This walk begins with a familiar walk along Fernberg Road and then the ascent of MacGregor Terrace to the junction with Jubilee Terrace. Rather than taking that road, enter Northam Avenue taking the northern side of the divided road and a little way along you will find a steep staircase that takes you down to a delightful, shady gully between the backs of yards facing on one side onto Northam, and on the other, onto Coopers Camp Road.

Strolling down this parkland you come to Cecil Road which will take you right to join Coopers Camp Road. Descending the latter, you cross Ithaca Creek and then ascend and follow the right-hand bend to reach the Ashgrove West Shopping Centre, in former days known as the Terminus. The Ashgrove tramline, whose route followed Waterworks Road, terminated here from 1935 to 1969.

Now cross Waterworks Road and walk west passing the Ashgrove West Uniting (formerly Methodist) Church where rests a memorial stone that was dedicated in 1951 to the memory of those who served in two World Wars.

Cross Glory Street and enjoy the view of Ashgrove State School. The school dating to 1877 was one of the first established by the colonial government. The current imposing main building was amongst the last of the series of neoclassical style brick schools built in Queensland from the 1920s to the 1950s. Each was distinguished by individual architectural features as you will see if you visit Ithaca Creek and Milton State Schools on this series of walks.

The façade, tinged with fond memories, remains quite unchanged from that familiar to pupils of the 1950s and 1960s, including the author. If passing by in the morning, those ripe in years may imagine they discern the faint and sadly distant echo of loudly recited times-tables resounding up and down the length of the building.

Auditory hallucinations notwithstanding, continue along Glory Street past the school practice nets and oval and turn into Wonga Drive. Having passed the well-wooded Wonga Drive Park, follow Cypress Drive to the corner with Glenlyon Drive.

Looking down tree-lined Glenlyon Drive towards Waterworks Road, you see some magnificent mature Bunya Pines as well as figs and other species. Glenlyon Drive was originally the approach to Glenlyon House, seen opposite, which was built in 1876 by a Scot, Alexander Stewart, and sat at the heart of a 250-acre estate until its subdivision in the early 20^th century. Continue down Glenlyon Drive until you come to Enoggera Creek where you see the bridge and entrance to Marist College, whose alumni include many famous Rugby internationals.

Follow the creek, walking west along Acacia Drive and thence along the bikeway that almost circumnavigates Ashgrove Sportsground Park and then continues along the creek to the bridge that crosses to St Johns Wood. The banks of the creek have undergone substantial revegetation providing a pleasant microclimate.

When you arrive at Waterworks Road turn across the bridge over Enoggera Creek, thus entering St Johns Wood, and continue on to turn left into Piddington Street. At Number 31 stands St Johns Wood House¹, also known as the Granite House, built in 1864, a year before Fernberg. The large estate that surrounded it has been long since subdivided to create the modern suburb. An apocryphal account suggests that it was visited by Prince Albert and Prince George (the future George V) in early 1881, but while no documented evidence supports the claim, it appears it did no harm to real estate sales of the subdivision.

Continue along Piddington to the crossroad where you will see much more modern mansions ranged steeply above you. Turn left down the hill to enter Royal Parade and follow the path through the well-vegetated park that follows the course of the creek back towards Gresham Street, on the corner of which once stood the Ambassador Theatre in pre-television days, but where now stands an early learning centre.

Cross the bridge and Waterworks Road to Chandlers Corner, walking past the shops to Monoplane Street. Follow the latter uphill past the Mater Dei Catholic Primary School to Sunset Park situated on the site of an old rubbish dump but now the scene of unbridled joy for frisky dogs and their owners. Walk up through the park and then along the optimistically named Rangeview Place (formerly the eastern end of Barnett Road) to reach Davies Road.

The houses on the lower side of the road, including that of my parents directly opposite, built by the Housing Commission in the immediate post-war years, have in the main been extended and modified or in some cases replaced to present a more affluent picture than in those distant aspirational and optimistic times.

Follow the road downhill until, after a dogleg, it becomes Bowman Parade and continue.

When you reach the Bardon Bowls Club, keep left to take the path that leads along Ithaca Creek, an excellent spot for catching tadpoles and tortoises as I recall. Eventually, you come to a footbridge that will take you up to Cecil Road, crossing there to reach Northam Avenue again. With steady but hopefully, not excessive exertion, climb the unrelenting incline until you come once more to Jubilee Terrace and then MacGregor Terrace to begin the welcome downhill promenade back to Fernberg Road and Government House.

¹ Wikipedia, accessed 9th April 2023