Aitkenvale, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aitkenvale Townsville, Queensland
Stockland Townsville
Aitkenvale Location in Queensland
Population	4,797 (2021 census)
• Density	1,454/km2 (3,770/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4814
Area	3.3 km2 (1.3 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	7.6 km (5 mi) SW of Townsville CBD 1,336 km (830 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	City of Townsville
State electorate(s)	Mundingburra
Federal Division(s)	Herbert
Suburbs around Aitkenvale: Heatley Vincent Gulliver Cranbrook Aitkenvale Mundingburra Douglas Annandale Annandale

Aitkenvale is a busy suburb in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It's part of the City of Townsville. In 2021, about 4,797 people lived here.

About Aitkenvale

Aitkenvale is a big area with lots of shops and homes. It has Townsville's largest shopping centre. Many companies also have offices here. Aitkenvale is the biggest business area in Townsville outside of the main city centre. Some people even call it the "second CBD" (Central Business District).

Besides shops and offices, most of Aitkenvale is for homes. There are also some small factories and workshops in the north-east. You can find beautiful parklands along the Ross River.

Two main roads run through Aitkenvale. Ross River Road goes from east to west. Douglas–Garbutt Road (also called Nathan Street) runs along the western edge.

A Look Back in Time

Aitkenvale is located on the traditional lands of the Wulgurukaba Aboriginal people.

The suburb gets its name from Thomas Aitken. He was the first person to own a large piece of land here. In the 1880s, he started dividing his land into smaller blocks. He sold 440 residential blocks in 1885.

Around 1867, Thomas Aitken also started a dairy farm in the area. Two buildings from his farm are still standing today on Leopold Street. They are known as the Herdsman's Cottage and the Cordial Factory.

Early Churches and Clubs

The Aitkenvale Methodist Church first opened in 1885. It was a small hall that was destroyed by Cyclone Sigma in 1896. Church services were then held in people's homes. A new hall was built in 1914.

During World War II, the Royal Australian Air Force used the church building. Services went back to being held in private homes. In 1959, the church building was moved to make way for a new brick church. This new church opened in 1971. In 1975, the church started the Lifeline phone help service in Townsville.

In 1977, the Aitkenvale Methodist Church joined with St Stephen's Presbyterian Church. They formed the Aitkenvale Uniting Church.

The Townsville Golf Club is the oldest golf club in Queensland. It started in 1893 at Kissing Point. The club moved to Aitkenvale in 1921. It then moved again to Rosslea in 1924.

Schools and Wartime

Aitkenvale State School first opened on June 2, 1924. During World War II, the Australian Armed Forces used the school building.

During World War II, the US Army had a large hospital in Aitkenvale. It had 450 beds and was located on the corner of Hatchett Street and Ross River Road. There was also an airfield built in 1942 for the Royal Australian Air Force. This airfield was near Aitkenvale Weir on the Ross River. After the war, it was no longer used, and homes were built on the land.

Riverside Adventist Christian School opened on January 14, 1968.

The Aitkenvale public library opened in 1971.

Aitkenvale Special School opened on August 28, 1972. It closed on December 31, 2001. Its students joined with another school to create the Townsville Community Learning Centre.

Recent Events

In 2019, Aitkenvale was affected by a big flood in Townsville. Areas near the river, like Thompson Street, were covered in water. Ross River Road near the Aitkenvale Library was also flooded.

Who Lives Here

In 2021, Aitkenvale had a population of 4,797 people. About 6.7% of the people living here were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Most people (73.3%) were born in Australia.

About 79.0% of people spoke only English at home. Some other languages spoken included Somali. When asked about religion, many people said they had no religion (27.0%). Others were Catholic (23.8%) or Anglican (14.0%).

Learning in Aitkenvale

Primary Schools

• Aitkenvale State School is a government primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It is located at 67–85 Wotton Street. In 2018, it had 492 students. The school also has a special program for students learning English.
• Riverside Adventist Christian School is a private primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It is located at 59 Leopold Street. In 2018, it had 50 students.

Secondary Schools

There are no secondary schools directly in Aitkenvale. Students usually go to nearby schools like Heatley Secondary College in Heatley or Pimlico State High School in Gulliver.

Things to Do and See

Shopping

Townsville Shopping Centre is a large shopping centre in Aitkenvale. You can find it between Nathan Street, Ross River Road, Elizabeth Street, and Alfred Street. Some of the big stores there include:

• Myer
• Big W
• Woolworths
• Kmart
• Coles

Parks

Aitkenvale has several parks where you can relax and play:

• Aitkenvale Park
• Illich Park
• Leopold Street Park
• Riverview Park
• Rossiter Park
• Sabadine Street Park

Churches

Aitkenvale Uniting Church is located at 277-279 Ross River Road.

Public Libraries

You can visit CityLibraries Aitkenvale at 4 Petunia Street. It is run by CityLibraries Townsville.

Sporting Grounds

• Illich Park is used by the Centrals Rugby League team.
• Aitkenvale Park is home to the Saints Eagles Souths Football Club.

Images for kids

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  View of roundabout at Elizabeth Street and Alfred Street

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  Estate Map of Aitkenvale Estate, Townsville, Queensland, 1883

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  Thomas Aitken of Townsville, 1867