Private schools Brisbane
Brisbane private schools: the independent and Catholic ones: have no catchment zones, so you can enrol from any suburb in the city. What decides your daily life is the bus network, the river crossings and what a house costs nearby. Pick a school below and see the suburbs that genuinely work for it.
We cover 29 Brisbane private schools across the inner city, the west (Toowong, Indooroopilly, Corinda), the inner south and Coorparoo, the northern suburbs around Clayfield and Kedron, and the bayside at Wynnum and Manly. Every school has its own page with suburbs, morning travel times and indicative housing costs.
29 schools
Brisbane Grammar School
Spring Hill · Inner city · Boys · Years 5–12 · Boarding available
City campus; strong feeder buses from the inner north and west.
Full page for BGS$1.60m – $2.50m
Indicative house medians
$880 – $1150
Per week, houses
Newstead
About 11 min each way
Morning run under 25 min
Kangaroo PointInner South~10 min$1.75m$900/wk+
Cliffs, river views, and apartment-strong inner living.
Lifestyle & amenities. Suburban and diverse. Coorparoo Square and Annerley's village feel provide local centers for dining and shopping.
Getting around. Twelve to twenty minutes to the CBD via the Beenleigh/Cleveland lines or the busway.
Housing. Post-war brick and timber homes. Tarragindi and Holland Park are family strongholds with larger blocks.
Watch for. Pockets of flooding near Oxley and Norman Creeks - elevation changes quickly.
Read the Inner South guideRed HillInner West~11 min$1.70m$900/wk+
Character homes and steep ridges just minutes from the city.
Lifestyle & amenities. Walkable cafe strips in Paddington and Rosalie, boutique shopping, and a vibrant community feel.
Getting around. Five to fifteen minutes to the CBD. Bus routes are excellent, though the terrain makes cycling a challenge.
Housing. Highly sought-after Queenslanders on elevated blocks, often with city or mountain views.
Watch for. Street parking can be difficult due to narrow, hilly roads.
Read the Inner West guideNew FarmInner East & Riverside~11 min$2.50m$1150/wk+
Walkable, riverside, apartment-strong.
Lifestyle & amenities. Oxford Street and New Farm Park are the weekend anchors. The ferry commute is often cited as the best part of the day.
Getting around. Fifteen minutes to the CBD by ferry or bus. Story Bridge traffic is the main peak-hour consideration.
Housing. A mix of restored Queenslanders and high-end apartments. Bulimba and Hawthorne suit families; New Farm suits downsizers.
Watch for. Flood history in low-lying riverside pockets - always check the 2022 records.
Read the Inner East & Riverside guideNewsteadInner East & Riverside~11 min$1.60m$950/wk+
New apartments, breweries, no lawn to mow.
Lifestyle & amenities. Oxford Street and New Farm Park are the weekend anchors. The ferry commute is often cited as the best part of the day.
Getting around. Fifteen minutes to the CBD by ferry or bus. Story Bridge traffic is the main peak-hour consideration.
Housing. A mix of restored Queenslanders and high-end apartments. Bulimba and Hawthorne suit families; New Farm suits downsizers.
Watch for. Flood history in low-lying riverside pockets - always check the 2022 records.
Read the Inner East & Riverside guidePaddingtonInner West~12 min$1.85m$950/wk+
Boutique cafes, hilly streets, and premium Queenslanders.
Lifestyle & amenities. Walkable cafe strips in Paddington and Rosalie, boutique shopping, and a vibrant community feel.
Getting around. Five to fifteen minutes to the CBD. Bus routes are excellent, though the terrain makes cycling a challenge.
Housing. Highly sought-after Queenslanders on elevated blocks, often with city or mountain views.
Watch for. Street parking can be difficult due to narrow, hilly roads.
Read the Inner West guideHighgate HillInner South~12 min$1.90m$950/wk+
Breathtaking views and within State High catchment.
Lifestyle & amenities. Suburban and diverse. Coorparoo Square and Annerley's village feel provide local centers for dining and shopping.
Getting around. Twelve to twenty minutes to the CBD via the Beenleigh/Cleveland lines or the busway.
Housing. Post-war brick and timber homes. Tarragindi and Holland Park are family strongholds with larger blocks.
Watch for. Pockets of flooding near Oxley and Norman Creeks - elevation changes quickly.
