A small population of beautiful but wild peafowl have been quietly plucked out of Bardon and relocated elsewhere after a complaint was lodged about their presence. However, some local bird lovers are unhappy about the move, saying the peafowl were not bothersome at all.
Jon Fihelly, a resident, believes that the removal was unnecessary since the birds’ do not number enough to even cause a disturbance or an outbreak. Bardon’s peafowl population has dwindled to just 10 within the last four decades compared to other suburbs with 30 or more of these animals. The birds are usually found near the Outlook Cres at the foothills of Mt Coot-tha.
The relocation was discovered by someone who saw the birds impounded at the Animal Welfare League Queensland and shared the photo in a local group online. Mr Fihelly wondered why the move took place despite no consultations with the public. He was more bothered when Council allegedly denied that the peafowls are at the shelter, according to reports.
Cr Kim Marx, the Civic Cabinet Chair for City Standards, said that the transfer was decided following a complaint about the presence of the peafowls in Bardon. She added that peafowls may cause a lot of noise or damage properties by roosting, thus the need to act on the complaint. Cr Marx also said that they consulted with bird experts about the relocation.
However, Mr Fihelly pointed out that the birds prefer to roost on trees and not houses or cars and that the noise only happens during the breeding season. He also checked public records of complaints but found none as of December 2022.
“My neighbours that don’t want them around have shooed them away in the past and hence never see them anymore so there is an easy solution without having the BCC remove them,” he said.
Postal Code 4065, covering Bardon and Rainworth, located northwest of Brisbane CBD, logged 26 crimes per 1,000 properties from Queensland Police Service data drawn between 2017 to 2022 for crimes under Unlawful Entry and ‘Other Theft (excluding Unlawful Entry). The state average is 130 crimes per 1,000 properties.
According to Budget Direct, Bardon’s crime rate dropped by 14 points in the last year, further lowering its risk profile for residents. However, it’s still a few points higher than the number one postal code on the list, 4055, covering the suburbs of Ferny Hills, Kedron Upper, Bunya, Ferny Grove, Ferny Hills and Upper Kedron which average 14 crimes per 1,000 properties.
Bardon’s ranking comes as no surprise as it has maintained its desirability and liveability for many years.
Nestled at the Mt Coot-tha foothills, Bardon, with a little under 10,000 residents, has a peaceful and rustic charm where families and their dogs can walk to local parks, biking trails and recreational places. Residents raise their kids amongst nature and wildlife and enjoy the weekly community events or dine at thriving cafes and restaurants.
Top 10 Safest Post Codes in Queensland from 2017 to 2022
4055 Ferny Hills, Kedron Upper, Bunya, Ferny Grove, Ferny Hills and Upper Kedron
4070 Anstead, Bellbowrie, Moggill and Priors Pocket
4061 The Gap
4037 Eatons Hill
4154 Gumdale, Ransome and Wakerley
4065 Bardon West, Jubilee, Rainworth and Bardon
4035 Albany Creek, Bridgeman Downs and Cashs Crossing
4025 Moreton Island, Bulwer, Cape Moreton, Cowan Cowan, Kooringal and Tangalooma
4067 St Lucia, St Lucia South and Ironside
4069 Brookfield, Chapel Hill, Fig Tree Pocket, Kenmore, Kenmore East, Kenmore Hills, Pinjarra Hills, Pullenvale, Upper Brookfield, Kenmore Dc and Lone Pine
The provision of new field lights are expected to help the club build in new training flexibility and attract new members. It’s currently one of the largest football clubs in Brisbane with over 700 registered members.
Member for Cooper Jonty Bush visited the club on 25 January 2023, with Minister Stirling Hinchliffe MP to see the progress of the new field lights.
Photo credit: Bardon Latrobe Football Club/Facebook
Ms Bush said that over recent years, the Queensland Government has invested almost $380,000 in the Football Club including two new change rooms, aluminium seating, Active Clubs funding and $5,400 in FairPlay vouchers.
Ms Jonty Bush with President of Bardon Latrobe Football Club Samuel Casey and Minister Stirling Hinchliffe MP (Photo credit: Jonty Bush – Member for Cooper)
“Sporting clubs like Bardon Latrobe FC are very important for keeping Queenslanders of all ages active and healthy, and connected with their local community,” Ms Bush said.
