Thornlands, QLD 4164

The great thing about Thornlands is that there is no train line here and only a couple of bus lines. Because of this there's hardly any crime in the area. When we first moved here, we thought it was boring as neighbouring Cleveland and Victoria Point had all the amenities and shops, but now we relish the fact that you can leave your car in your drive and if you accidentally leave a window down or a door unlocked, nothing will be stolen.

The local state school is a mess (as in not cleaned properly) and you would be better off moving your children to either a local private or another good state school in the area like Birkdale South Primary. Many times there have been drug utensils found in the Thornlands school playground. There is not much nightlife in Thornlands, you have to go into Cleveland, Wellington Point, or Victoria Point for that.

Recently there has been another primary school built that looks better. I think it's called Bayview.

You do have the choice of where you want to go to shop and it's quiet. The cons of quietness are nosy neighbours. Really nosy neighbours. That can become either a pro or con depending on if the neighbours cross the line and become a nuisance as mine have ie: looking over the fence at my children, listening to our conversations, bullying etc. A good solid fence would work wonders.

You still get a lovely seabreeze here, but since we've been looking for houses, we've noticed that most of the older properties in Thornlands have some termite damage. The house we're renting has it on the ensuite. Houses we've looked at in the fences all crumbled out, termite traps in the ground etc. Other suburbs don't seem to have that, so I'd say keep a good eye out for termites and replace fencing with steel.

The local shops are good, reasonably priced, there is a DVD shop, IGA, chicken & chip shop, bottle shop, hairdresser, vet, newsagent, real estate office. A quick trip to Victoria Point (5 mins) will have you at the cinemas, seaside, huge warehouses, shopping centres and you can catch a water taxi from Victoria Point to Coochiemudlo Island where you can have a great swim and picnic on the beach so Thornlands is a good place for boaties. The infrastructure concerning traffic lights is lacking and it always takes a while to get out of Thornlands if you go around the back of it. With the building of new estates, they have built lights so it is slowly getting better. There is a local BP fuel station and a medical facility, including pharmacy and dentist, so you don't have to drive all over the place to treat yourself or your children. Also, Redlands Hospital is extremely close to Thornlands and I've been thankful for that in times of crisis. If you work at a hospital, or have small children/planning to have children this might come in handy.

There is a local pool in Cleveland (one suburb over-- 5 mins) which is reasonably priced if you don't like the beach or have a pool at home. Also, there are heaps of sports you can play. Netball fields at Thornlands, Sports at Victoria Point and Cleveland plus gyms in both suburbs.

Out of all the suburbs, if I had to go by feel, enjoyment and convenience, I would pick Victoria Point (which is right next to Thornlands). It's closer to the bay, better breezes, more shops and convenience, better public transport station at the shops (although no train), better parks and hardly any crime. Victoria Point, Thornlands, and Cleveland are relatively cheap suburbs to buy in.

The traffic on weekends is pretty much non-existant. If you want social activity you definitely have to go looking for it, although there is a YMCA at Victoria Point. I never hear dogs barking at night, however many times stray dogs have broken through our fence to get in -- termites damaging fences again.

I've lived in Alexandra Hills, Capalaba, Wellington Point, now in Thornlands and I feel that Thornlands comes just under Victoria Point in likeability. If you were to live here, you might be bored initially, but come to slowly realise that your children are safe from crime, it's not that far to cinemas and shops and is in the middle of suburbs with major shops and transport (trainline in Cleveland with supermarket parking). Parking is never a problem in the Redlands area, except for the Redlands Hospital which desperately needs more parking.

I hope this has helped someone.

If you asked me to describe Thornlands in one sentence, I'd struggle — and that's probably one of the best things about it.

Within the same suburb you can find modern family estates, established homes on generous blocks, leafy older streets, prestige properties, acreage, horse properties and homes tucked away amongst bushland.

Head east and you're towards Moreton Bay; head west and before long the suburban landscape starts giving way to larger lifestyle properties.

I've worked in real estate throughout Thornlands and the wider Redlands for more than 20 years, and I also live here. So I'm probably a little biased — but at least it's an informed bias!

