Bardon, Queensland

Bardon is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia located approximately 5km west of the Brisbane CBD. Bardon is a leafy residential suburb, much of which nestles into the foothills of Mount Coot-tha.

History
The suburb of Bardon is named after Bardon House, built in 1863 by Joshua Jeays and named for Bardon Hill in his native Leicestershire, England. The house now forms part of the campus of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, The Drive, Bardon.

The suburb is characterised by stand-alone houses on separate lots, which make up 89% of the housing stock in Bardon.

Geography
Bardon is located in the foothills on the eastern side of Mount Coot-tha, and is characterised by ridges separated by steep gullies. Some major streets generally follow the ridgelines, including Simpsons Road and Macgregor Terrace. Ithaca Creek, a tributary of Enoggera Creek, drains the eastern side of Mount Coot-tha and flows through the suburb in a generally north-easterly direction.

Demography
Bardon is a generally affluent suburb, with 2006 census statistics indicating a median weekly household income of $1,671, compared with a national average of $1,027. Over 40% of the labour force in Bardon consists of professionals, more than double the national average, while the proportion of labourers is less than half the national average. The unemployment rate at the last census was 2.8%.

20.7% of the population was born overseas, with the most common foreign birthplaces being England, New Zealand and South Africa. Over nine in ten residents of Bardon spoke only English at home. 0.4% of the population reported being of indigenous origin.

The median age is 35, two years younger than the national average.

Facilities
Adjoining Bardon is Government House, Queensland, the official residence of the Governor of Queensland in the suburb of Paddington.

The suburb is home to the Wests Panthers rugby league club, Wests Juniors Leagues Club (a rugby league club) and Brisbane Irish Rugby Football Club. These sports teams are located in Purtell Park where home matches are played. Club facilities are undergoing refurbishment as of 2007.

Bowman Park in Bardon is home to the Bardon Latrobe Junior Soccer Club and West Brisbane cricket club.

Local schools include St Joseph's Catholic primary school, Bardon State School on Simpsons Rd, Rainworth State School on Boundary Rd and Ithaca Creek State School on Lugg St.

A small neighbourhood convenience shopping centre and various other shops and restaurants are located in and around Macgregor Terrace.

Transport
Bardon is well served by several Brisbane Transport bus services, including the 385 BUZ service, the cross-town Great Circle Line, as well as several all-stops services to the city. Prior to 1968, Bardon was serviced by a tram line which terminated at Morgan Terrace.

Bardon is located on Metroad 5, a major north/south arterial that serves as a western bypass of Brisbane. Metroad 5 is known (from north to south) as Jubilee Terrace, Macgregor Terrace, an expressway-grade Boundary Road (1990's) and Rouen Road through the suburb.

Three major roads from the west and north converge on Macgregor Terrace, in addition to two major roads from the east and south, resulting in traffic congestion in peak periods. The Queensland Department of Main Roads is currently investigating three options for upgrading Macgregor Terrace and Jubilee Terrace, two of which will result in properties being resumed.