Woolloongabba

Geography

Woolloongabba is located 3.0 kilometres (1.9 mi) by road south of the Brisbane GPO. It contains the Brisbane Cricket Ground ('the Gabba') and the Princess Alexandra Hospital. It is crossed by several major roads including the Pacific Motorway, Logan Road and Ipswich Road. The suburb was once home to a large tram depot.

Buranda is a neighbourhood in the south of the suburb (27.5°S 153.0333°E / -27.5; 153.0333 (Buranda)). The name Buranda comes from Yuggera/Kabi/Bundjalung words buran meaning wind and da meaning place.

The Cleveland railway line enters the suburb from the west (Dutton Park) and exits to the east (Coorparoo) with Buranda railway station serving the suburb (27.4965°S 153.0405°E / -27.4965; 153.0405 (Buranda railway station)).

History

Experts are divided regarding the Aboriginal meaning of the name, preferring either 'whirling waters' (woolloon and capemm) or 'fight talk place' (woolloon and gabba).

Because the area was low-lying and swampy, it was known as the One Mile Swamp. Although this name appears to be unofficial, it was in common use until the early 1890s.

The site of the current Princess Alexandra Hospital has had a long history, commencing in 1893 as the Diamantina Orphanage (named after Diamantina Bowen, wife of the first Queensland Governor). The first hospital to operate on the site was the Diamantina Hospital for Chronic Diseases from 1901, becoming the South Brisbane Auxiliary Hospital from 1943, then the South Brisbane Hospital from 1956, and then renamed Princess Alexandra Hospital in 1960 (to coincide with the visit of Princess Alexandra to Brisbane).

The suburb has a significant link to the history of transport in Brisbane. Between 1884 and 1969, the main railway locomotive depot for lines south of the Brisbane River was beside Stanley St. It was reached via a line that ran beside Stanley St, then crossing it, Logan Road and Ipswich Road to the main line at Dutton Park. By the 1960s, services from the depot were causing significant delays to traffic as they crossed these three major roads.

Woolloongabba Mixed State School opened on 1 September 1884. On 5 July 1885, the school was split into it was divided into Woolloongabba Boys State School and Woolloongabba Girls and Infants State School. In 1910, these schools were renamed Dutton Park Boys State School and Dutton Park Girls and Infants State School. In 1935 the two schools were re-united to create Dutton Park State School. In 1995 the Dutton Park Special School was closed as a separate school and became a special education unit within Dutton Park State School. The school is within the neighbouring suburb of Dutton Park.

The suburb was served by horse-drawn trams from 1885 to 1897, which were replaced by electric trams, which in turn ceased operation on 13 April 1969. All but one of Brisbane's trolleybus routes traversed the suburb, from 1953 to 1969. The Woolloongabba Fiveways (the intersection of Stanley Street, Main Street, Logan Road and Ipswich Road) was a complex junction with tram and railway lines, and tram and trolleybus overhead. Trams were controlled by a signalman, who operated the points (or switches) from a signal cabin near the eastern side of the junction. Trains were escorted across the junction by a flagman. Curiously, Queensland Railways always referred to the branch line as the Wooloongabba Branch, spelled with only one 'l'.

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Woolloongabba had a population of 5,631 people. 51.3% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were China 3.8%, New Zealand 3.5%, England 2.7%, South Korea 2.7% and India 2.5%. 59.2% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 5.9%, Vietnamese 2.7%, Korean 2.4% and Spanish 2.3%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 42.2% and Catholic 15.2%.

In the 2021 census, Woolloongabba had a population of 8,687 people.

