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Brisbane’s Favourite Neighbourhoods Series – East Brisbane

Brisbane’s Favourite Neighbourhoods Series – East Brisbane

East Brisbane is a beautiful, leafy suburb offering the pinnacle of inner-city fringe living. Just over 3km from Brisbane’s city centre, this suburb marries the convenience of being close to the city with the serenity of suburban living. 

At Matthews Real Estate, we’re well-acquainted with Brisbane, its suburbs and all real estate matters. Looking to rent, buy, or sell in East Brisbane? This guide is here to help you.

East Brisbane Suburb Profile

A suburb filled with a rich history.

Year Notable Events
1851 Reverend Thomas Mowbray became among the first to buy land in East Brisbane. He purchased 13 acres that were later developed into Mowbraytown.
1855 The first bridge was built across the mouth of Norman Creek. Prior to its completion, residents wanting to access Norman Creek had to detour to Stones Corner to use the bridge.
1884 Reverend Mowbray’s wife, Wilhemina Mowbray died. He subdivided his land and named it Mowbray Town in her memory.
1884
 The park on Mowbray Terrace, at the top of Heidelberg Street and Northcote Street was also named in her memory. It’s still known today as Wilhemina Park.
1885 Mowbraytown Presbyterian Church was built. Today, this church is a heritage-listed church found on Mowbray Terrace.
1888 – 1891
 East Brisbane Uniting Church was built. Now a heritage-listed church, you can find this one at 20 Norman Street.
1897 The electric tram came to East Brisbane and Woolloongabba, coming with it, massive residential development. The line was extended in 1901 to travel along major roads, Elfin and La Trobe Streets and Lytton Road.
1899 East Brisbane State School was developed, just across the road from The Gabba Cricket Ground.
1905 Still acting as social hubs in the suburb, the Bowls Club and the Croquet Club were built.
1940 The Ipswich Road tram was extended to the Salisbury munitions works and all of Tarragindi could be reached from a tram stop.
1916 – 1917
 The First World War memorial was established in Mowbray Park, it was Brisbane’s first war memorial.
1917
 St Benedict’s Catholic Church was built on Mowbray Terrace. It’s still used today as a Catholic Church. It became heritage-listed in 2004.
1918
 Anglican Church Grammar School, better known as Churchie was established in East Brisbane. It was originally founded by Canon William Morris in Toowong.
1920
 The East Brisbane Tidal Baths were established down on the river. It was a swimming enclosure on the bank of Mowbray Park. In the early days of the baths, the opening hours were separated for men and women.
1969
 The tramline, which travelled from Ashgrove in the west, past East Brisbane to Camp Hill was removed.

Table 1: Timeline of East Brisbane’s History

Is East Brisbane a Good Place to Live?

East Brisbane is close and convenient to Brisbane’s CBD. Its proximity to excellent public transport, the southeast freeway, and Clem 7 tunnel means a quick commute to most places around Brisbane, giving you more time to do the things you love. It’s a trendy, stylish inner-city spot that boasts stunning old Queenslanders and a plethora of heritage-listed sites. It offers an amazing lifestyle, too, with some of the best cafes to hit for breakfast mixed with cute, laidback bars to fill in your afternoon.

Have a look at what current East Brisbane residents think.

Source: Microburbs

Suburb Demographics in East Brisbane

According to the 2016 Census, East Brisbane is home to 5,943 people, 53 per cent of whom are men, and 47 per cent women. The median age for the suburb is 31 while the most prominent age group is the 20 – 24-year-olds who make up 12.4 per cent of the suburb.

How Safe is East Brisbane?

East Brisbane is a friendly and comfortable suburb that remains well-lit at night. According to the 2021 Queensland Police statistics map, there have been 66 offences in the last quarter, at the time of writing.

 

Income

The average number of people in an East Brisbane household is 2.2, with a median, weekly household income of $1,742. The average for families is $2,321, and the average weekly personal income is at $854.

 

Metrics

The suburb scores quite high across key metrics in convenience, lifestyle, community, and family.

Source: https://www.microburbs.com.au/Qld/Brisbane/City-of-Brisbane/east-brisbane

Diversity

Learn about East Brisbane’s diversity below.

Ancestry

Number

Percentage

English

2,096

25.2%

Australian

1,610

19.3%

Irish

941

11.3%

Scottish

636

7.6%

German

295

3.5%

Number of Bedrooms

Median Property Price

2

$710,000

3

$801,000

4

$970,000
What’s the Median House Price in East Brisbane?

To get an idea of what kind of home you could buy in East Brisbane, you’ll need to be across the current house prices. Have a look below to get an idea.

