Beechmont, Queensland

Beechmont is a rural town and locality in the Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census, Beechmont had a population of 842 people.[4]

Beechmont
Queensland
Springbrook Plateau, Numinbah Valley, Lamington Plateau and Mount Warning in New South Wales
Beechmont
Coordinates28°6′S 153°13′E
Population842 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density24.48/km2 (63.39/sq mi)
EstablishedGazetted on 30 January 2009
Postcode(s)4211
Area34.4 km2 (13.3 sq mi)
LGA(s)Scenic Rim Region
State electorate(s)Scenic Rim
Federal Division(s)Wright
Suburbs around Beechmont:
Witheren Lower Beechmont Advancetown
Flying Fox
Illinbah		 Beechmont Numinbah Valley
Illinbah Binna Burra Numinbah Valley

Geography

Beechmont is positioned on a forested ridge leading from the Lamington Plateau to Tamborine Mountain. Outstanding views in nearly all directions means that on a clear day Cunninghams Gap and other Scenic Rim landforms are visible as well as Flinders Peak, Moogerah Peaks and the D'Aguilar Range to the north west of Brisbane. Lower Beechmont is also on the Beechmont road, but slightly lower down the hill.

Roads in the area are narrow and windy, some are prone to rockfalls and some with very steep slopes. The road to Binna Burra Lodge and access to Lamington National Park goes through Beechmont. The § Rosins Lookout Conservation Park is a popular launch site for hangliders and paragliders.

History

The Beechmont district was first occupied and managed by the Yugambeh people before the arrival of European timber cutters in the 1880s.[5][6] The district takes its current name from the White Beech trees in the area.[2]

The Beechmont area was opened up for selection in 1886, however many of the early settlers left after a short stay on the mountain. By the turn of the century, only three families had established themselves in the area.[7]

The Beechmont State School opened on 15 August 1904.[8]

A dairying property located near Beechmont on the Nerang River was advertised to be sold by auction 23 November 1920 by Cameron Brothers auctioneers.[9] The plan shows the land for sale, 858 acres, being subdivision 2 of portion 106, Parish of Gilston, on Beech Mountain, facing the present Binna Burra Road, within 13 miles of Nerang Township.[10]

Fruit such as apples were grown in the 1910s in the rich Beech Mountain soils of the area,[11] but were halted due to fruit fly infestations.[12]

The tourism potential of Beechmont was realised in 1910 as one of the motivations to build a railway line to Canungra,[13] which led to the Queensland Government deciding in 1911 to construct the Canungra branch line from Logan Village railway station on the South Coast railway line to Canungra.[14] Construction began in 1913 and the line opened to Canungra railway station on 2 July 1915.[15][16][17]

From the 1920s the area became known as a mountain tourist destination.

There are still dairy farms operational in the area,[18][19] but only three remain in operation as the area is experiencing increasing levels of development.[20]

Heritage listings

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

Education

Beechmont has a state school, Beechmont State School, which opened in 1904.[8] It covers from preparatory school to year 6.

Amenities

Graceleigh Park

Graceleigh Park is a general purpose sports ground located next to the Beechmont State School. The park was named after the 'Graceleigh' property, one of the early dairy farms in the area and owned by John Sharp.[23]

The park area provides facilities for cricket, soccer, football, tennis, and netball. The Beechmont Cricket Club and Beechmont Tennis Club both operate club rooms on the site.

The Scenic Rim Regional Council operates a mobile library service which visits Graceleigh Park.[24]

Hall on Graceleigh

The 'Hall on Graceleigh' is a multi-purpose school hall located adjacent to the Beechmont State School and Graceleigh Park. It was built under the Building the Education Revolution stimulus program in 2011. Under an agreement with the local community group and Scenic Rim Council, the hall was built on council land in exchange for it being made available for general community use.

Providence Farm Hall

The 'Providence Farm Hall' was the original Beechmont community hall built in October 1948 on land donated by the McKenzie family. The hall was the venue of many community dances, celebrations, and social events.[25] In 2011, the hall was sold back to the McKenzie family and the proceeds reinvested in community projects.[26]

Beechmont Community Centre

The Beechmont Community Centre is located on the old state school grounds at Beechmont. The centre is home to many community groups and clubs. The Headmaster's Cafe operates from the original headmaster's residence at the site. The Beechmont Area Progress Association, who manages the site, operates the monthly Beechmont Markets and an op-shop.[27]

Rosins Lookout Conservation Park

Rosins Conservation Area is part of a collection of linked conservation areas, including Springbrook National Park and Pocket Road Conservation Area, that provide a large area of core habitat for a wide range of native fauna.[28]

The lookout at the top of the ridgeline adjacent to Beechmont Road provides for spectacular views over the Numinbah Valley across to Springbrook and Mount Warning. The lookout is a popular launch site for hang gliders and paragliders.[29]

Infrastructure

There is a mobile phone tower near the village.[30] Internet is available with ADSL1 and ADSL2+ over copper lines. The Beechmont exchange is connected via a microwave link to the Telstra National Network. Beechmont is listed on the National Broadband Network (NBN) roll-out plans for Jul-Dec 2019 with a deployment of fixed wireless technology.

