Labrador, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Labrador Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast Broadwater foreshore, 2015
Labrador Location in Gold Coast, Australia
Population	18,643 (2021 census)
• Density	3,271/km2 (8,470/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4215
Elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Area	5.7 km2 (2.2 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	73 km (45 mi) S of Brisbane 7 km (4 mi) N of Surfers Paradise 37 km (23 mi) N of Tweed Heads
LGA(s)	City of Gold Coast
State electorate(s)	Bonney
Federal Division(s)	Fadden
Suburbs around Labrador: Biggera Waters Biggera Waters Main Beach Arundel Labrador Main Beach Parkwood Southport Southport

Labrador is a coastal suburb in Queensland, Australia. It is part of the City of Gold Coast. In 2021, about 18,643 people lived in Labrador.

Exploring Labrador's Location

Labrador sits right by the beautiful Gold Coast Broadwater on its eastern side. It also borders Southport to the south.

This area has many important cultural sites for Aboriginal people. Labrador was a traditional home for several families. This was because of the many shellfish, mudcrabs, oysters, and waterfowl found there. The Yugambeh and Kombumerri Aboriginal groups lived in this area.

The Gold Coast City Council has a "Labrador Heritage Walk". This walk includes 21 interesting historical places. You can follow three mapped routes to explore these spots.

A Look Back at Labrador's History

Real estate map from around 1885

In 1878, a sugar farmer named Robert Muir and an investor named John Lennon bought land here. This land was originally called Southport North. It stretched along the Broadwater and was a great place for fishing.

Robert Muir is thought to have named the area in the late 1800s. He named it after a fishing area in Canada. He saw similarities in the fishing spots and the shape of the land.

Early Hotels and Homes

The Labrador Hotel was built around 1881 by Fredrick Shaw. It had 15 bedrooms and three sitting rooms. It also had stables for the Cobb and Co coach service. People arriving by boat from Brisbane would also come to this hotel. The hotel was sadly destroyed by fire in 1888.

Labrador House around 1920

Labrador House was built in 1883 as a holiday home. It faced Marine Parade and had great views of the Broadwater. Jim Cavill, who later developed Surfers Paradise, owned the house in 1923. The house was later turned into three flats. It was eventually taken down in 1970 to make way for new buildings.

Deepwater Point Estate map from 1885

The Grand Hotel was built in 1886 at Deepwater Point. It became a local landmark by 1922, with tennis courts and a ballroom. In the 1950s, it added a beer garden and an entertainment room. This room hosted popular cabarets. The timber building was completely destroyed by fire in 1975. A new hotel, also called The Grand, opened in 2001.

Labrador State School's Journey

Labrador State School in 1921

The first Labrador State School building opened on January 24, 1921. It was built on land donated by the Queensland Government. Miss May Macpherson was the first and only teacher. She taught all 17 original students.

The land was often swampy and flooded. Because of this, a new school site was found in 1948. The old school building was moved to Southport State School. The new school building at Imperial Parade opened on August 2, 1952. It had four classrooms and 193 students.

Labrador State School in July 1959

Hilltop House was once a community meeting place. It was moved to higher ground in the 1930s by the Freeman family. They named it Hilltop House, and the street was later named Hilltop.

Who Lives in Labrador?

Labrador has grown quite a bit over the years.

• In 2006, there were 15,391 people.
• By 2011, the population grew to 16,402.
• In 2016, 18,261 people lived there. About 2.1% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Most people (57.2%) were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces included New Zealand (8.7%) and England (4.3%). Most people (73.3%) spoke only English at home.
• In 2021, Labrador had a population of 18,643 people.

Learning in Labrador

Labrador State School is a government primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It is located on Turpin Road (27°56′32″S 153°24′09″E / 27.9422°S 153.4024°E / -27.9422; 153.4024 (Labrador State School)). In 2017, the school had 940 students and 74 teachers. The school also has a special program for students learning English.

There isn't a secondary school in Labrador itself. The closest public high school is Southport State High School.