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Rainworth, Bardon, Bardon West Identified as Among Safest Suburbs of Brisbane

Did you know that the suburbs comprising the 4065 postcode (that’s Rainworth, Bardon, and Bardon West), had one of the lowest reported offences in Brisbane last year, making 4065 third on the list of the safest suburbs list In Brisbane, after Nathan in the south and Eatons Hill in the north?

From January 2020 to January 2021, 177 offences were reported in the area, according to Queensland Police Service Online Crime Map. Most of these were unlawful entry, theft and drug-related reports, which peaked during the holidays, whilst just five offences relating to assault or disorderly conducted were filed with the police.

For a 14-day period from late December 2020 to early January 2021, the Inner West Patrol Group warned residents of an increase in home burglaries and vehicular thefts. At least 20 home dwellings had an attempted break-in whilst the police logged 16 stolen cars. In Bardon, the incidents happened on Empress Terrace, Carroll Street and Mahara Street.

As a result, the police increased patrols and conducted proactive crime prevention and security engagements with the Inner West Neighbourhood Watch Groups and the local government.

To the over 10,000 residents of Bardon, this quiet and leafy western suburb is more than just open spaces, trees or hills. It is a place with a high socio-economic community, thriving local cafes, beautiful homes, and heaps of good public and private schools.

Bardon has been pegged as a great place to raise a family. This appealing environment is close to the CBD with an effective and accessible public transport system.

This Unpretentious Bardon Bookshop is a Treasured Sanctuary

Most people may prefer a spacious and trendy bookstore with a cosy atmosphere for browsing but there’s nothing quite like this Bardon bookshop found on Morgan Terrace. Truth be told, this store wasn’t set up to impress visitors but behind its run-down appearance, Logical Unsanity Books and Miscellaneous Phantasmagoria could be described as a treasured sanctuary.

Among styrofoam boxes that work as shelves and a hodgepodge of old furniture, Logical Unsanity Books has a book collection that may be the envy of other well-funded and well-maintained libraries.

People come inside, browse the current books and simply pay whatever they could afford — or take the books for free. Bring a suitcase for your haul, just in case!

Yarran Jenkins has had this Bardon bookshop for more than five years and it surprisingly thrives 24-hours-a-day without a staff nor security. He admitted that he initially didn’t want to mind a store day in, day out so he decided to leave it open for anyone interested.

Over the years, Logical Unsanity Books has built a loyal following, who aren’t necessarily from Bardon. Mr Jenkins believes that people enjoy coming to the shop despite the way it looks because no one will judge them.

The owner said that he has seen blue-collar workers, who actually love a good book or two, coming back to his store.

Logical Unsanity Books has a guest book with inspiring messages from the shoppers. Many of these messages express gratitude for leaving the store open 24/7 as it has saved them from stress and anxiety, especially during late nights.

This bookshop doesn’t provide for Mr Jenkins’ basic needs, like food or rent, but it brings him a lot of good karma. It has opened the doors for him to set up his main store in West End. The Book Merchant Jenkins is a specialty shop for rare or antiquarian books.

Rainworth State School, Among Brisbane School Catchments With Highest House Price Growth

House prices in some Brisbane school catchments, including Bardon’s Rainworth State School, have surged by almost 30 percent over a 12-month period, the latest report says.

The latest Domain School Zones Report, which measures median prices within school catchments over the past 12 months, noted that in a majority of both primary and secondary school catchments, prices have surged higher compared to their respective suburb, and that families are placing more weight on secondary school placement.

As a result, 72 per cent of secondary school zones across Greater Brisbane saw a price growth. Primary school catchments also did well, although slightly lower with a 61 per cent rise. Still, when speaking of overall performance, secondary school catchments outperformed primary school zones.

Rainworth State School has claimed the 3rd spot among Brisbane’s top 10 schools for house price growth, soaring by 27.8 per cent to $1.15 million. Residents find Bardon an ideal place for families given that it is home to great secondary schools as well as primary schools, and that it is only 10 minutes to the city.

