Southern Suburbs Brisbane

Living in Southern Suburbs Brisbane

The three districts in Southern Suburbs Brisbane are South Eastern Suburbs, South Western Suburbs and Southern Suburbs. A full list of all the suburbs within these districts are at the end of this page.

These are the suburbs of Southern Suburbs Brisbane:

South Eastern Suburbs

  • Mt Cotton and Sheldon

South Western Suburbs

  • Darra, Wacol, Seventeen Mile Rocks, Sinnamon Park, Jindalee, Mt Ommaney
  • Riverhills, Westlake, Jamboree Heights, Middle Park, Sumner, Chelmer
  • Corinda, Graceville, Sherwood, Tennyson, Carole Park, Goodna
  • Gailes, Redbank

Southern Suburbs

  • Moorooka, Nathan, Salisbury, Macgregor, East Mt Gravatt, Mt Gravatt
  • Upper Mt Gravatt, Kuraby, Holland Park, Holland Park West, Ellen Grove
  • Acacia Ridge, Archerfield, Rocklea
  • Forest Lake, Heathwood, Eight Mile Plains, Runcorn, Dutton Park, Fairfield
  • Yeronga, Durack, Inala, Oxley, Richlands, Doolandella
  • Larapinta, Pallara, Willawong, Coopers Plains, Robertson, Stretton
  • Sunnybank, Carindale, Mansfield, Calamvale, Drewvale, Parkinson
  • Burbank, Capalaba West, Chandler, Ransome, Belmont, MacKenzie
  • Rochedale, Augustine Heights, Brookwater, Camira, Gateway CBD, Springfield
  • Annerley, Greenslopes, Tarragindi, Algester

Do you live in this area? Tell us about your town or suburb in the comments below…

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{ 100 comments… add one }
  • Dan October 12, 2019, 11:44 am |

    Hi,

    I am moving to Brisbane with my young family at the end of the year. My job is in Parklands but would like to live a little north closer to the city. I am fine to drive 30-45min to work.

    I am looking for the usual things families want in a suburb; family friendly, prices reasonable, things to do etc.

    Springfield Lakes is a place that has been recommended to me by more than one person, do you agree?.

    I appreciate any help 🙂

    Regards,
    Daniel

    • BobinOz October 14, 2019, 6:15 pm |

      When you say ‘Parklands’, do you mean South Bank Parklands? I’m confused because that is in the city, and Springfield Lakes is south of the city.

      Springfield Lakes, by the way, is all very new and rapidly expanding. I do know it has won awards for the way it’s been planned, but I suspect the downside is that houses and plots are generally smaller than you would find with older housing.

      • Dan October 21, 2019, 9:23 pm |

        Sorry, I am working at Parklands Christian College, a little south of Hillcrest. Any suggestions? I am looking at Augustine Heights.

        Thanks

        • BobinOz October 23, 2019, 5:42 pm |

          Well, I wouldn’t talk you out of Springfield/Augustine Heights, nothing wrong with it around there, as long as you like a ‘new town’ type of setup. It will certainly have everything you need as well as good transport links and less than half hour to work. Certainly, I would say, the best choice from all the surrounding suburbs that are close to where you are going to work in Park Ridge.

          If it were me though, I’d probably look at Mount Gravatt which will also have everything you need including (probably) the biggest shopping centre in Brisbane, great access for the motorway for when you want to go down to the Gold Coast and closer to the city. Your drive to work should still only take about half an hour as well.

  • Rik September 5, 2019, 10:12 am |

    Hi,

    Advice regards the Logan region please! I am a single guy in my 40’s, looking to relocate and buy in this area. Halfway between Brisbane and Gold Coast sounds great.. but i have been reading about the suburbs I have been looking at – Beenleigh, Eagleby, Edens Landing etc and it seems they might be affordable for a reason…

    Can I get some feedback on these areas, I can not afford a more expensive area, and I accept these areas might not be the most exclusive suburbs, but would anyone here who knows be able to say yay or nay to considering them… work and social life I can make a go of anywhere, so those things not so much a concern – more the safety and quality of the neighbourhood and local suburbs.

    many thanks

    • BobinOz September 5, 2019, 6:39 pm |

      Logan is cheap for a reason, it does have a bit of a reputation. I suppose the best politically correct way to describe it is multicultural with socio-economic challenges.

      What it is actually like to live there though, I just don’t know, so like yourself, I’d love to hear from someone who does know the place well to hear what they have to say.

      I came here from England, as you probably know, and there were plenty of towns that could be described as multicultural with socio-economic challenges, and I suspect quite a few of them were a lot worse than Logan.

      I’m sure plenty of people who live in Logan stay perfectly safe all the time, I suspect it’s all about going to the right places and avoiding the wrong ones.

