Northside v Southside – A Buyers Agent Guide
Anyone who has ever been to Brisbane will understand that Brisbanities are very territorial beings. The Brisbane river divides the city into north and south, and its people into Northsiders and Southsiders. Each is convinced their side of the city is superior, and most remain loyal to their place of upbringing.
Amazingly only 5% of people moving house in Brisbane relocated from the northside to the southside or vice versa! (Census data 2016)
In the following article, Your Property Hound Buyers Agents examine some of the key differences between Brisbane’s Northside and Southside.
Demographics
Brisbane’s Southside has a larger land area (26,514ha vs. 18,660ha), population (348,656 vs. 211,589), and population density (1,315 persons/km2 vs. 1,133persons/km2).
Brisbane’s Southside also tends to be more multicultural. West End has a thriving Greek and Italian community. Annerley, Moorooka and Greenslopes attract African migrants. Inala, Durack and Richlands are popular with Vietnamese. In Sunnybank, more than 50% of the population was born overseas, mainly in China, Taiwan and India!
The proportion of migrants from New Zealand, England, Samoa, the Philippines, Vietnam and India are also greater in Brisbane’s south.
Click here to read more about the most culturally diverse suburbs in Brisbane.
Employment
Brisbane’s Northside is home to the central business district (CBD) and a large number of Brisbane’s major employers including:
- Brisbane Airport
- Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
- Prince Charles Hospital
- Wesley Hospital
- University of Queensland
- Queensland University of Technology
Surprisingly, the total number of businesses on the southside (31,539) is double that of the the northside (15,235) due to a large number of smaller businesses.
Major employers on the south side include:
- Greesnlopes Hospital
- Princess Alexandra Hospital
- Lady Cilento Hospital
- Mater Hospital
- Griffith University.
New Infrastructure projects
The Cross River Rail and Brisbane Metro are major infrastructure projects likely to benefit all Brisbane residents.
Brisbane’s Northside will likely benefit most from other major developments including:
- Queen’s Wharf
- Brisbane Live
- Waterfront Precinct
- Brisbane’s new runway
- Herston Quarter
- Howard Smith Wharves
- Brisbane International Cruise Terminal
- Inner City North State Secondary College
Major developments are also planned for Brisbane’s Southside including:
- A new high school in Dutton Park
- West Village (West End)
Click here to view a map detailing a wide range of infrastructure projects planned for Brisbane’s Northside and Southside.
Education
There are excellent public and private school options on both sides of the Brisbane River. Below is a list of the best primary and high schools based on academic results in 2018.
Best primary schools:
(N = Northside; S = Southside)
- St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School Corinda (S)
- Rainworth State School Bardon (N)
- Brisbane Grammar School (N)
- St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Ascot (N)
- Macgregor State School (S)
- Ashgrove State School (N)
- Ironside State School St Lucia (N)
- Wishart State School (S)
- Clayfield College (N)
Best high schools:
- Brisbane Grammar School (N)
- Brisbane Girls Grammar School (N)
- St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School in Corinda (S)
- Brisbane State High School South Brisbane (S)
- Ormiston College in Ormiston (S)
- St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace (N)
- St Peter’s Lutheran College Indooroopilly (N)
- Anglican Church Grammar East Brisbane (S)
- Cannon Hill Anglican College (S)
- Brisbane Boys’ College in Toowong (N)
For more detailed information about choosing the best Brisbane Schools: click here
Housing
Brisbane’s Southside typically has a higher median house price, higher rents and a greater number of property sales compared to the Northside (See table below).
| Northside | Southside | |
| Average monthly rent payment | $1,357 | $1,451 |
| Average monthly mortgage payment | $2,070 | $2,154 |
| Number of property transfers (2014) (houses) | 3,631 | 5,348 |
| Median sale price (2014) (houses) | $485,000 | $565,000 |
| Number of property transfers (2014) (units) | 1,717 | 1,818 |
| Median sale price (2014) (units) | $395,000 | $380,900 |
Looking to buy a home or investment property in Brisbane? Whether you are buying Northside or Southside Your Property Hound Buyer’s Agents’ would love to help. Please contact us for additional information.
