QLD Southside Brisbane - best suburbs and schools

Hi Wylie. Thanks so much for all your great replies on this thread. I really appreciate all the extensive feedback you have provided. CHAC certainly sounds like it would meet a lot of our needs. I also get a really good vibe when reviewing any online information related to this school and not just from the school website.

Not being familiar with the southside area and travelling distances, I must admit that accessibility was the reason we didn't approach this school when we did our quick trip to Brisbane (a mistake on our part). Having looked at the bus route you described and realising there may be further options, I'm hopeful that the areas we are looking to live in would have good transport options to CHAC.

Next step is to call the Registrar to enquire as to whether there are even current vacancies in years 10 and 12. Also we have some challenges with matching up Qld subjects in year 12 with those already studied in WA. Fingers crossed.

 

I suspect you will want to scratch Citipointe off the list. I dont know about currently, but up until ten years ago it was full on religious.

 

I have heard good things about Cavendish, but I think our reservation came after visiting Mansfield and realising the practical implications of meeting the catchment requirements in time given we are yet to move from Perth. Mansfield were happy to enrol the boys, but we needed to be able to provide a copy of our lease. This is understandable but in practice difficult to achieve in time, as where we are to live won't be resolved until later in December after schools have closed for the extended summer break. Having a son entering the all important year 12 next year, I just really want the reassurance of knowing that school enrolments are resolved and locked in before the end of this term. Add to that of course our older son's desire to stay in a private school.

We did consider this, but feel that our younger son will almost certainly be a lot more comfortable knowing he has the security blanket of an older sibling attending with him at a brand new school. He is currently quite overwhelmed at the idea of moving and leaving all his lifelong friends behind.

 

Thanks for the feedback Angel, I did wonder if this was the case. I'm not familiar with Citipointe churches as such, but I've read a few reviews online about the school and was getting that feeling. The subject descriptions on their website also all include a Christian Worldview Rationale, which I haven't seen in curriculum information from other religious schools. Something to consider.

 

Have you looked into Rochedale/Springwood/Daisy Hill?

More house for your $ but still very liveable, these suburbs have good access to the M1 for Gold Coast commute and buses to City. Daisy Hill would be my pick.

Two highly rated schools, John Paul College and Redeemer College.

 

Hi Benjy. We did check out those suburbs when we were in Brisbane recently, but decided we preferred to stay closer to the CBD. Hubby will only be travelling to Tweed Heads for 6 to 12 months and it may not even be full time. Ultimately he will be based in the CBD, plus our eldest son will be attending uni in 2020, so we decided to stick with the southside suburbs closer in.

We also felt the closer suburbs possibly offered more potential for greater CG if we chose to buy a home with add value prospects. We still need to research this more fully of course.

 

I’m having similar ‘problems’ choosing a Southside suburb. I currently live in Capalaba and want to move a little closer to CBD/Motorway.

I like the idea of Rochedale but not completely sure about the estate living with small blocks and huge houses.

I’m looking at Mackenzie, Mt Gravatt and Carindale possibly though. I work at Cannon Hill and wife will be Uni student, we’re considering for our kids to goto Sheldon College, and I need to get to Salisbury a few times per week. Anymore suburbs that should be considered? I’ll have a 850-950k budget I think and want a modern high set

 

Hi, I’ve been back and forth from Brisbane Southside and Perth Northside a few times. If you have a child born 2002 or earlier the academic year and age group may match up better as before that Aus was all over the place until we all got in line with Tasmania. My daughter born earlier was put up a year so skipped yr 6 moving to Brisbane. We enrolled the kids as soon as the admin started as like you we needed a lease to enrol in popular public schools that were intake area only. I think just keep getting a feel for schools until one feels right. I chose St Thomas More College for high school as it was small, not overly religious and my kids weren’t extremely academic. I really liked it and the principal was lovely. (Ex Deputy from Clarvoix/McKillop) Some of friend’s kids attend there now and are happy. I worked at Mansfield and my parents lived at Mansfield so always had that as a back up but I was happy with the school but then ended up returning to Perth.
Edit - new principal started 2017

 

This is what Mansfield is missing
Suburban Brisbane tavern to be transformed

 

The saga continues...unfortunately after submitting applications with CHAC they have advised that they aren't currently taking new enrolments for Year 12 and they already have current applicants in line for any Year 10 vacancies. Now the stress really kicks in as the school year is rapidly coming to a close and we are yet to secure enrolments, especially for our son entering the crucial Year 12.

We are considering approaching Cavendish, but are mindful that we won't be able to produce a lease to meet the catchment requirement before school closes for the year. It is just too soon to secure a lease yet (due to the holding cost) given we don't move from Perth to Brisbane until mid January 2019. What have people found in practice? Will Cavendish allow us to complete the majority of the enrolment before the end of this term (i.e. subject selections, transfer of credit for current Year 11 son etc) and just make our enrolment contingent on providing a copy of our lease (in the catchment area) well prior to the start of term one?

 

Hi Chaser. I work in another state high school in Brisbane that has a waiting list.

Have you already spoken to the school or are you going from their website? If it was me, I would phone and ask to speak to the person handling years 10 and 12 subjects/timetables and enrollments for next year. At my school it is one of the Deputies. I suspect they will want to have all your sons' details for their planning. They will appreciate the heads up prior to your rental lease. Best wishes

 

Yes it’s pretty hard and my kids were in primary so it was a bit easier even though the school wouldn’t help much without a lease.
I also found it hard to secure a property without viewing in person. Most agencies wouldn’t accept that, I think one were going to allow me to sign a contract that my friend viewed on my behalf and I agree the property is satisfactory. I also found it hard to get anyone to give me a three month lease to help me get the school sorted before the end of year.
Perth is a week or two behind Brisbane, so Brisbane will finish this year earlier and begin earlier next year unless it’s changed. I’d imagine all subject choices would pretty much be complete but they do often change in the first month of the new year with students changing their mind. If it were me I’d consider renting a 2 bed unit in the Cavendish Road catchment area, or taking on a break lease. I think my mum’s neighbour rents out Half her house with self contained living but that would be Mansfield catchment. Maybe look on gumtree in Cavendish road catchment Private Rentals or break lease and see if you can find an affordable short term solution. Free local classified ads

 

If you get in a lease in the catchment they have to take your kids, even if it's after the start of the school year.

