Fairfield

^{Pictured: Fairfield Park BBQ area and childrens play area}

A suburb of Brisbane, 5km from the CBD, sitting between 2 railway stations. The maximum time it will take to walk to a railway station is a casual 12 minute walk. You can be in Brisbane city within 30 minutes walking and catching the train or the 196 bus. Fairfield has many recreational parks. Most have fenced areas for cainines.

^{Pictured: Fairfield Park fenced dog area}

Fairfield park has two fenced areas for dogs to separate larger breeds from the smaller. There is an electric BBQ with two hotplates, shaded seating area with tables and, bins close by to discard waist. Several feet from the BBQ area is a children play area. Parents should do a quick look around the play area for syringes and other hazards to children. The park is considered safe but, best to be safe.

The public toilet block is next to the fenced dog play area. The dog park area has shaded seating areas for canine owners to sit, relax or meet other dog owners. The park is busy late afternoons and weekends, mostly later in the day.

Great bus services

Two bus stops are beside the park with buses 104, 105, 196 and the 202. The 196 bus travels between Fairfield Gardens shopping center and the Brisbane Power House (entertainment on Brisbane river), the bus passes through the cultural center district at South Brisbane, the Brisbane CBD via Adelaide Street and the Fortitude Valley. The 196 operates a 15 minute service, 7 days a week from 5am until Midnight. Even on public holidays.

The 104 bus travels between the P.A. hospital and Corinda railway stations with hourly services, Monday to Friday. This service cuts traveling time from Ipswich to the P.A. hospital by around 30 minutes by combining train and bus. To cut travel time to the P.A. hospital from Ipswich you catch train to Corinda Station, catch 104 bus to P.A. Hospital going via Yerongpilly, Yeronga, Fairfield and Dutton Park

The 105 bus travels to from Fairfield to Idooroopilly Shopping center its, an hourly service. Alternatively you can catch the train to Roma Street Station, change platforms and ride the Ipswich train which stops at Indooroopilly.

I've not caught the 202 much. It's an hourly service traveling to the Brisbane CBD via P.A. hospital using the bus express route. It's faster to walk to the P.A. hospital taking 15 minutes from Fairfield park, 25 minutes from Fairfield Gardens shopping center. Or, if you live close to the shopping center and not up for the walk, catch the train from Fairfield station to Dutton Park station and walk about 5 minutes to the P.A. hospital from there.

Wildlife Bush Turkeys and Possums

^{Pictured: Electric fence to keep possums out.}

There is a large colony of possums and bush turkeys (Scrub turkeys) in the area. If you have trees and large shrubs, you will have a family of possums too. Bush Turkeys roam the streets, yards and gardens. Most people will enjoy the critters. Gardeners will grow to love and hate them as they are pest to gardeners.

The bush turkey will wonder through your garden digging up your smaller plants as they search for food. Don't leave your garbage outside in plastic bags because, the wildlife will tear open the plastic bags leaving you with a huge mess to clean up.

The possums will run over the roof tops and solar panels during the night, and on occasion, fight and scream. Light sleepers will take time to get use to their noise. At night your garden is fruit for the taking. They will come in when your fruit ready for harvest and take a few bites out of several. They enjoy things like capsicum! Some people place netting around their vegetable gardens for protection, and it works. The drawback being, bees and other useful insects find it hard to pollinate. My method of protecting my garden is an electric fence. It works, it didn't take long for the wildlife to stay out of my garden. The possums learnt fast and I found the fence can be left off for the most part turning on once a week to remind the possums to stay out.

Challenging Footpaths are uneven and narrow

Fairfield is an old suburb. The council does not replace footpaths. Instead, do light repairs and when major construction or renovations take place it is mandatory the land owner replaces the footpath in front of the property. Hence, patch work style footpaths where they exist. Footpaths are a challenge for the frail, blind, those with low vision and persons using prams and wheelchairs.

Some footpaths have power poles in their center making not possible for wheelchair users to pass unless they use the road. Other roads have only sloped grassed uneven area that is often blocked by parked cars or covered with trees. Hence, those streets you walk along the road.

A number of trade persons will block the footpaths, ignore no standing and no parking signage. Especially on Wilkins Street East. They figured that the area isn't patrolled by parking inspectors. To take action fast contact the member of parliment Nocole Johnston. Her office will contact the council and a parking inspector will come out soon and the offenders will face a fine of $200 upwards. First call out and they are given a warning.

With many narrow footpaths wheelie bins will block safe passage a couple of days per week. Most people are considerate to others and place their bins close to the curb. However, the person driving the garbage truck Will dump the bins anywhere on the footpaths blocking safe passage. Days to watch for are Tuesdays and Thursdays.