They also announced the new funding programs for community not-for-profit sporting clubs, which will open on 31 January and will accept applications until 2 March 2023.
Grants, which start at $50,000 can be used for projects such as new upgraded and end-of-life replacement projects, Lighting, cycling trails, pathways, ramps, skateparks, fixed exercise equipment, change rooms, as well as upgrading tennis, netball, bowls or indoor court surfaces.
Photo credit: Bardon Latrobe Football Club/Facebook
Meanwhile, the State Government has recently launched the first round of FairPlay for 2023, providing up to 46,000 vouchers worth almost $7 million to help low-income Queensland families with the cost of sport and active recreation sign on fees up to $150.
Applications for FairPlay vouchers are open to parents, carers and guardians with a current Services Australia Health Care Card or a Pensioner Concession Card for students aged five to 17 years.
Clubs and recreation providers participating in FairPlay and more information about family eligibility can be found at: www.qld.gov.au/fairplayvouchers.
The Bardon property market has maintained a strong performance for the 12-month period ending March 2022, amidst a tight market and off the back of flooding incidents earlier this year.
From April 2021 to March 2022, Bardon’s house price growth was at 33.33 per cent, pulling the median house price from $1.2 million to $1.6 million, per data from Property Market Updates. Sales volumes also remain high 204 properties sold within 30 days on market, compounding on the high demand that has dominated Brisbane’s housing market for some time.
Buyers hunting for a home in Bardon sought three- or four-bedroom homes, closing deals in less than a month and way above the average Brisbane media value for a house. But one buyer nabbed the highest-price home for the period, which is a 5-bedroom property with a rooftop deck that boasts sweeping views of the city and the picturesque surrounding Mt Coot-tha.
Bardon Median Unit Price
Bardon’s unit market had an uptick for this period at 4.74 per cent following a slump in the previous quarter. The unit median price has settled at $742,500 for this period with 56 properties sold for an average of 44 days onmarket.
Though the housing market has outperformed the unit market every month, the latest figures reveal a gaining momentum as the city recovers from the impact of the pandemic with the re-opening of the borders.
In 2011, Bardon’s growth post-flooding was at a slow 2.4 percent. The median house price for this period was $735,00 down from $775,000. It took Bardon a few years to pull its median house price upward again.
The rain bombs in late February 2022, which caused millions of dollars in flood damage, were expected to bring down Brisbane’s property market, in general. Yet, Bardon quickly recovered and even had a massive growth rate one month later, as reflected in the Property Market Updates.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Industry insiders said that this was indicative of the market’s significant growth in the last 11 years. With the current imbalance of supply and demand, property prices have been resilient.
Quality buyers who are willing to pay a premium for their investments have also contributed to Bardon’s price growth. In the next few months, however, Bardon could experience a short-term favorable shift because buyers, especially from interstate and overseas, will likely prefer hilltop locations to avoid a flooding disaster.
A Gold Coast-based childcare centre operator is looking to expand its services across South East Queensland, with new centres planned for the region including one in Bardon.
Harmony Early Learning Journey, based at Hope Island in Gold Coast, is eyeing to invest $85 million across several locations in Australia.
Aside from Bardon, the organisation is planning to establish additional centres in Bulimba, East Brisbane, Griffin, Thornlands, Graceville and Yeerongpilly as well as the Broadbeach Waters and Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast.
Photo credit: cottonbro/Pexels
Harmony has not announced much about the Bardon childcare centre, but three (Broadbeach Waters, Griffin, and East Brisbane) are expected to open in 2022 and all of them will operate from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Harmony’s site selection was based on suburbs with the strongest population growth in Australia. Bardon’s population as of 2021 is estimated to be at around 10,723.
The organisation is eager to expand in Queensland, despite claims that the state’s childcare sector is facing an oversupply.
Photo credit: Yan Krukov/Pexels
In January 2022, the Australian Childcare Alliance revealed there’s an oversupply of childcare centres in Queensland since 2017, not to mention the additional 200 centres currently in planning stages.
Earlier this year, another developer was bombarded with objections from locals regarding its proposal for a childcare centre along Chiswick Road in Bardon. Residents worried that the centre will be built in a ‘dangerous intersection’ and the additional traffic it would bring, given that there are already three primary schools in the area.
Meanwhile, Bardon is among the suburbs in QLD with the highest childcare cost, averaging at $123.50/day as of May 2022.
