Kedron Archives - Page 9 of 11

Median House Price in Kedron Nears the Million-Dollar Mark

Riding the wave of rising property values in Brisbane, the Kedron property market showed noteworthy growth within the 12-month period ending September 2021, with median property prices (houses and units) displaying approximately 15 per cent growth.

Highlights

The median house price in Kedron rose to nearly a million at $909,500, by 14.40 per cent for October 2020 to September 2021 versus the same period last year.
For the same period, Kedron’s unit price growth was at 15.58 per cent, with the median unit price at $427,000.

House Price Growth

Figures from Property Market Updates revealed that Kedron experienced 14.40 per cent growth from October 2020 to September 2021, bringing up the median house price close to the million-dollar mark at $909,500.

Turnover was brisk with142 properties sold, with the bulk of the sales coming from three-bedroom homes. House listings stayed an average of 32 days on the market as energetic buying activity persisted despite some challenges brought about by lockdowns and mobility restrictions.

With nearly half of its residents composed of growing families or renters with full-time jobs, Kedron has developed a reputation as a desirable suburb. Improvements in the public transport links to the CBD, the suburbs in the west, the airport, and Gold Coast have increased accessibility and desirability as well.

In August 2021, a modern Queenslander renovated from the ground closed with the highest sale for the period at $2,400,000. The breathtaking house stands on an expansive 868-sqm lot on Wood Street. It is a short walk to St Anthony’s Primary School or Padua Private School, two of the most sought-after schools in the catchment.

Unit Price Growth

Kedron’s unit market also scaled upward, after a brief downturn for the same period last year. Growth was at 15.88 per cent over the 12-month period ending September 2021, with the median unit price now at $427,000, up from $368,500 in the previous year.

Some 121 apartments were sold for this period with an average time on market of 52 days. Most unit buyers were drawn to two-bedroom builds, with 63 units sold. Buyers on a budget don’t need to venture too far off the city as Kedron has heaps of newly-built high-end apartments with reasonable price tags.

About Kedron

Once a sleepy suburb, Kedron has become a high-demand market for a new generation of northside residents. Nearly 60 per cent of the properties in this suburb are free-standing Queenslander or workers cottages, where many post-war houses have been renovated into contemporary dwellings on subdivided blocks.

This tranquil inner north suburb is filled with large parks for residents to enjoy. Located seven kilometres away from the city, it has a well-serviced, convenient transport system. Kedron has easy access to neighbouring suburbs like Stafford, Chermside, Wavell Heights, and Lutwyche.

Kedron is home to quite a number of good public and private schools; thus, education has been a significant factor in attracting buyers. Because this suburb is also close to a number of medical facilities and the massive Westfield Chermside shopping centre, job opportunities in the area abound.

“We’ve been renting here for 6 months now and really love the area. We walk our son to daycare and a massive park is just 5 minutes walk away.”
Maz333

“Kedron is a great suburb. The public transport is more than adequate. There is at least one bus close by every 10 minutes. It has a range of restaurants and fast-food chains. Close to the city by bus and car. Close to Chermside shopping centre – with a good range of amenities in the immediate area. Quiet friendly neighbourhoods. Ideal for families with school-age children. The only downside is people passing through leaving the pub can be loud on a weekend if you live close to Gympie road.”
Scarlet Ellis

“Have lived in Kedron 15 yrs ago moved back and have family who owns in the area. Lots of parks in walking distance and greenery yet fabulously accessible to public transport, major shopping centres inc Westfield Chermside, Stafford and Lutwyche; fantastic school which has become popular with out-of-catchment parents due to its reputation. Plenty of eating choices including Chinese, Indian, noodles, fish and chips and a fabulous Thai restaurant once again all walking distance (as I don’t drive ) from Leckie Road, convenience stores and bottle shop in walking distance.”
Kotcha

New Medical Centre Proposed at Stafford Road Intersection

Plans for a new two-storey medical centre, to stand on the corner of Webster Road and Stafford Road, have been filed by the Elouera Group. If approved, the facility will become the 22nd medical site servicing the Kedron and Stafford community.

Development Application A005697853 details a 1,831-square metre medical centre that would operate 24 hours a day with 15 doctors and at least 35 healthcare workers.

Ethos Urban, which lodged the application for the developer in March 2021, said that this facility will provide for the growing demands of an ageing population in the area. The consulting agency also said that its prominent location at an intersection raises the facility’s potential to become a successful medical centre.

Brisbane City Council sought the assessment of the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA), since the proposal will impact a state road intersection. On 1 Oct 2021, SARA permitted the road access location, subject to some conditions.

“Road access works comprising Type C2 driveway in accordance Brisbane City Council’s Transport, Access, Parking and Servicing Policy must be provided at the permitted access location,” SARA said.

