Boardies in Brisbane...where are you??

Laura Steph

Hi all,

I started the Irish Girl thread recently, however now I am finally here!

Any tips on how I should settle in? Currently bunking with family but seeking accommodation asap as I want to get to know the city and people my own age and above!

Let me know your valued tips and advice!

L.

colman1212

Fortitude valley/James Street/New farm are really nice. I'm currently living in the valley and love the area as there are lots of great bars, restaurants and coffee shops around.
If you are looking for some good bars. Try limes hotel, alfred and constance and elixir bar. Elixir and limes are both rooftop bars and really cool at the weekends.

New farm park is cool at the weekends as you get a lot of people lying out in the sun, having BBQs and beers by the river etc

I came back to brisbane on my own 2 years ago because of a good work opportunity and have made a lot of friends mostly through work and the gym etc.

Are you planning on moving to the city? Have you started work?

hefferboi

If you play GAA you should join the camogie clubs or the gaelic football teams. Good way to meet more Irish and they'll help you out with work. Good session's as well.

Laura Steph

Cheers for the advice!

I heard otherwise about The Valley though from family. Then again, you're living in it!

Starting work in two weeks, currently looking for accommodation in Brisbane from the suburbs. Moved here on my own too, the loneliness and homesickness is brutal sometimes.

hefferboi

Laura Steph wrote: »

Cheers for the advice!

I heard otherwise about The Valley though from family. Then again, you're living in it!

Starting work in two weeks, currently looking for accommodation in Brisbane from the suburbs. Moved here on my own too, the loneliness and homesickness is brutal sometimes.

The Valley is the best place to go out on a night out. Best nightclubs and pubs imo. Always big djs playing in the Family nightclub or the Met. Don't think I could live there though. We live in Wynnum. It's beside the sea and is a nice quiet spot so its ideal to live here but the only problem is its about 50 minutes on the train to get to the city.

The homesickness hasn't hit me at all really because theres 5 of us here.

Laura Steph

Lucky you, I wish I could say the same.

irishmover

The Valley is full of scum during the day. Wouldn't live there if I was paid to!

I live in kedron on the north side. Great area and 10 mins on the train at Eagle Junction to the city if you've a car to get there or 25 mins on the bus. Small price to pay to live in a nice area. Chermside shopping centre is only up the road if you're into the cinema/shopping..

Used to live in Camp Hill on the south side. Similar distance to the city and close to carindale shopping centre. Another Westfield like chermside. I myself rarely find the need to venture into the city these days. Been living in Brisbane 2 years if you count FIFO.

But if you're from central Dublin/used to living in those sort of places then by all means live in the valley...

colman1212

There are two very different sides to the valley, Down around the valley train station is pretty horrible but once you get to the new farm side of the valley its really nice. I live just off James street, which is arguably the nicest street in the city and sixes and sevens is a great spot for a few drinks.

There is probably a much smaller irish crowd in brisbane than sydney or melbourne. Somebody should organise a brisbane boardsies drinks or something?!? :eek::D

hefferboi

colman1212 wrote: »

There are two very different sides to the valley, Down around the valley train station is pretty horrible but once you get to the new farm side of the valley its really nice. I live just off James street, which is arguably the nicest street in the city and sixes and sevens is a great spot for a few drinks.

There is probably a much smaller irish crowd in brisbane than sydney or melbourne. Somebody should organise a brisbane boardsies drinks or something?!? :eek::D

I meet Irish wherever I go here. I'd hate to see Sydney or Melbourne :P

Laura Steph

irishmover wrote: »

But if you're from central Dublin/used to living in those sort of places then by all means live in the valley...

Its far from Dublin I was raised, but I did live in it for five years...based on family advice, I think I'll avoid living in the valley!

Laura Steph

colman1212 wrote: »

There is probably a much smaller irish crowd in brisbane than sydney or melbourne. Somebody should organise a brisbane boardsies drinks or something?!? :eek::D

PS, well up for boardies drinks, should hopefully be moving to the city in two weeks max

irishmover

Laura Steph wrote: »

Its far from Dublin I was raised, but I did live in it for five years...based on family advice, I think I'll avoid living in the valley!

My advice would be to stay clear too. Girlfriend worked in the new Laing O'Rourke building in the valley and I wouldn't let her bus it to there as the bus stop home was full of junkies. She had to go to the ever so slightly more safe train station back to Eagle Junction. Even that was dodgy. Some of the stuff she would tell me when she would get home reminds me of waiting for my bus home on Abbey St. from Uni a few years ago.

I'm not much of a partier either, wouldn't really go out much. The times I was out the valley would be the only place to go, but I wouldn't like the night life there either. Brawls and ****ty nightclubs. Not my cup of tea!

Albeit, having not been in the valley much and not really knowing what bar to go to you shouldn't take my opinion over colman1212 in regards night life anyway.

