Upper Coomera
Gold Coast, Queensland
An aerial shot of Coomera and Upper Coomera looking towards Moreton Bay and the Pacific Ocean
Upper Coomera is located in Gold Coast, Australia
Upper Coomera
Upper Coomera
Coordinates27°52′43″S 153°17′10″E / 27.8786°S 153.2861°E / -27.8786; 153.2861 (Upper Coomera (centre of suburb))
Population27,180 (SAL 2021)[1]
Established1900s
Postcode(s)4209
Area23.8 km2 (9.2 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)City of Gold Coast
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Forde
Suburbs around Upper Coomera:
Willow Vale Pimpama Coomera
Wongawallan Upper Coomera Coomera
Maudsland Oxenford Helensvale

Upper Coomera is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Upper Coomera had a population of 27,180 people.[3]

Geography

Upper Coomera is located on the northern side of the Gold Coast on the western side of the M1 Pacific Motorway. It borders Willow Vale in the north, the Coomera River on the south which separates it from Oxenford and the Pacific Highway on the east which separates it from Coomera. Tamborine-Oxenford Road (State Route 95) runs through from south-west to south-east.[4]

Upper Coomera and Coomera have long been the main centre of urban development on the Gold Coast and are considered to be, along with Southport and Robina, one of the Gold Coast's three urban centres. Upper Coomera is a heavily suburbanised suburb consisting of many large residential developments and commercial centres. Despite already being heavily developed and having a large population, Upper Coomera is predicted by both the Queensland Government and Gold Coast City Council to grow and develop at an exponential rate well into the next decade. Upper Coomera is a popular place of residence for dual-city commuters as it is placed roughly halfway between the central commercial districts of Southport and Beenleigh and within reasonable travelling distance to Brisbane CBD.

History

The name Coomera comes from the Yugambeh word kumera, a species of wattle.[5]

Upper Coomera War Memorial

In 1864, the British surveyed the land along Coomera River with 15,000 acres reserved for agricultural purposes.[6] In 1865, William Alfred Binstead became the first white man to take up land in Upper Coomera area near a ford in the river that later formed part of a mail run. A ferry service was set up downstream which later became known as Coomera.[7]

The sugar industry was soon established in the region with the Otmoor plantation of Arthur Ardagh producing the first refined sugar in 1870.[8] South Sea Islander labour was utilised at Otmoor from its formation and by 1881 was the only type of labour used on the property.[9]

The Upper Coomera Cemetery was first surveyed in 1871 and it opened in 1885, but it was not until 3 years later that someone was buried there.[10]

By December 1888, an Anglican church had been built in Upper Coomera, but its opening was delayed until the return of Bishop William Webber from England to Queensland.[11] The opening ceremony was conducted by the bishop on Sunday 31 March 1889 .[12][13] The new Anglican Church of the Holy Road was opened on Saturday 18 December 1937 by Bishop William Wand.[14]

The Upper Coomera Shire War Memorial is on the corner of Oxenford and Tamborine Road (27°54′05″S 153°17′18″E / 27.90152°S 153.28828°E / -27.90152; 153.28828 (Upper Coomera Shire War Memorial)) and was unveiled on Saturday 18 May 1918 by Edward Macartney, Member of the Queesland Legislative Assembly.[15] The memorial originally only honoured those from the district who fell in World War I; however, the names of those who perished during World War II were added later.[16] The inscriptions on the memorial read:[17]

"This memorial was erected by the residents, in honour of the brave lads of the Coomera district who fell in the Great War 1914-19. They gave their all. Let you who pass, saluting here their names,See that through you no slur, nor stain, nor shame Falls on the land for which they gave their lives - AUSTRALIA."