“The existing road access works situated between Stafford Road and the subject site must be removed and all kerb and channel/table drain/concrete footpath reinstated between the pavement edge and the property boundary in accordance with the Road Planning and Design Manual.”

SARA’s approval, however, doesn’t signal the start of construction as Council has yet to conclude its own assessment.

It comes as Council has approved another 24-hour medical facility some two kilometres away at the former AMF bowling centre on Gympie Road Kedron in November 2020. It will stand next to the Kedron Wavell Medical Centre, which has over 120 doctors.

Police Officers’ Fundraising Event At Padua College A Success

Photo credit: mypolice.qld.gov.au

The Padua College at Kedron welcomed police and Police Liaison Officers from the North Brisbane District, the Mounted Unit and the Police Pipes and Drums for ‘Give Brain Cancer the Boot’ on 15 July 2021.

Read: This New Vegan Cafe In Stafford Heights Will Reward Your Eco-friendly Coffee Habit

‘Give Brain Cancer the Boot’ is a shoe-shining fundraising event, which aims to raise awareness and donations for brain cancer and its research. Padua students have their shoes shined by attending police, ARMY, sporting stars, college staff and senior students at the cost of a donation to the cause.

Acting Chief Superintendent Christopher Stream was only required to shine one set of shoes, but he tirelessly continued to polish a number of other students shoes of his volition.

Acting Superintendent Christopher Stream in action (Photo credit: mypolice.qld.gov.au)

Padua Student’s getting ready to play Horsey Soccer (Photo credit: mypolice.qld.gov.au)

During the event, the Police Pipes and Drums played their incredible tunes and provided an uplifting atmosphere to the event. The Police Mounted Officers and their two police horses, Geronimo and Felix, also played soccer with the students.

The event came to fruition through the dedication of Kerri McKinless, who is the wife of serving The Gap Station police officer, Senior Constable Brendan McKinless, who was sadly diagnosed with brain cancer (Oligodendroglioma) approximately three years ago. He went through three separate surgeries, extensive chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

All donations raised during the event will go to Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer Foundation which aims to raise funds towards research into brain cancer. It was founded by journalist and Gold Logie award-winning television and radio presenter Carrie Bickmore, whose husband Greg passed away in 2010 after a decade-long battle with brain cancer.

Puppy Carers from North Brisbane in Demand for Vision Australia

Would you like to volunteer to take care of a puppy and raise it to become a well-adjusted, future seeing-eye dog? Vision Australia has a program for Kedron families and other North Brisbane residents to become full-time foster carers.

The puppy carers for Vision Australia’s Seeing Eye Dog program will be expected to take care of an eight-week-old pup for the duration of 12 to 15 months or for as short as six months. The carer’s main roles are to interact with the animal, provide them with regular exercises, and facilitate socialisation with other dogs or humans.

The foster dog parents should also spend some time toilet training pup, as well as teaching basic commands like sit or stay and help them learn to walk on the lead. However, the puppy carers will not be expected to train the animals for their future jobs as there are actually development trainers tasked to work with the young dogs.

What’s vital at this stage is for a North Brisbane family to monitor the pup since these animals should not be left alone for more than three hours. Humans have to be committed to the animal because consistency is an important factor in their development as future service dogs.

Aside from the time, puppy carers need to have a secure yard where they can interact and play with the dog. If they are renting the house, they will also need to secure approval from their landlord to have a new animal living with them, albeit temporarily.

According to Vision Australia: “Your puppy can ‘free run’ with your supervision if your property/backyard is safe and secure. The pup should not be left unsupervised as they may learn undesired behaviours such as digging. Letting pups have a ‘free run’ is a fantastic way to burn off some energy and teach them to respond when called.”

To learn more about this program, you can download the FAQs outlining the duties and requirements of a puppy carer. However, do note that your application might take some time to be assessed, depending on the new litters that will need placement in a new home.

Vision Australia’s Seeing Eye Dog has over 200 pups living with carers at a given time. The costs involved to become part of this program will be shouldered by the company, including the crate for the puppy to sleep, retreat or settle in after a long day of training and play.

Kedron Local Opens a Successful Removalist Company Before His 30s

A young Kedron local has managed to launch a successful start-up that has steadily grown in three years. Matt Baker, the owner of Shift Buddies, was only 26 years old when he opened his removalist company, which earned him recognition at the 2019 Moreton Bay Region Business Awards for his excellence as a young entrepreneur.

Shift Buddies, founded in mid-2018, was hatched after Matt realised the challenges of moving houses. His father’s friend had a difficult experience with a provider that not only broke some of her items but also overcharged her for their services.

