Situated between the north bank of the Brisbane River and the foot of Mt Coot-tha, Toowong is roughly 4km west of the CBD. Along with the residential element, it has a thriving commercial and shopping hub with an abundance of office spaces. It also offers plenty of entertainment options, in part due to the large population of university students in the area.

Housing here is split almost equally between freestanding homes of all sizes, including an abundance of traditional weatherboard cottages, and an ever-increasing number of units to cater for the strong demand in the area from young professionals and students. Significant work has been undertaken to improve the riverfront amenities for pedestrians and cyclists.

Further around the river you’ll find the neighbouring suburbs of Taringa and St Lucia, which offer the perfect balance of urban and suburban living, with an eclectic mix of people and a real sense of community.

St Lucia is home to the University of Queensland, and locals also benefit from the infrastructure in place to support the people who attend and work there, including great sporting facilities, cinemas, restaurants, libraries and bookshops.

In terms of shopping, Toowong Village is a major centre and covers all your day to day and specialty needs, from supermarkets to designer clothes. In St Lucia, head along Hawken Drive to The Village Shopping Centre or to Indooroopilly Shopping Centre which is close by.

The area is well serviced by CityCat and bus transport, with Toowong and Taringa both featuring their own train stations, or it’s a lovely walk along Coronation Drive to the city.

About 2km north-west of the CBD you’ll find Paddington and slightly further on its neighbour, Red Hill.

One of Brisbane’s most vibrant and interesting suburbs, Paddington has so much history, plenty of soul, colourful people and a real sense of community. It’s renowned for its eclectic shopping, offering an array of vintage stores, antique shops and boutiques. For groceries and your day-to-day needs, head to Paddington Central on Latrobe Terrace. Whether you’re after bustling cafes, fine dining, galleries, pubs or late-night bars, Paddington also offers a multitude of entertainment options. Head to Given Terrace for popular coffee spots and a variety of reasonably priced multicultural restaurants.

Leafy and picturesque, Paddington is known for its traditional workers cottages, terraces and gracious Queenslanders which these days have essentially been renovated. Featuring a similar architectural style with a few more substantial family homes, Red Hill is a particularly green pocket of Brisbane with established gardens, large areas of parkland and great views across Paddington. A friendly, upbeat suburb close to everything, it’s a great mix of the old and the new.

Local landmarks include the 70 foot high Paddington water tower which was constructed in 1927, the Ithaca War Memorial unveiled in 1922 to honour those killed in the First World War and the Red Hill Paddington Community Centre, formerly the Carmel Presbyterian Church.

These prestigious leafy west side suburbs offer a change of pace from the frenetic energy of The Valley. The area is bordered by the Brisbane River to the south and it’s a favourite with young professionals due to its proximity to the CBD – Milton is 1.5km west while Auchenflower is 2.5km west.

Architecturally, the area is home to an abundance of gracious Queenslanders, most of which have been beautifully renovated. It has a strong mix of both commercial and residential property making it a lively inner city destination. An ever-increasing number of units and some high-rise complexes are found along the riverfront street of Coronation Drive.

Auchenflower is replete with great dining options and pubs, with its main retail spots being Baroona Road and the Auchenflower Shopping Precinct. In Milton, Park Road’s mini Eiffel Tower is the landmark for one of the city’s most fashionable pavement café precincts. Rosalie, which is actually a locality within Auchenflower, is probably best known for its thriving cafe corner in Baroona Road, home to some fabulous eateries.

Numerous parks are dotted around these suburbs and Milton is also the setting for Suncorp Stadium, home of the Brisbane Broncos. Wesley Hospital (Queensland’s largest private hospital) and Rivercity Private are located in Auchenflower, making it popular with medical staff.

The area is on the train line, with ample bus transport also available, making it easily accessible to the CBD in a matter of minutes. The addition of the CityCat ferry terminal in neighbouring Toowong and the upgrade of Coronation Drive have improved accessibility further.

Its appeal continues to be reflected in its capital growth which is expected to continue over the next few years as prime residential property becomes increasingly scarce.

The lush leafy suburb of Bardon is about 6km north-west of Brisbane’s CBD and another few kilometres on you’ll find the parkland suburbs of Ashgrove, The Gap and Enoggera. These suburbs have experienced substantial capital growth over the last 10 years due to their close proximity to the CBD with the added appeal of lush bushland surrounds.

Most of the dwellings reflect the area’s family orientation, with plenty of renovated old-style Queenslanders and post-war workers cottage. Ashgrove in particular is renowned for its traditional Queenslanders, known as ‘Ashgrovian’ homes. Bardon has seen a number of subdivisions in recent years which have also encouraged construction of more modern dwelling types.

Because of their proximity to the CBD, Bardon and Ashgrove are particularly popular with investors – about one quarter of the real estate is available for rent. The Gap is more affordable, although recent strong growth is placing it out of the reach of many first homebuyers. Enoggera is popular with younger couples and families moving into the area and renovating older homes. It’s well-known for its local army barracks, which contributes substantially to the local economy.

The area has a number of private and state schools including picturesque Stuartholme Catholic Girls School, St Michael’s Girls College and Marist Boys College. Leisure pursuits abound, including bushwalking and cycling tracks, a variety of parks, Enoggera Reservoir and Wests Leagues Club.

A number of shopping options are available in the vicinity, or you could always head to nearby Paddington which is renowned for its boutiques and specialty stores. Ashgrove’s Waterworks Road, Bardon Shopping Centre or Enoggera’s Brookside Shopping Centre will cover all of your day to day needs. The area is well serviced by bus transport, and Enoggera is also a major rail-bus interchange.

Just 2km north of the CBD, Herston is best known as the home of the Royal Brisbane Hospital with the University of Queensland Medical School located alongside. The trend toward inner city living has resulted in high demand for housing in the area. Townhouses now account for 50% of the dwellings and you’ll also find traditional workers cottages, Queenslanders and modern unit blocks, with a high percentage of rental properties. Herston is conveniently close to town and bustling Fortitude Valley where you’re bound to find all the food and entertainment you’re after. Bordered by Enoggera Creek, its major recreational attractions include Victoria Park Golf Course and Ballymore and Raisy parks. Although Herston does not have a train station (the closest is Bowen Hills) regular bus routes to the city and major shopping centres in the area ensure that the daily commute is hassle free.

Kelvin Grove is 3km from Brisbane’s CBD and is perennially popular with both professionals and students enjoying its proximity to the city, entertainment and the Kelvin Grove campus of the Queensland University of Technology. It has experienced strong growth in the last few years as buyers took advantage of the suburb’s comparatively cheaper prices.

About 4km north-west of the CBD, Newmarket was established early in the development of Brisbane due to it remaining largely flood free after the major flood of 1893. The block sizes are generous and the suburb has a green, leafy feel, with plenty of parkland. Its long history is evidenced by the many large traditional Queenslanders as well as more modern unit and townhouse complexes. It’s conveniently positioned on the train line and as has been the case with other suburbs in close proximity to the city, Newmarket has seen a population shift towards younger couples and families looking for easy access to work and recreational facilities.