Ozbound & Wife

Dear All,

We are looking at areas to live but would like some advice as to how long my journey to work would take. Will be working in Woolloongabba (Logan Road). Have been looking the following areas to live:-

Redcliffe, Brighton, Sandgate, Manly, North Lakes, Forest Lakes, Caboolture

I know on the Ourbrisbane website it gives rough distances and time zones, but could anyone give us some feedback as to times and practicalities in real terms. That is, train or car, how busy are the roads during rush hour, train reliability.

Any clues would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all.

ridds

Whereis will give you driving guides and travel times (similar to multimap). Use the "From place" tab so you don't have to enter specific addresses. Cautionary note - their travel times are sometimes... "optimistic".... i.e. they must have worked it out by drivin in the middle of the night, no traffic with green lights all the way!

Citytrain or Qld Rail for train timetables and travel times. Travelling to the Gabba from some of the suburbs you mentioned will necessitate a change of train.

I always found the trains pretty reliable in Brisbane, and hope to again when I return later in the year.

Traffic can get pretty bad along major routes (and sadly Logan road is one of them) but it still doesn't compare to the M25 or the middle of London.

DagBoy

Try Whereis - as well as the normal address lookup, there is a tab labelled get directions that lets you put from and to addresses and then work out the shortest/fastest journey. I just tried from my house to my work (a journey I usually do after peak morning traffic). Whereis reckoned it is a 15 minute journey if I use the toll bridge and 16 if I avoid it. Even at the time I travel, it typically takes me more like 25 or 30 minutes. If I went at peak hour it would take me almost 15 minutes just to get to the toll bridge.

So - a useful site to compare distances, not so great for times.

If you find the nearest station to your work on whereis, then look up train times on Queensland rails's site - the trains here tend to run on time, though I cannot remember where the nearest station to the gabba is.

Most of the suburbs you picked would be a bit of a long commute I think - I hate to think what the realistic commute times from Caboolture are.

What are your requirements for a suburb in which to live? Let us know that and there may be a few suggestions that would be easier.


Cheers,

DagBoy

Ozbound & Wife

Thanks for that, heres a few of our requirements.

I will be working in Woolloongabba. In terms commuting, don't really want to be doing more than 45mins each way, less would be preferable. In terms of what we are after area and house wise, we are having a baby at the end of January and so many of requirements will be based around that. ie:-

Other young families
Play groups
Parkland and feeling of being in nature
Decent private garden
Shops and amenities walkable
Clean and safe
Within easy reach of beach (short drive or less - walk would be best)
Golf course
Near my communiting link (if train route best)


Many more but it gets confusing


Thanks for any help

Mark & Ali

Hi - my brother lives in Caboolture and travels in to Brisbane each day for work, it takes him approx 1 hour on a good day! He usually sets off at 6.30am though.

PS: He's lived in Caboolture 20 years and loves it!

The Bloke

Unless you want to leave home very early to drive through the city, you could really forget the northside suburbs, plus you will have enough trouble coming up the road from Forest Lake, as it is always a crawl unless you leave earlier than everybody else, so you would still even have to allow at least an hour in peak times. Probably the only way to avoid the daily congestion both ways, would be to take the train.

"Within easy reach of beach (short drive or less - walk would be best)"
Still the best part of an hour's drive away, even from Forest Lake.

The Bloke

Any later and he would have problems. We live in Aspley and it takes me 40-45 minutes to get to work in Windsor on a bad day(which seems to be going to be everyday now they are doing major roadworks outside Westfield). The only time there is a clear run is when there are school holidays on and nearly everyone is away or on a Saturday.

matt-and-jenny

We live on the Aspley/Zillmere border and it takes Matt a 12 min walk to the Station and 25 min train ride to Central (one stop before Roma Street which is the stop for Wooloongabba)

matt-and-jenny

I'd say that from your list, Sandgate is the best option. It's right on the bay, nice little sleepy town, decent enough pub with good food, good dog walking facilities, and a train station.

Redcliffe - no train station, you's have to drive or bus it to Sandgate.
Brighton - drive or bus it to Sandgate, but it's no far.
Manly - don't know, I'm a northsider!
North Lakes - not a walk to the beach, a 15 drive to nearest station I think
Forest Lakes - not sure on this one either
Caboolture - about a 50min journey, not a walk to the beach, really crap if you want to get taxis anywhere.

Hope this helps!
Jen

TrickyTree

I live in Forest Lake and it takes me on average 45 minutes from my door to the office which is in the Valley I usually leave at 7.15am and start at 8am. If there is an accident on Ipswich Road you could probably double that (the latest I have arrived is about 8.45am). The road is busy but the main bottle necks are between Darra and Oxley but the rest seems to flow. There are a few buses (100, 460 and 461) which go regularly and will drop you off at the Gabba interchange and again will take you approx 45 mins to get there. The train will probably not be an option as it doesnt really go near to the Gabba you would have to catch it from either Darra or Wacol which are both a short drive.

wargod

I live in North Lakes and it takes me 30 minutes door to door (leaving between 8 and 8.15am) to drive ( i work in Milton which is in the city or pretty damn close to it) on the train it takes 40 minutes from Petrie train station ($8.80 return) - and the seats are bloody hard and uncomfortable too!!

Ozbound & Wife

Thanks Everyone,

For all your help, much appreciated.