Goodna, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Goodna Ipswich, Queensland
Goodna Shopping Centre
Goodna Location in Queensland
Population	10,391 (2021 census)
• Density	1,315/km2 (3,410/sq mi)
Established	1856
Postcode(s)	4300
Area	7.9 km2 (3.1 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)	City of Ipswich
State electorate(s)	Bundamba Inala
Federal Division(s)	Oxley
Suburbs around Goodna: Redbank Moggill Wacol Redbank Goodna Gailes Redbank Bellbird Park Camira

Goodna is a suburb located on the eastern edge of the City of Ipswich in Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Goodna was home to 10,391 people.

Exploring Goodna's Location

A view of the Brisbane River from Richardson Park in Goodna.

Goodna is about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the centre of Brisbane. It sits just outside the Brisbane City Council area. Because it's a central spot between Brisbane and Ipswich, the Queensland Government has marked Goodna as an important area. It's seen as a major activity hub, a transport centre, and a place for economic growth.

The Brisbane River flows along the northern side of Goodna. The Goodna Boat Ramp is one of the few boat ramps on the Brisbane River. It is also part of the Brisbane River Canoe Trail.

Goodna's Green Spaces and Wildlife

Goodna is known for its many old trees, like Jacaranda, Poinciana, Hoop Pine, and Mango trees. There are also over 14 parks in the area. Many of the larger parks have free electric barbecue facilities. Some of the main parks include Evan Marginson Sportsground, Richardson Park, and Leslie Park. Half of The Pan Pacific Peace Gardens is also located in Goodna.

While new buildings are going up, you can still spot some wildlife. Possums are common, and sometimes you might even see a koala. Kangaroos are often seen, especially near the golf courses.

Shopping and Street Names

Goodna Shopping Centre, also known as St Ives, is a big shopping area. It's an easy walk to the Goodna train station. Many of the original street names in central Goodna were named after English kings, princes, and queens. Examples include William, Albert, James, and George.

Goodna's Rich History

Goodna is located on the traditional lands of the Ugarapul Aboriginal people. The Ugarapul people spoke a dialect of the Yuggera language. Their culture continues to thrive today.

Early European Settlement

In 1823, John Oxley led an exploration group and was the first European to visit this area. The land had a lot of sandstone. In 1826, Patrick Logan started the Woogaroo Quarry. This quarry provided building materials for the Moreton Bay penal colony.

The area was first called Woogaroo. This name came from Woogaroo Creek, which was on an 1840 map. The name Woogaroo comes from the Yuggera language, meaning "shady" or "cool." The name Goodna took over from Woogaroo in 1865.

Ready for the hunt at the Goodna Royal Mail Hotel, around 1892.

By 1841, there was a sheep farm called Woogaroo Station. It belonged to H.S.Russell and Dr. Stephen Simpson. Dr. Simpson was a land commissioner and magistrate. He lived in a simple hut and farmed near the Woogaroo Creek mouth. This spot was important because the main road crossed a track from Coopers Plains and the river there.

In 1851–1852, Dr. Simpson bought 2,000 acres (809 hectares) of land. Other early settlers also bought land in Goodna. James Holmes arrived in 1851 and became a grazier (someone who raises livestock). Charles Pitt grew cotton and maize at Redbank Plains. He was one of the first to grow cotton in the area. Pitt was also a Justice of the Peace (JP) and helped start the Redbank School.

"Penhelyg," a Queenslander house in William Street, Goodna, built in 1896.

Goodna was originally a farming area. People grew sugar and cotton, and raised sheep and cattle. There was also a big timber industry. Large amounts of timber were taken by bullock teams to the Goodna wharf. From there, it was shipped to Ipswich and Brisbane.

Goodna Becomes a Village

More people settled in Goodna after it was declared a village in 1856. The next year, Joseph and Ellen Broad built a store. They later sold it to Edwin Pitt, who ran it as a mixed business. Edwin's wife, Cecilia, was the postmistress. They survived the 1893 Brisbane flood. Later, they built Pitt's Hotel Cecil on the store site. This hotel later burned down, and the RSL (Returned and Services League) is now on that spot.

The Goodna cemetery opened in 1859.

In 1860, Harriet Holmes bought 33 acres (13 hectares). The next year, Joshua Jeays, who later became Mayor of Brisbane, bought 40 acres (16 hectares).

An apiary (bee farm) in Goodna, around 1913.

By 1863, there was a small mail route to Holmes Inn, where Harriet Holmes was the postmistress. The Congregational Church also opened in 1863. It was built by Mr. E.S. Thomas, who was also the lay preacher. Mr. Thomas was an Ipswich Councillor and a local JP. He built a heritage-listed house at 43 William Street and owned a general store and bakery nearby. His first store was flooded in 1893.

Early streetscape of Brisbane Terrace, Goodna, showing the transport and residents of the area (Law family residence), around 1870.

By 1868, Goodna had one acting police sergeant and a constable. W. Law started a blacksmith business in 1870.

Schools and Churches

The first school in Goodna was the Goodna State School. It opened on 1 February 1870. By 1874, it had 175 students. A pre-school was added in 1975.

A Primitive Methodist Church opened on Sunday, 16 October 1870. The Goodna Baptist Church opened on 31 December 1871.

