Gordon Park is located 5.4 kilometres (3.4 mi) from the Brisbane CBD and is bordered by Kedron Brook to the east and south, and Stafford Road to the north.[4]
Gordon Park shares an Australia Post postcode of 4031 with neighbouring suburb Kedron.
History
The suburb was named after General Gordon who was the hero of the eight-month siege of Khartoum in the Sudan in the late 19th century. Most of the street names in the suburb relate to General Gordon, the armies he served with, and their sphere of operation (for example, Gordon Street, Khartoum Street, and Baker Street).[5]
The Gordon Estate – Lutwyche of 264 blocks went to auction on 25 September 1886.[6]
The Metropolitan Freehold Land and Building Company Limited advertised Gordon Park Estate for auction on 13 December 1890. It consisted of 1063 allotments (mostly of 16 to 20 perches). This estate was bounded by Stafford Road to the north, Gordon Street to the east, Kedron Brook to the south and Burnaby Street (now Burnaby Terrace) to the west, encompassing almost all of the present day suburb except for the south-western corner.[7][8] However, the auctioneer G.T. Bell only sold 73 lots for an average price of £26 3s 7d (total £1,2917 10s).[9]
On 27 March 1920, auctioneers Cameron Brothers offered 61 allotments in the south-west of the current suburb in the area of Granville Terrace (now Bedford Street), Aberdeen Terrace and Thistle Street (these did not form part of the 1890 subdivision).[10][11] In June 1920, the auctioneers offered further blocks to the south of the March 1920 sales, in the area of Granville Terrace (now Bedford Street), Stirling Street and Montrose Street.[12][13]
On 18 September 1920, auctioneers Isles, Love & Co offered 150 allotments in the Glenkedron South Estate Section 2 (in the north-east of the current suburb). The allotments were in First Avenue (now Suez Street), Second Avenue (now Swan Street), Third Avenue (now Goulburn Street), Fourth Avenue (now Jack Street), Fifth Avenue (now Barron Street) and Seventh Avenue (now Rose Lane).[14][15]
On 6 May 1922, auctioneers Cameron Brothers offered 98 allotments for sale in the north-west of the current suburb in the area of Main Happy Valley Road (Stafford Road), Haig Street, Burnaby Street (now Burnaby Terrace), Turner Road (now Alva Terrace) and Victoria Terrace. These were part of the ninth second of the Gordon Park estate that had been first offered in 1890.[16]
On 11 November 1922, auctioneers Cameron Brothers offered 47 allotments in Section 1A of the Glen Park estate (as first offered in 1890). These allotments were in the area of Cowper Street, Hill Street (now Highland Street), Beaconsfield Terrace, Richmond Street and Khartoum Street.[17][18]
On 8 December 1923, auctioneers Cameron Brothers offered 45 home sites in the area of Granville Terrace (now Bedford Street), Aberdeen Terrace and Thistle Street.[19][20]
On 10 May 1924, auctioneers Isles, Love & Co offered 24 remaining allotments in the Glenkedron South Estate in the north-east of the current suburb, which had been previously offered at auction in September 1920.[21][22] All 24 allotments were sold.[23]
In 1924, the Realty Development Company were selling suburban blocks (ranging from 16 to 20 perches) in the Tramway Extension Estate. This estate was bounded by Stafford Road to the north and Hill Street (now Highland Street) to the south and included Burnaby Street (now Burnaby Terrace), Turner Road (now Alva Terrace) and Victoria Terrace (and was part of the estate that was first offered in 1890 and again in 1922).[24][25]
On 28 July 1929, ArchbishopJames Duhig laid the foundation stone of a new Catholic church and school. He returned to bless and open the new church and school on 3 November 1929. The building was on two levels with the school on the lower level with a capacity of 200 students and the church on the upper level with a capacity of 250 people. The intention was that a new larger church would be built later and the school occupy both levels of the original building. St Carthage's Catholic Primary School opened on 8 July 1930; it was operated by the Sisters of Mercy. On 26 June 1966, the present brick church facing Beaconsfield Terrace was opened by Archbishop Patrick O’Donnell. The new buildings were designed by architects Corbett and Ryan and cost over $92,000, including furnishings. In November 1974, the Sisters of Mercy ceased to staff the school apart from one Sister for religious instruction. It was one of the first of the schools in the Brisbane Archdiocese to transition to lay control under headmaster Edward Benito Pender. However, the school was closed by the archdiocese in 1976 as it was felt that the enrolment of 86 students was insufficient to make the school financially viable.[32][33][34][35][36][37]
