Chermside, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Chermside is a suburb on the north side of Brisbane
, Queensland
, Australia
.
Chermside is a key destination along Queensland Transport's future Northern Busway
. Chermside is home to Queensland's largest shopping centre which contains a 3 story Myer
and a 16 screen cinema complex.
Together with Indooroopilly
, in the west; Carindale
, in the southeast; and Mount Gravatt
, on the south side; the suburb has been described as a mini-CBD
.
In November 1868 Cobb & Co. stagecoaches began to travel through Chermside on the way to the goldfields
at Gympie
.
Brisbane's tram
way network finally reached the suburb on the 29 March 1947, and Chermside remained the northernmost point on the system until the line to Chermside was closed on 2 December 1968. The tram line along Gympie Road was separated from other traffic (this is commonly called "reserved track
"), which resulted in fast travel times along this portion of the route. Another feature of the Chermside tram line were the rose gardens which bordered the reserved track portion of the line. A picture of the Chermside tram line can be viewed at http://www.brisbanetramwaymuseum.org/photo23.html.
Originally named Downfall Creek, the suburb's name was change to Chermside in 1903 after the Governor of Queensland
, Major-General Sir Herbert Chermside
Chermside State School (then called Downfall Creek State School) was opened on the 9 July 1900 and closed on 13 December 1996 http://education.qld.gov.au/information/service/libraries/edhistory/celebrations/dates/c.html. Craigslea State School opened 24 January 1972 and a neighbouring High School
in January 1975.
The Dawn theatre first opened in 1928 (showing The Man Who Laughs
), and closed on the 2 August 2005 (with Mr. & Mrs. Smith
). It was the last single screen cinema
in Brisbane.
Westfield Chermside
first opened in May 1957 as The Chermside Drive-in Shopping Centre with an Allan & Stark's department store and a small arcade of a dozen shops, before becoming a Myer
department store
. It was the first drive-in shopping centre in Australia. It is now the largest single level shopping centre in Australia, with a 4 storey Myer, as well as a 16 screen Birch, Carrol and Coyle megaplex. It is also home to Brisbane's first Apple Store.
The early 1970s saw the opening of Queensland's first Kmart
store in Chermside, which was situated next to a Coles
supermarket. Both of these stores closed in the mid-1990s and have been replaced with a Woolworths
supermarket and specialty stores. Both Kmart
and Coles
have been relocated in Westfield Chermside
.
Chermside has many outdoor recreational facilities, including two large park
s, 7th Brigade
Park, and Marchant Park - on land donated 9 September 1921 by soft drink
manufacturer George Marchant
. Before and during World War I
this land had been variously the home of artillery
and light horse units. During World War II
a diverse range of volunteers, soldiers, and camps were at Chermside, such as U.S. Army units, including a number of African American
soldiers. A Kitty Hawk
plane
on a training flight crashed there in 1943, killing the pilot and instructor.
Chermside has had a library
since 1909 - it now forms a branch of the Brisbane City Council Library service, and is situated next to the Kedron Wavell RSL
and some sports facilities, including a moderate water park
. The Prince Charles Hospital
(Public) was opened in 1959 and Holy Spirit Northside Private Hospital in 2001.
A history of Chermside was published by a local teacher and part time historian Mr David R Teague in 1973 http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/695791.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
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...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Chermside is a key destination along Queensland Transport's future Northern Busway
Northern Busway, Brisbane
Northern Busway is a bus-only road in Brisbane, Queensland. The busway allows buses to travel north/south through the Brisbane City without encountering car traffic. The first section of the Northern Busway opened in February 2004 had one station, QUT Kelvin Grove, later Normanby and RCH Herston...
. Chermside is home to Queensland's largest shopping centre which contains a 3 story Myer
Myer
Myer is Australia's largest department store chain, retailing a broad range of merchandise including women's, men's and children's clothing, footwear and accessories; cosmetics and fragrance; homewares; electrical; furniture and bedding; toys; books and stationery; food and confectionery; and...
and a 16 screen cinema complex.
Together with Indooroopilly
Indooroopilly, Queensland
Indooroopilly is a suburb of Brisbane, Australia which is located 7 km west of the Brisbane central business district.- Name derivation and history :...
, in the west; Carindale
Carindale, Queensland
Carindale is a suburb of the city of Brisbane, which has a population of approximately 15,135 people and contains around 4,976 dwellings. The greater area was formerly known as Belmont....
, in the southeast; and Mount Gravatt
Mount Gravatt, Queensland
Mount Gravatt is the name of both a major suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and a prominent hill in this suburb. The suburb is situated in the south-east of the city and was one of Brisbane's largest...
, on the south side; the suburb has been described as a mini-CBD
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
.
History
The Chermside area was first settled by Europeans in the late 19th century. The first plot of land was sold on 23 May 1866, and the population has progressively increased since with a significant increase with the post-war residential development.In November 1868 Cobb & Co. stagecoaches began to travel through Chermside on the way to the goldfields
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
at Gympie
Gympie
Gympie may refer to:* Gympie, a city in Queensland, Australia** Gympie Airport** Electoral district of Gympie** Gympie Region, its local government authority* Gympie Gympie , a stinging plant...
.
Brisbane's tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way network finally reached the suburb on the 29 March 1947, and Chermside remained the northernmost point on the system until the line to Chermside was closed on 2 December 1968. The tram line along Gympie Road was separated from other traffic (this is commonly called "reserved track
Reserved track
In tram transport terminology reserved track is track on ground exclusively for trams. Unlike track on streets and roads, reserved track does not need to take into account the transit of other wheeled vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists or horses...