Laura Steph

Cheers everyone. Going to view a few potential gaffs on Monday...fingers crossed!

sawdoubters

find a place with transport to your work only share with sheilas

https://flatmates.com.au/brisbane

I am sure theres other websites

http://www.gumtree.com.au/

tonydude

Was living in Kangaroo point for 6 months beside the story bridge, beautiful area with that amazing city skyline. heading back in the next few days for another stretch. Stay away from the valley, a druggy ran past my gf before we left and the pursuing cops knocked her over hurting her, it was her first and last time in the valley

Laura Steph

Sorry to hear that tonydude, well warned off it now!

hefferboi

The Wolfe Tones are playing in the Tivoli tonight. There'll be a load of Irish there.

Laura Steph

hefferboi wrote: »

The Wolfe Tones are playing in the Tivoli tonight. There'll be a load of Irish there.

Pity Im still in the suburbs.Another time hopefully!

AngryHippie

Don't be afraid of the Valley !

Yes, It can be a total zoo at 3am when everyone spills out of the pubs/clubs, but in the evenings its grand, particularly on weekdays.

There are a lot of homeless and nutbags wandering around there any time of day or night, but they are generally fairly harmless as long as you don't take the p1ss out of them or interfere with whatever crazy sh1t they are doing.

I lived on Arthur st for a year, and worked in the Valley for two years, I never had any major problems with random violence or junkies. Yeah they are there, and you may or may not notice them (depending on how aware you are) I did have a hilarious encounter with a drunken Irishman trying to get into the pool I was working at for a swim in the middle of a waterpolo game, then trying to climb over the wall into the pool and getting himself tangled up in barbed wire. - left half his pants hanging on the fence :rolleyes:

Other than that, I enjoyed my time in the Valley, I still go on a jag there every few months, but I'm under no illusions that it is a freak-show, half the kids are off their chops, there is a good chance you will see a punch up, If the cops stop you, do exactly as you are told, or there is a good chance you will meet doctor pepper (spray) or old sparky.

Bars worth going to IMO are the Bear lodge on the mall(formerly troubador) the Bowery (on Anne St), LImes, Alfred and Constance [both a little out of the valley main]. The Press club can be good, but only if you go there with friends (crowd can be a bit w@nky). As for clubs, I've been to family and cloudland, but wouldn't be in a hurry back to either. Generally I end up in the lowest common denominator - Kaliber (like a smaller sh!tter louder Turks Head effort)

As for places to eat, Garuva, Alfred & Constance & Sixes and Sevens all do really good food, and are pretty nice to dine out, There are plenty of nice restaraunts in the Emporium complex (can be pricey though) and New Farm has Bitter Suite and New Farm Deli that I would highly recommend.

As far as meeting people is concerned, get into a sport, The GAA end of things is pretty good for getting in touch with people, do make an effort to get to know some aussies though, a lot of the Irish over here do get a bit patterned, and just go on the beer with the same few people they know from home every weekend...I fell into it for a good while.

Jimmy Recard

After living here for 5 years id have to say Brisbane is one of the safest cites you will find, sure theres a few characters around but they generally keep to themselves.
Im looking for a new place at the moment and will only live in Westend, the Valley or Kangaroo point.
You won't find a better way to meet people than meetup.com, there will be a social group for any interest you have. Heres a link to the Irish meetup in Brisbane.

http://www.meetup.com/Irish-meetup-in-Brisbane/

Laura Steph

Cheers to both you Angry Hippie and Jimmy. Meetup.com seems like a good call Jimmy, are you still a member?

eastscelts

A good way to meet people

https://www.facebook.com/eastscelts.gfc?fref=ts

It's that time of year again.....Easts Celts sign on evening, AGM, fun game & BBQ next Friday night 7th February at 6.30pm at our new home, Morningside Panthers AFL Club, Oak St, Hawthorne.
Welcome extended to all new and old players to come join the best football & social club in Brisbane!! We have a ladies team, Senior men's & a men's division 2 team, looking for new players for every grade.
No boots, holey boots, brand-spanking new boots...come along & meet the gang for fun & football!!
Contact eastscelts@hotmail.com for more details. See you next Friday night.
Easts Celts Abú

carbcon27

Hi there!

Interested to hear what your first impressions of the place are?

I lived close to the city for a while, well Ferny Grove, Ashgrove and Kenmore, but im a cultchie at heart so a year ago I moved to a farm near Woodford, absolutely love it! Under an hour from the city which suits me perfectly. That and I am into motorsport so garage space was important.

I have been here 4 years now, PR and all that sorted for the last 2. I kind of did the opposite to most backpackers and have experienced Australia and Australians fairly comprehensively I think in that I never really got into the "get wasted with the same people you did at home, in the same pubs every week".

To be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of it when I was at home anyway.

Funnily enough, I find myself seeking to re-engage on a bigger scale with other Irish after working in rural communities for the best part of 3 years.

So thanks to all for the links, I will be checking them out:)

diddlybo

Hi, I'm off to Brisbane in the morning on a w.h.v. I'm flying from Dublin with air lingus then changing to Malaysian airways, I was just wondering if I will need to pick up my checked in bag in Heathrow or will air lingus be able to transfer it over for me?
Thanks.

irishmover

If you booked the flights all together your bags will be checked all the way through and you'll get your connecting flight tickets in Dublin.