Kuraby, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Kuraby is a suburb of Brisbane
, Queensland
, Australia
. It is situated approximately 21 kilometres (13 mi) by road or 22.5 kilometres (14 mi) by rail south-east of the city of Brisbane.
Beenleigh Road is the main road connecting the suburb to the motorways leading to the city and further parts of Brisbane and beyond.
Kuraby is serviced by fast electric train service to the city and the Gold Coast, whilst a bus service takes commuters to the large shopping centres of Upper Mount Gravatt
and Springwood
.
The 1970s saw Queensland's first Big W
store open in this suburb, which is now a part of the Underwood Marketplace.
In practice one could throw a stick of wood into a creek one side of the suburb and eventually it would finish up in the Brisbane River
whilst if one throws a stick in the opposite direction it would finish up in the Logan River
. Both rivers eventually flow into Moreton Bay
.
Because Kuraby is situated between these two rivers it tends to have a somewhat dryer landscape than other parts of Brisbane. Rain tends to come up the Logan to the mountains [hills] behind Brisbane then back down the Brisbane River.
The topography
ranges from high hills with very poor soil to low, very fertile soil areas.
A number of parks are situated within the area these cater for all types of activities from sporting to leisure.
The local council has reserved large tracts of native bush in the area surrounding many of these parks. This in turn has ensured that many of the wildlife species of the area survives.
The main area of Kuraby is situated on the southern boundary of the City of Brisbane. However, parts of the suburb come within Logan City. This situation makes Kuraby unique in terms of planning as each council has slightly different local government laws.
d on 16 August 1975 and derives from the local railway station name first used by the Railway Department in 1889. Originally the name came from an aboriginal
word meaning “a place of many springs.”
The area of Kuraby was once known as Eight Miles Plains. Charles Baker
was granted a Publican’s Licence on 12 December 1865. The modern Glen Hotel now stands there. This was where Cobb & Co changed horses and the passengers were refreshed before continuing their journey to Beenleigh and further south.
It wasn’t until the railway established the “southern” rail line in 1885 and a rail station that people said that they came from Kuraby. This was to differentiate the area from Eight Mile Planes or Spring Creek as the local (Kuraby) settlers called the area.
The settlement of Kuraby began in 1860, when the Hollosons and Bakers cleared land and commenced farming. This until recently has been the areas main activity. Today the main activity is developing the fertile land into housing estates hence there is very little evidence of what was once the areas main activity, agriculture.
The Duke and Duchess of York
opened the new Parliament House, Canberra
, in 1927. Four years later they toured Australia, and in the middle of their hectic schedule, one night’s rest was arranged. The Royal Train
was brought to the passing loop at Kuraby station and kept securely there with its pilot train. The timetable was re-arranged to enable them to have an un-interrupted evening. This event put the name of Kuraby on the map.
People passing through Kuraby might think it a rural town. Despite the large number of houses that have been (and are still being) constructed Kuraby remains little changed around the rail station area. Several of the original shops remain although they are not used for their original purpose. The rail station itself is currently having construction work being done, as is the nearby Fruitgrove
station.
Many nationalities from different parts of the world now call Kuraby home. The Muslim
community has a mosque
in Kuraby while there is a Buddhist temple situated in a nearby suburb. Many other religions have their place of worship either in the suburb or in the surrounding suburbs.
Young families are attracted to Kuraby as it has many facilities to cater for them. Primary schools both State and Community, a special school and child care facilities.
Several doctors and a chemist have set up business in Kuraby to cater for the health needs of the population.
Kuraby has its own community centre (the infrastructure is owned by the local council) and is run by a volunteer committee of local people who are responsible for seeing that the building is maintained and improvements are implemented. The centre is well utilised by the local community. Many early settlers to the area were Banana farmers who supplied outer suburbs.
provides access to regular Citytrain
services to Brisbane and Beenleigh
.
www.kurabyss.eq.edu.au
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...
. It is situated approximately 21 kilometres (13 mi) by road or 22.5 kilometres (14 mi) by rail south-east of the city of Brisbane.
Beenleigh Road is the main road connecting the suburb to the motorways leading to the city and further parts of Brisbane and beyond.
Kuraby is serviced by fast electric train service to the city and the Gold Coast, whilst a bus service takes commuters to the large shopping centres of Upper Mount Gravatt
Upper Mount Gravatt, Queensland
Upper Mount Gravatt is a suburb in Brisbane, to the south of Mount Gravatt. It has increasingly become an important centre in the last 15 years...
and Springwood
Springwood, Queensland
Springwood is a suburb of Logan City, Queensland, Australia. The size of Springwood is approximately 6 km². It has 17 parks covering nearly 9% of the total area. The population of Springwood in 1996 was 9,738 people. By 2001 the population was 9,084 showing a population decline of 7% in the...
.
The 1970s saw Queensland's first Big W
Big W
Big W is one of the largest chain of discount department stores in Australia, with over 150 stores. It is a division of Woolworths Limited, the second largest retailer in Australia. Its main competitors are Kmart and Target, both owned by Wesfarmers....
store open in this suburb, which is now a part of the Underwood Marketplace.