Brisbane’s top 10 school zones for house price growth according to Domain School Zones Report are as follows:

School Level	School Name	School Suburb	Median Sale Price	Annual Change
Primary	Bald Hills State School	Bald Hills	$675,000	29.2%
Primary	Wynnum West State School	Wynnum West	$547,500	28.8%
Primary	Rainworth State School	Bardon	$1,150,000	27.8%
Primary	Ipswich Central State School	Ipswich	$365,000	27.0%
Primary	Cannon Hill State School	Cannon Hill	$755,000	25.8%
Primary	Tingalpa State School	Tingalpa	$675,000	25.6%
Primary	Marsden State School	Marsden	$342,000	23.9%
Secondary	Flagstone State Community College	Jimboomba	$471,000	23.9%
Primary	Morayfield State School	Morayfield	$382,250	23.9%
Primary	Aspley State School	Aspley	$776,500	23.3%

Source: Domain Group. Median sale price is based on 12 months of data to October.

Furthermore, prices on some secondary school catchment zones have risen nine times faster than that of prices in Greater Brisbane, Domain senior research analyst Dr Nicola Powell said. She also said that the figures show how much families place importance on education, regardless of the price point.

Bald Hills State School took the top spot with prices rising by 29.2 per cent over the same period to $675,000. However, the top performing secondary school catchment was Rochedale State High School, where median prices surged by 20.5 per cent to $750,000.

Residents Oppose Childcare Centre Development in ‘Dangerous’ Bardon Intersection

A Bardon childcare centre development proposal has received hundreds of resistance from residents because of its dangerous intersection location on Chiswick Road.

Public submissions continue to pour on the development application (A005563407) lodged with Brisbane City Council in October.

The developer, Corella Property Investment Trust, wants to build a childcare centre with a left-in, left-out Chiswick Road access and a 22-vehicle parking space. A traffic assessment indicated that the planned driveway will not bring any significant impact to a pedestrian refuge island near the crossover.

However, residents are voicing out serious concerns about safety. Chiswick Road is opposite the hilly Cecil Road, which peaks in traffic during school runs and pick-ups since there are three primary schools in the area.

Multiple chicanes have been installed on Cecil Road to encourage cars to slow down but locals said that driving through this particular street might be comparable to the challenging Bathurst racing car course.

“This part of Bardon is already burdened by 2 schools that jam traffic up in the morning and the evening—and now you want to add a third hazard?” one resident said.

“The T-intersection adjacent to the site is extremely busy now especially during peak hours which is not good considering small children will be thrown into the mix. Secondly. the area is already well serviced by child care centres, there are at least ten. Thirdly, the community demographic is not one of the families with very young children, most are primary or secondary school age, so why the need?” another local shared in the public submission.

Michael Berk, Greens MP for Maiwar, posted on Facebook that he also submitted his reasons for opposing the Bardon childcare centre development after residents informed him of their concerns. Mr Berk said he’ll make a formal submission to the Council as well.

“We would like to see significant safety upgrades, especially to make sure parents can safely walk with their kids for drop-off and pick-up,” Mr Berkman said.

6 Impressive Street Art Displays Making West Brisbane More Colourful

The best things about street art are that it’s unrestricted, creative and diverse. Lucky for those living in Brisbane, an abundance of these interesting public art displays are everywhere, including West Brisbane.

In Bardon, Melanie Mons Wolff’s flowery canvas, titled Samsara (main photo, can be spotted at the intersection of Jubilee Terrace and Coopers Camp Road.

Commissioned in 2017, this creation was inspired by the various flora and fauna found in Bardon that grows and declines by the season. The mural reflects the constantly changing life and beauty of the locale.

