Bracken Ridge, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bracken Ridge Brisbane, Queensland
Bracken Ridge Hall courtyard near the ward office and library, 2011
Bracken Ridge Location in Queensland
Population	17,488 (2021 census)
• Density	2,214/km2 (5,730/sq mi)
Established	1960s
Postcode(s)	4017
Area	7.9 km2 (3.1 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	18.3 km (11 mi) N of Brisbane CBD
LGA(s)	City of Brisbane (Bracken Ridge Ward)
State electorate(s)	Sandgate
Federal Division(s)	Petrie
Suburbs around Bracken Ridge: Bald Hills Brighton Brighton Bald Hills Bracken Ridge Sandgate Fitzgibbon Taigum Deagon

Bracken Ridge is a lively suburb located in the northern part of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It's a great place to live, with lots of green spaces and community activities. In 2021, about 17,488 people called Bracken Ridge home.

Exploring Bracken Ridge's Location

Bracken Ridge is about 18 kilometers (11 miles) north of the Brisbane city center. Imagine a straight line from the heart of Brisbane, and you'll find Bracken Ridge up north.

The southern edge of the suburb is marked by Telegraph Road. This is one of the oldest roads in the area. Part of the western side follows the Caboolture railway line. You'll find several housing areas here, like The Oaks and Enbrook Heights. The newest one is called Sungate Estate.

As its name suggests, Bracken Ridge has many hills. From the highest points, you can see amazing views. Look east to spot Moreton Bay sparkling in the distance. To the south, you can even see the tall buildings of the Brisbane city center.

A Look Back at Bracken Ridge's History

The land where Bracken Ridge now stands has a long history. The Turrbal people are the traditional owners of this area. They have lived here for thousands of years.

The suburb's name comes from an old property and estate. Early settlers gave it this name because of the many Bracken ferns growing here.

The first land sales happened on August 3, 1857. William Loudon was the first person to buy land. Later, in 1862, John McPherson and James Ferguson bought land and became the first settlers.

Over the years, many schools opened in Bracken Ridge:

• Bracken Ridge State School opened on August 26, 1957.
• Nashville State High School opened on January 23, 1967. It was renamed Bracken Ridge State High School in 2000.
• Norris Road State School opened on January 24, 1977.
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School opened on January 28, 1978.
• St John Fisher College opened on October 5, 1981.

The Bracken Ridge Library, a great place for books and learning, opened in 1987. The Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit was officially opened in 1988.

Who Lives in Bracken Ridge?

In 2021, Bracken Ridge had a population of 17,488 people. The community is made up of many different people.

In 2016, about 51% of residents were female and 49% were male. The average age was 36 years old. This is a bit younger than the average for Australia. About 20% of the population were children aged 0 to 14 years.

Most people (72.6%) living in Bracken Ridge were born in Australia. Other countries of birth included New Zealand, England, India, and the Philippines. English is the main language spoken at home for 82% of residents. Other languages spoken include Punjabi, Tagalog, and Hindi.

Special Places: Heritage Listings

Bracken Ridge has a few places that are important for their history. These are called heritage-listed sites:

• 83 Barfoot Street: This is known as Sandgate Third Lagoon.
• 225 Barrett Street: This is the Bald Hills Cemetery.

Learning in Bracken Ridge: Schools and Colleges

Bracken Ridge has many schools for students of all ages:

• Bracken Ridge State School is a primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It's located at 1 Binburra Street.
• Norris Road State School is another primary school for Prep to Year 6. You can find it at 28 Greenore Street. Both primary schools also have special education programs.
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary school for Prep to Year 6. It's at 30 Eldorado Street.
• Bracken Ridge State High School is a government high school for Years 7 to 12. It's located at 68 Barfoot Street and has a special education program.
• St John Fisher College is a Catholic high school for girls from Years 7 to 12. It's on John Fisher Drive.
• Queensland Pathways State College has a campus at 157 Norris Road. It offers secondary education for Years 10 to 12.
• Jabiru Community College is a private secondary school for Years 10 to 12. It's at Community Annexe, Bracken Street.

