Toowong

Stretching from the river to Mt Coot-tha and close to the city and uni, Toowong is a very well known and popular Brisbane suburb.

Toowong Village is the main shopping area and its blue glass-walled office tower is visible from miles away. Eating and other retail opportunities stretch from the tower along High Street.

The heritage-listed Regatta Hotel on Coronation Drive and the iconic Royal Exhange Hotel (locally known as the RE) in High Street are two of Brisbane's oldest and most polular pubs.

Toowong also has Australia's leading bilingual-bicultural school, Toowong State School. This primary school teaches in two languages, Auslan and English. It integrates deaf children with their hearing classmates and the children have a signing choir, which has performed at sporting events and celebrations.

Taringa

Tucked between Toowong and Indooroopilly is the green and peaceful suburb of Taringa. Winding streets, plenty of trees and shade, older homes sitting shoulder to shoulder with new units and a friendly atmosphere make Taringa one of the most popular brisbane suburbs.

Taringa is only a few minutes drive from Indooroopilly Shoppingtown and Toowong Village and also close to the University of Queensland and public transport.  Nearby Perrin Park is popular for picnics and cycling.

 

St Lucia

Virtually encircled by the Brisbane River and golf courses, St Lucia is a delightful inner-western suburb of the Queensland capital.   Once an enclave of semi-rural, grand estates, St Lucia today, of course, is recognised throughout Australia as the principal seat of the University of Queensland. And it was quite the red letter day back in 1936 when, with suitable gravity, it was announced that: Queensland, after a long and patient wait, is now to have a university that will, by virtue of the originality and beauty of the design of its buildings, be one that will command respect and attention throughout the world.

Built mainly from Helidon freestone on a superb river site, the university is certainly a visually-stunning complex. Walkways flank both sides of the Brisbane River from St Lucia into the city and offer a relaxed platform from which visitors can get a feel of the heart of the Queensland capital. If the legs start to feel the pinch, you can always shorten the walk by hopping a CityCat from one of the ferry stops along the way to cruise for part of the journey.

 

Indooroopilly

Indooroopilly is liberally sprinkled with old mansions, and none better reflects the grandeur of the suburb’s salad days than Ross Roy.  This huge home was built in 1897 for the Collings family who originally named it Indoocombe. It was renamed Ross Roy by Ross Munro, who bought the home from the Collings. The building is now part of St Peters Lutheran College.

To capture the essence of Indooroopilly of those times, let’s quote from an anonymous tribute written about 1890:

The district comprises a series of sharp ridges and gentle slopes, giving continual glimpses of the river, and the purple shrouded hills to the south and west, which have a wondrous charm. The switchback, tree lined streets are bordered with handsome residences and still more handsome gardens which, even in the hollows, give distinction to the district.

The suburb is graced by a number of relaxing parks, including Sir John Chandler Park. This park embraces Thomas Park, which was named for Henry Thomas, who planted and so lovingly tended the adjoining Bougainvillea Gardens for many years. Children's playground equipment has been scattered among groves of striking jacaranda and poinciana.

 

Auchenflower

The inner-Brisbane suburban of Auchenflower is about 2.5 km west of the city, on the banks of the Brisbane River. There are plenty of dining options in and around the suburb, and Toowong Shopping Centre is just down the road.

The name Auchenflower comes from an early estate in the area, which was named, nostalgically, for the owner's family home in Scotland.

Auchenflower straddles two of the city's major traffic arteries, Milton Road which leads directly into the city and which connects with the Western Freeway, and Coronation Drive which flanks the north-western bank of the Brisbane River.   The delightful riverside walking and cycling track from the city to the University passes through the suburb.