MacGregor, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids MacGregor Brisbane, Queensland
Looking west towards MacGregor suburb, from Upper Mount Gravatt
MacGregor Location in Queensland
Population	5,980 (2021 census)
• Density	2,210/km2 (5,700/sq mi)
Established	1967
Postcode(s)	4109
Area	2.7 km2 (1.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	13.0 km (8 mi) S of Brisbane CBD
LGA(s)	City of Brisbane (MacGregor Ward)
State electorate(s)	Toohey
Federal Division(s)	Moreton
Suburbs around MacGregor: Nathan Upper Mount Gravatt Upper Mount Gravatt Robertson MacGregor Upper Mount Gravatt Sunnybank Eight Mile Plains Eight Mile Plains

MacGregor is a suburb located in the southern part of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It's a place where about 5,980 people live, according to the 2021 census.

Exploring MacGregor's Landscape

MacGregor is divided into three main sections. These parts are separated by a large six-lane road called Kessels Road. Another natural divider is Mimosa Creek. Most of the homes here are one or two stories tall. They are usually made of beige brick with tiled roofs.

Street Names in MacGregor

The streets in MacGregor have interesting names. There isn't one simple rule for how they were chosen. In the eastern part of the suburb, you'll find streets named after plants. Examples include Freesia and Gaillardia. Some streets also have Scottish names, like Blairgowrie and Carnoustie.

In the south-west area, some street names might remind you of fruit. Angelina and Damson are types of plums. Elberta is a kind of peach. Jonathan could refer to a type of apple. This suggests that fruits might have been grown in this area a long time ago. This was before it became a busy urban suburb.

A Look at MacGregor's Past

MacGregor used to be part of a nearby suburb called Sunnybank. It got its own name on August 1, 1967. The suburb was named after Sir William MacGregor. He was born in Scotland and served as the Governor of Queensland from 1909 to 1914. Even though it's officially spelled MacGregor, you might sometimes see it written as Macgregor.

Schools and a Tornado

MacGregor State High School first opened its doors on January 28, 1969. It started with nine teachers and 203 students. A powerful tornado hit the school on November 4, 1973. It caused a lot of damage, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Much of the school had to be rebuilt after the storm.

MacGregor State School, a primary school, opened a bit later on January 24, 1972. Students at this school wear a special uniform. It includes the red MacGregor tartan, which is a traditional Scottish pattern.

Who Lives in MacGregor?

The population of MacGregor has grown over the years. In 2011, about 5,576 people lived here. By 2016, the population increased to 5,844. The latest census in 2021 showed 5,980 residents.

MacGregor's Diverse Community

MacGregor is a very diverse place. In 2011, about 41.9% of the people were born in Australia. This is lower than the national average for Australia. Many residents come from other countries. The most common countries of birth after Australia were China, Taiwan, India, New Zealand, and Vietnam.

People in MacGregor speak many different languages at home. About 44.4% of people spoke only English. Other popular languages included Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Greek. The most common religious belief was 'No religion'. Other common religions included Catholic, Buddhism, Anglican, and Uniting Church.

Learning and Education in MacGregor

MacGregor State School, 2018

MacGregor has two main schools for local students.

MacGregor State School

MacGregor State School is a government primary school. It teaches students from Prep (the first year of school) to Year 6. It is located on McCullough Street. In 2018, the school had a large number of students, with 1,347 enrolled. There were 94 teachers and 59 non-teaching staff helping the students.

MacGregor State High School

MacGregor State High School is a government secondary school. It teaches students from Year 7 to Year 12. You can find this school on Blackwattle Street. In 2018, the high school had 1,221 students. It had 115 teachers and 55 non-teaching staff.

Nearby, in the suburb of Nathan, you can find Griffith University. This is a large university where students can continue their education. Also in Nathan is the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre. This is a big place for sports events.

Places and Activities in MacGregor

D. M. Henderson Park

Besides the schools, MacGregor has several other useful places.

Parks and Recreation

There is a Scout Group called Robertson Scouts. MacGregor also has a large park known as D. M. Henderson Park. This park is a great place for recreation. The MacGregor Netball Association also has playing fields here. The park was named after Daniel Murray Henderson. He was a local farmer who grew strawberries and other small crops.

Shopping and Transport

For shopping, people in MacGregor often visit nearby shopping centers. These include Westfield Garden City in Upper Mount Gravatt. They also use the shopping centers in Sunnybank, such as Sunnybank, Sunny Park, and Market Square. Sunny Park Shopping Centre is actually right on the border of MacGregor.

Public transport is easy to access. You can catch a bus from the MacGregor park-and-ride. There are also busway stations nearby, like the Garden City Interchange or Eight Mile Plains busway station. If you prefer trains, the closest railway stations are Altandi, Sunnybank, Banoon, or Coopers Plains.

Along Kessels Road, you'll find many large retail businesses. There is also a driver licence testing centre in the area.

Nature and Environment

Mimosa Creek flows through MacGregor. This creek is a small stream that feeds into Bulimba Creek. It is part of a network of nature reserves. This network includes the nearby Toohey Forest Conservation Park.

Images for kids

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  MacGregor suburb panorama, looking from the east.

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  Kessels Road, looking west.

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  Looking over the suburb towards the sports stadium.

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  MacGregor suburb on left of Pacific Motorway.

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  A western-side suburban street.

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  An eastern-side suburban street.

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  MacGregor State High School side entrance.

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  MacGregor State High School oval.