Author // Rachel Avery for Place Newmarket
There are some things you side with for life – tea vs coffee, Blues vs Maroons, and the Northside of the Brisbane River vs the Southside.
Since the city was born, the title for best side of the river has been hotly contested. Someone who has recently converted from south to north is Ned Payne.
After growing up in the Southside suburb of Camp Hill, Ned recently purchased a property at Stafford.
We chatted to Ned about why he made the move and what he likes about living in Brisbane’s north.
So Ned, what sparked the move from the Southside to the Northside?
After growing up primarily in Camp Hill, I was pretty curious about living on the Northside.
I found the pricing a bit more competitive in the northern suburbs and price competitiveness was a big factor when I was choosing to buy my first property.
After those two factors, the choice was really quite simple – a new adventure and great value for money with my investment.
What’s the best part about living Northside?
Stafford is a good distance from the CBD, which is great for my partner and me.
Having access to the Kedron Brook is great for bike rides too, as there isn’t really anything like that on the Southside where I grew up.
That contrast of the hustle and bustle of the city and the lush greenery of the Kedron Brook is what makes Stafford great. I get the best of both worlds!
Give us your five recommendations for places to go on the northside.
Elixir Coffee – coffee is great and so are the breakfasts! Definitely a favourite.
Source: Instagram/ElixirCoffee_BNE
Humpybong Gin Distillery – Brisbane’s only Gin Distillery, and the coffee is good here too.
Codfather – delicious fish & chips, plus the punny name is a hoot.
Source: Facebook/Codfather
Stafford Tavern – great for dinner and a beer.
Sushi tram – love the name and the sushi!
Is there anything you miss about living on the Southside?
Growing up in Camp Hill meant I knew my way around really well – the sneaky side roads to beat the traffic, where all the good food spots were, all that local stuff that only comes from living somewhere for a long period of time.
I’m still learning my way around the Northside, so I do miss having that local savviness, but that’ll come with time.
I also miss being close to my friends and family – sure it’s only just south of the river but getting there in peak hour sometimes can be very frustrating.
Now to end the debate – is the Northside or the Southside better?
I was expecting there to be such a difference between the Northside and Southside.
Honestly, both sides have positives and negatives and there’s plenty to see and do both sides of the river.
If you’re used to one side more than the other, I’d encourage you to get out and explore enemy territory!
There are plenty of fantastic cafes, bars and restaurants on both sides of the river.
I think Brisbane, as a whole, has a lot to offer.