Best suburbs in Brisbane to live in?

[ashmaan]

To say - Hi All,

Me and my partner have recently moved to Brisbane into temporary "holiday" accommodation but we are looking to move into our own rented property asap. There are so many different suburbs we really need some good strong guidance from other residents and locals on what suburbs are good, why they are good, which ones are bad and why we should avoid them etc. could anyone please help?!

Update - So we are looking for either a house or apartment, need 2 bedrooms or more, being a little further out from the city wouldnt be too much for a problem as we hope to have a car but we want are looking to meet friends in the area so i guess cant be too remote... We have noticed the further out you are the more space you get but is that worth it if the area isnt great or you maybe are too far from the CBD?

Thank you so much in advance!! :-)

Ash.

Reason for update - Forgot to mention some crucial details as @lastonealive mentioned (thank you btw!)

Thanks,

Ash.

[Guest]

Draw a 5k line around the Brisbane CBD and they are all good :wink:. Unlike the UK all the rough areas tend to be on outskirts.

 

Would need to know if you want a house or apartment or budget to say anymore. Definitely avoid Logan and Inala though!

Edited February 27, 2015 by Guest

[Roberta2]

Draw a 5k line around the Brisbane CBD and they are all good :wink:. Unlike the UK all the rough areas tend to be on outskirts.

 

Would need to know if you want a house or apartment or budget to say anymore. Definitely avoid Logan and Inala though!

 

 

Maybe a bit further than 5 ks. Up to about 10. Article in the papers today about how many people now on the roads early - i.e. by 5 a.m.- to try to get ahead of the traffic.

 

You also need to consider public transport - trains, buses, ferries.

[ashmaan]

Thank you both for your responses so far!

@lastonealive, sorry i did forget some crucial details! So we would like to have a rental, house preferred) or apartment would be good with 2 bedrooms or more. At the moment we are using public transport quite a lot and its great, really well connected. Just really concerned about being in a good local area. What should I expect to pay for a nice apartment with 2 bedrooms?

 

Thanks again,

 

Ash.

[srg73]

You really have to consider your requirements! We have chosen quite central North side. We are currently in Ascot and will be moving to Bowen Hills in early 2016. Great transport links, generally quiet at the weekends and after working hour etc.

 

Most important, test drive between your work and proposed home as traffic can be a pig.

 

s

[ashmaan]

 

@srg73 thanks for the response, so what were your thoughts on Ascot? And why are you moving to Bowen Hills? We have seen a couple of places in Ascot but werent sure...

[ashmaan]

So the further out you go, do the houses become "less polished" so to speak? I guess theyd become more affordable because they arent in the centre and thats why they tend to have less desired residents?

[Guest]

So the further out you go, do the houses become "less polished" so to speak? I guess theyd become more affordable because they arent in the centre and thats why they tend to have less desired residents?

 

I live Inner North in 2 bed/2 bath apartment in Wooloowin. Great train links 4 stops to City. To rent an apartment in Clayfield/Wooloowin of similar spec would be $350-400 a week and $400k to buy. Clayfield/Wooloowin have plenty near them in bars/restaurants with a great strip in Albion and Ascot

 

Teneriffe/Newstead/New Farm would have to pay a bit more for apartments but are great places to live on the river with restaurants/bars/parks etc.

 

Houses will cost more and be further out for similar money(obviously). I would rent an apartment first and decide where you want a house when you get a better feel.

[ashmaan]

Thats brilliant, thank you! So are Clafield / Wooloowin / Tenriffe / Newstead and New Farm good areas? People / crime / safety etc wise? We were looking at Fortitude area at one point but got put off by some of the negative comments towards it... Not sure if this is the case still? As the new apartments there look amazing.

[Guest]

Thats brilliant, thank you! So are Clafield / Wooloowin / Tenriffe / Newstead and New Farm good areas? People / crime / safety etc wise? We were looking at Fortitude area at one point but got put off by some of the negative comments towards it... Not sure if this is the case still? As the new apartments there look amazing.

 

Fortitude Valley is the main going out area for drinking so can be noisy/trouble. New Farm you could walk to the valley there and still live down a quiet street (depending on street). Teneriffe/Newstead are trendy areas with new or converted warehouse style apartments right on the river with cafe/bars/restaurants (new farm does too).

 

I lived in Teneriffe when I first arrived and you can really enjoy everything Brisbane has to offer from there before moving slightly further out.

