What to know about Chermside
- Chermside was home to 11,426 people at the 2021 Census, and its median age was 35.Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census QuickStats (Chermside)
- 4.6% of Chermside residents were aged 85 and over, against 1.9% across Queensland, while 12.5% were aged 25 to 29.Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census QuickStats (Chermside)
- Lone-person households were 41.9% of Chermside households at the 2021 Census, and 58.7% of occupied private dwellings were flats or apartments.Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census QuickStats (Chermside)
- Chermside Aquatic Centre at 375 Hamilton Road has a 25-metre heated outdoor lap pool, a heated 16-metre indoor pool used for group fitness classes and an outdoor fitness area.Source: Brisbane City Council
- The Chermside Hills Reserves, in neighbouring Chermside West, cover 129 hectares and offer 11 walking tracks from 350 metres to 1.7 kilometres.Source: Brisbane City Council
- Brisbane City Council park sites are generally available for booking between 8am and 7pm daily, and barbecues, shelters and playgrounds cannot be booked and must be shared with other visitors.Source: Brisbane City Council
Young renters and long-time locals
Few suburbs span the ages like Chermside. At the 2021 Census 12.5% of its 11,426 residents were aged 25 to 29, while 4.6% were 85 or older, well above the Queensland share of 1.9%. The median age was 35. Two in five households (41.9%) were one person living alone and 58.7% of dwellings were flats or apartments. A trainer here might see a new graduate at 6am and a retiree working on balance and strength at 10am, and the approach to each is different. Say which you are and what you want from it.
The aquatic centre
Council-run Chermside Aquatic Centre on Hamilton Road is set among tropical gardens and has a 25-metre heated outdoor lap pool, a heated 16-metre indoor pool used for learn-to-swim and group fitness classes, and an outdoor fitness area. Weekday opening is 5am, so a swim or a session on the outdoor equipment can happen before work. Check the indoor pool's shorter hours if that is the one you want.
Tracks in the hills
Next door in Chermside West, the Chermside Hills Reserves cover 129 hectares and offer 11 walking tracks, from an easy 350 metres to a moderate 1.7 kilometres, open around the clock. Hills and uneven ground make a good change from a flat park once your fitness is up, and a trainer can pick the grade to suit you.
Booking a park site
7th Brigade Park beside the pool is the obvious local green space, and the council is planning an upgrade after residents said they value it as a place to gather, play and exercise. Trainers who run paid sessions in a council park need the council's permission; park sites are generally bookable between 8am and 7pm, and barbecues, shelters and playgrounds stay shared with everyone else.
AimFit passes your enquiry to one trainer on Brisbane's north side and leaves the rest to the two of you. Start an enquiry, or see training with a partner if you would rather not go it alone.
Chermside questions
I am in my seventies. Is personal training still an option?
Yes. Say so in your enquiry so it goes to a trainer used to working with older adults, and talk to your doctor first if you have a health condition.
Can we use the outdoor fitness area at the aquatic centre?
The council lists an outdoor fitness area at Chermside Aquatic Centre. Entry fees and any rules for trainers are the centre's to set, so ask when you book.