The foundation stone for St Patrick's Catholic Church was laid in 1880. The church opened the following year. It was later renamed St Francis Xavier Catholic Church.

St Patrick's Primary School was started on 3 July 1910 by the Sisters of Mercy. Their convent opened in 1911. Around 1924, the school was renamed St Francis Xavier's School.

Goodna Special School opened on 1 August 1975. Westside Christian College opened its Stuart Street campus on 1 February 1977. Its Alice Street Campus opened in 2002.

Railway and Growth

On 30 January 1873, the first step for the railway link between Ipswich and Brisbane happened in Goodna. Two thousand people came to watch, mostly by paddle steamer. The Queensland Governor, George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby, used a silver spade to dig the first piece of earth. Cobb and Co coaches used to stop in Goodna on their way to and from Brisbane. This stopped after the railway link was finished in 1875.

Daniel Jones built the first sawmill in 1884. It was located near the Catholic Church/School grounds. Daniel's brother, Harry, used a wooden "Honey Shed" nearby for his bee farm. By World War II, this shed was used by the CWA to make camouflage nets.

By 1888, Goodna had a population of 500. The Diggers Rest, on the corner of Queen and Church Streets, is the Goodna War Memorial. It was dedicated in September 1921.

Goodna celebrated its 150-year anniversary in 2006. In October 2012, Goodna was one of the first suburbs in the Brisbane/Ipswich area to get the NBN (National Broadband Network), which provides fast internet.

Goodna's Population and Community

In the 2016 census, Goodna had 10,461 people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 5.7% of the population. Most people (54.2%) were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces included New Zealand (9.1%), Samoa (3.4%), and Vietnam (2.9%).

Most people (60.1%) spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken included Samoan (7.7%) and Vietnamese (4.6%). The most common religions were No Religion (25.5%) and Catholic (18.3%). The average age in Goodna was 30 years, which is 8 years younger than the Australian average.

In the 2021 census, Goodna's population was 10,391 people.

Goodna's Heritage Sites

St Francis Xavier Church, 2015.

Goodna has important historical sites. One of these is the St Francis Xavier Church on Church Street.

Amenities and Services in Goodna

Goodna Aquatic Centre.

Goodna RSL.

Goodna has many services and facilities close to the Goodna Shopping Centre and the Goodna train station. These include government services, medical services, and financial services. You'll also find a Woolworths supermarket and the Goodna Neighbourhood House.

Goodna has many sporting clubs, like the Goodna Aquatic Centre, Woogaroo Swim Club, Goodna Little Athletics, Goodna Rugby League Football Club, Western Spirit Football Club, Goodna Lawn Bowls Club, and Goodna Netball Association. There are also retirement villages, the Goodna Cultural and Arts Centre, and the Jacaranda 2000 Toastmasters Club. The local Goodna Scout Group was founded in 1969, and there are also Girl Guide groups.

Churches in Goodna

Goodna Uniting Church is at 13 William Street. It is part of the Uniting Church in Australia. The Goodna Samoan congregation also meets there.

House of Hope Church holds services at 33 Queen Street. It is part of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

Oxley Samoan Church meets at Goodna State School at 1 Albert Street. It is also part of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia.

Education in Goodna

Goodna has several schools for different age groups:

Primary Schools

• Goodna State School is a government primary school (Prep–Year 6) for boys and girls at 1 Albert Street. In 2017, it had 768 students. It also has a special education program.
• St Francis Xavier's School is a Catholic primary school (Prep–Year 6) for boys and girls at 6 Church Street. In 2017, it had 493 students.
• Westside Christian College has a private primary school (Prep–Year 6) facility at 110 Stuart Street. In 2017, the college had 976 students across its primary and secondary sections.

Special and Secondary Schools

• Goodna Special School is a special school for primary and secondary students (Prep–Year 12) at 65 Queen Street. In 2017, it had 134 students.
• Westside Christian College also has a private secondary school (Years 7–12) at 65 Stuart Street.
• Queensland Pathways State College has a secondary campus (Years 10–12) at 45 Queen Street. Its main campus is in Coorparoo.

Goodna is also home to a campus of The Bremer Institute of TAFE, which offers vocational training.

Exciting Events in Goodna

Goodna Jacaranda Festival

The sign for the Goodna Jacaranda Festival.

Goodna is famous for its yearly Jacaranda Festival. It takes place around late October when the beautiful Jacaranda trees are blooming. More than 10,000 people attend this festival every year. It has been running since 1968 and is held in Evan Marginson Park, near the Goodna train station.

Mall 2 Mall Bike Ride

This bike ride is a key part of the annual Ipswich Festival, held every April. About 1,000 riders take part. It started in 2002, thanks to Bernie Ripoll, who was the local federal member of parliament for Oxley. Goodna is a major rest stop for this event, and you can even join the ride from there. The event starts in the Brisbane Mall and finishes in the heart of Ipswich. It covers over 50 kilometres (31 miles) and goes through 27 suburbs. This event helps raise money for the Ipswich Hospital Foundation and the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation.

Getting Around Goodna

The Goodna train station opened in 1875. Bus services, run by the Westside Bus Company, bring people from nearby suburbs to and from the Goodna train station.