Acacia Ridge  Queensland

Once a sea of wattle, Acacia Ridge was one of several dormitory suburbs developed in Brisbane’s southern industrial belt in the 1970s as part of a massive decentralisation program.

After the inevitable land clearing that coincided with the original residential development, the trees are returning to Acacia Ridge through street-planting, private gardens and public parks. In places like Freny Park you can watch the young trees grow and children hone their skating skills on the beginners' bowl whiling away a few pleasant hours with a family barbecue.

The area also has an unusual link to World War II through the American forces’ decision to use a disused quarry as a dumping ground for old aircraft and armaments. The salvage rights for the quarry were subsequently granted to historian Terry Kelly who unearthed a rich cache of collectible Browning and Hispanos machine guns, aircraft and engine parts and other military odds and end.