Wacol is a suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.[3] In the 2021 census, Wacol had a population of 4,253 people.[1]

Wacol
BrisbaneQueensland
Wacol is located in Queensland
Wacol
Wacol
Coordinates27°34′59″S 152°55′14″E / 27.5830°S 152.9205°E / -27.5830; 152.9205 (Wacol (centre of suburb))
Population4,253 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density233.7/km2 (605.2/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4076
Area18.2 km2 (7.0 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location21.3 km (13 mi) SW of Brisbane CBD
LGA(s)City of Brisbane
(Jamboree Ward)[2]
State electorate(s)Inala
Federal division(s)Oxley
Suburbs around Wacol:
Riverhills Sumner Darra
Moggill Wacol Richlands
Goodna
Gailes
Ellen Grove
Carole Park
Forest Lake

Geography

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Wacol is bounded to the west by the Brisbane River and to the north loosely by Wolston Creek. It is 18 kilometres (11 mi) south-west of the Brisbane central business district.[4]

The Brisbane-Ipswich railway line enters the suburb from the north-east (Darra), via Wacol railway station in the centre of the locality (27°35′21″S 152°55′27″E / 27.5892°S 152.9243°E / -27.5892; 152.9243 (Wacol railway station)) and Gailes railway station in the south-west of the locality (27°36′08″S 152°55′09″E / 27.6022°S 152.9191°E / -27.6022; 152.9191 (Gailes railway station)), before exiting to the south-west (Goodna / Gailes).[4][5][6][7]

The suburb includes the undeveloped Cockatoo Island (27°35′17″S 152°53′59″E / 27.5880°S 152.8997°E / -27.5880; 152.8997 (Cockatoo Island)) in the Brisbane River.[4][8]

Termination Hill is a 40 metres (130 ft) peak in the south of the suburb (27°36′05″S 152°54′49″E / 27.6013°S 152.9136°E / -27.6013; 152.9136 (Termination Hill)).[4][9]

History

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Termination Hill was named by explorer John Oxley at the termination point of his first voyage up the Brisbane River in December 1823.[9]

 
Real estate map of Wolston Station Estate, circa 1900

Wolston House was opened in 1852. Still intact today the building is the only surviving early Brisbane River settlement.[10] The building was planned to be demolished however the National Trust of Queensland intervened to save the building. Major conservation work was undertaken.

The Wolston railway station was opened on 8 October 1874, taking its name from Wolston House. However, the name caused confusion with the Wilston railway station, so it was renamed on 8 July 1927 to Wacol railway station. Wacol is a coined word from weigh coal, as the principal purpose of the station was coal handling.[6][11] The suburb takes its name from its railway station.[3]

A portion of Wacol comes from the Wolston Estate, consisting of 54 farms on an area of 3000 acres, offered for auction at Centennial Hall, Brisbane, on 16 October 1901.[12][13] Wolston Estate is the property of M. B. Goggs, whose father obtained the land forty years previously in the 1860s and after whom Goggs Road is named.[14] Only three of the farms sold at the original auction.[13]

In 1879, the local government area of Yeerongpilly Division was created. In 1891, parts of Yeerongpilly Division were excised to create Sherwood Division becoming a Shire in 1903 which contained the area of Wolston Estate. In 1925, the Shire of Sherwood was amalgamated into the City of Brisbane.[15]

The suburb played host to the American military during World War II, who constructed Camp Columbia (27°35′00″S 152°56′13″E / 27.5833°S 152.9369°E / -27.5833; 152.9369 (Camp Columbia)) in 1942; after the war, control of the facility was transferred to the Australian Government which used it as a migrant reception and training centre from 1949 to 1987.[16] Associated with the migrant centre was the Wacol East State School, which opened on 14 November 1949 as a "Special School for New Australians" and closed on 11 April 1963.[17]

Carole Park State School opened on 17 September 1948.[18]

Also, in the post-war period, the suburb increasingly became home to correctional and mental health facilities.

