Tag: Anstead

Safe and Sound: Anstead Ranked Among Safest Suburbs in Brisbane

Photo Credit: Pexels from Pixabay

Anstead, Bellbowrie, Moggill, and Priors Pocket have emerged as some of the safest suburbs to reside in Brisbane. Recent data shows that postcode 4070 is the second-ranked area code within the city and 34th across Queensland as a whole.

Read: Woman Who Allegedly Tries to Help Ambulance Gets $575 Red-light Camera Fine

The analysis, conducted by Budget Direct, utilised property crime data from 2017 to 2020, obtained from the Queensland Police. The specific crime categories examined were “Unlawful Entry” and “Other Theft-Excluding Unlawful Entry.” Additionally, household data from the most recent Census trends was also taken into account.

Among the postcodes analysed, 4070 secured the second-highest position on the list, with a mere 17 crimes per 1,000 properties recorded. This places the area as the 34th safest postcode in all of Queensland.

Examining data from the Queensland Police Services – Online Crime Map covering the period from April 13, 2023, to July 12, 2023, Anstead experienced three reported offences during the last quarter – all falling under the category of “Other Theft-Excluding Unlawful Entry.”

In contrast, the entirety of postcode 4070 saw 53 reported offences within the same period. This figure includes nine cases of “Unlawful Entry” and 15 incidents of “Other Theft-Excluding Unlawful Entry.”

Safe and Sound: Anstead Ranked Among Safest Suburbs in Brisbane
Trend line showing how 4070 has changed over the past 4 whole calendar years, as well as how it compares to the Queensland average | Photo Credit:  Budget Direct / budgetdirect.com.au 

Below are the top 5 safest area codes in Brisbane.

At the top is postcode 4055, which encompasses the suburbs of Bunya, Ferny Grove, Ferny Hills, and Upper Kedron. With a remarkably low rate of only 14 incidents per 1,000 properties, it ranks at number 25 in the state for safety.  

After postcodes 4055 and 4070, we find The Gap (Postal Code 4061) in the third spot. With 21 incidents per 1,000 properties, it ranks at number 41 in the state for safety. In area code 4037, which includes Eaton Hills, the safety record remains impressive. With only 23 incidents per 1,000 properties, it secures the 22nd spot in the state rankings.

Rounding out the top five is the area code 4154 which covers the suburbs of Gumdale, Ransome, and Wakerley, and it also stands as a safe haven for residents. With 24 incidents per 1,000 properties, it ranks at number 53 in the state for safety.

All of the top postcodes on the list exhibited fewer than 60 crimes per 1,000 properties, a significantly lower figure compared to the state average of 130 crimes per 1,000 properties.

Read: Low Crime Rates Make 4069 Among Brisbane’s Safest Postcodes

Property crime rates attributed to the respective postcodes represent collective statistics encompassing all the suburbs within each postcode. Therefore, these figures may not accurately reflect the individual suburb’s property crime rates.

Published 13-July-2023

Plan Hatched for a Community Hub at Historic Hawbryn House Site

Brisbane City Council could turn the former site of the historic Hawbryn House into a community hub if plans come together and once investigations are complete.

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Hawbryn House was gutted by a suspicious fire on 17 Oct 2020.

Since none of the house’s magnificent structure could be saved, Council is considering drawing up a new masterplan that will turn the site into a useful community space.

Councillor Greg Adermann confirmed the plans in a message to his constituents.

“Council is developing a concept plan for the site and will soon be undertaking consultation with key stakeholders and the general public,” he wrote.  

The Hawbryn House, a classic Federation house with bells in each room, was originally built in Kangaroo Point for Sir John Pidgeon. It was a prominent site in Brisbane’s social scene for many years and was also once the home of Brisbane’s first solicitors, Maldwyn Montgomery Edwards.

In 1981, the Burton-Jones family bought the house from Mr Pidgeon. According to Joan Burton-Jones, Mr Pidgeon agreed to the sale since Council would not allow him to make further developments on his riverside property.

Read: Kenmore Views: Rare Brisbane Development Site Up for Grabs

The Burton-Jones family moved Hawbryn House in set pieces to Anstead on 506 Hawkesbury Road. It was next to the cottage of Harold Gordon Sugars. 

Mr Sugars lived in Sugars Cottage since the 1920s. After his death, the cottage became part of the Hawbryn site. 

Photo Credit: Domain.Com.Au

The Hawbryn House was integral to the Australian Open Garden Scheme to help the Australian Koala Foundation that protects the bushlands in the western part of Queensland.

In 2013, Stefan and Lisa Dopkin bought and refurbished the property. The ownership would once again change hands in 2017 after the Council acquired the property as part of its Bushland Acquisition Programme. 

The Council deemed the site of ecological importance, connecting two bushland blocks.

However, over the years, the house became a regular target for vandals, according to the preliminary police reports after the fire. Ms Burton-Jones, who now resides in England, was devastated to see the house crumble in the fire as she watched the news. Investigations are still on-going.

“The one good thing to come from the fire is that the original Sugars Cottage appears to have survived and I know the Moggill Historical Society is keen to provide their input about the future of the cottage as part of that consultation,” Mr Adermann said.