The Freer’s Farm Action Group has outlined several issues concerning the proposed redevelopment of the Freer’s Farm farm site in Bardon into a sporting precinct for Stuartholme School.
The group cites that they are not opposed to the plans per se (MID-1021-0542 – Stuartholme School) but there are potential problems that the developers need to address before the redevelopment gets a green light.
Among the most concerning issue is the sports field’s impact on flood levels, especially on the properties downstream. The group said that the flood modelling used in the proposal “don’t reflect actual historical flows.”
Photo Credit: The State of Queensland (Planning) / planning.dsdmip.qld.gov.au
Additionally, the earthworks within the flood zone call for filling land that will raise its level higher than the neighbouring properties. Essentially, this will remove the flood plain and increase the risk of flooding onto the other sites.
Freer’s Farm is near Sir Samuel Griffiths Drive and picnic areas at Hoop Pine and Silky Oak within the Mt Coot-the Reserve. The sports field may also cause parking and traffic issues at these sites.
The residents are also concerned about light and noise pollution when there are games at night that will likely bring ecological impacts to the wildlife, parkland users, and the neighbourhood. For years, most of the area at Freer’s Farm is completely free of artificial light at night.
Photo Credit: The State of Queensland (Planning) / planning.dsdmip.qld.gov.au
Last week, some of the locals have met with representatives of the developer, Ethos Urban, Stuartholme School, and the consulting firm, Blight Tanner, to clearly discuss the concerns of the community. Cr Peter Matic was also in the said meeting.
According to the Freer’s Farm Action Group, the flood modelling used in the proposal is not accurate, thus they have asked for a revised model. The planners said they are willing to work with the community to deliver a final model that will be agreeable to all concerned.
The planners also acknowledged providing more information on the sports field lighting information. They have agreed to defer the start of construction to August 2022.
The MID submission, on the other hand, has been extended until 19 May 2022. Follow the guide on how to make a submission from this group.
Bardon is gearing up for the suburb’s annual kerbside collection on the 7th of February 2022 and here are some quick reminders and tips for items that may or may not make it to the kerb on that day.
What if some of the items cannot be collected? Remember, Brisbane City Council will not collect unacceptable items placed on the kerb and if they are not removed within seven days of the notified collection period, illegal dumping fines may apply.
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council
To avoid being charged for illegal dumping and to keep those unwanted items from going to landfill, consider taking them to recycling centres.
Photo credit: 652234/Pixabay
BCC has resource recovery centres where the items are taken for recycling. For instance, waste tyres can be used for manufacturing new rubber products such as soft fall surfaces, artificial turf and conveyor belts.
These centres accept almost any item you can’t put on the kerb for collection, including garden waste, batteries, paint and solvents, gas bottles, glass containers, and other metals.
Photo credit: stux/Pixabay
Did you know that most of these centres are already a Paintback site? This means they are part of Paintback, an industry-led initiative designed to divert unwanted paint and packaging from ending up in landfill and vital waterways.
Paintback finds new ways to repurpose unwanted paint materials and help develop a circular economy. Paintback accepts up to 100 litres per visit stowed in containers of up to 20 litres.
Photo credit: Efraimstochter/Pixabay
Garden waste, like other wastes, can have many more uses. If you’re not composting at home, you can bring them to recycling centres where they are recycled as a nutrient-rich soil conditioner for land reclamation sites and agriculture areas. However, make sure not to include garden wastes that have contaminants, such as grass cuttings with herbicides.
Those with recyclable donations can go directly to Brisbane’s resource and sort your items there. In Bardon, the nearest recycling centre is Ferny Grove Resource Recovery Centre, which is a 16-minute drive via Waterworks Rd.
You can drop off your items for free when you have the waste voucher, which is issued by Council annually to Brisbane households. For more information on how to use the centres, including waste vouchers, fees and charges, visit BCC’s website.
A new analysis has revealed that many suburbs in Brisbane have substantial tree cover that keeps the Sunshine State’s hot, sunny days at bay.
Nearmap did an aerial survey of more than 5,000 suburbs across Australia from February to March 2021 and determined the top nine leafiest locations in Brisbane. Bardon tops the list in the inner city with 34 per cent more tree cover than other suburbs in the area.
