Bracken Ridge (4017)
18 km to Brisbane’s North and originally called Rose Hill, Bracken Ridge (4017) is a hilly suburb with a reservoir overlooking Brisbane and Moreton Bay. Bracken Ridge is mainly residential with a number of housing estates. Residents are primarily young professionals and families across the socioeconomic spectrum. In the late 1800s, Bracken Ridge was farming land, initially sugar cane, then dairying until recently. The first school opened in 1957.
In 1962 the land was subdivided into moderate density residential allotments and homes constructed in 1966. Schools followed in the late 1970s and a TAFE college in 1982 so that now there are six educational institutions in the area. A number of small suburban shopping strips and a larger shopping centre include the full range of retailers. Bracken Ridge also has a tavern and a large indoor sporting complex as well as a number of parks. Because of its family focus, Bracken Ridge hosts a number of sporting clubs such as cricket, athletics and netball. Among the churches of various denominations, there is also an Islamic community centre.
In 2011, 16,800 people lived in Bracken Ridge, their average age being 35 years about 84% born in Australia, England or New Zealand. Notable minorities were Philippines or India. English was spoken almost exclusively at home except for Tagalog.