Gordonvale, Queensland
Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English Template:Infobox Australian place Template:GeoGroup Gordonvale is a rural sugar-growing town and locality situated on the southern side of Cairns in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia.<ref name=qpnt>Template:Cite QPN</ref><ref name=qpnl>Template:Cite QPN</ref> In the Template:CensusAU, the locality of Gordonvale had a population of 6,944 people.<ref name=Census2021/>
At Gordonvale in June 1935, the cane toad was introduced in a failed attempt at controlling the native Frenchi beetle and the greyback cane beetle.
Geography
Gordonvale lies approximately Template:Convert south of the Cairns central business district and is just east of the Gillies Range which leads to the Atherton Tableland.
The locality is bounded to the south-east by the Mulgrave River. The land is generally flat and low-lying (approx Template:Convert above sea level), but on the eastern, southern and western boundaries of the locality the land begins to rise sharply as the locality is surrounded by mountainous terrain formating part of a number of ranges: Islet Hills to the north-west, Lamb Range to the south-west, Bellenden Ker Range to the south, and Thompson Range to the east. The predominant land use in the locality is growing sugarcane.<ref name="globe" />
The town of Gordonvale is on the Mulgrave River and is on the south-eastern edge of the locality. The Mulgrave Sugar Mill is on the western side of the town in Gordon Street.<ref name="globe">Template:Queensland Globe</ref>
The Bruce Highway enters the locality from the south-east (Aloomba), bypasses the town centre to the west and then proceeds north to exit to Wrights Creek.<ref name="globe" />
The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the south-east (Aloomba), passes through the town and then travels north through the locality to exit to Wrights Creek.<ref name="globe" /><ref name="railwaystations">Template:Cite web</ref> The town is served by the Gordonvale railway station which is located immediately adjacent to the sugar mill. The Kamma railway siding is just prior to the exit to Wrights Creek. The former Meringa railway station in the centre of the locality has been abandoned.<ref name="railwaystations" /> There is an extensive network of cane tramways through the locality and beyond that deliver harvested sugarcane to the Mulgrave Sugar Mill.<ref name="globe" />
History
Gordonvale was established on Yidinji tribal land. Yidinji (also known as Yidinj, Yidiny, and Idindji) is an Australian Aboriginal language. Its traditional language region is within the local government areas of Cairns Region and Tablelands Region, in such localities as Cairns, Gordonvale, and the Mulgrave River, and the southern part of the Atherton Tableland including Atherton and Kairi.<ref>Template:Cite SLQ-CC-BY</ref>
British settlement began in 1877 with William Saunders Alley and Mr Blackwell and their families who cut a road through to Trinity Inlet so they could haul out cedar logs. It was called Plain Camp by Alley.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
In the Cairns area, a Chinese businessman, Andrew Leon, built the first sugar mill in 1882, named Pioneer Mill, and established the Hap Wah Plantation on Template:Convert of land.<ref name=":12">Template:Cite book</ref>
In 1890, the area became known as Mulgrave after the Mulgrave River.<ref name=":0" /> In 1896 it was named Nelson, named after Queensland Premier Sir Hugh Muir Nelson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However this caused postal confusion with Nelson in New South Wales. On 24 January 1914, the town was officially renamed Gordonvale after John Gordon, a pioneer in the district who was a butcher, dairyman and grazier, and early director of Mulgrave Central sugar mill.<ref name="qpnt" /><ref name="qpnl" />
Mulgrave State School opened on 15 March 1897.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite QldSchool</ref> In 1914, it was renamed Gordonvale State School. On 28 March 1924, it became Gordonvale Rural School. In 1963, a secondary school department was added until a separate secondary school was established in 1965. On 1 January 1965, the primary school was renamed back to Gordonvale State School.<ref name="qfhs">Template:Citation</ref>
On 20 April 1916, the Cane Beetles March commenced at Mooliba (now Mirriwinni). It was a snowball march to recruit men into the First Australian Imperial Force during World War I at a time when enthusiasm to enlist had waned after the loss of life in the Gallipoli campaign. The march began at Mooliba with 4 men, passing through Babinda, Aloomba, Gordonvale, and Edmonton, and ending in Cairns 60 kilometres later with 29 recruits.<ref name=":022">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
St Alphonsus Catholic School was established in Muir Street in 1923 by the Sisters of Mercy.<ref name="qfhs" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was officially opened on Sunday 15 April 1923 by Bishop John Heavey.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A special excursion train was provided for people wishing to attend the ceremony.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In December 1959 it was replaced by the St Michael's Catholic Primary School and the former school building became a parish hall. The Sisters of Mercy ended their involvement with the school in 1990 and it now operates under lay leadership.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Little Mulgrave State School opened on 26 July 1926 and closed on 21 February 1964.<ref name="qfhs" />
