Nundah Brisbane, Queensland
Population:	8,735 (2004) [1]
Postcode:	4012
Area:	3.6 km
LGA:	Brisbane City Council, Northgate Ward
State District:	Clayfield, Nudgee
Federal Division:	Lilley
Suburbs around Nundah Wavell Heights Virginia Northgate Kedron Nundah Eagle Farm Toombul Toombul Eagle Farm

Nundah is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia, located approximately 8km north-east of the Brisbane CBD^[2].

Geography

Coordinates:

• Street map from Street Directory, MSN Maps and Multimap.
• Satellite image from Google Maps, and Terraserver.

Toombul is a locality in Nundah centered around Sandgate Road. Various facilities in Nundah are named after the locality, including the large shopping centre Centro Toombul, Toombul Bus Station and the Toombul Train Station.

History

Aboriginal History

Like most of Northern Brisbane, the area around Nundah was dominated by the Turrbul tribe. Their traditional coastal trade route passed through Nundah, near the modern-day Hedley Avenue. There are also many significant Aboriginal sites near Nundah, such as Dinah Island, which was reportedly the site of the last traditional Aboriginal burial in the Brisbane area.^[3]

European Settlement

The first European settlers in the area were German Lutheran missionaries. They first called the area "Zion". It later became "German Station" and then "Nundah", derived from the Aboriginal name for the area^[4]. The explorer Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt visited the area in 1843.

Nundah remained an agricultural area until the 1880s, when the construction of a railway between Brisbane and Sandgate in 1882 resulted in a suburban residential construction boom on Brisbane's northside. This urban sprawl was also encouraged by the Undue Subdivision of Land Prevention Act 1885, which mandated minimum lot sizes for new urban developments. Nundah became known as a suburb where working-class families could obtain cheap housing on reasonably-sized lots not too far from the city.

Nundah is a historical precinct, with free settlement in the state of Queensland beginning in 1838 when a group of Lutheran missionaries from Germany were granted land. Their efforts to convert the indigenous Turrbal people to Christianity met with limited success. Their arrival is commemorated with a monument at the corner of Sandgate Road and Wood Street unveiled in 1938 by then Premier of Queensland William Forgan Smith. The names of these German settlers can be seen in the names of streets in Nundah and surrounding suburbs such as Rode Road and Gerler Road.

In 1909, Surrey Street in Nundah became the site of the first public housing dwelling in Queensland.

In the early twentieth century, Nundah became a major suburban centre, due to its location on Sandgate Road, one of Brisbane's busiest arterial roads, and the adjacent Nundah railway station. Sandgate Road and nearby streets were lined with shops, pubs, cinemas and other commercial premises. Nundah was also the seat of Toombul Shire, which was absorbed into the City of Greater Brisbane in 1925. The Toombul Shire Hall still exists as a community centre.

Nundah's commercial precinct suffered a precipitous decline from the 1970s with the construction of the nearby Westfield Shoppingtown (Later Centro) Toombul shopping centre. Increasing motor traffic along Sandgate Road also reduced Nundah's appeal as a shopping precinct. However, in recent times a road tunnel has been constructed under nearby Bage Street, diverting through traffic away from the suburban centre. A Brisbane City Council suburban renewal programme has seen new art installations, cafés and bookshops open in Nundah, creating a village-like atmosphere along the now-quiet Sandgate Road.

In recent years the suburb has become popular among white collar workers seeking relatively inexpensive housing and apartments only a moderate distance from the Brisbane CBD. Since then, along with the rest of the city, housing prices in the area have skyrocketed, pricing most of the traditional working class out of the suburb.

Over 33% of households in this area are comprised of couples with children, 41% are couples without children and 20% are single parent families. Stand alone house account for 41% of all dwellings in this area, and units account for a further 45%. There are many older, timber homes in this area, many of which have been renovated. There are also plenty of modern townhouses and units. The suburb has seen a surge in the construction of low to medium density town houses in the past few years, replacing many Queenslanders and post-war style homes.

The median house price in Nundah for the 2004 calendar year was $352,500.

Transport

Due to its inner-northern location, there are a variety of options for transport within the suburb. Both the Nundah Citytrain station and the Toombul Citytrain station are located within the suburb. There are many council bus services that run through the area, including the 598/599 Great Circle Line.

The suburb is well serviced by public transport, with the railway station being serviced by both Caboolture Line and Shorncliffe Line services combining to provide 15-minute frequencies throughout the day seven days a week. Nundah is also located on Brisbane Transport's Great Circle Line bus route.

Schulz Canal runs through Nundah, bisecting the Toombul Shopping Centre Carpark. The low elevation of the carpark makes it particularly susceptible to flash flooding during peak storm seasons - often claiming the cars of unwary shoppers inside the centre and those attempting to cross the Melton Road bridge. The estuary of the canal is a moderately popular recreational fishing spot.

Commerce

A small shopping centre anchored by a Woolworths supermarket has been completed in the Sandgate Road/Buckland Road commercial district, containing over 200 parking spots, a Subway store, a Coffee Club, and numerous other small shops.

Politics

Nundah is in the Federal Electorate of Lilley. In 2005, Wayne Swan of the Australian Labor Party was elected as Lilley's Federal Member. Swan's electoral office is in the suburb, in the commercial district on the corner of Sandgate and Buckland roads.

Landmarks

• Bishop Park, the home ground of the Norths Devils rugby league team in the Queensland Cup competition.
• Oxenham Park, home of the Toombul District Cricket Club in the Queensland Cricket Association Grade competition. Contains Ken MacKay and LaFrantz Ovals
• Centro Toombul Shopping Centre
• Nundah Criterium Bicycle Track, Hedley Ave/Walkers Way Nundah - next to Albert Bishop Park and the Schultz Canal bikeway.
• Nundah Catholic Church
• Nundah Historic Cemetery
• Nundah State Library
• Nundah Shopping Village
• Prince of Wales Hotel
• Ross Park Skate and BMX Park
• Royal English Hotel
• Schulz Canal
• Toombul Train Station

Parks

• Albert Bishop Park - Amelia Street, Hedley Avenue and Nudgee Road, adjoining Schulz Canal
• Boyd Park - Bage Street and Boyd, Park and Sandgate Roads
• Carew Street - Brook and Carew Streets
• Kalinga Park - Jackson and Kalinga Streets, Park Avenue and Sandgate Road, adjoining Schulz Canal
• Oxenham Park - Duke, Jenner and York Streets and Melton Road
• Plaisted Place - Cavendish, Flower and Maynard Streets
• Ross Park - Parkland Street and Sandgate Road, adjoining Schulz Canal
• Toombul Terrace - Bage, Gardner and Glenhill Streets, Hamson and Toombul Terraces and Royal Avenue
• Upton Street - Upton Street, off London Street
• Wood Street (Road Reserve) - Bage and Wood Streets and Sandgate Road

Educational institutions

• Corpus Christi College
• Nundah State School
• St. Joseph's Primary

Community services

• Nundah Combined St John Ambulance Division

References

• Nundah page on ourbrisbane.com

External links

• Nundah Virtual Village
• Statistical Portrait of Nundah
• A Short History of St. Pauls Lutheran Church, Nundah, Queensland