Austinville, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Austinville is a small, historic suburb of Queensland
covering approximately 20 kilometres squared and situated in the Gold Coast Hinterland
between Mudgeeraba
and Springbrook
consisting of a population of 419 (in 2006)
Austinville is located in a valley through which flows Mudgeeraba Creek and the rugged Nimmel Range loom in the distance. Significant rainforest
exists in the area.
plantation in 1934, making it one of the Gold Coast's oldest suburbs. It was started as an attempt to resettle unemployed people on the land following the Great Depression
, and therefore lift the economy. It was named after the minister for labour at the time, W Austin, who encouraged the building of many of these plantations throughout the state. Land was cleared and divided into blocks and properties, a school was constructed and 50 or so small homes were built too. Mudgeeraba Creek flowed behind the homes along the valley floor, and the rugged Nimmel Ranges
bordered on the settlement's western side. The settlement was very short lived. By 1939, within just 5 years, most families had left the area. Rainforest has crept back into much of the once banana farming valley, and the area remains dwarfed by the surrounding conservation area.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
covering approximately 20 kilometres squared and situated in the Gold Coast Hinterland
Gold Coast hinterland
The Gold Coast hinterland is an area of South East Queensland, Australia that comprises the Tweed Range, Nimmel Range, Tamborine Mountain, Numinbah Valley, eastern parts of the McPherson Range and western parts of suburban Gold Coast.-History:...
between Mudgeeraba
Mudgeeraba
Mudgeeraba is a suburb of the Gold Coast. Mudgeeraba is remnant of the type of township that characterises the rural hinterland of the Gold Coast. Subdivision of land was conventional and buildings were traditionally rural or rural commercial. Mudgeeraba, like other areas, was an early centre,...
and Springbrook
Springbrook, Queensland
Springbrook is a suburb, mountain and plateau in the Gold Coast hinterland of South East Queensland. The highest point, known as Springbrook Mountain is high...
consisting of a population of 419 (in 2006)
Austinville is located in a valley through which flows Mudgeeraba Creek and the rugged Nimmel Range loom in the distance. Significant rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
exists in the area.
History
Austinville settlement was established as a bananaBanana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
plantation in 1934, making it one of the Gold Coast's oldest suburbs. It was started as an attempt to resettle unemployed people on the land following the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, and therefore lift the economy. It was named after the minister for labour at the time, W Austin, who encouraged the building of many of these plantations throughout the state. Land was cleared and divided into blocks and properties, a school was constructed and 50 or so small homes were built too. Mudgeeraba Creek flowed behind the homes along the valley floor, and the rugged Nimmel Ranges
Nimmel Ranges
The Nimmel Range is a small 'range' or rather a section, inside the Gold Coast Hinterland on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Its most prominent feature is the 489 metre peak of Mount Nimmel. It lies at co-ordinates latitude: , longitude: and is 20 km away from Carrara, an inland...
bordered on the settlement's western side. The settlement was very short lived. By 1939, within just 5 years, most families had left the area. Rainforest has crept back into much of the once banana farming valley, and the area remains dwarfed by the surrounding conservation area.