      I suppose it does also depend on what you are used to; if you’re moving here from Detroit or Chicago, you’ll probably love Logan. If you’re coming here from Basingstoke or Windsor, Logan probably won’t cut it for you 🙂

      Sorry I can’t be more help, hopefully somebody else will be able to tell you more. Anybody?

      • Rik September 5, 2019, 8:48 pm |

        Cheers Bob, that’s a great help – pretty much what I thought. I’m from the mother country too – spent a decade living in a few less salubrious parts of London so I know what I do not want.. I’m still looking around the area – gold coast up to sunshine coast, I don’t mind travelling for work and can set up self employment anywhere, so really its about finding somewhere that i can be relatively content to start a new life. Whats the housing market like? Is it expected to go up soon?

        • BobinOz September 6, 2019, 8:53 pm |

          The housing market is pretty flat at the moment, Sydney and Melbourne prices seem to have peaked after going through some steep rises over the last 10 years or so.

          In that same time Brisbane prices didn’t really move much more than in line with inflation, but I have read reports recently suggesting that Brisbane could be on the up while the other cities remain flat over the next three years.

          I’ll believe it when it happens, after all, they are just predictions.

          Have a look at suburbs like Karalee, Karana Downs, Moggill and Bellbowrie to the south-west of Brisbane, they can offer good value and they are all very safe and laid-back areas. 45 minutes drive from Brisbane city and about an hour and a quarter to the Gold Coast.

          Worth a look.

          • Rik September 6, 2019, 9:12 pm |

            Awesome, thanks. I’ll shout you a beer if I do make it over there.

            • karen In Oz 2019 September 8, 2019, 7:24 am |

              We recently moved to Karana Downs. Plenty of lifestyle options for homes, from ‘suburbia’ style blocks & houses, to acreage with everything from mansions to renovators dreams ?.

              • Rik September 8, 2019, 9:31 am |

                Thanks! Just been looking at Riverview properties – actually Within my budget!! How do you find the area. I’m really serious about doing this very soon. Are we allowed exchange contact details here? I have a lot of questions and would really love some clarificstion about the area and housing etc..

                • BobinOz September 9, 2019, 4:14 pm |

                  Like Logan, the price of property in Riverview is cheap for a reason, although I would imagine it is a nicer place to live than Logan. If you can, you’d be better off trying to find somewhere on the Bellbowrie/Moggill side of the river.

                  There are still some lower-priced properties available in Karana Downs and if you can stretch to it, I think long-term you would be better off.

                  • Karen September 9, 2019, 6:59 pm |

                    River view is an interesting part of Ipswich. Even the local catholic high school’s naplan results are all below the national standard.
                    The train line stops there and the ‘yards- definitely not gardens’ you see have old caravans, cars, bikes n toys left out.
                    It’s only a snapshot and there may be pockets of beauty but one visit made me think I didn’t want to work there

  • Sam October 14, 2018, 2:10 pm |

    Any comment on Pallara?

    • BobinOz October 15, 2018, 8:46 pm |

      I’ve been to neighbouring Willawong, it’s where the council’s rubbish and recycling plant is, but I’ve never actually driven through or been to Pillara. I’ve not heard anything either good or bad about it, and it looks very rural, probably acreage and low-density living.

      It’s nicely placed for the Logan motorway, but you do need to know that is a toll road, so you will pay to use it. You can find out a lot about the area and its demographic in terms of socio-economic advantage or disadvantage from my page about finding somewhere nice to live…

      https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/22396/finding-somewhere-nice-to-live-in-australia/

      • Ben October 15, 2018, 9:30 pm |

        I am interested in buying land to build house in Pallara estate, with over 700 houses and seemed just located 1 km from the recycle plant. I worry about the effect of incinerator and there is not much information in the internet
        I had been there before and did not notice it’s presence
        I believe the council will seriously monitor the pollution issue
        Do citizen raise concern of the pollution issues in the past?

        • BobinOz October 16, 2018, 7:09 pm |

          If you Google “Willawong Air Quality Health Risk Assessment for Brisbane City Council” you should find a PDF on the subject, all 175 pages of it. I didn’t read it…

          Anyway, like yourself I’ve been there, in fact many many times. I’ve never really noticed any visible pollution, but I don’t really have any sense of smell, so I don’t know what that was like. I’m sure they have plenty to say about it in that PDF, if anyone has the time to read it all 🙂

          If it was bad though, yes, the locals would raise the issue with the council.

          • Ben October 16, 2018, 7:32 pm |

            Thank you for your reply
            I try to read it
            They can’t prove anything
            Buy it is indeed difficult to prove

  • Mr. Jako May 23, 2018, 2:55 pm |

    I am currently overseas and planning to move with my family (My wife and 4 kids) to Brisbane by end of this year. I want to know where can I find high ranked primary and high schools for my kids?

  • Nada May 11, 2018, 4:40 pm |

    Our family is looking to move from Sydney to Brisbane around Cresmead / Marsden. Do you know what these areas are like? We have 2 kids 7 and 3yrs old.