Tarred roads are available to Canungra and to Nerang. The roads are narrow and windy and sometimes closed or reduced to one lane passes after landslides and other rain induced incidents.

Notable People

Notable people from or who have lived in Beechmont include:

Notable Events

1936 Visit by John Bradfield

In July 1936, Dr John Bradfield, the designer of the Story Bridge in Brisbane and the Sydney Harbour Bridge was forced to stop at Beechmont when heavy rain prevented the completion of his journey to Binna Burra.[31]

1942 P-40 Kittyhawk Crash

On 4 February 1942, a US P-40 Kittyhawk, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Donald Harry Hunter from 3 Service Flying Training School (3 SFTS) RAAF at Amberley, crashed on the side of Battens Ridge. Flt Lt Hunter was killed in the accident.[32]

1971 RAAF Sabre Powerline Strike

On 18 July 1971, RAAF Sabre jet A94-962 flying out of Numinbah Valley, struck and severed high voltage powerlines between Beechmont and Binna Burra. The jet suffered damage to the nose, canopy, and tailplane but was able to return to Amberley.[33]

Demographics

Beechmont has a population of 842 at the 2016 census. The locality contains 17 households, in which 50.2% of the population are males and 49.8% of the population are females with a median age of 46, 8 above the national average. The average weekly household income is $1,399, $39 below the national average.

1.6% of Beechmont's population is either of Aborigional or Torres Strait Islander descent. 64.6% of the population aged 15 or over is either registered or de facto married, while 35.4% of the population is not married. 25.8% of the population is currently attending some form of a compulsory education. The most common nominated ancestries were English (31.7%), Australian (28.2%) and Scottish (9.4%), while the most common countries of birth are Australia (73.4%), England (5.1%) and New Zealand (5.0%), and the most commonly spoken languages at home are English (90.9%), French (0.5%) and German (0.4%). The most common nominated religions were No religion (44.0%), Anglican (14.5%) and Catholic (14.1%). The most common occupation was a technician/trades worker (18.4%) and the majority/plurality of residents worked 40 or more hours per week (36.8%).[1]

See also

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Beechmont". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  2. "Beechmont – town in Scenic Rim Region (entry 2058)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  3. "Beechmont – locality in Scenic Rim Region (entry 45110)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  4. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Beechmont (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  5. "Lower Beechmont history". www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au. Gold Coast City Council. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  6. Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (2000). Heritage Trails of the Great South East. State of Queensland. p. 19. ISBN 0-7345-1008-X.
  7. Pike, J. Maxwell (1974). Land Use Survey: Mount Tamborine and Beechmont, S.E. Queensland. St Lucia. pp. 24–26. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  8. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  9. "Plan showing position of land for sale : on Beech Mountain". onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  10. "Advertising". Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933). 20 November 1920. p. 8. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  11. "Beech Mountain Fruit". The Week (Brisbane). Queensland, Australia. 22 February 1918. p. 4. Retrieved 2 April 2020 – via Trove.
  12. "BEECHMONT". The Brisbane Courier. Queensland, Australia. 10 November 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 2 April 2020 – via Trove.
  13. "PROPOSED Railway to Canungera". The Beaudesert Times. Queensland, Australia. 13 May 1910. p. 4. Retrieved 2 April 2020 – via Trove.
  14. "SKETCHER". The Queenslander. Queensland, Australia. 25 November 1911. p. 15. Retrieved 2 April 2020 – via Trove.
  15. Kerr, John (1990). Triumph of narrow gauge : a history of Queensland Railways. Boolarong Publications. p. 224. ISBN 978-0-86439-102-5.
  16. "The Canungra Branch" Australian Railway History January 1993 pp12-19
  17. Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John (2000). Australian Railway Routes 1854 - 2000. Redfern: Australian Railway Historical Society. p. 38. ISBN 0909650497.
  18. "Genetics Australia: Queensland trials test controlled breeding using CIDRs". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  19. "Beechmont State School: Community". Archived from the original on 5 March 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  20. "Beechmount Mountain Sales: About Beechmont Plateau". Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  21. "Binna Burra Cultural Landscape (entry 601899)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
  22. "Local Heritage Register" (PDF). Scenic Rim Regional Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  23. "Graceleigh homestead at Beechmont". One Search Catalog. State Library of Queensland. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  24. "Mobile Library" (PDF). Scenic Rim Regional Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  25. "About Us". Providence Farm Hall. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  26. "Beechmont Hall Auctioned off". The Gold Coast Hinterlander. Marie Robb. December 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  27. "Old School (Beechmont Community Centre)". Beechmont Area Progress Association. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  28. "Pocket Road Conservation Area". City of Gold Coast. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  29. "Beechmont - Rosin's Lookout". Australian National Site Guide. SAFA.
  30. "Optus Tower Locations". Whirlpool.net.au. Archived from the original on 6 December 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  31. "BEECHMONT". The Beaudesert Times. Queensland, Australia. 31 July 1936. p. 5. Retrieved 12 May 2020 – via Trove.
  32. "4 February 1942 Crash Of A P-40 Kittyhawk On Battens Ridge, Becchmont In The Numinbah Valley". Australia@War. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  33. "Sabre". RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
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