If you’re planning on exploring and rediscovering great sights around the western suburbs, be sure to look out for these street art displays at these locations:

ARTIST	LOCATION	ARTWORK
Melanie Mons Wolff	Jubilee Terrace, Bardon	Samsara
Adam Busby	Walker Street, Taringa	Portrait of a Dynamic Future
Deb Mostert	Bolton Clarke Fairview Retirement Village Moggill Road, Pinjarra Hills	Free Form Birds
Xana Denruyter	Moggill Road, Bellbowrie	Living organism
Thomas Jackson	Milton Road, Milton	Follow the Leader
Matt Stewart	Coronation Drive pillars, Milton	Evolution

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
Portrait of a Dynamic Future by Adam Busby
The two faces, placed on opposite bridge pillars, portray the diversity in culture and gender with each looking in an equal and understanding gaze. The mural, inspiring and uplifting, encourages discussion around what the future can look like.

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
Freeform Birds by Deb Mostert
A quirky and whimsical combination of animal and domestic object – the optimism of the baby Tawny Frogmouth perched atop the familiar humble teapot.

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
Follow the Leader by Thomas Jackson
This piece brings elements of nature to remind people of the site’s history as a thriving bushland.

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
Evolution by Matt Stewart
Inspired by Cirque Du Soleil, the viaduct and adjacent Bicentennial Bikeway river walk area, is transformed with the vibrant, dynamic, colourful murals to four pillars of the Coronation Drive overpass.

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
Living Organism by Xana Denruyter
This represents a cohesive and healthy flora eco system. Celebrating the Bellbowrie area the mural encourages discovery of the depicted colours, shapes and creatures in the world around them.

Brisbane Canvas supports these Street Art displays to boost the local art industry and if you want to become a part of this initiative, join the Creative Register.

Lutèce in Bardon Reopens As La Belle Vie Bistro & Bar

French bistro & wine bar Lutèce in Bardon has a new name and new owners who hope to continue the same high standards as its former owner, renowned Brisbane Chef Romain Bapst. La Belle Vie Bistro & Bar started trading on 18 Aug 2020, offering traditional French fare with some modern twists.

“We love the old name ‘Lutèce’ too, which was a part of Romain’s legacy, but we are hoping that we can continue giving our customers the same quality experience at La Belle Vie,” the new owners told Lutèce regulars. “We look forward to having you here soon.”

La Belle Vie translates to “The Beautiful Life,” which is what the new owners, Simon Lambert and Behrooz Farahnakian, and the head chef, Samuel Perrin, want diners to experience when they visit the restaurant. Their menu is a smorgasbord of delicious classics, elevated to match the growing batch of drinks list.

With his background in the European hospitality scene and his Michelin 4-star credentials, Mr Lamber has come up with a small set of organic wines from Australia and France. Choices of craft beers from Queensland, Tasmania, Italy and Belgium are also available, along with traditional cocktails and spirits.

The restaurant retains Lutèce signature’s dish, the sand crab lasagna, as a tribute to Chef Romain. But diners will also love main dishes (Plat Principaux) like Agneau (slow-cooked lamb shank, red wine jus, smoking thyme, roast Mediterranean vegetable) and Margaret De Canard (Honey and spice duck breast, fondant potato, confit cabbage).

Photo Credit: La Belle Vie Bistro & Bar/Facebook

Most choices have gluten-free options and the restaurant has a kids’ menu as well.

A lot of Lutèce’s structural elements in the dining room were kept intact when La Belle Vie took over, so it doesn’t feel disorienting for the regulars. Newcomers, however, will relish in the chic vibe of the formal dining room with its crisp white table linens and glass walls, which highlights the lush beauty of the greenery outside.

Chef Romain may have retired but he’s likely pleased to see that he left his bistro and bar among competent restorers.

For table bookings, phone (07) 3161 1858, or email hello@labellevie.com.au, or do it online via Bookit.

New Coles Local Proposed In Bardon’s Busiest Road

A Coles Local and Vintage Cellars bottle shop may soon open across a retail complex in MacGregor Tce, if a development application lodged with the Brisbane City Council successfully passes approval. While it may mean business and jobs coming to the ward, traffic concerns over the location could hamper its success.