    • BobinOz May 11, 2018, 6:37 pm |

      I’ve never been, so I can’t tell you specifically what these suburbs are like. What I can tell you though is that both of these suburbs are in what the government calls socio-economically disadvantaged areas. In straightforward language I suspect that probably means the people who live there on not very well off.

      If you check out the following page on my website…

      https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/17938/what-are-the-bad-areas-to-avoid-in-australia/

      You will see that Logan Central is 4th in the most disadvantaged list of greater Brisbane and the two suburbs you mention are pretty much next door. If you want more up-to-date and specific information Google ‘IRSAD Interactive Map 2018’ and top of the result should be a page from the government’s ABS website.

      That page has an interactive map and if you put the names of those suburbs into the search, you will confirm that they are both in the most disadvantaged category.

      That’s all I know, but I hope it helps.

  • Adrian April 24, 2018, 10:53 pm |

    My young family will be moving south side of Brisbane this July 2018 and would want to know which suburbs are not prone to flooding. TIA!

  • Yvette March 26, 2018, 8:34 am |

    We are looking at moving soon. My husband’s job will be Brisbane South. We are looking for a small town or regional area no more than 40 minutes train commuting. Looking to spend $375000 maximum. Thank you.

    • BobinOz March 26, 2018, 7:06 pm |

      I’d probably look at Springfield/Springfield Lakes, it is 40 minutes by train into the CBD and house prices are within your budget. Technically speaking, it’s not in Brisbane, it’s part of the City of Ipswich. It is a rapidly expanding new town, I believe it has won awards, so it’s worth a look.

      • Yvette Kitchener March 28, 2018, 8:56 am |

        Thanks very much for your reply. Also, a different area, but do you have any opinions or insight on Nambour?

        • BobinOz March 28, 2018, 7:22 pm |

          Nambour gets mentioned quite a bit over on the comments on my page about Sunshine Coast. Scroll down and find a comment by Fais October 11, 2017, 2:21 am, then read on from there. There may be other mentions of Nambour in the other comments as well. Hope that helps, Bob

          • Yvette March 28, 2018, 9:17 pm |

            Thank you again. Very helpful.

  • Q January 6, 2018, 3:49 pm |

    Hi there,

    My partner and I are living in Oxley at the moment with family. But we are wanting to move closer to CBD due to jobs and needing our own apartment. Staying around a train line or good public transport is very important and it can’t be too expensive (I know it get more expensive wanting to move closer to cbd) just wondering if anyone has any suggestions. We are both 26 and like a good balance of being out and about but also having a nice neighbourhood. We were think about indooropilly but then heard about woolloongabba and a lot of other nice places that area.

    Many Thanks!

    • BobinOz January 8, 2018, 6:02 pm |

      Indooroopilly, as you probably know, is a bit of transport hub with both trains and buses passing through. Woolloongabba, from what I’ve seen, has a bit more character, has more to do in terms of restaurants and bars and has a kind of trendy feel to it.

      My favourites though are New Farm, Teneriffe and Newstead. I hear there is an oversupply of apartments at the moment in and around the city, so you should get a good deal.

  • Karen December 27, 2017, 4:28 pm |

    Hi
    We are looking to move to Qld and Brisbane ‘area.’ We are 2 adults semi retired in our 40s -our skills mean we can pick up work anywhere. Looking for suburb/area recommendations where we can have a large block, not see our neighbors, be able to see nature. Long term we might Airbnb or build a couple of holiday gites, with planning permission etc. Rough budget 6-800k.
    Many thanks in anticipation
    Kk

    • BobinOz January 2, 2018, 6:08 pm |

      The suburb of Anstead is worth a look, I know it well, it’s in western suburbs and it’s a very nice area. You can still pick up acreage far enough from your neighbours to not be bothered by them for your budget, but you’ll probably be closer to the 800k. Further out from there, also worth looking at Mount Crosby, Kolo and Lake Manchester, it’s all very rural out that way.

      Nearby Pullenvale is also all acreage, but more expensive, so I’m not sure you’ll find anything in your price range but it is worth looking.

      Over towards the east, somebody once commented on my page about Brisbane that Burbank, Mount Cotton, Sheldon and Capalaba South are acreage, but I’m not sure what those areas are like to live in, hopefully somebody else can help you with that.

      Finally it’s worth looking up towards Samford Village, I’ve been there several times and really like what I see, looks like a good community with a quaint pub. Again though, I think property prices are a bit dearer over that way. Hope that helps, Bob

      • K January 2, 2018, 9:59 pm |

        Thanks bob
        You’ve nailed it! Anstead looks great – I’ve just had a look at some property websites and for 800 to a Mill, I can get something pretty much spot on. I’ve looked at Stamford and the property there was a bit more 1.2+. I’ll keep all the suburbs you’ve mentioned on my alerts list.
        Many thanks for your sage words.
        K

        • BobinOz January 3, 2018, 6:41 pm |

          Excellent, glad to have helped 🙂

          • karen abell October 16, 2018, 10:46 am |

            Hi Bob,
            Just wanted to follow up by saying thank you! We have a new home on small acreage in Karana Downs. Feeling very happy.