 

Wooloowin/Clayfield are slightly further out with great transport links (15 mins to central) and still plenty of bars/restaurants (not as lively though). Ascot and Hamilton are great areas to live too with racecourse road and Portside areas for eating out again slightly further out of town.

 

Just to mention every suburb I have mentioned is nice/bogan free and central. I have stuck to the Northside as it is the area I know well. Where are you at the moment?

Edited February 27, 2015 by Guest

[mjs26]

Lastonealive has fairly well summed up the north, so I'll help with south-east.

Bulimba (young professionals) for bars, cafes and parks and a nice river commute into town or West End (cafes and bars but more hipster than Bulimba)

Bigger blocks and good transport links to be had in Coorparoo and Camp Hill (more family oriented).

 

As Lastonealive mentions, Teneriffe and New Farm are good options too.

 

All that I've mentioned are safe although West End probably less so (has a grungier feel to it because it's a proper night spot).

Edited February 27, 2015 by mjs26

[Guest]

Lastonealive has fairly well summed up the north, so I'll help with south-east.

Bulimba (young professionals) for bars, cafes and parks and a nice river commute into town or West End (cafes and bars but more hipster than Bulimba)

Bigger blocks and good transport links to be had in Coorparoo and Camp Hill (more family oriented).

 

As Lastonealive mentions, Teneriffe and New Farm are good options too.

 

All that I've mentioned are safe although West End probably less so (has a grungier feel to it because it's a proper night spot).

 

Just to add Bulimba and Teneriffe are linked by a cross river ferry service so can jump between the 2 in a couple of minutes

[Chortlepuss]

I'll punt for the Southwest!! I am really biased, but currently rent in Sherwood and it is by far the best suburb I have lived in - also lived in Carindale, Greenslopes, Mount Gravatt and Tarragindi and I'd say they were all nice with great transport links but pretty quiet and family oriented. Sherwood is a bit pricey to rent, and silly $$ to buy but well worth it IMO.

Sherwood is leafy, affluent with a great riverside park for picnics. It has a real local vibe with loads of cafes, restaurants, take-aways in walking distance. Great arts house cinema in Graceville. Just over the river is Indooroopilly shopping Centre - One of the largest in Brissie. Sherwood is on the train line and only about 20 mins easy train journey into city - no traffic hassles. You wouldn't even need a car in a hurry if you're commuting to CBD. Down side is that it flooded in 2011 but if you're not buying I wouldn't let that bother you.

Wherever you choose if you can make sure you can walk to a busway or a train station. Walking distance is the key - the parking gets full by 7 am!

[Roberta2]

I'll punt for the Southwest!! I am really biased, but currently rent in Sherwood and it is by far the best suburb I have lived in - also lived in Carindale, Greenslopes, Mount Gravatt and Tarragindi and I'd say they were all nice with great transport links but pretty quiet and family oriented. Sherwood is a bit pricey to rent, and silly $$ to buy but well worth it IMO.

Sherwood is leafy, affluent with a great riverside park for picnics. It has a real local vibe with loads of cafes, restaurants, take-aways in walking distance. Great arts house cinema in Graceville. Just over the river is Indooroopilly shopping Centre - One of the largest in Brissie. Sherwood is on the train line and only about 20 mins easy train journey into city - no traffic hassles. You wouldn't even need a car in a hurry if you're commuting to CBD. Down side is that it flooded in 2011 but if you're not buying I wouldn't let that bother you.

Wherever you choose if you can make sure you can walk to a busway or a train station. Walking distance is the key - the parking gets full by 7 am!

 

 

True,but the bridge over the river there (Walter Taylor) is still only two lanes, and the traffic easily banks up. I don't think too much of Sherwood flooded in 2011- only the lower lying areas towards Rocklea. (The Rocklea markets are still Brisbane's main fruit and veg markets.)

But if you rent in one of the areas that was flooded, presumably you will pay more for contents insurance. Look at the flood maps. My son had a town house there in 2011 - there were a few anxious calls from London as the flood waters rose. He had a fairly close call.

 

The Legacy Way tunnel and toll road will be finished soon. This will link the western and northern suburbs - an important missing link.

 

Personally, I would prefer to be on the city side of the Walter Taylor bridge.

[srg73]

@srg73 thanks for the response, so what were your thoughts on Ascot? And why are you moving to Bowen Hills? We have seen a couple of places in Ascot but werent sure...

 

Ascot, nice

 

1, good housing and neighbourhood

2, cafe culture down racecourse road

3, Sunday markets

4, great transport links although part time train service

5, close to city but far enough out.