"), which resulted in fast travel times along this portion of the route. Another feature of the Chermside tram line were the rose gardens which bordered the reserved track portion of the line. A picture of the Chermside tram line can be viewed at http://www.brisbanetramwaymuseum.org/photo23.html.
Originally named Downfall Creek, the suburb's name was change to Chermside in 1903 after the Governor of Queensland
Governors of Queensland
The Governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level....
, Major-General Sir Herbert Chermside
Chermside State School (then called Downfall Creek State School) was opened on the 9 July 1900 and closed on 13 December 1996 http://education.qld.gov.au/information/service/libraries/edhistory/celebrations/dates/c.html. Craigslea State School opened 24 January 1972 and a neighbouring High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in January 1975.
The Dawn theatre first opened in 1928 (showing The Man Who Laughs
The Man Who Laughs
The Man Who Laughs is a novel by Victor Hugo, originally published in April 1869 under the French title L'Homme qui rit. Also published under the title By Order of the King...
), and closed on the 2 August 2005 (with Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005 film)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a 2005 American romantic comedy action film directed by Doug Liman and written by Simon Kinberg. The original music score was composed by John Powell...
). It was the last single screen cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
in Brisbane.
Westfield Chermside
Westfield Chermside
Westfield Chermside is the largest shopping centre in Queensland, located in Brisbane's inner northern suburbs, the second-largest in Australia, behind Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne, and is operated by the Westfield Group. Entertainment facilities include an Event Cinemas 16-screen cinema...
first opened in May 1957 as The Chermside Drive-in Shopping Centre with an Allan & Stark's department store and a small arcade of a dozen shops, before becoming a Myer
Myer
Myer is Australia's largest department store chain, retailing a broad range of merchandise including women's, men's and children's clothing, footwear and accessories; cosmetics and fragrance; homewares; electrical; furniture and bedding; toys; books and stationery; food and confectionery; and...
department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
. It was the first drive-in shopping centre in Australia. It is now the largest single level shopping centre in Australia, with a 4 storey Myer, as well as a 16 screen Birch, Carrol and Coyle megaplex. It is also home to Brisbane's first Apple Store.
The early 1970s saw the opening of Queensland's first Kmart
Kmart Australia
Kmart Australia Limited is a discount department store chain owned by Wesfarmers. It operates 172 stores in Australia and 15 in New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Victoria. Wesfarmers uses the Kmart name under licence from Sears Holdings Corporation.-History:Kmart Australia...
store in Chermside, which was situated next to a Coles
Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
supermarket. Both of these stores closed in the mid-1990s and have been replaced with a Woolworths
Woolworths (supermarkets)
Woolworths is the largest supermarket chain in Australia, owned by Woolworths Limited.-History:Woolworths Limited was founded in 1924, with the first store opening up in Sydney's Imperial Arcade.-2008 rebranding:...
supermarket and specialty stores. Both Kmart
Kmart Australia
Kmart Australia Limited is a discount department store chain owned by Wesfarmers. It operates 172 stores in Australia and 15 in New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Victoria. Wesfarmers uses the Kmart name under licence from Sears Holdings Corporation.-History:Kmart Australia...
and Coles
Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
have been relocated in Westfield Chermside
Westfield Chermside
Westfield Chermside is the largest shopping centre in Queensland, located in Brisbane's inner northern suburbs, the second-largest in Australia, behind Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne, and is operated by the Westfield Group. Entertainment facilities include an Event Cinemas 16-screen cinema...
.
Chermside has many outdoor recreational facilities, including two large park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
s, 7th Brigade
Australian 7th Brigade
7th Brigade is a combined arms formation or brigade of the Australian Army. The Brigade was first raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force and saw action at Gallipoli and on the Western Front during World War I. Following the end of the war the brigade was disbanded before...
Park, and Marchant Park - on land donated 9 September 1921 by soft drink
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
manufacturer George Marchant
George Marchant
George Marchant was an Australian soft-drink manufacturer and philanthropist.Marchant was born in Brasted, Kent, England, the son of a builder and hotel keeper. As a boy he become interested in the temperance movement. He arrived in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on the Ramsey on 9 June 1874at...
. Before and during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
this land had been variously the home of artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and light horse units. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a diverse range of volunteers, soldiers, and camps were at Chermside, such as U.S. Army units, including a number of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
soldiers. A Kitty Hawk
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
plane
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
on a training flight crashed there in 1943, killing the pilot and instructor.
Chermside has had a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
since 1909 - it now forms a branch of the Brisbane City Council Library service, and is situated next to the Kedron Wavell RSL
Returned and Services League of Australia
The Returned and Services League of Australia is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force ....
and some sports facilities, including a moderate water park
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
. The Prince Charles Hospital
The Prince Charles Hospital
The Prince Charles Hospital is a major teaching hospital in Brisbane's northside with an emphasis in cardiac and respiratory medicine and cardio-thoracic surgery. It also has geriatric and rehabilitation services, elective orthopaedic services and cardiothoracic services, an in-patient psychiatric...
(Public) was opened in 1959 and Holy Spirit Northside Private Hospital in 2001.
A history of Chermside was published by a local teacher and part time historian Mr David R Teague in 1973 http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/695791.