On Sunday 15 July 1934, the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Filippo Bernardini laid the foundation stone for a new Catholic Church.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On Sunday 27 January 1935 Bishop John Heavey officially opened and blessed the new church.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Gordonvale parish of the Roman Catholic Vicariate Apostolic of Cooktown (now the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns) was established in 1935.<ref name=":2" />
Cane toads (Bufo marinus) were deliberately introduced into Australia in an attempt to control the native Frenchi beetle (Lepidiota frenchi) and the greyback cane beetle (Dermolepida albohirtum) whose larvae (colloquially known as "cane grubs") were destroying sugar cane crops in North Queensland. In June 1935 the Queensland Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations imported 102 cane toads (Bufo marinus) into Gordonvale from Hawaii in June 1935 (with one dying in transit due to dehydration) in the belief that the toads would eat the cane beetles, a pest in the sugarcane industry. By March 1937 some 62,000 toadlets had been bred and distributed into sugar cane fields up and down the Queensland coast. The experiment did not work and the toads have spread throughout much of Australia.<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref>
During World War II, a contingent of approximately 3,000 American paratroopers was stationed in Gordonvale and did their training there for their missions in New Guinea. The American Army commandeered some of the town's hotels to use as hospitals as many troops were injured during this training. Quite a number of local women were employed to do parachute packing.Template:Citation needed
The first Gordonvale Fire Station opened in 1950 at 105 Norman Street (Template:Coord).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The new Gordonvale Fire Station on Gillies Range Road was completed in 2017. The new site was chosen to provide better access to both the Bruce Highway and the Gillies Highway.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Gordonvale Library opened on 19 February 1954, replacing the old School of Arts which was built in 1900.<ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":6" />
All Saints' Anglican Church was consecrated on 14 June 1963 by Anglican Bishop of North Queensland Ian Shevill and Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Hugh Gough. It was designed by Cairns architects Sidney George Barnes and Edwin Oribin.<ref name=":7" />
On 26 October 1964, police officer Senior Constable Desmond Trannore was shot attending a domestic disturbance.<ref name=":22">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":4" />
Gordonvale State High School opened in 1965, replacing the secondary department of Gordonvale Rural School (also known as Gordonvale State School).<ref name=":9" /><ref name="auto" /><ref name="qfhs" />
In the 1990s, a number of mosaics were commissioned by the "Friends of Gordonvale" commemorating through imagery the original businesses and shops in the town. These mosaics were cemented permanently within the footpaths directly outside the original sites of the businesses.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Gordonvale was located within the Shire of Mulgrave until its amalgamation with the City of Cairns in 1995. The city was subsequently merged into the larger Cairns Region in 2008.
Emmanuel College opened in Manunda on 29 January 1986.<ref name=":02">Template:Citation</ref> In 2002, Emmanuel College closed and became Djarragun College in Gordonvale, a school committed to improving the educational outcomes of Indigenous students in the Cape York Peninsula area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2012, the new Gordonvale Ambulance Station opened. It replaced the old ambulance station built in 1916 at 1 Cannon Street (Template:Coord).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The old ambulance building was sold on 8 October 2013 for $405,000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 27 October 2014, the Cairns Seventh Day Adventist School moved to purpose-built premises in Gordonvale and was renamed Cairns Adventist College. It originally opened as a primary school on 6 February 1950 in the Cairns CBD. It laterTemplate:When moved to premises at the Cairns Seventh Day Adventist Church at 302 Gatton Street, Manunda.<ref name=":02"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 22 November 2018 the new Gordonvale Police Station was officially opened on Draper Road by Police Minister Mark Ryan and Police Commissioner Ian Stewart. The new police station cost $4.5 million and was built to serve the growing population in the corridor south of Cairns. It features Indigenous artwork "Looking to the Stars" by Gilimbaa artist Jenna Lee of the Larrakia people.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref> The previous police station was in Cannon Street (Template:Coord).<ref name="emergencyservices">Template:Cite web</ref>
Demographics
In the Template:CensusAU, Gordonvale had a population of 4,420 people.<ref name="ABS">Template:Census 2006 AUS</ref>
In the Template:CensusAU, Gordonvale had a population of 6,214 people.<ref name="Census2011">Template:Census 2011 AUS</ref>
In the Template:CensusAU, Gordonvale had a population of 6,671 people.<ref name="Censusce2016">Template:Census 2016 AUS</ref>
In the Template:CensusAU, Gordonvale had a population of 6,944 people.<ref name=Census2021>Template:Census 2021 AUS</ref>
Heritage listings
Gordonvale has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- Meringa Sugar Experiment Station, 71378 Bruce Highway<ref name=qhr>Template:Cite QHR</ref>
- Alley Family Graves, Gillies Highway<ref>Template:Cite QHR</ref>
Education
