Trail-blazer carves new path at Ellendale

With a flair for fitness and a passion for the community, Ellendale resident Tom McPhail is putting in the miles with his new trail-running group, which has already drawn an impressive 160 members and is a hit with the locals. 

Tom, who is Activities Manager at the local PCYC, makes staying fit and healthy an integral part of his daily routine and says Ellendale serves as the ideal gateway to some of the best outdoor recreation spaces in all of Brisbane. 

“Ellendale is in close proximity to the D’Aguilar National Park, which is one of Brisbane’s best spots to trail run or hike, while soaking up the beautiful surrounds," he said. 

“You’d be surprised at the amount of natural open space and parkland that is virtually accessible from your doorstep, and yet so close to the Brisbane CBD.

“The trail-running group has become incredibly popular with the locals, and I hope it’s something that will gain traction here at Ellendale and service the community for many years to come. 

“I encourage anyone wanting to join to get in touch and dust off their old runners, no matter what age or fitness level.”

 Tom and wife Nadine spent 10 years renting a family home in The Gap before getting serious about their first property purchase. 

The couple looked at several surrounding suburbs for their dream home to raise their three children, but found the homes within their budget looked worn-out and tired. 

After viewing another residential community in Upper Kedron, Tom and Nadine stumbled across Ellendale by accident, and after talking to the sales team, discovered that Ellendale had everything they were looking for. 

Tom said he was instantly sold on Ellendale’s affordability, lifestyle offering, nearby amenity and flexible home building options. 

“We immediately fell in love with Ellendale’s leafy surrounds, warm community atmosphere and close proximity to everything we could possibly need,” he said. 

“Most importantly, it was a huge drawcard for us to be able to build a dream home from scratch that wouldn’t break our budget.

“Cedar Woods have excelled in making Ellendale a family-friendly community, which is something we’ve always dreamed of being a part of.

“Once we had a look and spoke to the sales team, we were certain it ticked all our boxes and would be the perfect fit for our family.”

Tom said he is looking forward to seeing the Ellendale community grow and loves to spend weekends with his family at home and catching up with friends for social events. 

“We love our new home and find it’s the perfect spot to have a barbecue or invite friends over for dinner,” he said. 

“Many of our neighbours moved in at the same time so it’s really special to see everyone forming connections and friendships in a brand new community.

“Ellendale is a great place for our kids to grow up in and we couldn’t be happier that we found it.”