ContentAtHome

I have lived in BR for just over two years and we were lucky enough to purchase on the "good side" of the tracks, where the houses and lawns are all manicured and the people all appear the same. Sadly, the pocket near Woolworths and Gawain Rd brings bad press to the entire suburb. The properties in that general area are run down and people who do not know the area often use those property values as a guideline on the value of property in the whole suburb, which is completely wrong. You only have to drive out of Gawain Rd, cross Norris, and enter the Greenore St pocket to see that there are two completely separate worlds within the one suburb. Similarly, the pocket behind the Bracken Ridge Plaza complex (Coles) is amazingly upmarket in comparison to the pocket that surrounds Woolworths. Please, DO NOT JUDGE the entire suburb based on a small area of ex housing commission homes & cheap rentals.

Admittedly, the street I live in (in one of the 'upmarket pockets' has two completely different sects of people; down one end of our street are the young families where everyone is very friendly and welcoming and accommodating. On our end there is a community of elderly occupants who are crabby, nosy, judgemental and very quick to argue with us about anything because they believe it is their right as they've lived here for so long (in fact, there is a war going on between a group of them -very melodramatic, like a poorly scripted soapie- and, when we refused to get involved or take sides, the ringleader of the 'winning' side took it as a personal affront and has made life a bit difficult the last few months. We're hoping that he'll move into a retirement home soon. Bracken Ridge has one of those, too!)

There is very little traffic around our home and it's a generally quiet neighbourhood. There are some barking dogs, but, as it is a very pleasant area to walk one's dog (or just simply walk on your own) in, I don't personally believe you can expect the dogs in the area to be quiet when people walk past their fences. They're just letting their owners know that someone is on their property, as all good dogs should. It's not continuous and the only people I've known to take issue to it are the crabby, one-foot-in-the-grave types discussed earlier.

There aren't many loud parties and there is ocassionally noise from the Gateway (or the sound of a train horn), but it's a generally idyllic place to live (if you can avoid the 'bad side' of the tracks).

I love the Coles here and only really dislike going there during peak times as parking (and getting back onto Norris Rd) can be a hassle when it's busy. The Woolworths is not as pleasant and I don't recommend it at all.