I moved to my Brisbane suburb to get closer to the mountains – and further from the rats
Life in the Burbs is a series that highlights the good, bad and beautiful of the Brisbane suburbs. Every week, writers from across the city write love letters to their (mostly) suburbs.
I moved from Coffs Harbor to Brisbane to go to university. The place I had previously chosen was the West End (which, like me, I had heard was “alternative”, at least at the time). I lived in abject poverty in a run-down tenement.
It was an old house divided into boring flats. My preschooler drew a beautiful picture while walking home. This included drunks lying in puddles of vomit on the trail.
We moved to Ferny Grove to find something better. A tree-lined train line terminal, it was refreshingly rural. The townhouse I rented was mouse-free and conveniently located opposite the small train station; It was ideal for a young, single parent/student who didn’t have a car.
It improved my employment conditions after graduation. Since I could afford to buy a car, I no longer needed to be close to the train station. And I can rent a whole house! Since my child is now settled in primary school, I chose to stay in the immediate area.
I eventually found my permanent home at Keperra, the penultimate stop on the Ferny Grove Line. The suburb gained a railway station in the same year that Sydney Harbor gained a bridge.
Once a ceremonial site and axe-sharpening area, I believe the name Keperra derives from the Yuggera word “kipper”, meaning young man coming to manhood.
During wartime, the region was opened to military use. Nearby, Gallipoli Barracks at Enoggera was visited by Princess Anne, the recently disgraced royal sister, adding to the prestige of the area.
For golfers: Keperra has its own golf course. For those of us who don’t, at least we get advance warning of severe storms. An air raid siren sounds; golfers rush to put away their metal clubs. I put my car aside.
Young players come together on the golf course every year and compete for the championship. Keperra Bowl. As amateurs, Cameron Smith and Jason Day were unsuccessful in their attempts to claim trophy cabinet honors, but that doesn’t seem to have held them back.
I’m not very popular on the fairways. I only rode once to get my horse back. (Horses were a big part of my pre-Queensland life. I rode every day. Barefoot, bareback, helmetless. That’s another story.) He was frightened, threw me away, and galloped off toward nirvana. When I finally caught him he had torn up some of the food and eaten it. The players waved their sticks at me as I walked shamefully towards the exit.
One advantage of living in Keperra is its proximity to beautiful places. I love Samford Village. Their bakery sells strawberry cupcakes inspired by Ekka’s famous strawberry ice cream.
Samford has a historical museum and cemetery, but closer to home Brisbane Tram Museum. I finally visited when they were holding a trolley pulling competition in which gym teams and single strongmen attempted to move a historic horse-drawn tram along a 50-meter track. I returned recently and enjoyed a ride with the majestic Clydesdale horses pulling us.
When I want a misty rainforest, Mount Gloious is just half an hour away. The cafe at the top of the mountain is popular with motorcyclists. I know the restaurant well because I used to be a regular pillion passenger on various motorcycles with various men. (Again: another story.)
These days, I prefer to picnic alone at an empty table among the trees, keep a diary and listen to the sound of bellbirds.
It surprises me that Keperra has its own shopping centre, the Great Western. Aren’t we on the north side? This retail center sits in the shadow of a massive granite quarry that has dominated the area for over 60 years.
I happily predicted that when it closed it would turn into a beautiful, tree-lined lookout. I was wrong. There will be another housing development.
To accommodate the growing population, the tiny Ferny Grove station became an ugly, multi-storey commuter car park. I avoid this situation by taking the train from Keperra, where I can look at the trees and listen to the birds. Surprisingly, Brisbane’s CBD and cultural precinct is only half an hour away by train, and as an arts critic, I spend a lot of time at QPAC. Who needs to live in the West End?
A few years ago, while looking for a pallet during the council’s curb collection drive, I went to my neighbour’s Classy Upper Kedron. I met you on Upper Kedron Road Grove Baptist Churchit looked more like a seductive rural resort. After the services, coffee is served on a wooden terrace overlooking the forest. They also host weekly table tennis games with morning tea on the gorgeous deck. I suddenly became very interested in religion. And table tennis.
I moved to the northwestern outskirts of Brisbane for a more rural look. Over time, trees were replaced by fields. But that’s okay; They cannot move mountains.
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Michele-Rose Boylan – A lover of adventure, learning and travel, Michele is a writer and arts critic living on Brisbane’s north side.
