Brisbane’s 10 Most Family-Friendly Neighbourhoods

Brisbane is known for being super liveable. Whether you’ve got strong feelings about living north or south, or you’re a city mouse at heart, there are plenty of suburbs across the city that suit your lifestyle.  

With access to great schools, green open spaces and a strong community heart, here are ten of the most liveable suburbs in Brisbane for raising a family.

Carina Heights

The walkable suburb of Carina Heights offers young families everything they need on their doorstep. There are excellent childcare options and schooling, a local library and beautiful parks and playgrounds where kids can keep active. Locals love the relaxed, suburban lifestyle, while the CBD is an easy 20-minute drive away.

Daily essentials are taken care of with shops dotted along Old Cleveland Road and Westfield Carindale right next door.

Ascot

Exclusive Ascot is known for its plentiful parks, rich racing history and distinguished homes that have enticed affluent families for generations. It offers residents a charmed lifestyle, just 10 minutes from the city centre and surrounded by top schools. There are pretty playgrounds as well as local cafés, grocery stores and boutiques lining Racecourse Road. Ascot is known for its friendly and supportive village-like atmosphere.

Click here to check out the Ascot suburb guide

Wilston

A haven for families seeking open space, café culture and access to public transport, Wilston is easy living at its best. Its streets showcase a mix of architecture, from classic Queenslanders to modern designer homes, catering to discerning buyers. Residents can keep fit with bike paths, sporting grounds and the Newmarket Pool just minutes away. By night and day, Wilston Village hums with shops, eateries and bars.

Click here to check out the Wilston suburb guide

Alderley

Often considered Brisbane’s most liveable suburb for families, Alderley boasts walkable, leafy streets lined with character-filled homes. It’s conveniently positioned just five kilometres from the city centre, while offering residents access to gorgeous parks and walking tracks to immerse themselves in nature. There are abundant shopping options, a railway station catering to commuters and highly regarded schools nearby.

Sandgate

Once dominated by retirees, Sandgate is now high on the list for young families wanting to soak up the laid back lifestyle. The bayside suburb offers a vibrant village community with a handful of cafés and restaurants, speciality stores and a library.

Locals enjoy water sports, an aquatic centre and numerous walking and cycle paths connecting the foreshore. When the city calls it’s an easy 30-minute drive away.

Chermside West

The peaceful, leafy suburb of Chermside West is a popular pick for families, with fantastic community amenities meeting your every need. There are breathtaking parks and bushland including the expansive Raven Street Reserve, childcare centres and day-to-day shopping and entertainment at Westfield Chermside. There are several excellent private schools nearby and enough express city buses to ensure you’ll have a seamless commute into town.

Kalinga

Nestled between Clayfield and Wooloowin, the stately inner-city pocket of Kalinga couples proximity to the CBD with a truly serene setting, that makes it one of Brisbane’s most desirable postcodes. Property here is tightly held, with numerous high-end homes being passed down between generations. Kalinga is bordered by Kedron Brook, along which sits the heritage-listed Kalinga Park with a playground, sports fields, tennis courts and picnic area.

Grange

Just 15 minutes from the city centre, the northern neighbourhood of Grange is home to a wealth of green spaces and picturesque heritage homes that make it the envy of Brisbane families. It has a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere, with sporting clubs, popular cafés and a highly sought-after school catchment. On weekends, families can get out on the Kedron Brook Bikeway, stopping for a creek-side picnic.

Ferny Grove

With bush tracks, bike paths, water play area areas and skating bowls, there’s plenty to keep kids busy in Ferny Grove. This north-west suburb has a real community-centric spirit, with most residents being within walking distance of schools and essential shops. Houses here tend to sit on generous, low-maintenance blocks appealing to modern families. From Ferny Grove station it’s a 40-minute train ride into the CBD.

Wakerley

Surrounded by local amenities, the family-dominated suburb of Wakerley is known for its spacious, quality homes and strong community pride. This is the type of place where kids ride bikes down the streets and neighbours gather for weekend barbecues. Young families are moving in for its access to public and private schools, pretty parks and playgrounds, while being minutes to the Manly foreshore and major shopping hubs.

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