Bilinga, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bilinga Gold Coast, Queensland
Aerial view of Bilinga beachfront, 2013
Bilinga Location in Gold Coast, Australia
Population	1,883 (2021 census)
• Density	724/km2 (1,880/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4225
Elevation	7 m (23 ft)
Area	2.6 km2 (1.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	2.8 km (2 mi) WNW of Coolangatta 24.6 km (15 mi) SSE of Surfers Paradise 28.1 km (17 mi) SSE of Southport 98.6 km (61 mi) SSE of Brisbane
LGA(s)	City of Gold Coast
State electorate(s)	Currumbin
Federal Division(s)	McPherson
Suburbs around Bilinga: Tugun Coral Sea Coral Sea Cobaki Lakes (NSW) Bilinga Coolangatta Tweed Heads West (NSW) Tweed Heads West (NSW) Tweed Heads (NSW)

Bilinga is a beautiful coastal suburb located in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It's right on the border with New South Wales! In 2021, about 1,883 people called Bilinga home.

Exploring Bilinga's Location

Bilinga is bordered by Boyd Street to the north-west. The amazing Coral Sea is to its east. The border with New South Wales is to the west.

Beaches and Homes

The entire eastern side of Bilinga has a long, sandy surf beach. The northern part is called Bilinga Beach. The southern part is known as North Kirra Beach. Right behind the beach, you'll find a small area with houses. This is the only part of the suburb where people live.

Gold Coast Airport

The Gold Coast Airport takes up most of Bilinga. It even stretches across the border into Tweed Heads West in New South Wales. This airport used to be called Coolangatta Airport.

Other Important Places

You can also find the Gold Coast Desalination Plant in the north-west of Bilinga. This plant helps turn saltwater into fresh drinking water. The Gold Coast campus of Southern Cross University is in the south of the suburb. It offers many different courses for students.

Getting Around Bilinga

The Gold Coast Highway runs through Bilinga. It comes from Tugun in the north. This highway helps separate the homes from the airport. It then goes south towards Tweed Heads and the Pacific Motorway.

A Look at Bilinga's Past

The name "Bilinga" comes from an old word, "Bilinba," which means "bats." This name was chosen in 1918 for the land north of Coolangatta.

Early Land Sales

In 1908, some land was offered for sale. These areas were meant for farming. They were located between the old South Coast railway line and a tick fence.

The Railway and Growth

A railway stop was built in 1919. It was near where the Gold Coast Highway and George Street are today. After this, Bilinga started to grow. A businessman named Percy Hanzel opened a general store near the railway stop. A new coastal road also made it easier for holidaymakers and residents to visit.

Surf Lifesaving Club

In 1937, a man drowned at Bilinga Beach. This sad event led to the start of the Bilinga Surf Lifesaving Club in 1938. This club helps keep swimmers safe.

Beach Nourishment

In 1989, Bilinga Beach received a lot of new sand. This was part of a program to make the beach bigger and better.

Border Checkpoint

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the Queensland borders were closed. The Gold Coast Highway in Bilinga became a police checkpoint. Only people with special permits could cross the border there.

Who Lives in Bilinga?

In 2011, Bilinga had 1,662 people. By 2016, the population grew to 1,804 people. The average age of people in Bilinga was 47 years old. This was a bit older than the national average. Most people (66.8%) were born in Australia. Also, 78.2% of people spoke only English at home. Many people said they had no religion (27.5%) or were Catholic (21.5%). In 2021, Bilinga's population reached 1,883 people.

Learning in Bilinga

There are no schools directly in Bilinga. The closest primary school is Coolangatta State School. It is in the nearby suburb of Coolangatta. For high school, students usually go to Palm Beach Currumbin State High School. This school is in Palm Beach.

Southern Cross University

The Gold Coast campus of Southern Cross University is in Bilinga. It offers many courses like:

• Arts
• Health
• Social science
• Business
• Education
• Information technology
• Law
• Tourism

The university also works with the Gold Coast airport and other tourism businesses. They offer special degrees and research in aviation and tourism.

Community Groups

Bilinga has two important surf lifesaving clubs. They help keep people safe at the beach.

• Bilinga Surf Life Saving Club: Members patrol the beach on weekends and holidays. This happens from September to May each year. Their clubhouse is on Golden Four Drive.
• North Kirra Surf Life Saving Club: Their clubhouse is on Pacific Parade, right by the beach.

Famous People from Bilinga

• Gregory Shambrook (born 1953) was a rugby union player. He played for Australia!