 

Thanks for the replies Angel, Propin and RPI. I phoned Cav Rd today and whilst the lady was lovely, the first initial response was essentially come and see us after 21 Jan for an interview once you have a lease. Thinking about it later I'm not quite sure why we would need to an interview first (although happy to do anyway). As RPI said, I thought once we secure a lease in the catchment area we would qualify to enrol.

In the end I was able to speak to another staff member to discuss in the first instance whether they even had suitable subject offerings within their 2019 Year 12 timetable that our eldest son could transfer into. Good to sort this out now rather than find out after 21 Jan and be left school-less. The guy I spoke to was fantastic and has also referred my details onto another staff member to more definitively clarify whether we can come up with subject selections that will work. Hopefully that lady will call me tomorrow. If suitable Year 12 subjects are available we at least know to forge ahead and rent in the catchment. Fingers crossed we can resolve subject options either way this week. It would be a massive relief to know my son can continue on a university pathway and that I just need to satisfy the catchment requirement to finalize an enrolment in January.

I also spoke to some property managers today to gauge stock levels and what might be coming vacant in a few weeks in the Cav Rd catchment area. I will be flying over in the week before Xmas to look at rentals and all going well to sign a lease. No doubt we won't be able to be too picky given we are locked into a set catchment area. However, if anyone has any advice for me on areas or streets to avoid if possible (or good areas to target) in the Cav Rd catchment I would really appreciate the heads up. As I'm sure everyone has gleaned by now, I have limited local knowledge at this stage!
School Catchment Maps (make sure to select Secondary catchments on the RHS)

P.S. My advice for anyone thinking of relocating interstate with a teenager going into Year 12...don't do it!

 

Having worked in an extremely sought-after Brisbane high school, you would be amazed at the lengths some people go to in an attempt to fake local residency to gain entry.

Bogus leases and fake addresses are just the tip of the iceberg.

Depending on the school, expect your documents to be thoroughly checked out. Gather as much written evidence as you can, especially a letter from your employer as all your ID will show an interstate address.
Marg

 

Thanks for the suggestion about the employer letter Marg. I had been giving this some thought given as you say all our ID will still be WA based initially. I figured that in addition to our lease I should also have some documents relating to connection of utilities. Plus I'll have our completed removalist contract that will confirm where our belongings were delivered. I might just have to invite the enrolments officer around for a cuppa!

 

Hi all

Thanks for all the great feedback I received to my original post. I will be in Brisbane Mon-Wed next week to secure a rental in the Cavendish Road SHS catchment area. See School Catchment Maps (make sure to select Secondary catchments 2019 on the RHS)

As per my quote, I am keen to receive any feedback from the locals about the best areas to target in the catchment. Are some areas better for access to transport, shops, parks, access to the M3 or M1 for hubby to head to Tweed heads for work, etc. We are a professional family with two teenagers (15, 17) and will be looking for a 4x2x2 (or 3x2x2 depending on what's available). Bonuses would be a pool and study.

Perhaps more importantly we are also keen for local knowledge on the areas to avoid living in or near within the catchment. I have heard that there is a housing commission area in Holland Park, but I'm unsure where that is exactly.

Any feedback would be great. Happy to be PM'ed if preferred. Thanks.

Angela

 

Hi Anglea

Glad you’ve chosen Holland Park and Cav Rd for your kids. I live in Holland Park (kids still in primary school). Definitely avoid Seville Rod through to Nursery Road (towards Mt Gravatt). I live in the Lambs Estate area which is lovely and very convenient to Cav Rd.

The other side of Cav Rd (the “jewel streets” have some more modern homes and tend to be cheaper than the houses between Cav and Logan Rds but a bit further away from everything (freeway, can’t walk to shops etc).

Happy to answer any specific questions you may have. All the best with your love.

 

Why BNE is there a risk of being priced out.

Market is flat. The drama is i dont believe BNE will escape the force of gravity that is capital credit.

Looking at core logic BNE is weathering better than most but is down for the 3 months. and flat for YoY.

If adjusting for inflation the figures are worse.

In reality I dont believe BNE or others will escape that much better. Lets see.

I agree to rent for 6 months and travel and dine in differnt places be active.

To use FOMO in post now is very game in my opinion.

 

Thanks for the reply and advice re areas to avoid. From what I can work out it sounds like generally the area that is on the Brisbane city side of Holland Rd (between Cav Rd & Logan Rd) is a nice part of the suburb?

I did see Lambs Estate mentioned online, but haven't been able to work out where that is. Could you tell me what streets would be the boundaries of Lambs Estate? I thought it may include streets like Otway St, Paxton St, and Berkeley St but wasn't sure how far the Estate extends.

Where are the local shops for Holland Park for everyday basics like a supermarket (large chain or IGA), chemist, newsagent, butcher, bakery etc? Or even doctors, dentists. Also what's the Wifi like in the area? NBN? Areas to avoid re wifi?

Looking at the catchment area for Cav Rd SHS, we could also end up in parts of Mount Gravatt East or Carindale, so open to any advice on any part of the school's catchment, but especially areas to avoid.

Any feedback greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Angela