What makes Thornlands different?

For me, it's the variety.

Thornlands sits between Cleveland and Victoria Point, which means we're incredibly well positioned for the shops, cafés, restaurants, cinemas, schools, medical facilities and services of both, without actually having to live in the middle of either.

There's also a surprising amount of green space.

Thornlands Community Park is a fantastic family facility, and throughout the suburb you'll find parks, walking areas, bushland and wildlife corridors.

We still have a resident koala population too, so seeing a koala in the neighbourhood isn't quite the once-in-a-lifetime event it might be elsewhere.

And then there are the different pockets of Thornlands.

That's something people searching online don't always appreciate.

One street can be predominantly modern homes on relatively compact blocks, while a few minutes away you'll find older established properties with much more land. Travel further towards southern and western Thornlands and you're into acreage, lifestyle properties, horticultural land and horse country.

It's why I always smile when somebody asks me, “What's a house worth in Thornlands?”

My answer is usually: Which part of Thornlands?

Two properties with the same number of bedrooms and bathrooms can be completely different propositions here.

A suburb with a story

One of the things I love about Thornlands is that underneath all the newer development there's a fascinating history.

The suburb takes its name from George Thorn, who acquired around 631 acres here during the 1800s. Interestingly, his son, George Thorn Junior, went on to become Premier of Queensland.

The Thorn family's land remained in the family following George Thorn Senior's death in 1876.

Around the turn of the century it began being subdivided and sold, and the name Thornlands Estate started appearing.

In 1910 the name Thornlands was adopted for the new local school, and gradually it became the name used for the wider district.

Long before today's housing estates, this was farming country.

Fruit growing and horticulture played an important part in the district, and remnants of Thornlands' rural past can still be seen today — particularly as you travel through the acreage areas.

There's another little piece of local history I particularly like.

The old South Street Jetty was built in 1921 and became something of a local gathering place. Generations of Thornlands State School children actually learned to swim there before the jetty eventually closed in 1974.

Try telling today's kids their school swimming lesson involves heading down to Moreton Bay. 😂

Thornlands has changed — enormously
Anyone who has lived here for a long time will tell you Thornlands isn't the sleepy semi-rural suburb it once was.

The numbers prove it.

Between the 2016 and 2021 Census, the population increased from 14,694 to 19,263 — growth of around 31% in just five years.

Families are a huge part of the suburb. More than half of Thornlands families are couples with children, and family households make up the overwhelming majority of households.

That doesn't surprise me at all.

People are attracted by the combination of housing choice, schools, parks, space, access to the Bay and the convenience of having Cleveland and Victoria Point virtually on the doorstep.

The average Thornlands resident isn't necessarily looking for inner-city nightlife.

If your idea of a great Saturday night requires six nightclubs within walking distance, I'll be honest — Thornlands may disappoint you.

But if you like having Moreton Bay, walking tracks, parks, boating, fishing, cafés, restaurants and plenty of room to enjoy life nearby, we're doing pretty well.

The property market isn't one market
From a real estate perspective, understanding Thornlands means understanding its individual pockets.

We've got established homes that have been here for decades alongside near-new properties. We've got smaller modern blocks, traditional suburban blocks, large residential holdings and genuine acreage.

We've also got very different buyer groups.

Young families may prioritise schools, parks and modern estates. Established families often want larger homes, pools and multiple living areas. Downsizers may want low-maintenance living without leaving the Redlands.

Acreage buyers are looking at an entirely different set of considerations again — usable land, access, shedding, overlays, wastewater systems and the practicalities of maintaining a larger property.

That's why I don't believe you can properly value a Thornlands property by simply looking at the median price or finding three nearby sales.

You need to understand where it sits within Thornlands, who is likely to buy it and what those buyers will value.

What's ahead for Thornlands?

Thornlands is still evolving.
Improved roads and infrastructure have already changed parts of the suburb, while further growth is being planned to the south.

That growth needs to be managed carefully.

