Looking to Move to Chermside West or Mt Gravatt [QLD]

JetLi on 11/12/2023 - 19:29
Last edited 11/12/2023 - 19:41 by 1 other user

Looking at moving with family to Brisbane in the new year, no job yet but looking at initially renting with a view to buying 12-18 months.

I've narrowed it down to Chermside West (North side) or Mt Gravatt (South side) as both are around the 10km radius. For those residing in Brissie, which suburb is better and why? I know they both have good public high schools (Craigslea SHS and Mt Gravatt SHS), good public transport to the CBD and close to major shopping centres. From a non-local viewpoint, both have very similar positives.

Thanks for your views.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 11/12/2023 - 19:44
    +2

    Chermside Westfield is way nicer than Westfield garden city or Westfield carindale for one…

    • dogboy on 11/12/2023 - 19:54
      +12

      Not sure I would agree with that. Just getting to Chermside is a bit of a nightmare. Mt. Gravatt has far superior roads and is a lot easier to get around with the Gateway and Freeway. Also has easy access to the Busway from Garden City so quite quick to get into the city. Disclaimer - I don't currently live in either of these places.

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 11/12/2023 - 19:59

        getting to

        Op would already be there though

        Otherwise I agree. Anything across the bridge ain’t worth it.

        • JetLi on 11/12/2023 - 20:47

          That's good to know Chermside Westfield is better of the three

          • Jimothy Wongingtons on 11/12/2023 - 21:18
            +1

            @JetLi: To be fair the bar in brisbane is veryyyyyy low.

            So it’s not really saying much.

      • donman92 on 12/12/2023 - 02:20
        +3

        Garden city also has the Timezone with Dancerush Stardom (very rare to find in aust)
        Priorities

  • dcep on 11/12/2023 - 20:02
    +2

    If you're JetLi , then Mt Gravatt is just beside Sunnybank / asian suburb / demographic , if that's your thing.

    • JetLi on 11/12/2023 - 20:41

      lol, i like Asian cuisine but being near Asian demographic is not a requirement here. highly rated public high school, close to major shopping centre, efficient transportation to CBD and safety/low crime rate, not flood prone are my key requirements.

  • altomic on 11/12/2023 - 20:31
    +2

    I live in redcliffe (brisbane north). I'm happy here. chermside is 15 minutes south of me and is decent for ease of access to city .

    I'd suggest sandgate as a nice place to look at. close to sea, train line that is 35minutes to city - close to bruce highway so easy north or south access + airport. decent schools. community is good.

    • JetLi on 11/12/2023 - 20:46

      thanks for the suggestion of sandgate, I'm not adverse to considering other suburbs, just not sure I can afford buying anything 'closer' in.

  • JetLi on 11/12/2023 - 20:54

    Is Wavell SHS a good school? How does it compare to Craigslea SHS?

  • Slinky0111 on 11/12/2023 - 21:00
    +1

    +1 for Chermside west. Pretty good neighbourhood with solid homes, streets aren't too busy.

    I would also look at McDowall to buy and rent, it might be in the catchment or just outside it.

    • JetLi on 11/12/2023 - 21:10

      awesome, thanks for the comment

  • Muzeeb on 11/12/2023 - 21:05
    +1

    Logan is always on the 6pm news here in Vic. Sounds like a family friendly spot.

    • JetLi on 11/12/2023 - 21:08
      +1

      Isn't Logan a fair way further north of Mt Gravatt

      • Muzeeb on 11/12/2023 - 21:10

        I have no idea. Do you have a mullet?

        • JetLi on 11/12/2023 - 21:10

          lol no

          • Tee Rex Arms on 11/12/2023 - 21:12
            +3

            @JetLi: Logans just a low socio economic part of the Southside of Bris. About 10-15 mins from Mt Gravatt.