Education

The stunning inner-city suburb has great schools available to its residents. 

  • East Brisbane State School – Public, Co-Ed, Primary School
  • East Brisbane State School – Public, Co-Ed, Secondary School
  • Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) – Private, All-Male, All-Years School
  • St. Joseph’s Primary School – Private, Co-Ed, Primary School
  • Coorparoo Secondary College – Public, Co-Ed, Secondary School

Flooding

East Brisbane isn’t the most susceptible suburb to flooding, but it certainly is at risk of flood around Norman Creek. Just like any suburb with the terrain and proximity to the river, such as East Brisbane, floods are a concern in some low-lying areas. As you can see in the map below, though, it’s more so the outskirts leading to Norman Park and Woolloongabba at risk. 

Use the Brisbane City Council’s handy flood resource below to get a proper idea. 

Source:http://floodinformation.brisbane.qld.gov.au/fio/

What Streets in East Brisbane Have City Views?

This inner-city suburb offers excellent proximity to the CBD, Fortitude Valley, and other inner-city areas. That proximity offers its residents brilliant city views too. Sitting down at Mowbray Park, the view of The Story Bridge and the city behind it is stunning — the same can be achieved on the riverfront street of Laidlaw Parade. 

Mowbray Terrace, Heidelberg Street, Rosslyn Street, and many other spots will offer city views — depending on where you’re positioned.

How Far From the CBD Is East Brisbane?

From the heart of East Brisbane, the CBD is roughly 4km away. It’s just a 9-minute drive during the day but you can expect roughly 15-20 minutes travel time in heavier traffic. There’s plenty of bicycle lanes and quality bikeways in the suburb, making it easy to cycle into the city. 

As far as public transport, busses into the city are very convenient from most of the suburb’s streets or you can catch the CityCat from Mowbray Park.

Is East Brisbane a Good Investment Suburb?

It sure looks like it! Its population is growing, it maintains low vacancy rates, and the property value growth shows good signs. You can see some of the suburb’s investment insights below, courtesy of Microburbs.

 

What Is Capital Growth Like in East Brisbane?

If you’re keen to invest in the beautiful suburb of East Brisbane, you’ll want to know what the capital growth looks like. Houses in the suburb enjoy significantly better growth than units, boasting a 19.23% growth rate compared with 4.27% growth for units in the suburb.

What are the Best Green Spaces?

You’ll love the general greenery in East Brisbane. The leafy streets are filled with beautiful trees and house-proud front yards boasting plenty of greenery. But if you’re searching for green spaces specifically, you’ll enjoy Mowbray Park. There’s plenty of seating, tables, and facilities for family fun. A playground with a swing set is there for the kids, while grown-ups will enjoy the views of the river.

Williamina Park is at the heart of the suburb. It’s much smaller than Mowbray Park but offers an undercover barbecue space, a playground, and plenty of grass to run around on. You can spot the city from up on this park too, for the best of both worlds. 

On the border of Woolloongabba and East Brisbane is the Woolloongabba Rotary Park which offers a kids’ playground, bbq areas, a basketball half-court and a spacious dog park.

 

What are the Best Places for Kids in East Brisbane?

You’ll find some neat ideas for activities below in the next section, but if you’re keen to hear which spots you can take the kids to, then read on.

Here are some kid-friendly activities in East Brisbane:

An incredibly kid-friendly suburb, there’s plenty for your younger family members to do here. There’s a long list of parks and playgrounds to visit, new spots to walk, and cool places to check out with the family. The kids will love Pincadia and Laserforce, both a short drive over to Woolloongabba. If you’re sport-inclined, you can take the family down to The Gabba to catch a game of cricket or back the Brisbane Lions in the Aussie Rules.

    East Brisbane Bars, Restaurants and Cafes

    A suburb known for its cafe and brunching scene, East Brisbane has a lot to offer — whether you’re after a good coffee or on a hunt for the best eggs benny. Have a look at some of the suburb’s best locals. 

    Op shopping and Markets

    The suburb offers plenty of cute, boutique stores along Stanley and Vulture Street. As for op shopping, the most popular venue is the East Brisbane Community Centre (EBCC) & Thrift Shop. There’s a plethora of op shops over in Stones Corner, too – just a five-minute drive away. 

    The Best Shopping in East Brisbane

    Whether it’s your weekly grocery shop, specialty shops, or just for the activity itself, it’s important to know where’s good to shop in your prospective suburb. East Brisbane offers plenty of boutique stores and specialty shops on its streets. As for groceries? It’s just a short drive over to Coorparoo or Woolloongabba.

    Main Shopping Areas
    Other Spots to Shop

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