Region
Top Suburb by Region
Percentage Tree Cover
Brisbane – East
Sheldon
66%
Ipswich
Mount Crosby
60%
Brisbane – South
Burbank
55%
Moreton Bay – South
Bunya
53%
Brisbane – West
Pullenvale
52%
Logan – Beaudesert
Buccan
43%
Brisbane Inner City
Bardon
34%
Moreton Bay – North
Wamuran
31%
Brisbane – North
Shorncliffe
23%
According to the report from Nearmap, 79 per cent of suburbs in Greater Brisbane have over 20 per cent tree cover. That’s more than Hobart (71 per cent), Darwin (66 per cent), Canberra (58 per cent), Greater Sydney (44 per cent), Melbourne (30 per cent), Adelaide (26 per cent), and Perth (22 per cent).
Australia’s Leafiest Cities Photo Credit: Nearmap
Cr Tracy Davis, Brisbane City Council’s environment chairperson, said that efforts to plant more trees in Brisbane every year since 2016 have increased the natural habitat by nearly 40 per cent.
Tree planting activities also netted 14,000 street trees a year in heaps of residential locations. These provided shade and breeze in footpaths and parks, as well reduced the energy consumption in many homes.
Urban trees produce more oxygen and consume more carbon dioxide, reducing the pollution in the air. Trees become food for wildlife, giving Brisbane its natural structure and subtropical character.
Years before the initiative, more than two million trees have been planted for a greener Brisbane between 2008 to 2012. Council targets a 50 per cent increase of tree covers in bus stops, bikeways, boulevards, and major entry roads by 2031.
“Brisbane’s urban forest removes about 1.45 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year (equalling 10% of our city’s emissions),” per Council. “Our tree canopy cover makes leafy parts of Brisbane up to seven degrees cooler than treeless areas.”
For a taste of authentic French cuisine, La Belle Vie, located in the beautiful hills of Bardon, lives up to the promise of a “Good Life.” Led by head chef Samuel Perrin, the revitalised restaurant, which changed hands in mid-2020, has found the right recipe for success despite a challenging time for the industry.
Committed to giving diners the ultimate French dining experience, La Belle Vie’s menu consists of classics like Ratatouille (roast vegetables), Haricot Verts (fried beans), escargot in butter, and a selection of sumptuous cured meats with Arnaud French rillette and pickles (charcuterie).
For the entrees, the foie gras and Saint-Jacques (pan-seared scallops, truffle oil, sweet potatoes purée, crispy serrano) essentially paired with French baguette with butter, come highly recommended especially if this is your first time at the restaurant.
Diners put a seal of approval for the Caille (quail coq au vin style with red wine sauce, bacon, mushrooms, onions and carrots) and the Margret (Aylesbury duck breast, honey & spice sauce, mushrooms, roast chat potatoes), showcasing Perrin’s exceptional cooking technique. The ingredients used at the La Belle Vie kitchen are all locally-sourced and the chef perfectly plays up the tastes and texture, with the right consistency and temperature, once served to the guests.
To cap the dining experience, La Belle Vie has a fantastic line-up of desserts, including the gorgeous tarte and crème brûlée with a smidge of the authentic hardtop. Meanwhile, Jean-Jacques Peyre’s brilliant wine selection perfectly complements the chef’s menu.
Photo Credit: LaBelleVieBistro&Bar/Facebook
Despite the lockdowns within the last 12 months, La Belle Vie has managed to host special COVID-safe events and private functions, which allowed the operations to thrive. Once the restrictions slowly eased off, the restaurant was also the premier choice for wine and lifestyle workshops.
Meanwhile, it has been indeed a great start for La Belle Vie as was it named as one of the top four French restaurants at the 2021 SEQ Awards for Excellence for the Restaurant and Catering category alongside Bisou Bisou in Fortitude Valley, Haig Rd Bistro in Auchenflower and the winner, Montrachet in Bowen Hills.
For the menu, opening hours, workshops, functions, and bookings, check out their Facebook page for the details.
“My husband and my second time here, our first time we knew we wanted to come back to celebrate our anniversary and we did just that. Such an amazing experience and a thoughtful, deliciously, wonderful dessert. Thank you to the team at La Belle Vie, we will have nothing but great things to tell everyone we know.”
BM
“Loved my food, view and staff here. We had the lunch time two course which I couldn’t believe the quality for the price it was delicious. Can’t wait to bring my girlfriends here. The vibe is just gorgeous.”