            There’s a couple of universities near mt Gravatt so plenty of students etc

      • CountZero on 12/12/2023 - 01:59

        Logan is south of Mt Gravatt, with the Freeway being the dividing line between the good and the bad. Logan is to Mt Gravatt as Caboolture and DBay are to Chermside. :-)

  • miwahni on 11/12/2023 - 22:57
    +1

    Have a look at the Qld police crime map for any suburb you're considering - https://www.police.qld.gov.au/maps-and-statistics

    • JetLi on 11/12/2023 - 23:01

      Thanks, Chermside West looks pretty low crime wise

      • donga100 on 11/12/2023 - 23:12
        +2

        Nah, they just know not to snitch.

        • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 00:42

          You might be right

  • donga100 on 11/12/2023 - 23:12

    Move to Indooroopilly instead. Public schools are better or equal (always 100 rating) and it at least has a train station.

    • Mechz on 11/12/2023 - 23:24
      +2

      Yeah but the roads in and out are a nightmare.

    • brendanm on 12/12/2023 - 00:16
      +1

      Price is way higher than either of the suburbs op is looking at.

    • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 00:40

      Heard Indoor SHS is bursting at its seems and definitely affordability of a house is outside my price range.

      • brendanm on 12/12/2023 - 13:20

        Indooroopilly SHS is superb 👍

        • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 14:12
          +1

          House prices in the area reflect the superbness unfortunately

          • brendanm on 12/12/2023 - 18:27

            @JetLi: Can do out of catchment enrollment.

  • dylanando on 11/12/2023 - 23:43
    +1

    Plan on visiting the Gold Coast often? Bayside is about 25mins, everything you need is on the Southside ;). Mt Gravatt would be my choice.

    • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 00:34

      Not often but definitely would be nice to head out to on the weekends once in a while. Definitely hard choice, both suburbs are still pretty even after all the comments, shopping is better at Chermside but Mt Gravatt SHS rates better than Craigslea SHS.

  • CountZero on 12/12/2023 - 01:56
    +2

    Mansfield SHS and MacGregor SHS both rate better than Mt Gravatt. MacGregor is one of those suburbs still to catch up on the boom, however most of the houses were built in the 1970's. Robertson has always been MacGregor's more expensive older brother. Wishart is also an option.

    On the South-East public transport will be bus rather than train and you'll ideally be looking for something close to the new Metro line (basically the existing busway with extra bits added on). The bus line from Eight Mile Plains connects directly to all of Brisbane's university campuses. The M1 is far, far better than Gympie Road.

    I don't like shopping at Garden City or Westfield Chermside because my idea of a fun time isn't an hour of walking. However there's lots of smaller shopping centres around.

    If I was staying in Brisbane my preferred suburbs would be on the Bayside - Sandgate or Ormiston. But the price is prohibitive, as is quite a lot of the Greater Brisbane area. I'd also choose the Sunshine Coast over the Gold Coast any day.

    • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 08:38

      What would you preference be of my current two options? Or do you suggest a surrounding suburb instead?

      I know Mansfield SHS is top tier but MacGregor didn't rate in Better Educations top 20 best government high school list 2022.

      • CountZero on 10/01/2024 - 03:16

        Macgregor used to perform really well on STEM subjects and then it pivoted towards music and drama.

        The problem you have is that the good areas are way overpriced unless you're coming from Sydney or Melbourne. Mt Gravatt East (very much an ugly duckling suburb) has just gone over the $1 million median.

        Since you're likely to be working in the CBD, public transport is a must unless work supplies your parking. Spoiler alert - they won't. And CBD parking is extortionate. So you'll need something on the rail or bus lines - the ferry is lovely but anywhere close to the river will be unaffordable.

        There are fewer and fewer "hidden" suburbs now because most of the new developments are way outside the Brisbane City boundaries. Some suburbs worth looking at are (in no particular order) Pinkenba (if you soundproof the house you'll barely hear the planes), Daisy Hill, Carina, Rochedale South, Birkdale, Deagon, Salisbury (off the flood plain), Underwood (but it's really patchy within the suburb), Runcorn/Kuraby, Brighton and Banyo.

  • mitt on 12/12/2023 - 02:31
    +3

    As a general rule, I find anywhere on the northside to be complete ass for driving/getting around.

    The northside was built up first so its got that old city garbage layout problem, where all the roads were built at random for horse & buggy travel.

    I would never live on the northside if I planned to drive anywhere ever.

    • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 08:33
      +1

      That seems to be a common theme with comments and what I have read on forum, driving can suck North side.

      • ThithLord on 12/12/2023 - 09:28
        +1

        Yep North side of Brisbane is really horrible driving, I lived in Brissy for ten years (up to about 2021) and I hated driving North side of Brisbane compared to South.

        Mt Gravatt is fine, I worked near there.

  • Prince K on 12/12/2023 - 03:58
    +1

    I lived near Mt Gravatt and boyfriend lived in Chermside West.

    Westfield - yes Chermside is a lot nicer, has fancier interior. Chermside has more shops but the shops in Garden City is also pretty good.

    Driving - prefer driving in the south. Like others have said, highway driving to and from the city is easier. In saying that north side driving at night (after 7pm) is pretty good, mostly green lights. Peak hour traffic from both sides is something you’d avoid at all cost.

    Location - more eating out options in Sunnybank at Mt Gravatt. Logan is quite a distance away, not sure why others mentioned it. Chermside West on the other hand is closer to beaches (Redcliffe), Costco in North Lakes and the airport. Although Brisbane airport to Mt Gravatt via toll is super fast too.

    Transport- can’t beat the busway in Mt Gravatt. You can get to the city in 15mins. From Chermside West it’s 25mins.

    Don’t have kids can’t comment on school. If you have specific questions I’m happy to answer

    • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 08:32

      That's good info, especially regarding driving and transport. I note there is also Mt Gravatt Upper and East, is there area that is preferred or least preferred?

      For transport into the city, do suburbs like Holland Park or Greenslopes offer any noticeable time savings?

  • Chengy85 on 12/12/2023 - 07:37
    +2

    IMO it's not major shopping centres you should be looking at but rather the smaller to medium scale shopping centres. If you need to get something quickly from the supermarkets, you wouldnt want to drive to Westfield to grab it…

    • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 08:29

      Which one is more convenient in terms of smaller to medium scale shopping centres?

      • Chengy85 on 31/12/2023 - 08:21

        Hey i am so sorry i only saw your comment today

        Ok using the 5km radius centering on Garden City you have:
        - To the immediate north you have The Village Upper Mt Gravatt which has a Coles and other specialty shops but a smaller scale shopping centre. Then further north you have Mt Gravatt Plaza which is bigger and has both Coles and Woolworths. You also have an Aldi and Bunnings in Mansfield, both are probably within 5 to 10mins drive from Garden City

        • To the south-west is Sunnybank which is the large concentration of Asian population as other posters have pointed out. There is also an Aldi in Salisbury too. Further you have Pinelands but doubt you will want to go there.

        • To the south-east you have Springwood and Rochedale but I doubt anyone goes there to do their shopping.

        I am not familiar with the north but 5km radius from Chermside you have:
        - Just to the north you have Chermside Marketplace which has a Woolworths and other specialty stores. Then keep following Gympie Road you will have the Aspley Hypermarket which is a bigger size shopping centre with both Coles and Woolworths (i think).

        • Another smaller shopping centre and it is quite faraway is Taigum Village with an Aldi.

        • To the immediate south along Gympie Road you have an Aldi. Further along slightly to the south-west is Stafford City which is quite a big shopping centre complex. You also have a Bunnings there. Then finally to the edge of the 5km limit you have Lutwyche Shopping Centre which is one of my favourite centres in Brisbane. The shopping centre has all three supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths and IGA) all within walkable distance.

        • At the edge of the west you have Everton Park shopping centre and McDowell shopping centre. Both have what you need but are pretty out of the way.

        Personally I am biased. I have lived in the south of the river all my life so I never really thought abut moving to the north given all my friends and family are here. Crossing the river during off-peak isn't bad but it really is a barrier during peak hours.
        Hope this helps!

        • CountZero on 10/01/2024 - 02:46

          Rochedale has a brand new Coles, plus a Drakes at Rochedale South. Springwood has two shopping centres, the Coles with mostly smaller shops and the revamped Woolies and Target with quite a few shops. There's also Underwood Marketplace with a Woolies/Big W about 5 minutes away. There's Aldis at Underwood, Springwood, Garden City and Sunnybank too.