HM Prison Wacol opened in 1957 with a special wing for the Wacol Security Patients' Hospital (for the mentally ill). In 1988 it is renamed Wacol Correctional Centre, then in 1996 Moreton Correctional Centre. In 1999 it is closed and rebuilt as the Wolston Correctional Centre.[19]

In 1984, the Sir Leslie Wilson Youth Centre (a secure facility for young offenders and "troubled" children, formerly known as the Wilson Youth Hospital) and its associated Sir Leslie Wilson School relocated from Windsor to Wacol. In 1994 it was renamed the Sir Leslie Wilson Youth Detention Centre in 1994.[20][21][22][23][24][25]

Barrett Adolescent Centre Special School opened on 29 January 1985.[18] It provided education for children with mental health issues. It closed as a full-time school in 2013, but was relocated to Tennyson where it provides part-time support to children with mental health issues but who remain enrolled full-time in other schools.[26]

The John Oxley Youth Detention Centre opened at 139 Wacol Road in 1987.[27] On 15 July 1994 John Oxley School opened to provide education to children held in the John Oxley centre.[28]

More correctional facilities followed with Sir David Longland Correctional Centre opening at 234 Wacol Station Road in 1988. In 1990 the former migrant reception centre site was cleared for the construction of the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre in 1992. The Wolston Correctional Centre and the Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre both opened in 1999. The Brisbane Youth Detention Centre opened in January 2001 as an amgalmation of Sir Leslie Wilson and John Oxley facilities.[18] In 2007 the Brisbane Correctional Centre opened as a redevelopment of the Sir David Longland facility.[29]

In December 2011, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals moved from their premises in Fairfield to Wacol.[30]

Demographics

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In the 2011 census, Wacol had a population of 2,957 people.[31]

In the 2016 census, Wacol recorded a population of 3,761 people; 18.9% female and 81.1% male. The median age in Wacol was 33 years, 5 years below the Australian median. There was a marked over-representation of people aged between 20 and 44 years in Wacol, where they accounted for 68.6% of the population, compared to the national figure of 34.6%. The young and old were under-represented: children aged under 15 years made up just 2.9% of the population (18.7% nationally) and people aged 65 years and over made up 5.2% of the population (nationally 15.8%). 79.4% of people living in Wacol were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 66.7%; the next most common countries of birth were New Zealand 6.4%, Vietnam 1.9%, England 1.7%, Philippines 0.9%, Samoa 0.5%. 15.8% of people spoke only English at home; the next most popular languages were Vietnamese 1%, Tagalog 0.4%, Spanish 0.3%, Mandarin 0.3% and Italian 0.2%.[32]

In the 2021 census, Wacol had a population of 4,253 people.[1]

Heritage listings

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

Facilities

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Brisbane Correctional Centre, 2017

Wacol is home for correctional centre inmates at:

The Park Centre for Mental Health, formerly known as the Wolston Park Hospital, has acted as an institution for the mentally ill since 1865.[40] It is at the corner of Ellerton Drive and Wolston Park Road (27°36′03″S 152°54′36″E / 27.6007°S 152.9100°E / -27.6007; 152.9100 (The Park Centre for Mental Health)) and can also be accessed from Ellerton Road.[41]

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals operate their Brisbane animal hospital and adoption shelter at 139 Wacol Station Road (27°35′09″S 152°55′18″E / 27.5859°S 152.9217°E / -27.5859; 152.9217 (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)).[42]

Wacol Wastewater Treatment Plant is a sewage treatment plant at 176A Grindle Road (27°34′50″S 152°54′19″E / 27.5806°S 152.9053°E / -27.5806; 152.9053 (Wacol Wastewater Treatment Plant)). It is operated by Queensland Urban Utilities.[43]

There is also a significant industrial park located in the area.

Education

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Carole Park State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 260 Waterford Road (27°36′29″S 152°56′01″E / 27.6080°S 152.9336°E / -27.6080; 152.9336 (Carole Park State School)).[44][45] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 201 students with 16 teachers (14 full-time equivalent) and 27 non-teaching staff (15 full-time equivalent).[46] It includes a special education program.[44]

Brisbane Youth Education and Training Centre is a primary and secondary (6-12) educational unit for boys and girls at the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre, 99 Wolston Park Road (27°35′33″S 152°54′54″E / 27.5924°S 152.9149°E / -27.5924; 152.9149 (Brisbane Youth Education and Training Centre)).[44][47] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 124 students with 33 teachers (29 full-time equivalent) and 25 non-teaching staff (18 full-time equivalent).[46]

There is no mainstream secondary school in Wacol; the nearest are Glenala State High School in Durack to the east, Forest Lake State High School in Forest Lake to the south-east, and Woodcrest State College in Springfield to the south.[4]

Amenities

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Gailes Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course for members and visitors at 299 Wilruna Street (27°36′10″S 152°55′05″E / 27.6027°S 152.9180°E / -27.6027; 152.9180 (Gailes Golf Club)).[48]

Wolston Park Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course for members and visitors at Ellerton Drive (corner of Boyce Road, 27°36′13″S 152°54′18″E / 27.6037°S 152.9049°E / -27.6037; 152.9049 (Wolston Park Golf Club)).[49]

There are a number of parks in the area:[50][51]

Transport

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The Ipswich Motorway crosses the suburb. A major upgrade of the road was completed in 2010.[52] The Logan Motorway connects to the Ipswich Motorway in the south of the suburb.

