Wulguru, Queensland

For the genus of acoels, see Wulguru (acoel).

Wulguru Townsville,  Queensland
Wulguru State School, circa 2022
Wulguru
Coordinates	19°19′45″S146°49′04″E / 19.3291°S 146.8177°E / -19.3291; 146.8177 (Wulguru (centre of suburb))
Population	4,389 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	1,513/km2 (3,920/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4811
Area	2.9 km2 (1.1 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	9.5 km (6 mi) S of Townsville CBD 1,327 km (825 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	City of Townsville
State electorate(s)	Mundingburra
Federal division(s)	Herbert
Suburbs around Wulguru: Annandale Idalia Cluden Murray Wulguru Stuart Murray Roseneath Stuart

Wulguru is an outer southern suburb of Townsville in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2021 census, Wulguru had a population of 4,389 people. ^[1]

Geography

The suburb is bounded to the west by the Lavarack Barracks to the west, University Road (Bruce Highway) to the north, the Cluden Racecourse to the north-west, and by the North Coast railway line to the east. ^[3] Townsville Connection Road runs through from south-east to north-east, and then along the north-eastern boundary. ^[4]

The suburb is mostly flat (approx 10 metres (33 ft) above sea level) but in the south-west of the locality rises quickly to 100 metres (330 ft). ^[3] There is a water tank at the high point of the suburb which offers views across Townsville. It is accessible by a walking track, off Diamantina Road ( 19°19′53″S146°48′56″E / 19.3315°S 146.8156°E / -19.3315; 146.8156 (Water tank lookout) ). ^[5]

History

The name Wulguru comes from Wulgurukaba , the language/group name of the Aboriginal people of the Cleveland Bay area. ^[2]

The Wulguru railway station ( 19°19′34″S146°49′35″E / 19.3260°S 146.8263°E / -19.3260; 146.8263 (Wulguru railway station (former)) ) on the North Coast railway line has been abandoned. ^[6]

Wulguru State School opened on 30 January 1962. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Wulguru had a population of 4,570 people. ^[10]

In the 2021 census, Wulguru had a population of 4,389 people. ^[1]

Heritage listings

Wulguru has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Off Stuart Drive (formerly in Stuart, 19°20′06″S146°49′28″E / 19.3349°S 146.8245°E / -19.3349; 146.8245 (Operations and Signals Bunker) ): former Operations and Signals Bunker ^[11]

Education

Wulguru State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Edison Street ( 19°19′28″S146°48′44″E / 19.3245°S 146.8121°E / -19.3245; 146.8121 (Wulguru State School) ). ^{[12] [13]} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 302 students with 27 teachers (24 full-time equivalent) and 18 non-teaching staff (12 full-time equivalent). ^[14] It includes a special education program. ^[12]

There are no secondary schools in Wulguru. The nearest government secondary school is William Ross State High School in neighbouring Annandale to the north-west; ^[15] it is adjacent to the Southern Cross Catholic College. ^[16]

Amenities

The Edison Street Plaza is a small neighbourhood centre in Wulguru that lost several of its stores in 2017–2018, including Edison Street Seafood, video hire, Chinese take-away, St Vincent De Paul op shop, a butcher, and a hairdressing salon. A mini-mart store remained, and the seafood/fish and chips shop and the Chinese takeaway were reopened early in 2019 by the mini-mart operator. Next to the school is a park and several soccer fields as well as a scout hall.^{[ citation needed ]}

There are a number of parks in the area:

• Edison Street Park ( 19°19′38″S146°48′35″E / 19.3271°S 146.8098°E / -19.3271; 146.8098 (Edison Street Park) ) ^[17]
• Walguru Park ( 19°19′26″S146°48′53″E / 19.3238°S 146.8148°E / -19.3238; 146.8148 (Walguru Park) ) ^[17]

• Warrego Street Park ( 19°19′34″S146°49′27″E / 19.3260°S 146.8243°E / -19.3260; 146.8243 (Warrego Street Park) ) ^[17]

• Wulguru Park ( 19°19′26″S146°48′59″E / 19.3239°S 146.8163°E / -19.3239; 146.8163 (Wulguru Park) ) ^[17]

World War 2 bunker

At the corner of Diamantina Street and Stuart Drive is a large block of land at the base of Mount Stuart. During World War II, this was the site of No. 3 Fighter Sector RAAF including the Operations and Signals Bunker. Three Fighter Sector headquarters comprised 32 rooms in the large rectangular concrete building with Caneite partitions forming various passageways. The building still stands today and is 60 by 42 feet (18 by 13 m). The mezzanine floor has long since disappeared.^{[ citation needed ]}

The bunker structure is listed in the Queensland Heritage Register and encompasses the boundary of Diamantina Street, Stuart Drive and Hill Street. ^[11]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Wulguru (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Wulguru – suburb in City of Townsville (entry 44653)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 7 March 2022.
3. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 19 March 2022.
4. "Wulguru" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 26 April 2023.
5. Pugh, Michael (23 January 2020). "Wulguru Hills Sunset and Picnic Walk". Townsville Hike and Explore. Archived from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
6. "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
7. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN   978-1-921171-26-0
8. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government . Retrieved 18 April 2019.
9. "Our school". Wulguru State School. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
10. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Wulguru (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
11. "Operations and Signals Bunker (former) (entry 601708)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
12. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
13. "Wulguru State School". Wulguru State School. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
14. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
15. "William Ross State High School". William Ross State High School. 8 May 2020. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
16. "Southern Cross Catholic College". Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
17. "Land for public recreation - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.

External links

• "Wulguru". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
• Mathew, John. "Highways and Byways: The origins of Townsville Street Names" (PDF). Townsville City Council.