Amy Hughes
“Such a great dining experience … it was our first time and we both went with the steak and beans on the side. Both steaks were cooked perfectly to medium rare and the beans were delicious. Service was great as was the ambiance. lots of other happy faces around as well. We’ll be back for sure.”
Bardon, one of the more expensive property markets in Brisbane, continues to be highly desirable because it provides families a suburban dream home close to the city and within premier school catchments. Thus, it’s no surprise that houses in this west Brisbane suburb remain in high demand, continuing to deliver fairly high capital growth rates for homeowners.
Bardon is a family hotspot with desirable school zones that attract house hunters who prioritize education.
The median house price of Bardon rose to 25.06 per cent from July 2020 to June 2021, hitting $1,300,000, a sizeable leap from $1,039,500 from the previous 12-month period.
The median unit price dropped to 1.14 per cent due to low stocks despite high demand.
House Price Growth
As a family hotspot, Bardon remains at the top of the list of house hunters who prioritise education. Reports cite that houses in desirable school zones across Greater Brisbane have logged the fastest property growth amid the pandemic. In Bardon’s case, the median house price rose by 25.06 per cent from July 2020 to June 2021, hitting $1,300,000, a sizeable leap from $1,039,500 from the previous 12-month period, according to data from Property Market Updates.
Buyers and investors are competing strongly for highly-coveted Bardon houses which currently stay on market an average of 44 days, quite brisk for the price points involved. There were 212 house sales closed during this time period. Of the stocks sold, 70 were three-bedroom houses, which were wrapped up at a snappy pace of just 23 days on market, with an average asking price of $1,100,000.
A restored 150-year-old Colonial Queenslander on an acreage property on Moonya Street, with most of its original architectural facets intact, sold at $4,095,000, the highest price for the period. This house, which features a children’s play fort and a gorgeous botanic oasis for family games and celebrations, is within an easy walk to St Joseph’s School or Bardon State School, the Girls Guides Clubhouse, and Bardon Bowls Club.
Unit Price Growth
In recent years, attractive low-rise apartments and townhouses have popped up in Bardon with slightly bumped up prices compared to most unit markets in Brisbane. For the period ending June 2021, however, Bardon’s unit market dropped by 1.14 per cent, pulling the median price down from $703,000 to $695,000.
Though units were quickly bought at an average of 38 days on the market, there were not enough stocks to meet buyer demands. Just 48 properties were sold during this period with three-bedroom units selling the most stocks for downsizers who want to remain in the area.
About Bardon
It’s easy to forget that the city is just five or six kilometres away for those living in peaceful Bardon. Located at the foothills of Mount Coot-tha, this suburb connects the residents to 1,500 hectares of tranquil and gorgeous green space with heaps of parks and walking tracks.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
The majority of homeowners in Bardon are owner-occupiers living in large blocks of free-standing colonial or modern houses, enjoying an enviable work-life balance. They spend their weekends unwinding at the local parks and community hubs or visiting the clusters of businesses at Macgregor Terrace, where most quaint cafes and restaurants operate.
Bardon is also close to the cafe culture of Paddington and Red Hill, its neighbouring suburbs. Residents can drive to the city within 20 minutes whilst bus services help the locals get around but quite a number do love to cycle in Bardon and take advantage of its natural beauty.
“We moved out from Paddington to Bardon because we needed more bedrooms and a larger garden. Bardon is a great mix of both inner-city charm and large blocks which are harder to find in Paddington. GREAT for family life. Lots of lovely cottages and Queenslanders. We live next to a park. Have been here a year and love it.
RightwingNuclearArmedAussie
“Bardon is a spectacular and quiet place which is close to the CBD. In my whole 20 years of living here, I have only ever been waiting at a traffic light for over one minute once and that was in Milton the neighbouring suburb. It is diverse and great for people with average incomes or those who are affluent. Very good public and private schools and there is a park entrance on almost every street!”
RileyN
“Bardon is a quaint, leafy suburb close to the city. The Queenslander houses and narrow streets give the suburban old-world charm, and there are plenty of trees and greenery to lend this suburb a peaceful vibe. I have lived in this suburb for 15 years (on the “Rainworth” side of Bardon) and have always found it to be quiet, clean and safe. It is also very close to the restaurants of Rosalie and a short drive to the city. However, I do not recommend this suburb for anyone without a car, as the public transport is limited to buses that are not very reliable.”
