How sleepy Aussie suburbs were jolted to life after the Covid-19 pandemic

Liz Bennett and her partner Bruce Budge have lived in Brisbane’s Balmoral for 30 years, having watched the suburb transform from a humble pocket into a thriving post-Covid community.

“When we first moved to Balmoral, it was a fairly sleepy little suburb,” Ms Bennett said. “A lot of the houses hadn’t been built up, and there had been no new developments.”

Ms Bennett said in the early days, Balmoral was often best known for its cinema, only growing in popularity when the nearby factories were taken down to make space for new developments.

Bruce Budge and Liz Bennett have lived in Balmoral for 30 years, and saw the suburb transform into a bustling community after the Covid-19 pandemic. Picture: Richard Walker

But when people emerged from their homes after the Covid-19 pandemic, the couple started to see the community flourish like they’d never seen before.

“I think it’s much stronger now than it’s ever been,” she said. “On the weekend, we walked down Oxford St about 10 o’clock in the morning – and it was just absolutely lovely to see the numbers of people out on the street.”

Ms Bennett said she’d seen community infrastructure such as local parks being used and tended to more, including regular soccer games with large crowds occurring as she walked through the neighbourhood.

The two are selling their home at 55 Barton Pde, Balmoral, but plan to continue living in the suburb due to the roots they’ve placed down there.

New PropTrack research found Balmoral’s median sale price has jumped by 85.9 per cent in the last five years alone: going from $925,000 all the way up to $1.72 million since 2020.

This follows a trend across Brisbane where around 300 house or unit markets more than doubled over that same time, with some rising up by an incredible 260 per cent.

Now, Ms Bennett and Mr Budge have decided to downsize. The two are selling their home at 55 Barton Pde, Balmoral, with Place Bulimba agents Kasey Drake and Carla Haddan.

Balmoral’s rising house prices have brought with it a more active community, with nearby parks and daycare centres filling up with people. Picture: Richard Walker

Ms Drake said her team had seen strong competitive interest in Balmoral since the pandemic, especially with recent development projects in the growing suburb.

“Since July 1st, Carla and I have placed over $21 million under contract across the 4171 postcode,” she said. “What stands out most is the strong sense of community. We often meet buyers who grew up in Balmoral, and are now returning to raise their own families. That kind of loyalty really speaks to its long-term appeal.”

While the suburb’s median house price has jumped by nearly 90 per cent within five years, other suburbs have jumped by 260 per cent in that same time.

Ms Bennett said while she’d seen more young professionals arriving in the neighbourhood, the camaraderie within the community has always been present.

“It still feels very much like a village; everyone knows [everyone],” she said. “My Apple watch fell off the street at about 5am on Monday morning. I posted on the Facebook page for the street and was reunited with my watch in about half an hour … we look out for each other.”

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