McDowall, Queensland
Encyclopedia
McDowall is a northern suburb within the city of Brisbane
, the capital city of Queensland
, Australia
.
McDowall is notable for the Raven Street Reserve, which is a 24.3 hectare bushland area surrounded by urban housing and busy roads. It is part of a long stretch of forest and green areas going from the mountains in the west to the mangrove
areas on the coast.
It has many species of wildflowers and grass trees (see image below) which when in flower have a long central flowering stem that attracts bees.
Trees include weeping myrtle and native blueberry ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus
) with creek fauna such as water dragons (Physignathus lesueurii), turtles and native fish including the crimson spotted rainbow fish. There are also squirrel gliders, possum
s and scrub turkeys with occasionally a swamp wallaby
being sighted. The bird life is abundant and in keeping with its name has a significant crow or raven population.
, which opened in January 1975, was named before the suburb itself. It was named in honour of Colonel John McDowall, who was a distinguished early-settler of the area. As the population grew, the Brisbane City Council considered naming the suburb Annand after Colonel Frederick Annand. This was disapproved of by local residents, who wanted the suburb to be named after the newly-opened school. The name "McDowall" was therefore accepted for the area by the Place Names Board of Queensland in 1975.
The bushland was protected by Greenbelt
designation in 1950s when the local area was subdivided, and has been managed by council since 1972.
McDowall's first housing establishments were built around 1972 and very few houses in McDowall were built before then. More housing was later built in the 1980s, early 1990s and 2007.
supermarket in 2012), whereas McDowall Village shopping centre is located on the northern end of McDowall and is anchored by an IGA
supermarket. Major shopping centres that are local to McDowall include Brookside Shopping Centre
, Stafford City Shopping Centre and Westfield Chermside
.
Schools that serve the McDowall area include McDowall State School, Craigslea State School, Craigslea State High School, Northside Christian College and the Queen of Apostles Chuter St campus. A number of bus services also travel through the area going to local shopping centres such as Chermside, Aspley
and Brisbane City.
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...
, the capital city 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...
.
McDowall is notable for the Raven Street Reserve, which is a 24.3 hectare bushland area surrounded by urban housing and busy roads. It is part of a long stretch of forest and green areas going from the mountains in the west to the mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
areas on the coast.
It has many species of wildflowers and grass trees (see image below) which when in flower have a long central flowering stem that attracts bees.
Trees include weeping myrtle and native blueberry ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus
Elaeocarpus reticulatus
Elaeocarpus reticulatus, the Blueberry Ash, is a large shrub or tree which can grow to a height of 15m. In NSW rainforests it can attain a height of 30 metres. Its most conspicuous features are white or pink cup-shaped flowers with fringed edges and round blue fruits. Strictly botanically, the...
) with creek fauna such as water dragons (Physignathus lesueurii), turtles and native fish including the crimson spotted rainbow fish. There are also squirrel gliders, possum
Possum
A possum is any of about 70 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi .Possums are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails...
s and scrub turkeys with occasionally a swamp wallaby
Swamp Wallaby
The Swamp Wallaby is a small macropod marsupial of eastern Australia. This wallaby is also commonly known as the Black Wallaby, with other names including Black-tailed Wallaby, Fern Wallaby, Black Pademelon, Stinker , and Black Stinker...
being sighted. The bird life is abundant and in keeping with its name has a significant crow or raven population.
History and Overview of McDowall
McDowall State SchoolMcDowall State School
McDowall State School is a state primary school located on the north side of Brisbane, Queensland in the suburb of McDowall. Established in 1975, the McDowall State School caters for students from prep to grade 7 with approximately 850 students in the whole school...
, which opened in January 1975, was named before the suburb itself. It was named in honour of Colonel John McDowall, who was a distinguished early-settler of the area. As the population grew, the Brisbane City Council considered naming the suburb Annand after Colonel Frederick Annand. This was disapproved of by local residents, who wanted the suburb to be named after the newly-opened school. The name "McDowall" was therefore accepted for the area by the Place Names Board of Queensland in 1975.
The bushland was protected by Greenbelt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
designation in 1950s when the local area was subdivided, and has been managed by council since 1972.
McDowall's first housing establishments were built around 1972 and very few houses in McDowall were built before then. More housing was later built in the 1980s, early 1990s and 2007.
Local Services
All of McDowall's residential developments are within close proximity to either one of McDowall's two community-based shopping centres. The North-West Plaza is located on the southern end of McDowall (which is currently under refurbishment and will be completed with a WoolworthsWoolworths (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 in 2012), whereas McDowall Village shopping centre is located on the northern end of McDowall and is anchored by an IGA
IGA (Australian supermarket group)
Independent Grocers of Australia, or IGA, is a chain of independent supermarkets in Australia. It is the local variant of the international Independent Grocers Association...
supermarket. Major shopping centres that are local to McDowall include Brookside Shopping Centre
Brookside Shopping Centre
Brookside Shopping Centre is the largest shopping centre in Brisbane's north-west, situated in Mitchelton, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.-History:...
, Stafford City Shopping Centre and 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...
.
Schools that serve the McDowall area include McDowall State School, Craigslea State School, Craigslea State High School, Northside Christian College and the Queen of Apostles Chuter St campus. A number of bus services also travel through the area going to local shopping centres such as Chermside, Aspley
Aspley, Queensland
Aspley is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia located about 13 kilometres north and about a half-hour drive north of the Central Business District of Brisbane...
and Brisbane City.