Matt saw the opportunity to provide a better removalist service and got started by opening a depot in Kedron. His first truck, bought after he sold his ute, was hired for small jobs like furniture pick-ups. Not long after that, he acquired four more trucks and employed 10 other people to help with the business.

The young entrepreneur credits the success of his removalist company to a very simple business model. His trucks are only allowed to book one team and one job per day to avoid a blowout. However, this means that they could lose out on other opportunities to earn more as they have to turn down other enquiries.

“We do local house moves around Brisbane and SEQ and 1-2 long haul trips inter or intrastate a month.”

Matt aims for slow but steady growth for Shift Buddies but he’s set for another expansion with the onslaught of opportunities coming in from families moving interstate to the Sunshine State. The opportunities could mean that this start-up would soon cross the million-dollar profit threshold.

To learn more about their services visit their official site or Facebook page. Shift Buddies is also paying it forward by helping out local charitable organisations.

Kedron Residents Say No to 5th Service Station

Residents of Kedron have come together to oppose a planned 7-Eleven service station on Gympie Road, which will become the fifth service station in the suburb if approved.

Submitted by Wolter Consulting Group Pty Ltd (DA A005697131) and designed by Cottee Parker, the proposed service station will replace the Eagers Holden showrooms on the lot.

The development plans include a canopy with four fuel dispensers next to the convenience store and a potential row of fast food outlets. It also allows for 15 car parking spaces and one PWD parking with the main access on the corner of Kedron and Childers Streets.

Whilst the project doesn’t require community consultation, as a code assessment location, more than 50 locals, both residents and frequent visitors to Kedron and nearby suburbs, filed submissions with Brisbane City Council citing why they don’t recommend the plan’s approval.

Photo Credit: Developmenti/Brisbane City Council

Among the issues raised were:

traffic, especially near the intersection of Kitchener Road
impact on the surrounding narrow streets, which will be used as a rat run
danger to the students and pedestrians
increase in cars during peak hours
the planned 24/7 use of the site which is near a residential area
increased noise and pollution

Some residents also filed an e-petition with Council which has, so far, raked 134 signatures asking to “give due consideration to the concerns raised.” The residents said that they do not want businesses that will create major traffic near their homes. They also said that there are at least 14 service stations within the four kilometres of the site.

“493 Gympie Road is not a suitable site for any business that creates high volumes of traffic in a local residential street,” one local said in the submissions to Council.

Council has yet to decide on the application nor reply to the petition.

Triciclo: New, Mobile Coffee Cart at the Popular Kedron Brook Bikeway

A new mobile coffee cart, Triciclo, will soon be a familiar sight at the Kedron Brook bikeway, one of the most popular exercise routes in the suburb.

Triciclo, aptly named for its three-wheeled mobile conveyance, is the brainchild of hospitality industry newcomers Aly Hope and James Marshall.

Before venturing into this new business which opened in late April 2021, Aly and James worked as a hospital pharmacist and a surveyor, respectively. Today, the two are trying their hand at an entirely new industry with hopes of supplying some of Brisbane’s morning crowd and bikeway regulars with their morning coffee fix on the go.

Kedron Brook Bikeway, oft-visited for its picturesque scenery, stretches approximately 12 to 16 kilometres depending on the route taken. Cyclists can expect a path that starts at Mitchelton and ends at Nundah, or vice versa. Triciclo will be set up at Gordon Park just beside the bridge that leads to Kokoda Park.

For more information on Triciclo, and for the latest updates and announcements concerning the coffee cart, follow their Instagram page. Learn more about the Fonzie Abbott coffee roasters at their website here.

Two Popular Kedron Hotels To Be Put Up For Auction

Two of Kedron’s most iconic hotels are to be put on auction, offloaded and sold with leases in place until 2028, with options to extend until 2068.

Both Kedron Park Hotel and Edinburgh Castle Hotel, which have been leased to Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH), are owned by the ASX-listed ALE Property Group.

Despite their history, interested parties have singled out these two sites given their significant land holdings. The fact that ALH — which is, in turn, 75 per cent owned by Woolworths — was involved made it more attractive for potential investors given their reputation.

These hotels are being marketed by the commercial real estate firm Burgess Rawson. Investors from abroad, across the state, and even within the state have allegedly expressed interest in the properties, according to Burgess Rawson agent Glenn Conridge.

Kedron Park Hotel and Edinburgh Castle Hotel are particularly attractive due to the size of the land and their potential for future developments in the long run, however it is also clear that they possess a certain degree of historical value as a result of their age.

Kedron Park Hotel

Established in 1881, Kedron Park Hotel was designed by the architect John R. Hall for the hotel’s owner and licensee, Frederick Morris. The building was set up on the intersection of what was formerly known as Gympie and Bald Hills Rd, opposite where the Kedron Park Racecourse once stood.

