Beerwah Sunshine Coast, Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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Coordinates | 26°51′30″S152°57′32″E / 26.8583°S 152.9588°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 7,734 (2021 census) [1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 133.12/km2 (344.8/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4519 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 58.1 km2 (22.4 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location |
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LGA(s) | Sunshine Coast Region | ||||||||||||||
County | Canning | ||||||||||||||
Parish | Bribie | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | |||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Fisher | ||||||||||||||
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Beerwah ( /ˈbɪərwɑː,-wɔː/ ) is a rural town and locality in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. [2] [3] At the 2021 census, the locality of Beerwah had a population of 7,734 people. [1]
Australia Zoo, located in Beerwah, is a major tourist attraction and is visited daily by large numbers of local, national and international tourists. Beerwah has transport links to Brisbane and northbound destinations via the Beerwah railway station on the Nambour and Gympie North railway line. Roads in the area include a bypass in the south of the town, Kilcoy-Beerwah Road and Steve Irwin Way.
Beerwah is situated north of Glass House Mountains, approximately 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Brisbane, and just south of Landsborough. The main road through Beerwah is called Steve Irwin Way. [4] It was formerly known as the Glasshouse Mountain Tourist Route and is accessed by the Bruce Highway, which bypassed the town in 1985. Kilcoy–Beerwah Road enters from the west. [5]
The name Beerwah comes from the Kabi language (Turrbal dialect) word birrawaman, with birra meaning sky and wandum meaning climbing up. [2] [3]
Beerwah Post Office opened by August 1907 (a receiving office had been open from 1891). [6]
The Coochin Creek Provisional School opened on 27 November 1888 with an initial enrolment of 19 students under teacher William Verrants. By the end of 1888, there were 43 students enrolled. It was on the main Peachester road, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the Beerwah railway station. On 1 January 1909, it became Coochin Creek State School. In about November 1928, it was renamed Beerwah State School. The school celebrated its golden jubilee in 1938. [7] On 10 July 1952, another Coochin Creek State School opened, but it closed on 11 March 1962. [8] [9] [10]
On Saturday 26 September 1914, the local Anglican residents held a meeting to consider erecting a church in Beerwah. Mr Mawhinney donated a piece of land by the railway station. [11] On Saturday 7 November 1914 Archdeacon Henry Le Fanu officially capped the first stump of the new church building. All the materials for the church and the labour were all donated so the church would be free of debt. [12] On Saturday 6 March 1916, Archdeacon Le Fanu returned to officially open and dedicate St James' Anglican Church. [13] In the 1990s, diminishing numbers in the congregations led to a decision to close a number of churches in the area. St James' was closed and sold for removal. [14]
On 4 July 1991, the Mary MacKillop Catholic Centre was blessed and opened by Archbishop Francis Rush. [15]
Beerwah State High School opened on 1 January 1992. [16] [10]
The Beerwah Library opened in 2000. [17]
Glasshouse Country Christian College was established on 31 January 2000 by the Glasshouse Country Baptist Church with an initial 16 students. [10] [18]
Glasshouse Country Uniting Church opened its church at Beerwah on 16 December 2000, The architects were Thomson Adsett Architects. It was a result of the merger of the Glasshouse Uniting Church, Beerwah Uniting Church, Landsborough Uniting Church and Mooloolah Uniting Church. [19]
In the 2016 census, the locality of Beerwah had a population of 6,769 people, 52% female and 48% male. [20] The median age was 39 years, compared to the national median age of 38. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 2.8% of the population. 77.2% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England 5.1% and New Zealand 4.8%. 90.8% of people only spoke English at home. The most common responses for religion in Beerwah were No Religion 32.8%, Anglican 17.2% and Catholic 14.4%. [20]
Beerwah has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Beerwah is a growing hinterland town. [26] Transport links to Brisbane and northbound destinations at Beerwah railway station on the Nambour and Gympie North railway line. Beerwah has high public transport usage with 0.6% of residents using public transportation for their work commute, placing it in the top 20% on the Sunshine Coast. [27]
A small bypass was constructed south of the town, including an overpass of the railway, a large roundabout at Roberts Road, and traffic signals at Kilcoy-Beerwah Road and Steve Irwin Way. This work opened to traffic in October 2009. As part of that project, however, the original level crossing was closed and demolished, causing concern among local residents who claimed it sliced the town in two. [28] In 2010, many residents began to complain about the lack of signage to the town centre. The town entrance now features two distinctive large directional signs, one at the Steve Irwin Way entrance, and one at the roundabout after travelling over the railway bridge.