Wacol railway station and Gailes railway station (which, despite its name, is located in Wacol) provides access to regular Queensland Rail City network services to Brisbane, Ipswich and Rosewood via Ipswich.

In the 2011 census, 11.2% of employed people traveled to work on public transport and 66.3% by car (either as driver or as passenger).[31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Wacol (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  2. ^ "Jamboree Ward". Brisbane City Council. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Wacol – suburb in City of Brisbane (entry 43382)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Wacol – railway station in the City of Brisbane (entry 36108)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Gailes – railway station in the City of Brisbane (entry 13299)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Cockatoo Island – island in City of Brisbane (entry 7618)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Termination Hill – hill in City of Brisbane (entry 46572)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  10. ^ Cook, Penny (2006). Discover Queensland Heritage. Corinda, Queensland: Pictorial Press Australia. p. 32. ISBN 1-876561-42-4.
  11. ^ "GENERAL NEWS. Wolston's New Name". The Brisbane Courier. No. 21, 676. Queensland, Australia. 18 July 1927. p. 12. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Plan of the Wolston Estate" (1901) [Map]. Collections. State Library of Queensland.
  13. ^ a b "LATEST NEWS IN BRIEF". The Queenslander. Vol. LXI, no. 1353. Queensland, Australia. 26 October 1901. p. 780. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "SALE OF WOLSTON ESTATE". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. LVIII, no. 13, 651. Queensland, Australia. 12 October 1901. p. 4. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ Fones, Ralph (1 January 1993). "Suburban conservatism in the Sherwood Shire 1891-1920". UQ eSpace. Archived from the original on 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  16. ^ Jones, Ryan. "Wacol Migrant Centre – 1949 – 1987". Mapping Brisbane History. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Agency ID 9261, Wacol East State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  18. ^ a b c Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  19. ^ "Agency ID 29, Wolston Correctional Centre". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  20. ^ "Wilson Youth Hospital (1961 - 1983)". Find and Connect. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  21. ^ "Sir Leslie Wilson Youth Centre (1983 - 1993)". Find And Connect. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  22. ^ "Sir Leslie Wilson Youth Detention Centre (1993 - 2001)". Find and Connect. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  23. ^ "Agency ID 11377, Wilson Youth Hospital". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  24. ^ "Agency ID 11378, Sir Leslie Wilson Youth Centre". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  25. ^ "Agency ID 11379, Sir Leslie Wilson Youth Detention Centre". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  26. ^ "Principal's welcome". Barrett Adolescent Centre Special School. 29 April 2019. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  27. ^ "John Oxley Youth Detention Centre (1987-2001)". National Redress Scheme. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  28. ^ "John Oxley School (1994-2001) | National Redress Scheme". nationalredress.gov.au. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  29. ^ "Historical snapshot: Wacol" (PDF). Queensland Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  30. ^ James Kelly (9 December 2011). "RSPCA closes Fairfield shelter". Australia: ABC News. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  31. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Wacol (Brisbane City) (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 March 2013.  
  32. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Wacol (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  33. ^ "Wolston Park Hospital Complex (entry 600340)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  34. ^ "Wolston House (entry 600339)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  35. ^ "Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre". Prison locations. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  36. ^ "Brisbane Correctional Centre". Prison locations. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  37. ^ "Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre". Prison locations. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  38. ^ "Brisbane Youth Detention Centre". Youth justice centre locations. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  39. ^ "Wolston Correctional Centre". Prison locations. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  40. ^ "A Walk Through Time". State of Queensland. 2 September 2005. Archived from the original on 17 March 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  41. ^ "The Park - Mental Health". West Moreton Health. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  42. ^ "RSPCA Brisbane". RSPCA Queensland. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  43. ^ "Wacol Wastewater Treatment Plant". Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 14 November 2019. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  44. ^ a b c "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  45. ^ "Carole Park State School". Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  46. ^ a b "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  47. ^ "Brisbane Youth Education and Training Centre". Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  48. ^ "Gailes Golf Club". Gailes Golf Club. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  49. ^ "Home". Wolston Park Golf Club. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  50. ^ "Wacol parks". Brisbane City Council. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  51. ^ "Land for public recreation - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  52. ^ "Ipswich Motorway upgrade: Wacol to Darra". Department of Transport and Main Roads. 27 July 2011. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
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