            • BobinOz October 16, 2018, 7:36 pm |

              Excellent news, yes, Karana Downs, next one along from Mount Crosby. Great road that one, isn’t it? Like a rollercoaster for cars 🙂

              Glad to hear you’re happy, long may it continue.

      • AM January 6, 2018, 2:15 pm |

        Hi Bob, we are a Melb couple 30’s/40’s who have lived very inner city but when we move to Brisbane want privacy, almost our own tranquil resort feel, and a block of at least 800 sqm. Needs to be within a 45 min drive to cbd during peak. We loved the look of Bulimba and Balmoral but it’s expensive for size of land and I’m concerned that in 6-7 years it will be too busy/noisy. Pullenvale looks beautiful and I understand that it’s about 35min drive to cbd (which is nothing by Melb standards) is this correct?

        • Mark January 7, 2018, 9:38 pm |

          As Melbourne residents of two years and marginally older… Pullenvale is great and on our hit list On way there on Tuesday for a look round and perhaos a bid Saturday. Bob knows the place far far better though than me. Just doing research and thought id chip in though.

          • BobinOz January 8, 2018, 5:54 pm |

            Hi AM and Mark, yes, Pullenvale is a very nice suburb, there are some massive houses on big plots and it is very rural. It can be expensive too, prices start (currently) at around $1 million rising to $4+ million. When there is not much traffic about you can drive to the city in about 30 minutes, but during rush hour when it’s very busy you might need to double that. Very doable though.

            I have mentioned Pullenvale a few times on this blog, here are a couple of links to post about the area which I think you should read, although you may not want to. Here is the first…

            https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/8775/australias-top-3-most-dangerous-snakes/

            That post also contains a link to an article about acreage which is worth a read, simply because it explains how living on a large plot for some people can be heaven and others a nightmare. It’s probably a good idea for you both to consider which side of the fence you might fall on before committing to buying such a property.

            The second post features lots of photographs sent to me by one of my readers a few years ago called Julie, who moved here from the US to live in Pullenvale. Worth a look just to see the pictures.

            https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/8023/the-five-day-weather-backcast-for-brisbane/

            So, snakes and doing the gardening can be, for many people, a real negative of living on acreage. Others though couldn’t care less about the snakes and love having all that space around them. Food for thought. For what it’s worth, my wife and I ran a pet care business for six years and many of our customers were in Pullenvale and we never had any problems with snakes when we were on these properties.

    • Kristina Schembri December 28, 2018, 11:33 am |

      Hi Karen
      I maybe selling my property on 1 acre with 3 bedroom house and 1 bedroom grannyflat as a seperate dwelling. Close to train 40 mins train to city. Its a regretable sale as i have been there 20 years. if you would like to call me 0414015561 or 0421196600

  • eleinna sutandar June 15, 2017, 11:31 pm |

    Hi ,

    I am planning to move to Brisbane and my workplace will be in sunnybank. which suburb do you recommend for me and my family to live in? we have 3 children ranging from prep to high school.
    thanks

    • Steve Lynch June 16, 2017, 1:47 am |

      Hey Eleinna,

      There are some really nice family friendly suburbs just south of sunny bank if you don’t mine being a bit further from the CBD. Calamvale, Sunnybankhills, and Stratton all come to mind.

      Calamvale also has one of the few State Prep-12 schools in Brissy, I can tell from experience working there it is a fantastic school and community.

      If you want to live closer to the CBD try Mt Gravitt or Salisbury. Both nice family areas, but a bit more expensive as you are closer to the CBD

  • Mel March 27, 2017, 11:16 am |

    Hi Bob
    I’ve just landed a job in Eight Mile plans and am looking for suggestions for good Southside suburbs. I’ve been living in Ashgrove and working in the City and as I’m new to Brisbane some advice from locals would be appreciated.
    Many thanks
    Mel

    • BobinOz March 27, 2017, 8:51 pm |

      Have a read of what Steve Lynch has said about Mt Gravatt in his answer to, coincidentally, Mel (a different one) just below this comment, as it seems to be the perfect answer for you as well.

    • Jag Matherson December 6, 2017, 6:47 pm |

      Sunnybank

  • Mel November 5, 2016, 7:58 pm |

    Hi Bob,
    What do you think of Upper Mt Gravatt? Moving from Melbourne. Is that area usually flood affected?
    Mel 🙂

    • Steve Lynch November 5, 2016, 8:30 pm |

      Hey Mel,

      Upper Mt Gravatt is a beautiful suburb and my first recommendation to anyone moving to Brisbane’s south side!