Those opposed to the development said that the location of the mini-store is a busy area and a Coles Local will likely intensify the congested traffic in a known bottleneck. MacGregor Tce has two narrow lanes that easily fill up with cars coming from the retail stores.

The proposal also includes 105 parking spaces. This means more carpark access for shoppers but more traffic on the road, which could also lead to road accidents.

“The location of a shopping precinct in this area will negatively impact the flow of traffic in an already busy and difficult to exit area,” one opposition to the development application stated.

“The amount of car parking provided will encourage car trips levels that will have a significant impact on surrounding land, including amenity and pedestrian connectivity, ” another resident said.

Photo Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City Council

But Pradella, the developer, sought a traffic assessment of the site from an independent consultant, which stated that a Coles Local may generate less traffic even during peak periods.

“The proposed development is anticipated to generate in the order of 250 vph (vehicles per hour) during the weekday PM peak period and 286 vph in the Saturday peak period,” Cardno stated in its assessment. “This indicates the proposed development generates 78 less vehicles in the weekday PM peak and 148 less vehicles in the Saturday.”

Councillor James Mackay said that Council should carefully weigh the proposal’s traffic implications in as much as he welcomes the development. MP Michael Berkman, on the other hand, also asked the Council to study the proposal and consult with the community as it will affect commuters and the neigbourhood.

The MP’s call comes as Cr Peter Matic said that the proposed development fits with the zoning requirements, which means it’s code-accessible and won’t require appeals from residents. He said that State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) should also look into the traffic implications since Macgregor Tce is a State Government controlled road.

If approved, the development will knock down three mixed-use commercial and retail buildings. Coles said it’s not the developer or the owner of the site but it advocates for safety and will ensure that this is a key consideration in the planned site.

Brisbane Investor Readily Pays Nearly $9M for Bardon Central

The sale of Bardon Central has just been settled, for $8.85 million, and ownership is now in the hands of a private investor.

An Expressions of Interest campaign was run by Jon Tyson and Michael Harcourt of Savills which generated more than 130 enquiries and fielded multiple offers from both local and interstate buyers.

The deal to acquire the retail and commercial complex along MacGregor Tce was actually struck in March, with pricing that reflected pre-coronavirus levels. The listing specifies the net income of Bardon Central to be at $616,290 per annum.

As an established, modern convenience retail and professional centre, Bardon Central is known locally for its mix of tenants that residents of the affluent suburb find convenient and accessible. The centre is situated on a 2,208-sqm lot, with a basement parking facility that can accommodate up to 56 cars.

Anchored by a Friendly Grocer Convenience Supermarket, the centre also has multiple retail tenancies and professional tenants such as a bakery, a hairdresser, pizza takeaway shop, a day spa, Lutece Bistro & Wine Bar, a financial planner and a physiotherapist.

Read: Busy Bardon Road to Get Better

“MacGregor Tce is also a very busy road … a lot of people use that road and so the property is exposed to a high level of passing traffic and potential trade,” Mr Tyson said.

About Bardon

Bardon is an affluent, well-established, and tightly held suburb in Brisbae’s inner West. It is located within 4 kilometres of Brisbane’s CBD. The median income in Bardon is 80% higher than the Queensland average.

The suburb is situated in a highly desirable area of inner-western Brisbane. Much of Bardon is accessible to MacGregor Terrace, where Bardon Central is located. MacGregor Tce is the main road which links Bardon to its adjacent suburbs like Toowong, Auchenflower, Paddington, Ashgrove and The Gap.

Busy Bardon Road to Get Better

Commuters traveling on one of Bardon’s busy roads will soon notice that their trips have taken a turn for the better.

Local state MP Michael Berkman (Greens) is pushing for the improvement of several dangerous sections of MetRoad 5 and the roundabout at the Rainworth, Boundary, and Rouen Roads intersection.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads, under Minister Mark Bailey, and Mr Berkman have been working together to identify and address safety hotspots.