Heritage listings

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

8 Annerley Road: Princess Theatre (also known as South Brisbane Public Hall, Boggo Road Theatre)

38 Annerley Road: Bethany Gospel Hall (also known as Bethany Hall)

83 Annerley Road: Burke's Hotel (also known as The Red Brick)

36 Broadway Street: Ukrainian Catholic Church & Presbytery

49 Broadway Street: former Spanish Speaking Baptist Church (also known as Broadway Congregational Church)

Cornwall Street: former Dispenser's House of Diamantina Hospital (also known as Diamantina Health Care Museum)

12–24 Cowley Street: Buranda State School

12 Hawthorne Street: Nazareth Lutheran Church & Sunday School (also known as Nazareth Lutheran Church of South Brisbane)

52 Hawthorne Street: Wilbar (flats)

60 Hawthorne Street: St Seraphim Russian Orthodox Church (also known as Dalma)

68 Hawthorne Street: Holy Trinity Anglican Church

23 Heaslop Street: Wilhelm's Hoehe (house, also known as Papanui)

5 Hubert Street: R.A.O.B. Lodge Hall (also known as St. Joseph's Hibernian Hall)

Education

Buranda State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 24 Cowley Street (27.4971°S 153.0426°E / -27.4971; 153.0426 (Buranda State School)). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 247 students with 20 teachers (14 full-time equivalent) and 10 non-teaching staff (8 full-time equivalent).

Narbethong State Special School is a government special primary and secondary (Early Childhood to Year 12) school for boys and girls at 25 Salisbury Street (27.4957°S 153.0447°E / -27.4957; 153.0447 (Narbethong State Special School)). The school specialises in education for students with impaired vision. In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 57 students with 38 teachers (32 full-time equivalent) and 60 non-teaching staff (35 full-time equivalent).

There are no mainstream government secondary schools in Woolloongabba. The nearest government secondary schools are Brisbane State High School in neighbouring South Brisbane to the north-west, Coorparoo Secondary College in neighbouring Coorparoo to the west, and the new Brisbane South State Secondary College in neighbouring Dutton Park to the west.

The 2021 initial intake at Brisbane South State Secondary College was Year 7 students only, with each successive calendar year extending the range of school years on offer until 2026 when the full Years 7–12 schooling will be provided. Until that time, another option for schooling to Year 12 is Yeronga State High School in Yeronga to the south.

Facilities

Princess Alexandra Hospital (often abbreviated to PA Hospital) is at 199 Ipswich Road (27.4989°S 153.0333°E / -27.4989; 153.0333 (Princess Alexandra Hospital)). It is a public tertiary hospital, providing care for adults in most medical specialties. The hospital has expertise in trauma management and organ transplants. It has an emergency department.

The head office of the Queensland Justices Association is located in Woolloongabba.

Places of worship

Woolloongabba is home to a number of places of worship, including:

Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas (Ross Street)

Holy Trinity Anglican Church (Hawthorne Street)

Finnish Lutheran Church in Brisbane (Hawthorne Street)

Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church (Park Road)

Protection of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church (Broadway Street)

New Apostolic Church (Qualtrough Street)

Darul Uloom Islamic Academy of Brisbane (Agnes Street)

South Brisbane Seventh-day Adventist Church (O'Keefe Street)

St Luke's Catholic Church, 47 Taylor Street (27.4942°S 153.0383°E / -27.4942; 153.0383 (St Luke's Catholic Church))

Nazareth Lutheran Church, 12 Hawthorne Street (27.4887°S 153.0346°E / -27.4887; 153.0346 (Nazareth Lutheran Church))

Sport and recreation

The suburb is home to the Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as "the Gabba".

Attractions

The Norman Hotel is a local landmark that has served customers since 1890.

Transport

The Pacific Motorway cuts through the suburb with an exit south into Vulture Street and a Stanley Street exit for vehicles heading north. Additionally, there is an entrance to the Clem Jones Tunnel in the suburb on Ipswich road.

Public transport

Queensland Rail trains service the suburb with stops at Boggo Road and Buranda. The South East Busway also runs through Woolloongabba, with stops at Woolloongabba busway station and Buranda busway station. The high-frequency Maroon CityGlider bus service also stops here.