in Urdu/Hindi language with English subtitles. A lot of Pakistani celebrities also visit Australia to promote their movies, you can find out by following your favourite celebrities through their official accounts on Facebook or Twitter.

Places to Visit

Brisbane has some great places to visit. There are a large number of places to visit with your family and friends such as Landmarks, Parks, Beaches, Aquariums, Museums, Malls, etc. You can visit different parks and even set up your own BBQ party! Here are the names of some popular places to visit:

·         City Botanic Gardens

·         Westfield Upper Mt. Gravatt Shopping Mall

·         Mount Coot-tha Lookout

·         Queen Street Mall

·         Brisbane City Hall

·         Wheel of Brisbane

·         Kangaroo Point Cliffs Park

·         Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

·         South Bank Parklands

I hope you enjoyed this article and gained some valuable insights about the Life of a Pakistani in Brisbane Australia!

Thank you