Gordonvale State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 28 George Street (Template:Coord), opened originally in 1897, under the name Mulgrave State School.<ref name="Schoolist2018">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 553 students with 42 teachers (36 full-time equivalent) and 34 non-teaching staff (20 full-time equivalent).<ref name="ACARA2018">Template:Cite web</ref> It includes a special education program.<ref name="Schoolist2018" />
St Michael's Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 58 Mill Street (Template:Coord).<ref name="Schoolist2018" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 307 students with 25 teachers (21 full-time equivalent) and 16 non-teaching staff (11 full-time equivalent).<ref name="ACARA2018" />
Cairns Adventist College is a private primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 42 Crossland Road (Template:Coord).<ref name="Schoolist2018" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 73 students with 6 teachers and 6 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent).<ref name="ACARA2018" />
Djarragun College is a private primary and secondary (Prep–12) day and boarding school for predominantly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys and girls at 1 Maher Road (Template:Coord).<ref name="Schoolist2018" /><ref name=":3" /> Opened in 2001, in 2018, the school had an enrolment of 308 students with 25 teachers and 47 non-teaching staff (41 full-time equivalent).<ref name="ACARA2018" /> About 25% of the students are boarders coming from the Torres Strait Islands, Cape York Peninsula, and remote areas in Queensland and the Northern Territory.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> The school's mission is "to develop proud, strong, educated Indigenous men and women, who walk confidently in two worlds, to be leaders, and to be role models for their families and communities".<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref>
Gordonvale State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 85 Sheppards Street (Template:Coord).<ref name="Schoolist2018" /><ref name=":9">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 793 students with 73 teachers (69 full-time equivalent) and 40 non-teaching staff (30 full-time equivalent).<ref name="ACARA2018" /> It includes a special education program.<ref name="Schoolist2018"/> When it opened, it replaced the secondary department of Gordonvale State School.<ref name="auto" /><ref name="qfhs" />
Amenities
The Gordonvale Library at 88 Norman Street (Template:Coord) is operated by the Cairns Regional Council.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref>
Gordonvale Community Hall is at 17–19 Cannon Street (Template:Coord). It is capable of seating up to 80 people and is operated by the Cairns Regional Council.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
St Michael's Catholic Church is at 64 Mill Street (Template:Coord). It is within the Gordonvale Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref>
Gordonvale Uniting Church (also known as Eternal Life Fellowship) is at 72–74 Gordon Street (Template:Coord).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is within the Carpentaria Presbytery of the Uniting Church in Australia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
All Saints' Anglican Church is at 5–7 Church Street (Template:Coord).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":7">Template:Cite web</ref>
Gordonvale Presbyterian Church is at 9 Norman Street (Template:Coord).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is a charge (including Babinda Presbyterian Church) of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Gordonvale QCWA Hall is at 92 Norman Street (Template:Coord).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Although the QCWA branch is no longer active, the hall continues to be used for community purposes.
The Gordonvale Aquatic Centre is at 73–77 Sheppards Street (Template:Coord). It has a swimming pool and associated services.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Media
The Mulgrave News, "Letting the local people know." is the local independent monthly suburban. It covers local news, real estate, classifieds and more.Template:Citation needed Pyramid Views also runs in Gordonvale, delivering local news, advertisements for local businesses, real estate listings and public interest stories.<ref name="Pyramid">Template:Cite web</ref>
Sport
Pyramid Power AFL Club competed in the AFL Cairns competition. The Power had sides in the Under 8 through to Under 18, as well as a Senior Women's side. The home ground for Pyramid Power was at Power Park on Maher Road.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Attractions
Operating since 1896, the Mulgrave Sugar Mill is located near the town centre in Gordon St. The mill services about 300 sugarcane farms in the local region and operates during the 'crush' season (about six months of the year).Template:Citation needed
The Mulgrave Settlers Museum is across Gordon Street from the mill.<ref name="BuildingAreas2">Template:Cite web</ref> It is operated by the Mulgrave Shire Historical Society. The museum has a number of historical items donated from the local community and displays that represent the early gold miners, cedar cutters, Chinese workers and packers (mule train suppliers to the Atherton Tableland). The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10AM to 2PM.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The suburb is surrounded predominantly by sugarcane fields and is only a short drive from many places including the Bellenden Ker National Park and Goldsborough Valley State Forest.
Notable residents
- Brianna Coop, Australian Paralympic sprinter
- Brian Johns, company director and journalist
- Nate Myles, Australia and Queensland rugby league player
- Curtis Pitt, politician
- Adam Sarota, footballer