      My wife and I lived there for two years while I did my masters and loved it. Due to being in the mountain (not really a monutain just hilly) it will not ever be flooded and you don’t need to worry about flood damage.

      Upper Mount Gravatt also has the largest shopping centre in the Southern Hemisphere (Westfield Garden City) which is a hub of restaurants, bars, and shops! It is also about a 10 minute drive from the city centre and only 45 minutes from the coast.

      It’s location and proximity to the motorway, as well as the amenities in the suburb make it ideal! We highly recommend it

      Also sorry if I’m stepping on Toes Bob

      • BobinOz November 7, 2016, 6:04 pm |

        Certainly not treading on my toes Steve, I love it when people who have actually lived in these places come here and help out by giving their opinion. I’ve been to Mount Gravatt, of course, mainly to go to that great big shopping centre you mentioned, but I have no idea what it’s like to live there.

        So, thanks for stepping in.

        Mel, I’ll go with what Steve says 🙂

  • Victoria October 27, 2016, 1:12 pm |

    Hi Bob,
    We are currently residing down Sydney way, on the coast. But may have to move to Brisbane soon. I have no idea of suburbs but know we want water and breezes. Dont mind paying a bit more for a great neighbourhood. Someone suggested Wynnum, which looks nice. Any suggestions?

  • Jerome O September 26, 2016, 6:07 am |

    I am a truck driver. And I equally have a Painting trade certificate. I an equally versatile, anything I find myself doing, I will do it well. I live in Nigeria. I want a job I Australia, I want to acquire more knowledge and contribute more to Australian ecomony. Can anyone help me find a way of immigration?

    • BobinOz October 2, 2016, 5:26 pm |

      You need to be speaking to a MARA registered migration agent about your situation, they are the only people who can truly help you. See my page about Migration agents..

  • Sharelle September 21, 2016, 12:15 pm |

    Hi Bob,
    My husband and I (and 3 kids) will be moving to Brisbane in the next few months. His job with be based in Richland. We are looking for somewhere to rent to start of with. I am an enrolled nurse currently working in aged care and will be returning to university next year, my daughters are both in high school and my son is in primary school. What suburbs would you recommend looking at (or avoiding!) for family? We aren’t that keen on being close to the city and don’t want to pay a fortune in rent. Thanks in advance 🙂

    • BobinOz September 21, 2016, 7:30 pm |

      Hi Sharelle

      If I were you, I’d start looking at places in and around Mt Ommaney, which is just a little bit north of where your husband will be working. I would definitely be looking north of the Ipswich Highway, and any suburb closer to the river is usually good.

      If the rent in any particular suburb you are looking at looks significantly cheaper than elsewhere, then there would be a reason for that and you would probably want to avoid that suburb.

      Bear in mind though that although I know what these areas look like, I’ve never lived in them, so you may be better off having a read of the comments made on this page by others, and even on my main page about Brisbane, about the various suburbs. People who actually live there obviously know far more about these areas than I do.

      Good luck, I hope your move goes well.

      • Sharelle November 12, 2016, 4:19 pm |

        Thanks Bob!!

    • Joey D November 27, 2016, 3:42 am |

      Hi Shanelle,

      Check out Forest Lake or for a more family friendly area I would go with Springfield Lakes.

  • marios September 2, 2016, 1:54 pm |

    Hi. Thinking about moving to Springfield.Any suggestions

    • Steve September 2, 2016, 7:18 pm |

      Springfield defiantly has some perks, firstly the cost of housing is lower than other sur rubs because it is considered Logan city council not Brisbane.. There are also lots of shops and supermarkets nearby, and perhaps most importantly you can be on the beach in Surfers within like 30 minutes.

      With that being said, you are further our from Brisbane CBD, and you are past the famous bottle next on the freeway, which can literally take hours to get through (just north of Springfield the M1 drops from 5 lanes to two for about 1.5km) this means it is easier to get to the coast from Springfield but harder to get to the city. So have a think about what you’re going to do more often..

      Springfield also has some rougher areas around it, as it is a lower SES area. This means schools are lower quality (as a teacher who has worked in Springfield I know) and people tend to be more blue collar and rough..

      If I were looking for a large property and was on a budget, Springfield is a viable option. However as it is currently (married without kids) I would either be closer to the city or the coast depending on what I do most.

      • Chris C December 14, 2016, 1:09 pm |

        My brother lives in Springfield Lakes, it’s apparently a pretty safe neighbourhood and good to get around to go anywhere! He’s a SINK (Single Income No Kids) and likes the area lol

  • Arfan May 26, 2016, 7:26 am |

    I am Arfan Latif Sohal from Gujranwala Punjab Pakistan. I Live in Gujranwala Punjab Pakistan. I am Chemical Engineer by Profession.I works in a factory here in Pakistan. I want to relocate to Australia. Is there possible for sponsorship of job in Australia.
    Thanks,
    Arfan Latif Sohal

    • BobinOz May 26, 2016, 6:26 pm |

      Please see my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship for help with that one.

