This Suburb Profile aims to give you a good overview of Russell Island. As always, if you’re not keen to read the whole article feel free to watch the video below:
Russell Island is situated just off the coast of Brisbane, only a 15-minute express water taxi ride from Redland Bay. It’s nestled just behind North Stradbroke Island and is surrounded by the picturesque waters of Southern Morten Bay. At approximately 3km by 8km, Russell is the largest of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands.
Passenger Ferries run every 15 minutes making access easy and affordable. An express water taxi is available, which takes around 15 minutes from Island to shore. The All-Islands ferry to Russell Island takes approximately 40 minutes and stops at Macleay, Lamb and Karragarra Islands.
Free parking is available at the Russell Island and Redland Bay terminals, making commuting for work or pleasure hassle-free. In addition, barges run approximately every hour for those looking to take vehicles across to the Islands.
A Quiet and Relaxing Lifestyle
The Island offers a quiet easy living lifestyle, with great fishing and sheltered marine parks. Residents can feel like they’re a world away, yet be only an hour away from Brisbane CBD or Brisbane International Airport. The Island is tranquil and relaxing and dotted with homes, holiday cottages and weekend getaways. It’s a delightful, subtropical island with abundant natural attractions that offers an idyllic lifestyle for residents and visitors. Few places offer such a fantastic lifestyle with easy access to the mainland.
According to the 2016 Census, the Island had a population of 2,836 people. However, this figure is likely to increase with around 4,000 homes to be built over the coming years.
The Island offers significant established amenities allowing residents to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. There are excellent medical services, a local shopping centre and a swimming pool. In addition, there are many sports facilities scattered throughout the islands. Services offered on the Island include power, telephone, broadband, water, and garbage collection.
With Redland Bay just a 15-minute express Ferry ride away, Residents are within 30min travel from five major shopping centres, two hospitals, 4 Private & 5 public schools, and numerous golf courses. This means that the Island is much less isolated than people may think. As this Russell Island Suburb Profile shows, the Island has many existing amenities and services.
Russell Island has most of the same services as the mainland, spread across the Island. This includes a police station, fire station, ambulance service, medical practice, pathologist, service station, post office, hairdresser, veterinarian, computer repair services, web designers, video hire, bottle shop, lawyer, various real estate agents, landscape/hire centre, storage sheds, car hire, cafes, motor inn and a sports/recreational complex, to name a few.
The Bay Islands Aquatic Centre is a saltwater Chlorinated public pool operated on behalf of the Redlands Council and offers locals a place to relax and exercise. Also located on High Street is The Russell Island State School. A government primary school with an enrolment of nearly 200 children, with 18 teachers and 18 non-teaching staff.
Russell Island Suburb Profile: Services and Amenities
Local shopping is well catered for with a full-sized IGA Supermarket, butcher, chemist, baker, newsagent and takeaway.
The two licensed clubs, an RSL and the Russell Island Bowling Club, provide entertainment and restaurant facilities most nights of the week.
A well-positioned Community Hall overlooks the Ferry Terminal and is suitable for medium to large exercise classes, community activities, functions, and events.
Among Moreton Bay’s protected channels and waterways surrounding the Bay Islands, dolphins, turtles, dugongs, and occasionally whales can be seen in the pristine waters. Plentiful opportunities to safely swim, snorkel, boat and participate in water sports such as sailing, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing.
The magnificent Canaipa Passage separates Russell Island from North Stradbroke Island and extends almost as far as The Jumpinpin Bar. It provides a picturesque sheltered waterway perfect for boating and fishing.
Russell Island Upgrades and Council Commitments
Recent commitments from the Redland Council and State Government look to improve facilities for the Island residents and include: A Botanical garden, new parking facilities, a new fun park, and new roads; with the government committing $5.3 million in works on Russell Island. In addition, upgrades to the ferry terminal at Redland bay include new public open space, upgraded parking, and a new public boat ramp.
Russell Island land prices are significantly lower than Brisbane and the Bayside and offer savvy investors and homebuyers great opportunities. The Island has long been regarded as an affordable haven within reach of The Redlands.
New Builder and New Opportunities
Russel Island had previously suffered from a lack of available builders to provide quality builds at reasonable prices. However, this has changed as a high-quality mainland-based building company has begun operations on the Island, providing an exceptional opportunity for home and land packages for investors and owner-occupiers.
The Island has long been seen as Queensland’s best-kept secret, but the popularity and pricing will undoubtedly change dramatically once it becomes more widely discovered.
This is your chance to look at buying a home or investing in the Island’s future and enjoy the lifestyle and growth that it can offer.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this Russell Island Suburb Profile. Please feel free to send us an email or give us a call to discuss the property options available.
If you’d like to know more about what a house and land package is please click here. As always, please contact one of our expert team members if you’d like to discuss building on Russell Island or how you may be able to invest in property.