Coomera Upper Provisional School opened on 23 October 1876. On 15 July 1878 it became Coomera Upper State School. It closed in 1964.[18]

Fern Hill State School opened in 1910 and closed on 24 March 1914.[18]

The first bridge across the Coomera river was built in the 1930s.[7]

Saint Stephen's College opened in 1996.[18]

Coomera Anglican College was established on 27 January 1997 by the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane.[18]

Upper Coomera State College opened on 1 January 2003.[18]

Assisi Catholic College opened on 25 January 2005.[18]

Coomera Springs State School opened in January 2008 on an 11-hectare (27-acre) site with approximately 90 students initially enrolled.[19][20]

Highland Reserve State School was officially opened in January 2009 by Queensland Premier Anna Bligh.[21] The school was originally proposed to be called Oxenford West State School.[19]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Upper Coomera had a population of 25,276 people. Upper Coomera had one of the largest communities of both New Zealand Australians (894 people; 3.5%) and Māori Australians (1,549 people; 4.3%) of any suburb in Queensland.[22][23]

In the 2021 census, Upper Coomera had a population of 27,180 people.[3]

Heritage listings

Upper Coomera has a number of heritage sites, including:

  • Upper Coomera War Memorial, intersection of Tamborine-Oxenford Road and Charlies Crossing Road North [24]

Education

Primary-only schools

Highland Reserve State School, 2023

Coomera Springs State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Old Coach Road (27°50′50″S 153°18′02″E / 27.8471°S 153.3005°E / -27.8471; 153.3005 (Coomera Springs State School)).[25][26] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 899 students with 60 teachers (56 full-time equivalent) and 29 non-teaching staff (22 full-time equivalent).[27] It includes a special education program.[25]

Highland Reserve State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 570 Reserve Road (27°53′34″S 153°16′58″E / 27.8929°S 153.2829°E / -27.8929; 153.2829 (Highland Reserve State School)).[25][28] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 902 students with 62 teachers (58 full-time equivalent) and 45 non-teaching staff (25 full-time equivalent).[27] It includes a special education program.[25]

Primary and secondary schools

Upper Coomera State College is a government primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at 137 Reserve Road (27°52′14″S 153°17′46″E / 27.8705°S 153.2961°E / -27.8705; 153.2961 (Upper Coomera State College)).[25][29] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 2,037 students with 180 teachers (169 full-time equivalent) and 96 non-teaching staff (69 full-time equivalent).[27] It includes a special education program.[25]

Assisi Catholic College is a Catholic primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at 173 Billinghurst Crescent (27°51′30″S 153°18′08″E / 27.8583°S 153.3021°E / -27.8583; 153.3021 (Assisi Catholic College)).[25][30] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1,398 students with 97 teachers (91 full-time equivalent) and 54 non-teaching staff (41 full-time equivalent).[27]

Coomera Anglican College is a private primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at 8 Days Road (27°51′30″S 153°18′20″E / 27.8584°S 153.3055°E / -27.8584; 153.3055 (Coomera Anglican College)).[25][31] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 1,407 students with 92 teachers (88 full-time equivalent) and 61 non-teaching staff (57 full-time equivalent).[32] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1,414 students with 92 teachers (90 full-time equivalent) and 62 non-teaching staff (57 full-time equivalent).[27] It has a 2,500-square-metre (27,000 sq ft) sports centre, which includes two full size netball courts as well as a full commercial gym operated by Coomera Focus on Fitness and available for use by the local community. The current principal is Mark D Sly.

Saint Stephen's College is a private primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at 31 Reserve Road (27°52′12″S 153°18′25″E / 27.8700°S 153.3069°E / -27.8700; 153.3069 (Saint Stephen's College)).[25][33] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 1,294 students with 97 teachers (94 full-time equivalent) and 76 non-teaching staff (65 full-time equivalent).[32] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1,265 students with 98 teachers (93 full-time equivalent) and 79 non-teaching staff (65 full-time equivalent).[27]

Community

Upper Coomera School of Arts, 2015
Upper Coomera Library

The Upper Coomera Community Centre is located on Reserve Road and contains the office of Councillor Donna Gates, Customer Service Office, Aquatic Centre, and Upper Coomera Branch Library. The community centre opened on 14 June 2013.[34] The Upper Coomera Branch Library opened in April 2013 and is the newest branch of the Gold Coast libraries.[35]

The Upper Coomera School of Arts was established in 1896. It is used for public meetings and other community purposes.[36]

Shopping

Upper Coomera has several shopping venues, the main ones being Coomera City Centre, Coomera Grand Shopping Centre and The Hub at the junction of Days Road and Old Coach Road. Together they consist of Woolworths and Aldi supermarkets, and various other stores. Also located throughout the suburb in smaller shopping villages are Coles supermarkets. Various fast food outlets exist in Upper Coomera including two McDonald's restaurants, Hungry Jack's, Pizza Hut, Subway, Nandos, KFC, Pizza Capers and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.