Signages and Handrails

The Bardon roundabout is a notoriously dangerous spot for pedestrians. It is a hub for community traffic from the nearby Bardon shed, a childcare centre, shopping strip, Rainworth State School, and Norman Buchan Park.

“I have recently secured some simple safety improvements at the roundabout including high-vis signage and handrails, much better warning signs for motorists and some vegetation trimming to improve visibility,’’ Mr Berkman said in a statement for the press.

Meanwhile, portions of MetRoad 5 running through Bardon are included in the safety campaign, from Kedron to Toowong, including MacGregor Tce, Boundary Rd, Rouen Rd, and Frederick Street.

Speed Limit Downgrade & Traffic Light Upgrades

The major changes being recommended along MetRoad 5 include a reduction of the speed limit along the stretch between the MacGregor Tce shops and the roundabout on Rouen Rd and an upgrade of the visibility of traffic lights at the MacGregor Tce and Simpsons Rd intersection.

Residents have long complained about speeding drivers disregarding traffic lights at the intersection around that shopping strip.

It is unlikely, however, that any speed limit change could materialise soon. Such changes need to have the support and participation of stakeholders from the QLD Police Service and BCC, along with a plethora of technical research and recommendations from traffic engineers and inspectors.

Barrier-Protected Pedestrian Crossing

Pedestrians will also have a barrier-protected refuge to make crossing the area of MacGregor Tce located south of the roundabout at Latrobe Tce, safer and easier. This would be particularly helpful for people pushing prams, older people and those with limited mobility, and those in wheelchairs.

Bardon Residents Rank Among Brisbane’s Heaviest Drinkers

Did you know that Bardon ranks among Brisbane’s heaviest drinkers? The latest data reveal that 21.9 percent of Bardon residents consume more than 14 standard drinks per week, which is above the suggested threshold according to the proposed new Alcohol Guidelines.

The latest national Social Health Atlas data shows that 21.9 percent of Bardon residents consume more than two standard drinks per day or an equivalent of 14 standard drinks per week. On top of the list are Brisbane Port – Lytton and Wynnum with 23 percent each.

According to the Australian Department of Health, excessive alcohol drinking could put one at risk of illnesses including heart disease, liver disease, cancer, diabetes and damage to the brain.

The National Health and Medical Research Council is currently in the process of revising its Alcohol Guidelines to reduce the risk of alcohol-related disease, injury and other harms to health, as well as reduce the risk of harm to a pregnant woman’s unborn child.

The proposed guidelines include suggested drinking of no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day, which according to evidence and mathematical modelling keeps the lifetime risk of dying from alcohol-related disease or injury remains below a level of 1 in 100.

The top Brisbane suburbs where residents drink more than two standard drinks per day include Brisbane Port – Lytton/ Wynnum ( 23%), Victoria Point (22.6%), New Farm (22.3%), Wellington Point (22.2%), Ashgrove/ Bardon (21.9%), Cleveland/ Ormiston ( 21.8%), Paddington – Milton/ Red Hill (Qld) (21.6%), Albany Creek/ Eatons Hill (20.9%), Belmont – Gumdale/ Birkdale/ Thorneside (20.9%), Redland Islands (20.3%).

“We’re not telling Australians how much to drink. We’re providing advice about the health risks from drinking alcohol so that we can all make informed decisions in our daily lives. This advice has been developed over the past three years using the best health evidence available,” Professor Anne Kelso, CEO of the National Health and Medical Research Council said.

Public consultation on the draft guidelines concluded last February 2020 and will undergo expert review before it is finalised by the third quarter of 2020.

POSTCODE	SUBURBS/AREAS
4111	Nathan, Griffith University
4037	Eatons Hill
4065	Rainworth, Bardon, Bardon West
4009	Eagle Farm
4073	Seventeen Mile Rocks, Sinnamon Park
4067	Ironside, St Lucia, University of Queensland
4070	Anstead, Bellbowrie, Moggill, Priors Pocket
4061	The Gap
4010	Albion, Breakfast Creek
4112	Kuraby

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