Broadbeach, Queensland

Broadbeach is a coastal suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.[2] At the 2016 Census, Broadbeach had a population of 5,514.[1]

Broadbeach
Gold Coast, Queensland
Hedges Avenue, 2007
Broadbeach
Coordinates28°1′51″S 153°25′55″E
Population5,514 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)4218
LGA(s)City of Gold Coast
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s)Moncrieff
Suburbs around Broadbeach:
Broadbeach Waters Surfers Paradise Coral Sea
Broadbeach Waters Broadbeach Coral Sea
Mermaid Waters Mermaid Beach Coral Sea

Geography

Development in the area today mostly incorporates low rise structures, consisting of single bedroom houses and apartment blocks. Much of the suburb consists of canal waterways, including Lake Intrepid that are linked to the Nerang River.

The suburb contains a major road intersection between Nerang - Broadbeach Road and the Gold Coast Highway.

History

In circa 1924, 70 allotments were advertised as "Mermaid Beach Estate" located at Mermaid Beach and Broadbeach to be auctioned by R. G. Oates Estates. The estate map has 3 estates for sale at Mermaid Beach and Broadbeach. The estates were divided in two by the "New Coastal Road" running through the Gold Coast.[3][4]

Broadbeach State School opened on 16 May 1960.[5]

Heritage

There are a number of heritage sites in Broadbeach, including:

Seal sculpture

In 1954 Len Shillam was commissioned to create a water fountain feature for the pool of Lennon's Hotel at Broadbeach (the first large hotel on the Gold Coast). He created a lifesize sculpture of a seal with its pup in polished terrazzo which became a much-photographed icon. After the demolition of the hotel in 1987, the sculpture was relocated to a jetty at the Sakura Japanese gardens restaurant. It later disappeared but was found at that bottom of a canal. After it was retrieved by Conrad Jupiters Casino and Bond University, it was restored and donated to the National Trust of Australia. It is now at the entrance of the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, a short distance from the former Lennon's Hotel.[6][7]

Aboriginal burial ground

In 1965, building works unearthed what was found to be an Aboriginal burial ground. An archaeological dig commenced under Laila Haglund, who was under the supervision of the University of Queensland, and the remains of more than 150 Aboriginal people of the Kombumerri clan of the Yugambeh people[8] were moved. It was established that the people had been buried from up to 1000 years ago until the late 1800s.[9] The excavation report was published in 1976,[10] and described as "pioneer archaeological research".[11] Haglund earned an MA from the University of Queensland and a PhD from Stockholm University for her work on the site.[10]

In 1988, the remains were repatriated to the Gold Coast Aboriginal community, and reburied not far from the original burial ground. This event played an important role in the development of the state's first cultural heritage legislation, the Aboriginal Relics Preservation Act 1967 (later superseded by another Act, followed by the current Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003[12]), which recognises the status of Indigenous Australians as the "primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Australia’s ancient cultures". The event was commemorated on its 50th anniversary in 2015, hosted by the Queensland Government and the Gold Coast Historical Society, with Haglund a key speaker.[9]

Events

The Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival, held in May each year is one of Australia's largest Free Blues Festivals which began in 2002 and continues to draw significant crowds each year, while remaining a free outdoor event for people of all ages to attend. Broadbeach also hosts other significant including the Groundwater Country Music Festival (July), Gold Coast Superhero Weekend (April) and the Broadbeach Christmas Carols with all events remaining free.

Facilities

The Broadbeach Surf Life Saving Club patrols the beach in the centre of the suburb.[13] Representing the suburb in the AFL Queensland State League and having its home ground at Merrimac Oval is the Broadbeach Australian Football Club. Other facilities include the Broadbeach Bowls Club and the Broadbeach Surfschool which provides surfing lessons. Despite being called the Broadbeach Library, the Gold Coast City Council operates this public library at 61 Sunshine Boulevard in neighbouring Mermaid Waters.[14] It opened in 2008.[15]

Education

Broadbeach State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Alexandra Avenue (28.0357°S 153.4345°E / -28.0357; 153.4345 (Broadbeach State School)).[16][17] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 895 students with 52 teachers (48 full-time equivalent) and 34 non-teaching staff (23 full-time equivalent).[18] It includes a special education program.[19]

The nearest secondary school is Merrimac State High School in neighbouring Mermaid Waters.[20]

Buildings
The Oracle, 2013

The area is also home to The Star Gold Coast, the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre and the Oasis Shopping Centre. Broadbeach Alliance manage the precinct and present annual events and festivals such as Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival, Groundwater Country Music Festival, Gold Coast Superhero Weekend and the Broadbeach Christmas Carols. In the adjacent suburb of Broadbeach Waters is the Pacific Fair Shopping Centre.