      • Jerome O September 26, 2016, 6:17 am |

        Hello Mr BobinOZ,
        Jerome is my name from Nigeria. I am a truck Driver and A painter. I am seeking a job anywhere in Australia. Is there anything you can do to help?

    • kasim November 13, 2017, 4:15 pm |

      i will sponsor u

  • CJ June 27, 2015, 8:13 am |

    Hi Bob and readers…

    My husband and I are very seriously considering a move from Sydney to Brisbane, however we’re not sure where an ideal place to live would be – we want somewhere that is reasonably peaceful but still has shopping centres, entertainment, restaurants/cafes.

    The trick is that he’s got a job offer on the Gold Coast and I would most likely need to be close o the CBD for my work. Just purely looking on a map at and looking at transport – I was thinking somewhere around Runcorn as it gives easy access to both of us for work (train and Hwy) and also major amenities.

    I’ve had a look on Domain.com.au and Realestate.com.au and the house prices seem good, although quite variable ($250k to $600k), with some established properties vs. new builds / under construction. Obviously without having seen or knowing the area/s it is difficult to know whats good or bad and to understand the dynamic of the area!

    Any advice on this area, or suggestions on other regions/suburbs to investigate? Thanks in advance (and great website btw!)
    CJ

    • BobinOz June 28, 2015, 9:23 pm |

      Well, unfortunately I know absolutely nothing about Runcorn, I don’t think I’ve ever even been there. It is next to Sunnybank which is very much an Asian community which I think does spillover into Runcorn a bit.

      Nothing wrong with that, lots of good restaurants 🙂

      Hopefully somebody who knows the area well will help you out here, but please do also check out my page called Which Suburb? as there are several links there that can help you research this suburb.

      Good luck, Bob

      • Ciel June 29, 2015, 7:53 am |

        Thanks… hopefully someone has some good suggestions about a vibrand and convenient suburb between Brissie and GC for us!

      • Paul the Essex boy July 17, 2015, 1:01 pm |

        Hi Bob
        I am from Brentwood and have been living in the Brisbane are since 1982 and have been living in Parkinson which is about 15 minutes drive from Runcorn since 1993. Over the last few years Runcorn has been enriched by the arrival of the followers of the religion of peace and there is a lovely mosque in nearby Kuraby. Anyone from England would feel at home there. Lots of vibrancy there.
        Kind Regards

        • BobinOz July 17, 2015, 6:09 pm |

          Well, I was from Billericay, we were almost neighbours in the UK. 🙂

          • Paul the Essex boy July 17, 2015, 9:41 pm |

            H Bob
            I saw your site mentioned on the Daily Telegraph. I still have a sister living in Southend. I went to visit in April 2013 when England was suffering its longest winter since 1963, it was snowing in April ! I went to school near Billericay at Shenfield Tech. Now I have been here for over 30 years and retired I have started to get homesick for England which is not helped by watching “Escape to the Country”.

            • BobinOz July 19, 2015, 11:45 pm |

              Yes, I have written for the Daily Telegraph before, they were doing some kind of expat feature. I do happen to know the perfect cure for homesickness, just go to England for a holiday for a few weeks.

              You’ll come back to Australia, totally cured, I guarantee it 🙂

  • Jay May 22, 2015, 11:28 pm |

    Hi Bob,

    Great site!

    What do you think of Oxley? We hear it is a good area to invest in as the prices are going up. It has a train line – 20 mins to the city and is close to a highway for the city and to go south?

    • BobinOz May 24, 2015, 8:54 pm |

      Oxley is quite a good area, and as you say, good access to the city. But it suffered really badly in the floods and even just a few weeks ago when we had a bit of a shocking downpour, quite a few roads were flooded and could not be passed.

      So do your research thoroughly, check out the flood maps on my main page about Brisbane, you don’t want to buy a house where you end up knee deep in water.

  • Janice May 22, 2015, 3:46 pm |

    Hi Bob

    I recently moved to Brisbane with my family and is now looking for a house/townhouse which is not too far from the city. I’m exploring Mackenzie. Do you have any ideas about this suburb (safety, school etc) please?

    Kind regards, Janice

    • BobinOz May 22, 2015, 9:46 pm |

      I’m afraid I know absolutely nothing about Mackenzie, I’ve driven through it, but that doesn’t really qualify me to give an opinion. Hopefully someone else reading this who does know the suburb well will help you out, if not though, it might be worth asking the same question on my main page about Brisbane.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Rob Long May 4, 2015, 7:01 pm |

    Hi Bob

    Just read your book, awesome!

