Banksia Beach, Queensland

Geography

Banksia Beach is on the western coast of Bribie Island, separated from mainland Queensland by the Pumicestone Channel.

The western part of the suburb is within the Bribie Island National Park. Apart from that the land use is almost entirely residential. The areas closest to the coast are developed as canal estates, while the northern part of the suburb is residential housing intermingled with the Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club.

History

The name Banksia Beach was the name of the estate subdivision assigned by the land developer Jock McIlwain. It was named as a township by the Qld Place Names Board on 23 November 1972. The name refers to the plant genus Banksia, which grows in the area.

Historically Dux Creek flows into the Pumicestone Channel at with:

• Banksia Beach to the north of the creek mouth ()
• Sylvan Beach to the south of the creek mouth () extending south to Quota Park in Bongaree

but the canal development has replaced Dux Creek with two canal developments with Skippers Canal effectively replacing Dux Creek and extending south with Voyagers Canal extending to the north.

As part of the Australian Bicentenery commemoration, a monument to the exploration of Matthew Flinders was erected beside the beach and officially unveiled on 16 July 1988. It was designed by Kirsti Simpson and sculpted from Helidon sandstone by Tom Farrell.

Banksia Beach State School opened on 28 January 1992.

Demographics

In the , the suburb of Banksia Beach had a population of 5,995 people.

In the , the suburb of Banksia Beach had a population of 7,180 people.

Education

Banksia Beach State School is a government co-educational primary school (Early Childhood-6) at 133 Sunderland Road (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1046 students with 70 teachers (64 full-time equivalent) and 43 non-teaching staff (28 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program.

There are no secondary schools in Banksia Beach. The nearest government secondary school is Bribie Island State High School in Bongaree to the south.

Amenities

Bribie Harbour Shopping Village is a shopping centre at 25 Sunderland Drive ().

Bribie Island Community Arts Centre is an art gallery and community art centre at 191 Sunderland Drive ().

Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club is an 18-hole golf course at 141-159 Avon Avenue ().

Solander Lake Bowls Club is at 70 Sunderland Drive ().

There are a number of parks in the suburb, including:

• Col Fisher Park ()

• Cosmos Park ()

• Dampier Park ()

• Oxley Park ()

Attractions

The Matthew Flinders Exploration monument is in Col Fisher Park at the northern end of Solander Esplanade ().

References

References

1. {{cite QPN. 49497. Banksia Beach. town in Moreton Bay Region
2. {{cite QPN. 45491. Banksia Beach. suburb in Moreton Bay Region
3. {{cite QPN. 10964. Dux Creek. watercourse in Moreton Bay Regional
4. (12 November 2020). "Mountain ranges beaches and sea passages - Queensland". [[Queensland Government]].
5. {{Cite QPN. 33025. Sylvan Beach. beach in the Moreton Bay Region
6. "Queensland schools past and present". [[Queensland Family History Society]].
7. {{Census 2016 AUS
8. {{Census 2021 AUS
9. (9 July 2018). "State and non-state school details". [[Queensland Government]].
10. "Banksia Beach State School".
11. "ACARA School Profile 2018". [[Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority]].
12. {{Queensland Globe
13. (17 November 2020). "Building areas - Queensland". [[Queensland Government]].
14. "Bribie Harbour Shopping Village".
15. "The Bribie Island Community Arts Centre".
16. "Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club".
17. "Home".
18. (20 November 2020). "Land for public recreation - Queensland". [[Queensland Government]].
19. "Matthew Flinders Exploration".