One of the reasons people choose the Redlands is the lifestyle, open space, wildlife and character of the area. Growth is inevitable; losing what made people want to live here in the first place shouldn't be.

That's a conversation I suspect Thornlands residents will be having for many years yet.

My view

After more than two decades working in the Redlands property market — and living in Thornlands myself — I still think this is one of the most interesting suburbs on the Redlands Coast.

Not because it's perfect. No suburb is.

It's because Thornlands gives people choices.

You can live in a modern estate, an established family neighbourhood or on acreage and still write Thornlands 4164 on the envelope.

You can be minutes from major shopping and services and still come home to trees, birdlife and, if you're lucky, the occasional koala wandering through.

It's changed enormously and it will continue to change.

But there's still something distinctly Thornlands about Thornlands.

And after all these years, I'm very happy to call it home.

Peter Houliston-Hooly
Principal Licensee – THEHOOLYTEAM®
Family Team. Family Values.

A lovely family friendly neighbourhood with lots of parks with huge open green spaces for the kids to run around where else would you rather live

We found the Redlands area by luck coming out here one weekend after moving up from Syd, we moved in the area around 4 years ago now and love the area.
Yes some houses and estates are closer then others but not all areas and estates are the same. Like all areas of Brisbane.
Never had an issue with crime , will be looking to stay in the area for years to come.

This is an ugly place full of McMansions and a tiny strip of grass between the house and the fence. This is what the locals call a garden. The plots are small (usually far LESS than a quarter-acre!) and everyone insists on adding a five-bedroom house to such a tiny spot so there is enough room for either a carport or a pool but rarely both.

Get a garage if you can because the crime in this area is rising—drugs, theft and hoons. Plus basic teenagers roaming the nights being bored and forming local delinquent groups are starting to vandalise exposed vehicles. If you have kids, budget for a private school because the local children are unsavoury at best.

Aesthetically, the suburb is awful. Lots of identical five bedroom places which are overpriced because you can get McMansions all over Redlands (go for a Brisbane McMansion if you want to hope for an investment). And the noise is constant. It’s not just the people are cars and parties but also the constant drone of AC and swimming pools. Especially in Summer going all night long.

We made the mistake of signing a long lease and corrected our error as soon as the lease was over. No-one would want to raise their children in this environment and we certainly won’t. We found a much nicer suburb in Brisbane and left Redlands forever.

we've lived here only for 10 months and couldn't be happier with my choice. this suburb has a W3 wind category means no air conditioning needed even during summer. A nice summer breeze keeps the house cool, an amazing neighbourhood, people are very friendly and no disturbing sounds at odd hours. what a change from where we lived in past. can't be happier about the choice we made will recommend it to everyone if you want to live in peaceful and friendly neighbourhood.

This is one of those suburbs where people pretend they have money by buying cheaply built oversized houses on tiny blocks of land. That gives you an idea of the people who will be your neighbours and your children's playmates. All the rentals we looked at were overcapitalised and parking was a nightmare. There are very few walled garages because people convert them to extra rooms and add a cheap carport on the driveway instead. Avoid anything on a major road or a corner/roundabout as the morning traffic is noisy and the walls are thin. This area has peaked (and probably ready for a price correction). If you buy in this area, look beneath the paint for a smaller well-built home rather than a large dodgy one with shoddy add-ons.

Having lived in Thornlands for almost 9 years, I can highly recommend this suburb to people considering moving here.

It’s located close to both Victoria Point and Cleveland, minutes drive to a good selection of public and private schools, dog parks, and walking trails.

Most of the pockets in Thornlands are quiet. New estates such as the ones along Kinross Rd, Thornlands and Esperance are on smaller blocks.

Overall, Thornlands is quite convenient for everyday living.

We live in Thornlands since May 2017.
We lived at Waterline estate.
So many sand flies . Can't go out after 5p.m.
So many crimes( neighbors robbed)

Thornlands is the best suburb in Redlands.
Close to everything you need.
Lots of families with children.
Parks, shops, schools, hospitals and even Cleveland train take you to the city.
Little paradise on Earth!