Nearby major shopping centres include Westfield Coomera, Westfield Helensvale, Robina Town Centre, Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Harbour Town Shopping Centre and Australia Fair Shopping Centre. The Westfield Coomera shopping centre in the neighbouring suburb of Coomera is a new addition to the local area.[37]

Entertainment

Upper Coomera has a number of hotels, cafes and restaurants, catering to families.

Public transport

Upper Coomera is well serviced by a variety of bus routes provided by Surfside Bus Lines and operated by Translink. There is also a train station on Foxwell Road in the neighbouring suburb of Coomera.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Upper Coomera (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
  2. ↑ "Upper Coomera – suburb in City of Gold Coast (entry 49320)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  3. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Upper Coomera (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  4. ↑ Google (4 October 2022). "Upper Coomera, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "Indigenous Language Resources: South-East Qld Placenames" (PDF). State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. XX, no. 2, 370. Queensland, Australia. 2 September 1865. p. 6. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. 1 2 "Coomera history". Gold Coast City Council. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  8. ↑ "BEENLEIGH". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. XXV, no. 4, 114. Queensland, Australia. 10 December 1870. p. 6. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "UPPER COOMERA". The Queenslander. Vol. XX, no. 309. Queensland, Australia. 23 July 1881. p. 102. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ↑ "Upper Coomera cemetery, Gold Coast". www.chapelhill.homeip.net. Archived from the original on 15 June 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "Country Mails". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. XLV, no. 9, 655. Queensland, Australia. 24 December 1888. p. 3. Archived from the original on 23 August 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ↑ "Country News". Logan Witness. Vol. XII, no. 578. Queensland, Australia. 20 April 1889. p. 2. Retrieved 10 March 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ↑ "General News". The Queenslander. Vol. XXXVI, no. 721. Queensland, Australia. 27 July 1889. p. 170. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ↑ "New church dedicated at Upper Coomera". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 18 December 1937. p. 26 (Late Week End Final). Retrieved 10 March 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ↑ "APPRECIATION OF SOLDIERS". The Brisbane Courier. No. 18, 829. Queensland, Australia. 24 May 1918. p. 7. Archived from the original on 23 August 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ↑ "Upper Coomera War Memorial". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  17. ↑ "Upper Coomera Shire War Memorial (Digger)". Queensland War Memorial Register. 23 June 2014. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  19. 1 2 "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  20. ↑ "History". Coomera Springs State School. 9 April 2020. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  21. ↑ "About our school". Highland Reserve State School. 24 October 2019. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  22. ↑ "2016Census_G_QLD_SSC - Census DataPacks - General Community Profile". Australian Bureau of Statistics – Census 2016. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  23. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Upper Coomera (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  24. ↑ Gold Coast Local Heritage Register - N to Z, pp. 147-148
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  26. ↑ "Coomera Springs State School". Coomera Springs State School. 9 April 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  28. ↑ "Highland Reserve State School". Highland Reserve State School. 11 October 2019. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  29. ↑ "Upper Coomera State College". Upper Coomera State College. 20 February 2019. Archived from the original on 25 April 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  30. ↑ "Assisi Catholic College - Upper Coomera". Assisi Catholic College. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  31. ↑ "Coomera Anglican College". Coomera Anglican College. 6 March 2022. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  32. 1 2 "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  33. ↑ "Saint Stephen's College". Saint Stephen's College. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  34. ↑ "Upper Coomera Centre". Gold Coast City Council. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  35. ↑ "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  36. ↑ "Upper Coomera". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  37. ↑ "Westfield Coomera Town Centre Site Taking Shape". ALLROADS. Archived from the original on 13 June 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.

Further reading

  • Coghill, Gloria A; Coomera State School (1998). 125 Years of schooling on the Coomera 1873-1998. G. Coghill. ISBN 978-0-646-35838-3.—includes Coomera Upper State School and Fern Hill State School

Sources

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