More About West End

West End is a vibrant inner-city community (the residents may well prefer ‘community’ than ‘suburb’!), adjoining South Brisbane to the north and following the natural course of the Brisbane River around to Highgate Hill. West End is easily accessible by public transport, including frequent bus and ferry services, and is a short walk south of the Brisbane CBD.

West End’s multicultural and immigrant past, including waves of Russian, Greek and Vietnamese immigrants, have contributed to the village-like feel of the central trading strip, Boundary Street. During the day, Boundary Street is where hip young professionals, dreaming beatnik poets and environmentalists alike gather for great coffee and a chat, and to browse through the vibrant retail outlets. At night, West End comes alive with an energetic restaurant and bar scene, serving a mix of traditional Australian tucker through to ethnic Greek, Turkish and Vietnamese delicacies – and anywhere in between! Revellers can burn the midnight oil in the late-night cafes or dance themselves into tomorrow in this upbeat Brisbane precinct.

Other parts of West End remain fiercely proud of the diverse history of the neighbourhood. This said newer apartment buildings, capitalising on the desirable location, are contributing to a gentle gentrification of the suburb. Like many of Brisbane’s inner-city suburbs, West End is a mixture of older-style workers cottages and more distinctive, grander hill-top residences. The southern-facing riverfront locality of Hill End, directly across from St Lucia, is home to beautifully-preserved colonial estates, and is well worth a Sunday drive through the narrow, meandering streets.

While there are still large Vietnamese and Greek populations, West End is also a magnet for urban environmentalists, wealthy young professionals, creative entrepreneurs, social justice campaigners and students, as well as those who claim to be descendants of some of Brisbane’s notable founding families.  The newer apartment buildings, attracting affluent couples and families who want to live close the Brisbane CBD, are popping up along the riverfronts.

The idyllic riverside parks are also popular for family and romantic picnics. One of the larger parks, Davies Park, hosts one of Brisbane’s busiest inner-city produce, bric-a-brac and clothing markets on Saturday mornings. West End is also home to a number of local schools, and shares a TAFE campus with the bordering suburb of South Brisbane. West End is conveniently located close to major hospitals, and is a short ferry ride across the river to the main University of Queensland campus at St Lucia, or back to the Brisbane CBD.