West End, Queensland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

West End is also the name of a suburb in Townsville. See West End, Queensland (Townsville).

West End
Brisbane, Queensland

View down Boundary St towards West End from Dornoch Terrace

Population:

6,161 (2004)^[1]

Established:

1860s

Postcode:

4101

Area:

1.9 km² (0.7 sq mi)

Property Value:

AUD $495,000^[2]

LGA:

Brisbane City Council

Federal Division:

Griffith

Suburbs around West End:
Milton	South Brisbane	South Brisbane
Auchenflower	West End	South Brisbane
Hill End	Highgate Hill	Woolloongabba

West End is an inner-city suburb of southern Brisbane.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Demography
4 Housing
5 Economy
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

West End was named by early English settlers who found the area reminiscent of the West End of London.

West End was one of the first suburbs of Brisbane to be serviced by a tram line, being opened in 1885. Initially the tram was horse drawn, and terminated in Boundary Street but in 1897 the line was electrified and extended to the southern end of Hardgrave Road, via Vulture Street. It was subsequently extended down Hoogley street to the ferry terminus at the end of Hoogley Street. The tram line closed on 13 April 1969.

[edit] Geography

Geographically, West End is bound by the Brisbane River to the west and the south. A smaller locality, referred to as Hill End and still marked on some maps, is located in the south along the Brisbane River.

West End is adjacent to the suburbs of South Brisbane and Highgate Hill. These three suburbs make up a peninsula of the Brisbane River, which helps maintain a close geographical community.

The Aboriginal name for the area is Kurilpa, which means place of the water rat.

[edit] Demography

According to 2001 census, over 43% of the households in West End are couples without children, while 31% are couples with children.

West End is home to a large percentage of the Brisbane Greek community. Among local residents are also immigrants of Italian, Lebanese and Asian descent. About one quarter of residents speak a language other than English at home.

[edit] Housing

Just over 50% of the dwellings are stand alone houses and 37% are higher density residential properties, including multi-storey blocks of apartments and units. Some houses are covered by historic preservation laws seeking to preserve the historical character e.g. tin roofing. Contrasting sharply with the historic homes are new buildings of contemporary designs. Prices for all types of properties have been increasing dramatically in recent decades. According to REIQ, the median unit/townhouse price in West End for 2005 is $310,000, and the median house price is $490,500.

[edit] Economy

Ethnic shops lining up the Boundary Street

The area's major attraction is its café and restaurant scene, as well as its shopping centered along Boundary Street. It is also known for its high concentration of ethnic and organic grocery stores, which reflect the liberalism of many West End residents. Davies Park on the riverside hosts one of the largest Farmer's markets in Greater Brisbane every Saturday.