Morris was involved with organising picnic race meetings at the racecourse as a means of attracting customers to the hotel. During this time period, the hotel had a variety of facilities such as cricket, a bowling green, skittles and quoits, archery, rifle practice, and pigeon shooting. The hotel’s ownership eventually changed hands, and in 1919, James F Cavill became the new licensee.

Kedron Park Hotel, 1960. Photo from Russell Parry. https://www.facebook.com/groups/260531423995348/
Posted by Lost Brisbane on Sunday, April 6, 2014

Under Cavill’s ownership, a popular zoo ran behind the hotel. The zoo was renowned for being the home of exotic animals such as crocodiles and monkeys, as well as a parrot capable of swearing.

Kedron Park Hotel

Edinburgh Castle Hotel

On the other hand, Edinburgh Castle Hotel’s origins date back to 1865, where the original building was built by a man named William Orr, and it was positioned on the opposite side of Edinburgh Castle Road.

The hotel received its name from the Scottish settlers who resided in the Bald Hill area, and was owned by the Orr family until Michael Goodwin obtained the license in 1885. By 1888, however, the hotel fell into a state of disrepair after coaches were replaced with railway lines.

Edinburgh Castle Hotel, Kedron, 1929.
Posted by Lost Brisbane on Friday, November 22, 2019

In order to adapt, Goodwin applied for the license of a new hotel on the corner of Gympie and Edinburgh Castle Rd. The new Edinburgh Castle Hotel on Gympie Rd, which still stands to this day, was eventually constructed in 1892. The original hotel that Orr built reopened and adopted a new identity as Bonny View.

Edinburgh Castle Hotel

Both of the properties will be available to purchase in an auction held on March 31 at Melbourne’s Crown Casino starting at 10.30am. Registered bidders will also be able to bid remotely through their phones, the online auction app, or from Burgess Rawson offices in their nearest capital city.

Kedron Lot with No House Sells for Almost $1 Million

An empty lot without any house or structure recently went on the auction block in Kedron, attracting more than 100 bidders who wanted a slice of this up-market area. Within minutes, the 607-square metre property was sold to the highest bidder for $992,000.

Located at 52 Seventh Avenue, this lot became the second property to break the sales record in Kedron in under four months. The site’s selling price was even higher by $410,000 when the former owner first bought the property.

Six years ago, this lot had a single-storey post-war house, which the owner had taken down before putting the property back on the market. The owner has since moved to his new home in Aspley.

This Kedron site is within walking distance to Coles and several primary and secondary schools (both state and private). It’s also within a few metres off the parklands and bikeways. Needless to say, it’s the ideal place for setting one’s roots and building a family.

Apart from the location, interested buyers flocked to the auction for this empty lot because it provided an opportunity for the new owners to build their house on “a blank canvas,” according to one bidder.

Despite the record-breaking sale, however, property agents said that there’s has been growing frustration among buyers who could not take advantage of the low-interest rates due to a lack of supply. The agent, however, advised buyers to keep on looking for their forever home.

Miss Sophia’s Gelateria Brings Dozens of New Flavors to Kedron

What distinguishes the gelato from Kedron’s Miss Sophia’s Gelateria from that of other shops? Their ingredients.

This local gelateria uses Maleny milk as the base before adding local fruits and honey into the mix. The flavors of raspberries, mangoes, strawberries and countless other sweet fruits are enhanced with chocolate and peanut butter, as well as the richness of biscoff and cookie crumbs. All in all, these make for lovely serves of gelato capable of satisfying just about anyone’s palate. Those with dietary restrictions can even enjoy their vegan variants.

Vegan Toasted Coconut Caramel, Raspberry Custard, and Cookie Dough Gelato
Photo credit: Facebook

Even the tools and equipment employed by this gelateria contribute to the quality of their product, offering a chocolate tap to top orders off with molten Cadbury chocolate. The ingredients themselves are churned with machinery imported from Italy, making for an authentic experience.

Cadbury Chocolate Tap
Photo credit: Instagram

The menu doesn’t stop at gelato cones, however. Miss Sophia’s Gelateria also offers an assortment of gelato cakes that come in different shapes and sizes — bars, circles, extra large circles, and even domes in the case of their Cassata Dome. Occasionally, the gelateria also hosts pop-up bakeries, typically on Sundays, where pastries such as croissants and doughnuts can be purchased to accompany any orders of gelato.

Croissants from the Pop-Up Bakery
Photo credit: Facebook

Open all week from 12:00PM to 10:00PM, Miss Sophia’s Gelateria can be found at 9 Somerset Road, Kedron. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates concerning deals and dates, as well as information on their pop-up bakeries!