Beerwah State School is a government primary (Early Childhood-6) school for boys and girls at 2788 Old Gympie Road ( 26°51′19″S152°56′24″E / 26.8554°S 152.9399°E ). [29] [30] [31] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 367 students with 40 teachers (32 full-time equivalent) and 21 non-teaching staff (15 full-time equivalent). [32] It includes a special education program. [29] [33]
Glasshouse Christian College is a private primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at 58 Roberts Road ( 26°51′42″S152°57′06″E / 26.8616°S 152.9518°E ). [29] [34] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1074 students with 75 teachers (70 full-time equivalent) and 67 non-teaching staff (48 full-time equivalent). [32] [33]
Beerwah State High School is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at 35 Roberts Road ( 26°51′46″S152°57′14″E / 26.8627°S 152.9540°E ). [29] [35] [36] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 895 students with 86 teachers (79 full-time equivalent) and 44 non-teaching staff (30 full-time equivalent). [32] It includes a special education program. [29] [33]
The Sunshine Coast Regional Council operates a public library at 25 Peachester Road. [37]
There are a range of national supermarkets, specialty shops, and a retirement village.[ citation needed ]
The Beerwah branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 39 Simpson Street. [38]
Anglican church services are held at the Mary MacKillop Catholic Centre at 160 Peachester Road ( 26°51′28″S152°56′34″E / 26.8579°S 152.9427°E ). [14] [39] [40]
Glasshouse Country Uniting Church (also known as Beewah Uniting Church) is at 29 Twin Peaks Drive ( 26°52′18″S152°57′36″E / 26.8718°S 152.9599°E ). [41] [42] [43] [19]
There are a number of parks in the locality, including:
Beerwah is one of the largest towns in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, set within the backdrop of the Glass House Mountains with 13 volcanic peaks.
Australia Zoo is located in Beerwah. The zoo was founded by Bob Irwin and later made famous by his son, Steve Irwin. It is a major tourist attraction and is visited daily by large numbers of local, national and international tourists.
Another attraction, the Glass House mountain range, is located nearby. The largest mountain in the range, at 555m, is Mount Beerwah. Access to the Mount Beerwah summit route has been closed since 2008 due to the erosion and destabilization of some walking tracks, leading to a high risk of rock fall. [45]
The Big Mower, one of Australia's big things, is located in Beerwah.
Glass House Mountains National Park is a heritage-listed national park at Glass House Mountains, Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. It is also known as Beerburrum Forest Reserve 1. It is 70 km (43 mi) north of Brisbane and consists of a flat plain punctuated by rhyolite and trachyte volcanic plugs, the cores of extinct volcanoes that formed 26 million to 27 million years ago. The mountains would once have had pyroclastic exteriors, but these have eroded away.
Boonah is a rural town and locality in the Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Boonah had a population of 2,557 people.
Glass House Mountains is a rural hinterland town and locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Glass House Mountains had a population of 5,601 people.
Maleny is a rural town and locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. Maleny was a timber town until the early 1920s and then was a centre of dairy production and fruit growing. In the 2021 census, the locality of Maleny had a population of 3,959 people.
Mooloolah Valley is a rural locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Mooloolah Valley had a population of 3,629 people.
Landsborough is a town and a locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Landsborough had a population of 4,446 people.
Montville is a rural town and locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Montville had a population of 1,092 people.
Arana Hills is a suburb in Division 10 of the City of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Arana Hills had a population of 6,971 people.
Diddillibah is a semi-rural locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Diddillibah had a population of 1,703 people.
The Glass House Mountains are a cluster of thirteen hills that rise abruptly from the coastal plain on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. The highest hill is Mount Beerwah at 556 metres above sea level, but the most identifiable of all the hills is Mount Tibrogargan which from certain angles bears a resemblance to a gorilla facing east towards the ocean. The Glass House Mountains are located near Beerburrum State Forest and Steve Irwin Way. From Brisbane, the mountains can be reached by following the Bruce Highway north and taking the Glass House Mountains tourist drive turn-off onto Steve Irwin Way. The trip is about one hour from Brisbane. The Volcanic peaks of the Glass House Mountains rise dramatically from the surrounding Sunshine Coast landscape. They were formed by intrusive plugs, remnants of volcanic activity that occurred 26–27 million years ago. Molten rock filled small vents or intruded as bodies beneath the surface and solidified into land rocks. Millions of years of erosion have removed the surrounding exteriors of volcanic cores and softer sandstone rock.
Bellthorpe is a rural locality in the City of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Bellthorpe had a population of 108 people.
Peachester is a rural town and locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Peachester had a population of 1,460 people.
Coochin Creek is a coastal locality in the south of the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. The locality is named for the creek which flows through it.
Wild Horse Mountain is the smallest of the Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is with the locality of Coochin Creek in the Sunshine Coast Region. The peak rises to 123 metres (404 ft). It is located east of the Bruce Highway unlike all other peaks within the Glass House Mountains and thus provides great views of the other mountains.
Crohamhurst is a rural locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Crohamhurst had a population of 219 people.
Booroobin is a rural locality split between the City of Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast Region in Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Booroobin had a population of 258 people.
Stanmore is a rural locality in the City of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Stanmore had a population of 454 people.
Bald Knob is a rural locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Bald Knob had a population of 280 people.
Caloundra Road is a continuous 9.3-kilometre (5.8 mi) road route in the Sunshine Coast local government area of Queensland, Australia. Most of it is designated as part of State Route 6. It is a state-controlled district road, part of which is rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).
Kilcoy–Beerwah Road is a continuous 30.4-kilometre (18.9 mi) road route in the Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast local government areas of Queensland, Australia. It is designated as part of State Route 6. It is a state-controlled regional road. It is part of a route that carries tourist traffic from the New England Highway to the Bruce Highway.