Car & Van Hire - Rocklea

Rocklea is a vibrant suburb of Brisbane that offers plenty of attractions and activities of its own. The Rocklea Showgrounds hosts an annual Spring Carnival and several equestrian shows, car shows and farmer's fairs over weekends throughout the year. Then, there's the annual Briz-Chilli Fest, a Halloween-themed chilli festival every October with food, drinks and costumes.

Rocklea's local football (soccer) team, Brisbane Knights Football Club, plays at the Croatian Sports Centre. They are a League 3 team in the Brisbane Premier League. Visitors can catch a game or pursue activities of their own at events spaces like the Somerville House Sports and Recreational Fields.

While Rocklea itself doesn't hold any museums, it is close to many of Brisbane's suburban cultural spaces. These include the fascinating Art Museum of the University of Queensland, the second-largest public collection in Brisbane. The Wacol Military Museum, open Tuesday to Saturday, houses militaria in Wacol, 7 km south of Rocklea.

For film fans, Rocklea is within easy reach of Regal Graceville and Event Cinemas Indooroopilly, excellent cinemas for mainstream and arthouse flicks. There's also the fun Backyard Cinema Experience on Stones Corner for outdoor film showings. One of Rocklea's most eye-catching cultural spaces is its Russian Orthodox Church, built by Russian immigrants fleeing the USSR.

The Saturday Fresh Market is one of Brisbane's best. You'll find fresh produce across the weekend, as well as tasty food stalls selling Vietnamese baguettes, grills, and more. It's a popular spot for those based across Brisbane. Other foodie highlights include the cosy Evolve Organics Cafe and Sundays Cafe opposite the rail station. You can also discover the local craft brewers, Helios Brewing Company and Slipstream Brewing Company, in neighbouring Yeerongpilly.

Rocklea benefits from open green spaces that are perfect for walks and day trips with little ones. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary provides an educational space to learn about koalas, while Oxley Common provides a scenic expanse of fields for picnics and water bird-watching. For sprawling city views, head to Mount Coot-Tha, 12 km north of Rocklea.

One of Rocklea's most popular leisure events is golf. Several noted golfing courses are situated throughout the area, including Oxley Golf Club, Corinda Golf Course and the Brisbane Golf Course. For something different, enjoy a day out at Iceworld Olympic Ice Rinks and Mortimer Road Park.

Driving in and around the Brisbane region is both quick and easy, making car or van rental in Rocklea an ideal means to discover Queensland. Brisbane itself has a significant network of highways, freeways and motorways, allowing for convenient connections with Rocklea, Brisbane Airport and beyond.

The M7/A7 is a major urban corridor that runs through Rocklea, providing quick connections between Brisbane and Ipswich. It extends to Brisbane Airport and includes several tool portions along the Airport Link and Clem Jones Tunnel. This is the most convenient and direct route to Brisbane Airport from Rocklea, which allows for quick travel from the city, too.

The Western Freeway (M5) runs north of Rocklea, providing an alternative connection with Brisbane and its airport via the Inner City Bypass. The M5 connects with Springfield, where it becomes the A5 for links out of the city. Rocklea offers quick connections to Highway 1 (M1), an important national highway network that traverses the entirety of Australia. It's an important route for travel to Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns.

For those interested in renting a car in Rocklea, remember that vehicles drive on the left side of the road throughout Australia. Speed limits in Rocklea and throughout Brisbane are strongly enforced with static and mobile speed cameras and should be obeyed at all times. The speed limit in built-up areas of Queensland is 50 km/h unless signposted. Traffic congestion peaks from 07:30-09:00 and from 17:00-18:00, as the major commute times in and out of Brisbane. Rush hour is not particularly heavy in Rocklea but can affect the M7/A7 during these peak times.

Parking in Rocklea is plentiful, with both designated street parking and car parks. These are mostly short-term in commercial areas, but long-stay tickets can be purchased in designated commuter lots near train stations (Rocklea and Oxley). Parking is widely available near Rocklea and Brisbane's major retail hubs, like Brisbane Markets.

Be extra cautious of pedestrian activity around school and hospital zones, where strict limits of 25 km/h are enforced. There are also quite a lot of no-through roads within Rocklea's residential areas that should be noted. All of Rocklea's low-speed zones are always clearly signposted, especially along highway exits from the city. Stop signs should also be adhered to when driving a car rental in Rocklea.