Wanting info on the gap,

is it good for a young family, what infrastructure does ithave, are the schools good, what’s the crime rate like, did it flood last year.

Looking at employment in Toowong and i thing that would beabout a 15 min car journey. Is this correct?

Gordon

 

I live in a suburb that is on the way to The Gap but not in it so I can just pass on what I hear. Everything I hear (and have noticed during visits) is that it would be very good (possibly excellent depending on your interests) for a young family.


Getting There

To get to The Gap from the city centre you head west along Waterworks Rd until at about the 6.5km mark you pass between "the gap" in the mountains and enter The Gap. At around the 10km mark the suburb ends and the road enters D'Aguilar National park and begins winding up the slopes of Mt Nebo. Mt Nebo is part of the D'Aguilar Range. Other mountains in the range include Camp Mountain, Mount Pleasant, Mount Glorious, Mount Samson and Mount Mee.

From the map below you can clearly see "the gap" between the mountains which gave The Gap it's name (just below the "p" in the suburb name). Notice how it is surrounded by mountains/hills on all sides so is very green with many nice outlooks from people's back decks.






Here's a few snaps I took while coming down the hill towards the entry to The Gap:

Five schools, plus others in neigbouring suburbs
Police Station
Ambulance Station and Fire Brigade are just over the border in neighbouring West Ashgrove.
Churches
City Bus Services


Smallish suburban style shopping village with supermarket, fruit/veg shops, vets, dentists, doctors, banks, chemists, bike shop, real estates, hardware, small business services, mcdonalds, takeaway's, cafes etc





The Walkabout Creek Wildlife Centre - a simple little wildlife centre that my young kids enjoy (go on a tour):





The wildlife centre is also the entrance to many bush walking, cycling and horse riding tracks that skirt Enoggera Dam in the west of the suburb.

There are also many walking tracks in the mountains surrounding the suburb. Here is a council brochure showing tracks in Mt Coot-tha forest which adjoins the suburb:

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/2010...erways/mt_coot-tha_track_map_and_brochure.pdf



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It has quite a few sporting facilities including a football club that seems well run, with nice pitches in a lovely setting:





http://www.gapfootball.org.au/


A health and tennis club.

"What began in 1970 as The Gap Squash Club with three courts has now grown into a first-class health club and one of the largest tennis operations in Brisbane with over 600 children in the coaching academy and 400 players involved in playing each week. In 2001, the squash courts were converted to a brand new Health Club, the only one in The Gap which now has expanded to accommodate 1800 members and offer cardio, strength and conditioning studio as well as a full range of group fitness classes and a ladies only circuit gym."



http://www.healthracquet.net/


A children's athletics club.



http://www.thegaplittleathletics.org.au/index.html


An amateur swimming club:



http://www.thegapgators.com/

 

A 18 hole Golf Course which, despite it's name, is in The Gap:



http://www.ashgrovegolf.com.au/new/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=2



A family friendly tavern:

From a newspaper review: "This icon of a great suburban venue includes a playground, kids' meals and an indoor play room with Playstations. But the menu and atmosphere is sophisticated enough that everyone will enjoy it."



http://www.gaptavern.com.au/



A road cycling club:





http://www.gapcycling.org.au/



Lots of lovely bike paths and parks.

The council website lists 45 gazetted parks from little to big in The Gap alone with about 5 having council facilities:

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/faci...parks/parks-by-suburb/the-gap-parks/index.htm

Here's The Gap's bikeway map:

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/bccwr/facilities/documents/bike_map_4.pdf











It also next door to a great spot for mountain biking. There are many trails maintained by Brisbane cyclists.

Here is the government brochure listing the trails and information. There are different grades suitable for all abilities.

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/2010...ays_mt_coot-tha_mountain_bike_trails_2010.pdf



http://www.mtbdirt.com.au/brisbane-trails/view/trail/22



As I mentioned The Gap is at the entrance to D'Aguilar National Park which has many bbq area's, picnic grounds, lookouts and nice drives nearby.

Here's the Queensland Govt National Parks departmental website which lists facilities in the D'Aguilar national park:

http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/daguilar/about.html















The Gap's local council library is situated in neighbouring Ashgrove:

See here for library facilities and family events:

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/faci...ng-hours-locations/ashgrove-library/index.htm





Wattle Creek Riding School, The Gap



http://www.wattlecreekridingschool.com.au/

 

The Gap has three well rated state primary schools, Hilder Road, Payne Road and The Gap State School, one very well rated high school, The Gap State High and St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School.

The Gap is a suburb where parents would be able to send their children to 13 years of government schooling that would outrank many private schools (without painting it as nirvana).

I haven't looked it up but it is in the western suburbs north of river where crime is low.

No - far from the Brisbane river. Usually only gets minor creek flooding so check if buying next to a creek.

Sounds about right though I'm not sure if peak hour adds 5 or 10 mins along the smaller roads you would be taking or not...

It is a quiet suburb so not for the party person but for a place that has all this and starts only 6.5km from the city centre you could do a lot worse.

 

thanks fish. you could get a job promoting the gap

it looks fantastic and i think its probably the place for us. thanks again

 

No worries. After researching that I want to move there :biggrin:

There are a lot of quiet, family friendly area's in Brisbane, in fact they are the norm rather than the exception I think, so it might come down to what feels right in the end.

Just a caution that a lot of these suburbs are very quiet, no pub within walking distance, not much street activity after dark etc so just make sure you are ok with that because that tends to be one thing some people don't like depending on how much urban life they are after.

 

thanks again fish, i live out in the sticks the now and the closest pub is 3 mile away, still its a family life im coming for, parties and daftness are in the past.

where do you live fish

 

We love being amongst old Queenslander character homes, having a bit of street life and being close to city facilities so we're on the Ashgrove/Red Hill border about 4.5 km from the city. Ashgrove and Red Hill are lovely family places in the main (we have 2 young kids) but are a lot dearer than The Gap so if you are happy with a very quiet area The Gap is better value. Personally if I had to live in a quiet suburb I would choose The Gap over many of the other more far flung area's like North Lakes, Bayside etc as they can substantially disconnect you from Brisbane life imo where The Gap is close enough to still enjoy what Brisbane inner city has to offer. Of course this is just my preference and everyone has different criteria.