          Heading east from Garden City you have Carindale (another gigantic shopping centre) and heading south on the freeway you also have Loganholme. I'm a big fan of the Cannon Hill shops - a little bit further but some great shops there. I would rank Chermside, Garden City and Carindale as almost unusable due to the scale of the centres and the parking issues.

          Sunnybank (Market Square) used to be dreadful but they built new multi-level parking there and you can almost find a park on Friday/Saturday nights. That intersection is worth it though just for the food.

    • Mythreesons on 12/12/2023 - 17:11
      +2

      I hate Chermside shopping centre, can never remember where I parked (exhausted after driving for hours to find a parking spot). Also a good idea is get dinner when you’re leaving, so kids will be ready for bed by the time you get out of the carpark.

  • Rob-4x4 on 12/12/2023 - 09:19
    -1

    Be wary of Aircraft noise

    • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 10:11

      That's for North side right?

  • Rear CreviceEruption on 12/12/2023 - 09:20
    +3

    You would have to pay me to walk into either of those shopping centres. I don't see the appeal of having to park 10 mins walk from a supermarket, and then weave through a maze of shops and hundreds of shoppers just to buy some milk. Much prefer local, smaller shopping centres, with 1 supermarket and 5-10 shops, and being able to park 20 metres from the supermarket. There is usually much less traffic as well. Major shopping centres like Chermside have traffic jams in nearly every direction around them, especially at peak hours. In my opinion, Chermside is probably the most overrated area in Brisbane (you'd have to pay me to live there), followed closely by MT Gravatt (you'd have to pay me to live there), and New Farm (I'd live there if it was free). If I had to live in Brisbane I'd probably choose one of these areas:

    Ashgrove, Bardon, Paddington. In my opinion, this is the nicest area in Brisbane. Hilly, nice views, nice old Qlder houses, a lot of local and independent shops and cafes. No major shopping centres. However, Paddington is very expensive.

    The area from Chelmer to Oxley, including Yeronga. A lot of nice tree-lined streets. Not too expensive (except Chelmer and riverside Yeronga areas). A lot of small-to-medium-sized shopping centres.

    If buying an apartment for an inner-city life, I'd probably choose Southbank or West End. A lot of things to do there, and nice views.

    Disclaimer: I don't currently live in Brisbane, and would not choose to live there given the option to live in Sydney or a nice rural/coastal area. The last few times I've been to Brisbane, the traffic has been an absolute nightmare, any time of day, any direction.

    • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 10:14

      Appreciate your thoughts, I agree with you on big shopping centres, but need to keep my wife and son happy. Thanks for your other suburb suggestions.

  • SlickMick on 12/12/2023 - 12:47
    +2

    They're both good areas, but the thing with Brisbane is you need to be on the same side of the river that you work. Maybe proximity to public transport should be a major consideration. Otherwise, if you're job is on the other side, you'll want to move, unless you're happy so spend 3 hours per day travelling.

    • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 13:00

      Yeah important point, right now I am expecting work to be located in CBD so I am indifferent between north/south however that may change later on.

  • Mythreesons on 12/12/2023 - 17:13

    You do know there is a huge housing shortage up here at the moment so maybe look at wherever you can actually get a house and choose that way.

    • JetLi on 12/12/2023 - 17:54
      +1

      Yeah I know, but there appears to be plenty of places available to rent in either location. Worst case, there's also places in surrounding locations.

  • bargain huntress on 13/12/2023 - 02:09

    They are both nice. You would probably like either.

    North side and you are in the lovely Moreton Bay region and closer to Bribie Island (maybe the best dog beach in the world?) and the Sunshine Coast.

    South side and you are closer to the Gold Coast.

    • bargain huntress on 13/12/2023 - 02:12

      Where are you moving from? Watch out for the humidity - it can damage your stuff via condensation and or mold.

      • JetLi on 13/12/2023 - 16:27
        +1

        Melbourne, thanks for your input.

  • CountZero on 10/01/2024 - 03:25

    Also check the flood map at https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/community-and-safety/communi….

    It will affect your insurance cost.

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