    I,d like to move my Family an I to Brisbane in the near future, need some help deciding where in Brisbane to live. I want to live in a safe family friendly neighbour type environment, but I will look to work in Finance or property Market, which I guess will probably be in the City? I don’t want to travel more than 20-30 minutes to Work, can you suggest and areas to take a look at please ??

    Best Regards

    Rob

    • BobinOz May 5, 2015, 4:04 pm |

      Hi Rob

      That’s a really difficult question in many ways, because everybody is different about what they want from their own suburb. Brisbane, by and large, is a very safe city although we do obviously have some areas that aren’t as good as others. If houses in a particular suburb look very cheap, it’s probably because it’s simply not a great place to live.

      We have lots of suburbs that do fit your bill though, south west of Brisbane we have Kenmore and Chapel Hill and the surrounding suburbs, all very nice but no train line until you get to Indooroopilly. I think Ashgrove and The Gap to the west quite nice as well.

      Those are the only suburbs I really know enough about to recommend, but what I strongly suggest is that you get here first and try and rent somewhere on a six month lease so that gives you enough time to have a good look around for yourself and see which suburb really takes your eye.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Neeta March 12, 2015, 11:14 pm |

    Hii Bob,

    I have recently got a job opportunity in Brisbane, hence will be moving there soon. The office is based in South Brisbane. Which are good and reasonably priced suburbs in south Brisbane which can serve to the regular needs easily and will be safe for a single female like me. I am all by myself in the entire Australia. I will love to read from you soon.

    Thank you,
    Regards,
    Neeta

    • Steve March 13, 2015, 7:29 am |

      Hello Neeta,

      Hopefully I am not stepping on any toes here Bob, but I recenty was in the same situation and got here in south Brisbane about 2 months ago. So far I love it. We took a long time to find a place, because we were concerned aswell. The other concern for us was price, as I am a student. We decided to live in the suburb Coopers Plains. It’s just outside of Mt Gravatt which is a major southern suburb (Westfield garden city, the largest mall in the Southern Hemisphere is only a 5-8 minute drive) and close to sunnybank, (Asian cultural and commodity centre. The reason we chose coopers plains is because the crime is low and the rent is low. So between us on almost all sides are very nice expensive suburbs (mcgregor, Robertson, Upper Mount Gravatt, yourongpilly ect) the other really nice thing about this is that the train, which in Brissy is the best way to and from the city, has a stop in coopers plains. We have a lot of friends living in these nicer suburbs, but to get to the city or southbank they need to bus for 30 minutes where at we train for 12. Only problem is there are not a lot of stations to pick your suburb carefully.

      Hopefully this helps, if you have any more questions feel free to email me and I can give you a more comprenhesive breakdown on the different suburbs.

      Cheers eh,

      Steve

      • BobinOz March 13, 2015, 9:37 pm |

        You have not trodden on anybodies toes Steve, not at all, you have given Neeta a great answer, much better than I could have done. Thank you.

        My only additional advice to you Neeta is don’t go too far south, for example Logan, it’s too far out and technically speaking I don’t think it’s even Brisbane, it doesn’t come under Brisbane City Council. That’s why it doesn’t appear in the above list of suburbs.

        Good luck with your search, Bob

        • Rachael April 1, 2016, 10:56 am |

          Logan is in the adjacent council district South of Brisbane CC but residents the would probably class them selves as living in the greater Brisbane area. Transport links from there are pretty good. A busway connects to the CBD. But it is socio economically disadvantaged in places. I live in Mount Cotton, which is in the Redlands, south east of Brisbane and on the coast. Its the access point for the moreton bay islands. Despite being not far from Logan is actually much further in terms of city access due to poor transport links. Mount Cotton is one of 6 districts in Redlands City Council. Its the biggest but most Southerly least populated and basically semi rural. The hub is Cleveland much closer to city, Redlands is mixed young families, retirees and people born and bred.

          I moved here 18 months ago from Sydney but im an ex pat Scot who moved to Aus 12 years ago.

          Ive got a way bigger house for less money than my 2 bed unit in Sydney. Less traffic and polution for sure.

          But its hot … a lot… more humid than Sydney so you need to love wearing shorts.

          Its a compromise … like all choices.

          I’d say with a car its 35-40 mins from here to Brisbane longer in rush hour. Lots commute though and do park and ride at 8 mile plains.

          Bonus is easy access to Gold Coast … jump on yhr motorway and its 45 mins.

          Rach

          • BobinOz April 1, 2016, 7:27 pm |

            I bought a beer fridge from Mount Cotton several years ago, it is definitely very rural, looked like a very pleasant place to live. Interesting that you think Brisbane’s hot weather is a compromise, I love it and I also love wearing short 🙂

            Thanks for the great roundup of the area Rach, I’m sure many readers will find it useful.