 

Negatives

 

1, near airport and one of the landing routes pass over the area

2, Coles is the only supermarket, Woolies in Ascot is useless

3, part time train line.

4, houses are expensive..very

5, stay clear of Kingsford Smith Drive and Nudgee Road

 

Fortitude, Spring Hill etc are great but expensive. Newstead and Tenerife are developed, realy nice and has a bit of a South London feel. We will move to Bowen Hills as we are just about to complete on a property which is currently tenanted hence the delayed move. View to kill for and size about right for us. Bowen Hills is an up and coming area with loads of building work taking place, 2 min walk to Fortitude, Newstead and Tenerife. Storey Bridge 10 mins walk etc.

 

S

[srg73]

Just to add Bulimba and Teneriffe are linked by a cross river ferry service so can jump between the 2 in a couple of minutes

 

Only if they don't change crew! The short hop over is great and you forgot the Cinema at Bulimba. Remember South East is nasty nasty nasty during rush hour if you need to drive.

 

The MOST important decision you will make here is whether you are a Northsider or Southsider? :wink:

Edited February 27, 2015 by srg73

[fish.01]

Some more to consider are Kelvin Grove Urban Village, the rest of Kelvin Grove, Herston, Paddington, Red Hill, Ashgrove, Bardon, Wilston, Newmarket, The Grange, Gordon Park, Nundah, Auchenflower, Toowong, Taringa, Indooroopilly...

Edited February 27, 2015 by fish.01

[Captain Roberto]

Fortitude Valley is the main going out area for drinking so can be noisy/trouble. New Farm you could walk to the valley there and still live down a quiet street (depending on street). Teneriffe/Newstead are trendy areas with new or converted warehouse style apartments right on the river with cafe/bars/restaurants (new farm does too).

 

I lived in Teneriffe when I first arrived and you can really enjoy everything Brisbane has to offer from there before moving slightly further out.

 

Wooloowin/Clayfield are slightly further out with great transport links (15 mins to central) and still plenty of bars/restaurants (not as lively though). Ascot and Hamilton are great areas to live too with racecourse road and Portside areas for eating out again slightly further out of town.

 

Just to mention every suburb I have mentioned is nice/bogan free and central. I have stuck to the Northside as it is the area I know well. Where are you at the moment?

 

@lastonealive

 

These all sound slike nice ares. Simply put, would it be the case that these are areas for young professionals/hipsters and couples, rather than families with 3 kids? Just trying to get a short-cut idea of what's what up there (we'd like to move from Sydney and buy a house at some point, as it's too expensive down here)

[Captain Roberto]

[h=2]Looking at (loosely somewhere in or aorund) Brisbane move from Sydney[/h]

We moved to Sydney 10 months ago, and in many ways we love it. But on our income, at our ages and with 3 kids, we couldn't afford to settle here.

 

Some contextual info:

 

 

 

 

• We are a 'professional couple' but not on crazy wages. My wife is an experienced District Nurse and I am a graphic designer/animator (now freelance/own business since getting to Sydney). I'm 44 and she's 41. We don't earn tons.. maybe $150k - $170k combined, which doesn't get you that far here in Sydney!
• We have PR here.
  
  
• We have 3 kids, currently 13, 10 and 6
  
  
• And a dog, 3 guinea pigs and a leaf insect (they want more pets!)
  
  
• We currently have a house in North Wales, with about 8 years left on the mortgage. It's only worth about £140k -/ $280k - so if we sold up and bought here, it would be a deposit.
  
  
• If we stay here, we want to buy, not rent - it must be our British mentality, but I feel uneasy renting on a long-term basis.
  
  
• We like the outdoors lifestyle.
  
  
• Beaches are good, but would rather travel to a beach at the weekend rather than have a really long commute to work every day. My definition os idea commute is 1 hour and under. Could go slightly over, but not too much.
  
  
• I'm happy to commute to work on the train or bus.
  
  
• I'd probably need to be able to work in Brisbane CBD, but my wife could work anywhere if the job was available.
  
  
• If we move, we'd need to 'get it right' and move into the right area, as we don't want to move the kids schools any more times than is strictly necessary.
  
  
• We'd use 'good' state schools wherever we moved.
  
  

 

 

 

We've considered the NSW central Coast, but signing up to a 90 mins / 2-hour commute (each way) on an ongoing basis could be madness... so looking at Brisbane.