Well known apartment blocks include Sofitel Gold Coast, The Wave, The Oracle, Beach Haven, Niecon Plaza, Hi-Ho Apartments, Belle Maison, Bel Air and Air on Broadbeach. While residential housing lots were selling successfully in the state government developed Broadbeach township from 1934,[21] and the area had good bitumen roads that were described as 'speedways' in newspaper reports,[22] it wasn't until the construction of Lennon's Broadbeach Hotel (now the site of the Oasis Hotel and Shopping Centre) in 1955 - 1956 that development of the area as a holiday destination began to increase.[23][24][25]

Retail

The suburb of Broadbeach has two shopping centres in close proximity and numerous shops and restaurants.

Pacific Fair, the second largest shopping centre on the Gold Coast is located on Hooker Boulevard in Broadbeach Waters, not far from the intersection on the Gold Coast Highway. Pacific Fair has over 300 specialty stores and four anchor stores. In January 2014 work began on re-developing and re-branding the shopping centre. $670 million is being spent on expanding the centre to cater for a 120 new specialty stores, making the centre the largest in Queensland and fourth largest in the nation.

Oasis shopping centre is the second shopping centre in the suburb has over 100 specialty stores and a Woolworths supermarket. Oasis shopping centre has a number of restaurants located on the pedestrian section of Victoria Avenue. The centre is located across the road from the beach and is one block from the Gold Coast Highway.

Transport
Main article: Transport on the Gold Coast, Queensland
Broadbeach South G:link Station, located on the corner of Gold Coast Highway and Hooker Boulevard provides bus and tram connections.
Gold Coast Oceanway, 2015

Broadbeach has two main arterial roads connecting the suburb with other parts of the Gold Coast. Gold Coast Highway runs the full length of the coast and connects all coastal suburbs with Broadbeach. Hooker Boulevard, which turns into Nerang-Broadbeach Road after a roundabout in Carrara connects the suburb with Pacific Motorway which passes through Nerang as well as Nerang railway station.

Broadbeach is serviced by Surfside Buslines services, G:link operates two light rail stations in the suburb which connects Broadbeach with the hubs of Surfers Paradise and Southport. These are Broadbeach South and Broadbeach. Broadbeach South bus station is the main bus station in Broadbeach, which have regular and high-frequency buses that travel to Gold Coast Airport, Nerang railway station, Tweed Heads and Robina.

The Gold Coast Oceanway provides pedestrians and cyclists access along the beaches of Broadbeach.

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Broadbeach recorded a population of 5,514 people, The median age of the Broadbeach population was 41 years, higher than the national median of 38. 51.0% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were New Zealand 7.0% and England 4.7%. 66.8% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 31.0% and Catholic 20.3%.[1]

See also

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Broadbeach (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  2. "Broadbeach – suburb (entry 46031)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  3. "Mermaid Beach Estate". c. 1924. hdl:10462/deriv/253870. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. "Market Quiet". Daily Mail (6827). Queensland, Australia. 15 January 1924. p. 12. Retrieved 26 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  6. Gold Coast Local Heritage Register - N to Z, pp. 113-114
  7. Potts, Andrew (6 December 2013). "Take a look back at some of the Gold Coast's most iconic hotels and motels". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  8. "Laila Haglund: The Creation of a Profession". TrowelBlazers. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  9. "Broadbeach commemorates cultural heritage and local history". The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  10. Haglund, Laila (1976). An archaeological analysis of the Broadbeach Aboriginal burial ground. St. Lucia, Queensland: University of Queensland Press.
  11. McBryde, Isabel (1977). "An Archaeological Analysis of the Broadbeach Aboriginal Burial Ground [Book Review]". Aboriginal History. 1: 183.
  12. Fourmile, Henrietta (1996). "The Queensland Heritage Act 1992 and the Cultural Record (Landscapes Queensland and Queensland Estate) Act 1987 (QLD): Legislative Discrimination in the Protection of Indigenous Cultural Heritage Commentary Australian Indigenous Law Reporter 1996". Heinonline. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  13. "Surf Life Saving Queensland: Broadbeach SLSC". Surf Life Saving Queensland. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2008.
  14. "Broadbeach Public Library". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  15. "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  16. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  17. "Broadbeach State School". Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  18. "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  19. "Broadbeach SS - Special Education Program". Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  20. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  21. "BROADBEACH TOWNSHIP". The Courier-mail (977). Queensland, Australia. 16 October 1936. p. 20. Retrieved 11 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. "IS BROADBEACH TO HAVE HOTEL LICENCE SHORTLY?". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 27 June 1936. p. 10 (SPORTS FINAL). Retrieved 11 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. "LENNONS' PROGRESS". The Argus (Melbourne). Victoria, Australia. 13 October 1956. p. 20. Retrieved 11 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. "LENNONS £3000 TENDER ACCEPTED". The Courier-mail. Queensland, Australia. 28 December 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 11 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. "Lennon's Broadbeach Hotel, City of Gold Coast". Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
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