The Brisbane North Institute of TAFE also has a campus in Bracken Ridge. TAFE colleges offer vocational training for different careers.

Fun and Facilities in Bracken Ridge

Bracken Ridge has many places for shopping, sports, and community activities.

Shopping and Services

You'll find shopping areas on Gawain Road and Barrett Street. A larger shopping center is at the corner of Telegraph Road and Norris Road. There's also a smaller center with a Woolworths, a chemist, and a newsagent on Barrett Street.

The Bracken Ridge Tavern is a local pub on the corner of Barrett and Denham Streets. There's also a sports center on Bracken Ridge Road.

The Brisbane City Council runs a public library. It's on the corner of Barrett Street and Bracken Street, right next to Ferguson Park. It's a great spot to find books and study.

Sports and Recreation

Bracken Ridge is a hub for sports!

• The Bracken Ridge District Cricket Club plays at McPherson Park.
• The Bracken Ridge Little Athletics Club "Roadrunners" also calls McPherson Park home.
• The Bracken Ridge Central Lions club hosts a fun miniature and electric steam train day. This happens on the fourth Sunday of each month at McPherson Park. It's been a popular event since 1997.
• Bracken Ridge has an indoor sports center.
• The Ridgettes netball club is part of the Brisbane Netball Association.

The Emily Seebohm Aquatic Centre is a fantastic swimming pool. It opened on February 14, 2016, on Telegraph Road. It offers swimming lessons, squad programs, and aqua aerobics. The pool is named after Emily Seebohm, a famous Olympic swimmer who lives in the area.

Places of Worship

Bracken Ridge has several churches and places of worship:

• Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit, 103 Denham Street
• St Joseph's Catholic Church, 30 Eldorado Street
• Bracken Ridge Uniting Church, 7 Pellinore Road
• Bracken Ridge Baptist Church, 47 Norris Road
• Meetinghouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 16 Lanyon Street

The Bray Park Samoan Church meets at Norris Road State School Hall. The Bracken Ridge Tongan Church meets at 17 Bracken Street. An Islamic community center is located nearby in Bald Hills.

Parks and Green Spaces

Bracken Ridge is full of beautiful parks and natural reserves. These are perfect for playing, walking, and enjoying nature:

• Albion Park, on Caulfield Street
• Bald Hills Creek Park
• Barbour Road Park
• Barrett Street Park, near Barrett and Snooker Streets
• C. Slaughter Park, Phillips Street and Ranes Court
• Denning Road Park (no.30)
• Enbrook Parkland, Telegraph Road
• Eucalypt Place Park
• Ewan Place Park
• Fabian Place Park
• Ferguson Park, on the corner of Barrett and Bracken Streets
• Fred Francis Park, accessible from Bracken Ridge Road and St John Fisher Drive
• Gawler Crescent Park
• Harold Dean Park, accessible from Gawain Road
• Harold Kielly Park
• Hoyland Street Park (No. 6)
• Hoyland Street Park (No. 10)
• Isaac Best Park, in David Street
• McPherson Park, accessible from Denham Street
• Mensforth Bushland, on Childs Street
• Michael Place Park, between Michael Place and Barbour Road
• Nicole Street Park
• Oaks Park, on Barbour and Denning Roads
• Peter Gaskell Park on Elm Crescent
• Quinlan Street Park
• Sandgate Third Lagoon Reserve
• Stanley Day Park
• Strowe Place Park
• Talltrees Street Park, on Cardell Place
• Telegraph Road Park
• Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve
• Wendy Turnbull Park, accessible from Caruso Place
• Woodcroft Road Park
• Woodcroft Street Park

Famous Faces from Bracken Ridge

Some well-known people have lived in Bracken Ridge:

• Trent Dalton - a famous author who wrote Boy Swallows Universe.
• Emily Seebohm - an Olympic swimmer.
• Paige Parker - an AFLW player.
• Sophie Conway - also an AFLW player.