The Iglu Guide | Blog
Why Brisbane Students Should Live In Kelvin Grove
Located just 3km from the bustling CBD, Kelvin Grove is a vibrant inner-city suburb that’s well known for its student friendly environment, proximity to major universities, cultural connections and excellent transport links. Combining a chilled village vibe with a twist of urban bustle, it really is no wonder that thousands of students flock here to study every year. Providing the perfect balance of culture and convenience, Kelvin Grove has it all. Here’s what’s on offer.
Plenty of student vibes
Kelvin Grove is home to every student’s favourite destination, The Kelvin Grove Urban Village. This purpose-built community precinct was developed through a partnership between the Queensland Government and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). It has a strong focus on sustainability and was designed to support the intersection of students, residents and businesses providing recreational green spaces, and easy access to educational facilities and services. The QUT Kelvin Grove campus is an integral part of the village and a key feature of the area. It includes convenient student housing as well as the Creative Industries Precinct. This is where the arts community officially calls home, and QUT’s creative program has earned a well-deserved reputation as the cultural heart of Brisbane. As a result, Kelvin Grove has been shaped heavily by the strong student dynamic, and this vibrant community makes it an absolute haven for all students heading to study in Brisbane.
Choice of student accommodation options
Integrated with the QUT campus, Kelvin Grove has a large selection of student housing accommodation options available for students who want the convenience of on-campus living. These range from single rooms through to shared accommodation. For students who enjoy the combination of modern facilities and accessible living, Iglu Kelvin Grove has a wide variety of student accommodation options available to suit all tastes. Enjoy the benefits of study areas and social spaces, and the choice between studio living or shared accommodation, all with a built-in student community for fantastic networking opportunities.
Excellent transport links
Contrary to popular belief, students very much enjoy getting out and about to explore their surroundings. Kelvin Grove is fantastically located and benefits from an extremely well-connected transport service. There are frequent bus routes that service the CBD and surrounding suburbs with a free shuttle bus that will take you directly from Kelvin Grove to QUT’s Gardens Point Campus – so no more excuses for missing those lectures! To get even further afield, students can pick up a train in the CBD at Roma Street Station, a quick 20-minute bus ride away from Kelvin Grove. Kelvin Grove is also well connected to the rest of the city by a network of cycle paths that cater to the entire community. Take your pick from dedicated commuter routes to recreational pathways that gently weave their way through the relaxing scenery. The QUT campus has a bike-friendly infrastructure in place with dedicated cycle lanes and bike racks.
Retail therapy
There’s no shortage of options to keep students happy in Kelvin Grove when it’s time to get the goodies in. The popular Village Markets takes place every Saturday and is a convenient meeting place for the whole community to enjoy local produce, great coffee and specialty goods – as well as giving the option to stock up on basics. Here, regional produce lines up shoulder to shoulder with vintage goods, arts and crafts and independent designers. Woolies is the popular go-to student supermarket, and for anything bigger, Brisbane CBD is a mere hop skip and jump away.
Eateries and cafés
Kelvin Grove is home to several popular eateries that ooze student friendly vibes. The Menagerie is particularly popular for its vintage ambience and extended happy hours. Focusing on locally sourced produce, it also doubles up as an arts venue so you can fully expect to be pleasantly entertained. You can’t walk past Grill’d and its mouth-watering smells without popping in for a quality burger. Don’t miss their Mon-Wed student specials where you can pick up a free drink with every order. And if sushi’s your thing, take your pick from a range of options that include Sushi Mura and Osaka Sushi Express. There’s more burgers on offer at the ever-popular and highly sustainable Burger Urge and you can satisfy your thirst for toast and top quality coffee at Golden Lava Toast or Earth and Steam.
Entertainment on tap
Students are extremely well catered for in Kelvin Grove with a number of entertainment options located in the heart of the village. It all starts with La Boite, Queensland’s second largest theatre company and Australia’s only purpose-built theatre in the round. This cultural venue sits at the heart of the village and regularly hosts contemporary plays, performances and creative arts events. With student-friendly prices, it’s a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the cultural scene and experience accessible live performances where all are welcome. At the Creative Industries Precinct, QUT hosts regular student-led events such as live music performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. Aimed at the student community they are often free of charge or at a minimal cost. Kelvin Grove Urban Village is often home to outdoor movie screenings for a chilled-out night under the stars. Fun and free, it fits the student entertainment bill perfectly.
Fresh air and fitness
With a strong emphasis on green spaces and open air, Kelvin Grove is highly appealing as a place for students to live as it balances fresh air activities with all the benefits of urban living. The suburb is designed with several parks and recreational areas for the entire community to enjoy. McCaskie Park is the perfect outdoor retreat located in the heart of the village with grassed areas and walking paths. Just a short distance away is Victoria Park, one of Brisbane’s largest inner city park spaces. Featuring open spaces, walking and cycling tracks, there’s even a public golf course – and you’ll catch a great view of the city skyline. Energetic students will enjoy the many sports fields and ovals in and around Kelvin Grove that are often used for student soccer, rugby and cricket matches. And swimmers will not be disappointed with the QUT Fitness & Aquatic Centre featuring a 25m lap pool.