 

We just took a reccie to Brisbane for a week, but it's not really long enough to get an idea what's what. We stayed in Moreton Bay, Cleveland. It was quite nice, but maybe a little quiet. Hard to know! We also went to the GC (Dreamworld area, had a drive-through Helensvale and hung out in Burleigh Heads which was nice, and took a day trip to the city and the Southbank, which we liked a lot.

 

We've been recommended these areas:

 

 

 

 

• Kenmore
• Chapel Hill
  
  
• Bellbowrie areas - south West of the CBD
  
  
• Taringa and Toowong (closer to CBD)
  
  
• The Gap
  
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Carindale
• Morningside
  
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Mooloolaba, Caloundra, Beerwah, Maroochydore (these might all be a bit out of the way for a commute?)
  
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Manly
• Wynnum
  
  
• Wakerly
  
  
• Cleveland
  
  
• Victoria Point (Maybe a bit far out and quiet?)
  
  

 

 

 

Our house budget is between $00k and $600k for $400 - $650 p/w rent. We pay $1k a week here in Sydney and it sucks the joy out of life a bit! We can't afford to ever go back the UK for a visit, and holidays are likely to be a rarity. It's just a bit too hard here. We all need time, and I want to see my kids and do things with them a bit before they all grow up and leave home! We didn't move here to be a slave to the rent...

 

We're still pretty new to researching - but having realising we can't really afford to stay in Sydney long-term, we need to look into a move now, even if it doesn't happen for 6-12 or 18 months. We figure we'll give this a go. And if ia Brisbane move doesn't end up working out, we could go back the UK after 2-3 years here and chalk it all down to experience. But we'd give this Brisbane things a good go, and want to get it right!

 

Any opinions, thought and advice would be gratefully accepted.

 

Thanks

 

Matt

 

[Chortlepuss]

If you're considering south side, I'm going to choose for you - Carindale. It's value for money if you're buying, easy commute to city and coast, large shopping centre, and great for kids. It's not the liveliest suburb (but better than many you've listed) but I think great if you've got families. There's a cinema and plenty of places to eat. I reckon loads of places in Brissie would be dull compared to Sydney but you may prefer family friendly locations. If you were loaded, I'd plump for Bulimba but it's too expensive (and a short drive from Carindale). Lovely by the sea (Manly etc) but your commute is longer....I don't know North side that well - stayed in Airb&b at Toowong and loved proximity to city but if I had a young family I would be a little further out to get a nicer house for my $$. And you're so right about renting - it absolutely sucks. We lived in 5 houses in 9 years in Brisbane and looking for decent rentals/moving took up a ridiculous proportion of my time.

[Captain Roberto]

Fantastic @Chortlepuss [emoji106] thanks

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fish.01]

Our house budget is between $00k and $600k for $400 - $650 p/w rent.

 

Just to make sure, did you mean 500k - 600k if buying or $400-$650 if renting ?

[Captain Roberto]

Just to make sure, did you mean 500k - 600k if buying or $400-$650 if renting ?

 

Yes I think so. That budget isn't 'fixed' - I was just trying to ballpark it.

 

If we bought here in sydney, everything is about $1m and upwards which would kill us (and by the time it was fully repaid I probably would be dead for real!). And that would probably be for a house that's not even big enough for us

 

So if we bought in Brisbane we would hope to pay 50% - 60% is that amount and hopefully get a place would 4 bedrooms - which is what we need

[Gbye grey sky]

Yes I think so. That budget isn't 'fixed' - I was just trying to ballpark it.

 

If we bought here in sydney, everything is about $1m and upwards which would kill us (and by the time it was fully repaid I probably would be dead for real!). And that would probably be for a house that's not even big enough for us

 

So if we bought in Brisbane we would hope to pay 50% - 60% is that amount and hopefully get a place would 4 bedrooms - which is what we need

 

As you will no doubt have established from your own research $600 - $650 pw in rent will offer you some lovely homes in areas such as Carindale. If you are buying you may need to stretch that $600k budget a little for something a bit nicer but you will find 4 bed homes for under $600k and, unlike Sydney I suspect, it is often worth offering 5-10% below the asking price as it is probably more of a buyers market here especially for those who are in a good position to buy.

[Guest]

I would go along the Ferny Grove rail line. Nicest suburbs on the line at that price point would be Mitchelton or Ferny Grove. Would consider Stafford Heights too though not on train line but can get express bus or drive for rail. I prefer the Northside though.