Geography and climate
The climate is sub-tropical with relatively dry winters and hot humid summers.In practice one could throw a stick of wood into a creek one side of the suburb and eventually it would finish up in the Brisbane River
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
whilst if one throws a stick in the opposite direction it would finish up in the Logan River
Logan River
The Logan River is a river in South East Queensland. The catchment is dominated by urban and agricultural land use. Near the river mouth are mangrove forests and a number of aquaculture farms.-History:...
. Both rivers eventually flow into Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
.
Because Kuraby is situated between these two rivers it tends to have a somewhat dryer landscape than other parts of Brisbane. Rain tends to come up the Logan to the mountains [hills] behind Brisbane then back down the Brisbane River.
The topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
ranges from high hills with very poor soil to low, very fertile soil areas.
A number of parks are situated within the area these cater for all types of activities from sporting to leisure.
The local council has reserved large tracts of native bush in the area surrounding many of these parks. This in turn has ensured that many of the wildlife species of the area survives.
The main area of Kuraby is situated on the southern boundary of the City of Brisbane. However, parts of the suburb come within Logan City. This situation makes Kuraby unique in terms of planning as each council has slightly different local government laws.
Kuraby State School
Kuraby State School was opened in 1928 and is situated within bushland surrounds.History
The name "Kuraby" was officially gazetteGazette
A gazette is a public journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.In English- and French-speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name Gazette since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers bear the name The Gazette.Gazette is a loanword from the...
d on 16 August 1975 and derives from the local railway station name first used by the Railway Department in 1889. Originally the name came from an aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
word meaning “a place of many springs.”
The area of Kuraby was once known as Eight Miles Plains. Charles Baker
Charles Baker
Charles Baker or Charlie Baker may refer to:*Charles Baker , executed English Jesuit priest*Charles Baker , North American surveyor and jurist...
was granted a Publican’s Licence on 12 December 1865. The modern Glen Hotel now stands there. This was where Cobb & Co changed horses and the passengers were refreshed before continuing their journey to Beenleigh and further south.
It wasn’t until the railway established the “southern” rail line in 1885 and a rail station that people said that they came from Kuraby. This was to differentiate the area from Eight Mile Planes or Spring Creek as the local (Kuraby) settlers called the area.
The settlement of Kuraby began in 1860, when the Hollosons and Bakers cleared land and commenced farming. This until recently has been the areas main activity. Today the main activity is developing the fertile land into housing estates hence there is very little evidence of what was once the areas main activity, agriculture.
The Duke and Duchess of York
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
opened the new Parliament House, Canberra
Parliament House, Canberra
Parliament House is the meeting facility of the Parliament of Australia located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. The building was designed by Mitchell/Giurgola Architects and opened on 1988 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia...
, in 1927. Four years later they toured Australia, and in the middle of their hectic schedule, one night’s rest was arranged. The Royal Train
Royal Train
A royal train is a set of carriages dedicated for the use of the monarch or other members of that particular royal family. Most monarchies with a railway system employ a set of royal carriages.-Australia:...
was brought to the passing loop at Kuraby station and kept securely there with its pilot train. The timetable was re-arranged to enable them to have an un-interrupted evening. This event put the name of Kuraby on the map.
People passing through Kuraby might think it a rural town. Despite the large number of houses that have been (and are still being) constructed Kuraby remains little changed around the rail station area. Several of the original shops remain although they are not used for their original purpose. The rail station itself is currently having construction work being done, as is the nearby Fruitgrove
Fruitgrove railway station, Brisbane
Fruitgrove Station is a railway station on the Beenleigh Line of Brisbane, Australia. It is part of the Queensland Rail City network.It is in a transition precinct between Zone 4 and Zone 5 of the TransLink integrated public transport system....
station.
Demography and economics
Kuraby has a diverse population mix of old and young. Some of the older residents can trace their families back to the early settlement of the area. A number of the local streets now bear their name.Many nationalities from different parts of the world now call Kuraby home. The Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
community has a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in Kuraby while there is a Buddhist temple situated in a nearby suburb. Many other religions have their place of worship either in the suburb or in the surrounding suburbs.
Young families are attracted to Kuraby as it has many facilities to cater for them. Primary schools both State and Community, a special school and child care facilities.
Several doctors and a chemist have set up business in Kuraby to cater for the health needs of the population.
Kuraby has its own community centre (the infrastructure is owned by the local council) and is run by a volunteer committee of local people who are responsible for seeing that the building is maintained and improvements are implemented. The centre is well utilised by the local community.
Transport
Kuraby railway stationKuraby railway station, Brisbane
Kuraby Station is a railway station on the Beenleigh Line of Brisbane, Australia. It is part of the Queensland Rail City network.It is in Zone 5 of the TransLink integrated public transport system.-Services by platform:-External links:***...
provides access to regular Citytrain
CityTrain
Citytrain is the brand name of urban, suburban and inter-urban electric passenger railway services in South East Queensland, Australia. Its network, centering in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, is approximately in route length...
services to Brisbane and Beenleigh
Beenleigh, Queensland
Beenleigh is a suburb in the Logan City area of Queensland, Australia. Beenleigh and adjoining suburbs are located near the confluence of the Logan and Albert rivers...
.
External links
www.kurabyss.eq.edu.au