Read the Inner South guideBulimbaInner East & Riverside~13 min$2.05m$1000/wk+
Oxford Street, ferry, family Queenslanders.
Lifestyle & amenities. Oxford Street and New Farm Park are the weekend anchors. The ferry commute is often cited as the best part of the day.
Getting around. Fifteen minutes to the CBD by ferry or bus. Story Bridge traffic is the main peak-hour consideration.
Housing. A mix of restored Queenslanders and high-end apartments. Bulimba and Hawthorne suit families; New Farm suits downsizers.
Watch for. Flood history in low-lying riverside pockets - always check the 2022 records.
Read the Inner East & Riverside guideHawthorneInner East & Riverside~13 min$2.10m$1000/wk+
Quiet riverside streets, short run to Churchie.
Lifestyle & amenities. Oxford Street and New Farm Park are the weekend anchors. The ferry commute is often cited as the best part of the day.
Getting around. Fifteen minutes to the CBD by ferry or bus. Story Bridge traffic is the main peak-hour consideration.
Housing. A mix of restored Queenslanders and high-end apartments. Bulimba and Hawthorne suit families; New Farm suits downsizers.
Watch for. Flood history in low-lying riverside pockets - always check the 2022 records.
Read the Inner East & Riverside guideEast BrisbaneInner South~13 min$1.65m$880/wk+
Home to Churchie and great local parklands.
Lifestyle & amenities. Suburban and diverse. Coorparoo Square and Annerley's village feel provide local centers for dining and shopping.
Getting around. Twelve to twenty minutes to the CBD via the Beenleigh/Cleveland lines or the busway.
Housing. Post-war brick and timber homes. Tarragindi and Holland Park are family strongholds with larger blocks.
Watch for. Pockets of flooding near Oxley and Norman Creeks - elevation changes quickly.
Read the Inner South guideWilstonInner North~14 min$1.85m$900/wk+
Village feel, train station, walk to Grammar buses.
Lifestyle & amenities. Leafy and settled. Racecourse Road and Portside handle the dining, and the airport is fifteen minutes away - ideal for those who travel frequently.
Getting around. Ten to twenty minutes to the CBD by train or bus. Kingsford Smith Drive is the main arterial for those heading towards the airport.
Housing. Queenslanders and Colonials on large blocks. Ascot and Hamilton represent the premium end, while Nundah and Windsor offer more attainable entry points.
Watch for. Aircraft noise varies significantly street to street - check flight paths before purchasing.
Read the Inner North guideTravel times are indicative door-to-gate estimates based on distance, not live traffic or bus timetables. House medians and rents are drafted guides for comparison, not valuation advice. Confirm year levels, transport routes and waiting lists with each school.
Brisbane private schools by side of the city
Most families end up choosing a side of Brisbane first, because crossing the river twice a day in peak hour is the thing that wears you down.
Inner city Brisbane
South Brisbane
Inner east Brisbane
West Brisbane
North Brisbane
Bayside Brisbane
Redlands Brisbane
Common questions
Do Brisbane private schools have catchment zones?
No. Independent and Catholic schools in Brisbane enrol from anywhere, so you can live in any suburb. Only Queensland state schools have enrolment catchments, and those are set by the Department of Education.
Which suburbs suit Brisbane private schools best?
It depends on the campus rather than the school. Most Brisbane private schools draw heavily on one side of the river, and the practical question is which suburbs sit within a 20 to 25 minute morning run of the gate. This guide lists those suburbs school by school.
How far ahead do you need to apply?
Popular Brisbane private schools often take enrolments years in advance for Prep, Year 5 and Year 7 entry, though places open up when families relocate. Contact the registrar directly: interstate and overseas arrivals are frequently handled outside the usual queue.
Do you publish Brisbane private school fees?
No. Fees change every year and vary by year level, with levies, capital contributions, uniforms and camps on top. Always request the current fee schedule from the school itself.
Considering more than one school?
The suburb finder takes a shortlist of several schools at once, along with your commute limit and your budget, and ranks the suburbs that work for all of them.
Open the suburb finderWe don't publish school fees here: they change yearly and vary widely by year level, with levies, capital contributions, uniforms and camps on top. Always request the current fee schedule directly from each school. Travel times and property figures are indicative drafts, not advice.