The Gap at a glance
Almost all houses
At the 2021 Census, 92.0% of the suburb's occupied homes were separate houses, 6.9% townhouses or semis and 0.9% flats.
Room to spread out
54.1% had 4 or more bedrooms and 41.5% had 3.
Long-term owners
38.8% of homes were owned outright, against 29.1% across Queensland, and only 15.2% were rented.
A dam in the suburb
Brisbane City Council lists Enoggera Dam, The Gap, among Seqwater's referable dams, and points residents to Seqwater's dam release notifications.
Roots: the number one sewer blocker
Urban Utilities names tree roots as the top cause of blocked sewer pipes, and says roots often grow back into the same pipe they were cleared from. A clear-out buys time, not a cure.
For new planting, it suggests keeping figs, bottlebrushes and paperbarks away from pipes, and planting at least three metres from the line. Not sure where the pipes run? Ask Council for your drainage plan. Our tree roots page covers what a plumber can do.
Protected trees and digging
Brisbane's Natural Assets Local Law 2003 protects some trees and vegetation, including on private land, and interfering with them without permission is an offence even on your own block. Its exemptions don't cover building within the root zone of a significant landscape tree.
If a broken sewer runs under a big tree, talk to Council before anyone trenches. For permits other than minor street tree pruning, Council says it will make contact within 20 business days, so allow for that. Council also points diggers to Before You Dig Australia.
Keep stormwater out of the sewer
Brisbane City Council looks after the stormwater drains beyond your boundary. On your land, the pipes and the outlet to the point of discharge are yours to keep working, and connecting roof water to an open drain, swale or culvert needs an application to work on Council property.
Urban Utilities asks owners to check that roof, driveway and patio stormwater pipes don't connect to the sewer or the overflow relief gully. In heavy rain, that extra water can overload the sewer.
What we would do
If the same drain blocks every few months, ask for a camera inspection rather than another clear-out, because roots tend to return to the same pipe. Before any repair that means digging near a large tree, ring Council about the protected vegetation rules. And if the plumber finds the blockage in Urban Utilities' pipe, keep the paid invoice for your claim.
Specialists for The Gap
We match blocked drains, pipe relining, leak detection and hot water jobs with a licence-checked plumber who does that work. See also Ashgrove and Kenmore.