In November 1938, the Brisbane City Council announced that the tram to Gordon Park would be extended from Lutwyche Road via Bradshaw Street, crossing Kedron Brook into Thistle Street.[41] Trams ran to Gordon Park connecting it with Brisbane until they were progressively withdrawn from use, finally ceasing all operations in Brisbane on 13 April 1969.[42]
On 11 August 1975, Gordon Park ceased to be a separate suburb. However residents lobbied against this decision and, on 18 December 1992, Gordon Park was reinstated as a suburb.[3]
Demographics
In the 2016 census, Gordon Park had a population of 4,231 people.[45]
In the 2021 census, Gordon Park had a population of 4,853 people, 51.5% female and 48.5% male. The median age of the Gordon Park population was 36 years of age, 2 years below the Australian median age at 38 years. 77.3% (3.4 rise from 2016) of people living in Gordon Park were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 66.9%; the next most common countries of birth were England 3.1% and New Zealand 2.7%. 86.2% of people spoke only English at home; the next most popular languages were 1.4% Italian, 1.3% Spanish, and 1.0% Mandarin.[1]
Heritage listings
Gordon Park has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Gordon Park resident, Thomas Charles Nash, was born in Essex, England in 1909. He emigrated to Australia at the age of 17 aboard the S.S. Vedic, a ship chartered by the Salvation Army to bring 700 young emigrants to Australia. He was awarded the Order of Australia in 1985 in recognition of his service to the local community.[50] Prior to receiving the award he had received a certificate of merit for services to the incapacitated Servicemen's Association, a RSL certificate of merit, honorary life membership of the RSL and the Paul Harris Fellowship medal from Rotary International. Tom Nash had also been a Brisbane City Council councillor.[citation needed]
^ ab"Gordon Park". Queensland Places. University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
^"Advertising". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 15 September 1886. p. 7. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020 – via Trove.
^"Advertising". The Telegraph. No. 5, 665. Queensland, Australia. 11 December 1890. p. 8 (SECOND EDITION). Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Wool Sales". The Telegraph. No. 5, 668. Queensland, Australia. 15 December 1890. p. 4 (SECOND EDITION). Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". The Brisbane Courier. No. 19, 480. Queensland, Australia. 26 June 1920. p. 8. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". The Brisbane Courier. No. 19, 552. Queensland, Australia. 18 September 1920. p. 8. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". The Telegraph. No. 15, 425. Queensland, Australia. 6 May 1922. p. 16. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". The Telegraph. No. 15, 585. Queensland, Australia. 9 November 1922. p. 12 (SECOND EDITION). Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". The Daily Mail. No. 6796. Queensland, Australia. 8 December 1923. p. 20. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". The Brisbane Courier. No. 20, 685. Queensland, Australia. 10 May 1924. p. 12. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"REAL ESTATE". The Brisbane Courier. No. 20, 687. Queensland, Australia. 13 May 1924. p. 3. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". Truth. No. 1, 257. Queensland, Australia. 13 April 1924. p. 18. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"1926 Gordon Park". Baptist Church Archives Queensland. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^"GORDON PARK BAPTISTS". Daily Standard. No. 4123. Queensland, Australia. 29 March 1926. p. 6 (SECOND EDITION-3 p.m.). Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"CHURCH SITE". Sunday Mail. Queensland, Australia. 20 October 1929. p. 4. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020 – via Trove.
^"STUMPS CAPPED". Sunday Mail. Queensland, Australia. 21 September 1930. p. 2. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020 – via Trove.
^"CHURCH PROGRESS". Sunday Mail. Queensland, Australia. 2 November 1930. p. 12. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020 – via Trove.
^"GORDON PARK TRAM EXTENSION". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 22 November 1938. p. 15 (CITY FINAL LAST MINUTE NEWS). Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.