            Cheers, Bob

  • Sian ferguson December 18, 2014, 11:30 pm |

    How’s about ya! Bob,

    One question only, what suberbs are adjacent to Brisbane High School.
    I’m looking at state schooling for 11 and 15 year old girls.. School comes first then house location
    Regards
    Sian N.Ireland

    • BobinOz December 19, 2014, 7:19 pm |

      It’s a quite prestigious school and it can be tricky getting a place there, if you are asking what’s the catchment area for it, I don’t know. I’m sure Google will help out with that one.

      The school itself is in South Brisbane which borders West End an Highgate Hill, pretty much all suburbs close to the area of good, but expensive.

      • Steve March 13, 2015, 7:32 am |

        Hey Sian,

        I know this post is old and you may have Settled by now but look into the website myschool.com.au as it allows you to compare schools to find the best one for you.

        Good luck,

        Steve

  • Steve October 31, 2014, 12:41 am |

    Thanks Bob,

    That definatly is some good Information to have..

    Cheers

  • Steve Lynch October 30, 2014, 12:24 am |

    Hey Bob,

    Great site.. My Girl Friend and I are going to be moving from Canada to the MT Gravatt area in december as I will be doing my Masters at Griffith. We have been looking for an appartment for a while now and have had some trouble finding a place. Any other sites or services you recommend to find a place? Ive checked LJ Hooker and Gumtree as well as several others.

    Also Ill be honest we are both pretty afraid of umm Creepy crawlies (Spiders in particular) any recommendations on a type of place to be looking for so we don’t go through what you did with all the spiders?

    Cheers

    Steve

    • BobinOz October 31, 2014, 12:08 am |

      Hi Steve

      I wouldn’t worry too much about the creepy crawlies, just make sure the place you move into has up to date pest control, houses here are done once a year usually and that’s good enough to take care of the critters. Choose a modern building, not a Queenslander, you will probably be better off in something newer.

      You could try realestate.com.au, to see what they have.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Amy August 5, 2014, 8:39 pm |

    Hi Bob,
    My husband has just got a job in Acacia Ridge. Coming from North Queensland, we are a bit daunted by the thought of him doing a long commute so we’re hoping to find a nice, safe family friendly suburb close to there. Any recommendations?

    • BobinOz August 6, 2014, 9:31 pm |

      Hi Amy

      There are loads of places you could live that would probably be within half hours drive, it kind of depends what you want from a suburb. I’d be inclined to look North West of Acacia Ridge towards the suburbs that are very close to the river.

      The guided by prices, if houses look cheap in a certain area it’s probably not a good suburb. Kenmore and surrounding suburbs are nice, it’s just across the river but it’s very close to the bridge, might be worth a look.

  • Jason January 22, 2014, 9:17 pm |

    Hi,
    I have found a job in Crestmead, Brisbane. I am from Sydney and will be moving to Brisbane in few weeks. Which suburbs would you suggest to live that are in between crestmead and the CBD, is safe and has a train station?

    • BobinOz January 23, 2014, 12:27 am |

      I’d say Corinda, Sherwood, Graceville, Chelmer, or maybe Yeronga, Yeerongpilly.

  • Rachell October 15, 2013, 5:53 pm |

    Hi Bob which side of Brisbane is best to live…..is it South or North side…
    Me and my family are planning to move to Brisbane….

    • BobinOz October 16, 2013, 2:24 pm |

      It doesn’t really work like that, there are nice areas in both North and South, and there are bad areas in both North and South. To complicate things further, the river weaves in and out in a diagonal across the area, so although I live north of the river, I also live about 15 kilometres south of the city.

      In a nutshell, we really don’t have a north/south thing going on here.

  • Sudarshan August 7, 2013, 6:55 pm |

    HI BOb . i am from Nepal and this october i will be arriving at the brisbane i heard that its very hard to get room to live in brisbane . Hence i need to find a job as well as a single room to live in ..How can i get the proper cheapest place to live in ..

    • BobinOz August 8, 2013, 3:11 pm |

      You just need to search Google, there are plenty of rooms about. Try gumtree and also search for “couch surfing” – that’s an interesting website.

  • Adrien May 8, 2013, 7:44 am |

    Morning,how is it going?

    Well,Im from France worked as a plumber and in air cond
    I turned up in Brisbane last month and I really enjoy living in Oz
    People,life style you feel “dont worry ” I say that because even I have not found a job yet and Im sure I will

    By the way, anyone of you know someone or wanna hire a hard and willing french boy 🙂 my english is pretty good ,lived in Uk for 1.5years about job whatever dishwasher,waiter barista I have plenty experiences

    Enjoy Oz
    PH 0401492686

    Cheers and maybe see you around for a drink

    • BobinOz May 8, 2013, 2:42 pm |

      Hi Adrien

      Welcome to Brisbane, glad to hear you like it, it’s difficult not to though, isn’t it?

      I hope you find some work soon, I’m sure you will. I’ve left your phone number up but I did remove your email address, I’m afraid you will be bombarded with spam if I were to have left that up there, and you don’t want that.

      Cheers

      Bob

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