Morayfield, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Morayfield Moreton Bay, Queensland
Raff's Sugar Plantation, 1874
Morayfield Location in Queensland
Population	24,898 (2021 census)
• Density	559.5/km2 (1,449/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4506
Area	44.5 km2 (17.2 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	2.3 km (1 mi) S of Caboolture 45.8 km (28 mi) N of Brisbane CBD
LGA(s)	City of Moreton Bay
State electorate(s)	Bancroft Morayfield
Federal Division(s)	Longman
Localities around Morayfield: Bellmere Caboolture South Caboolture Upper Caboolture Morayfield Beachmere Burpengary East Moorina Narangba Burpengary

Morayfield is a town and suburb located in the City of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. It's about 45.8 kilometers (about 28 miles) north of Brisbane CBD, which is Queensland's capital city. In 2021, Morayfield had a population of 24,898 people.

Exploring Morayfield's Location

Morayfield is mostly a residential area. You'll find many brick homes here, along with some larger properties that feel more like the countryside. The main shopping area is on Morayfield Road. This is where you'll find the big Morayfield Shopping Centre. The suburb is also part of the Burpengary Creek area, which means it's near a local creek system.

The Bruce Highway, a major road, and the Caboolture railway line both run through Morayfield from south to north.

A Look Back: Morayfield's History

How Morayfield Got Its Name

The name "Morayfield" comes from 1868. A man from Brisbane named George Raff bought land that used to belong to a cotton company. He named it "Moray Field" after his home area, Morayshire, in Scotland. Over time, people started calling it "Morayfields," and by 1881, it became "Morayfield."

Schools and Growth

Morayfield has a long history with its schools:

• The first school, Caboolture State School, opened on August 4, 1873.
• It was renamed Caboolture South State School in 1890.
• Then, in 1908, it became Morayfield State School. The original building is still there and is considered a special historical site!
• Morayfield State High School opened much later, on January 27, 1981. In 2023, it had over 1,600 students.
• Morayfield East State School opened on January 29, 1991.
• Minimbah State School welcomed students starting January 28, 1997.
• Carmichael College, a private school, opened in 2015 for primary students. It started offering secondary schooling in 2020 and plans to teach all grades up to Year 12 by 2025.

For a long time, until the mid-1980s, Morayfield was mostly a farming area with dairy farms and small crops. But as the population around Brisbane grew, Morayfield also started to grow very quickly, with many new homes being built.

The Morayfield Shopping Centre first opened its doors on April 14, 1997, and was made even bigger in 2005.

In January 2011, some parts of Morayfield experienced flooding during the 2010-2011 Queensland floods.

People of Morayfield

Morayfield has grown a lot over the years. In 1911, only 96 people lived here. By 1996, the population had jumped to over 15,000! In the 2021 census, Morayfield had 24,898 residents.

Most people living in Morayfield were born in Australia (about 77%). Other people came from countries like New Zealand, England, and the Philippines. English is the main language spoken at home.

Places of Historical Importance

Morayfield has a few places that are listed for their historical importance. These sites help us remember the past of the area:

• 68 Captain Whish Avenue: Oaklands Sugar Mill
• 196-230 Morayfield Road: Morayfield State School (the original building)
• 34 Nolan Drive: Morayfield Plantation

Schools in Morayfield

Morayfield is home to several schools, offering education from Prep (the first year of primary school) all the way to Year 12 (the last year of high school).

• Morayfield State School is a government primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It's located at 196-230 Morayfield Road.
• Minimbah State School is another government primary school for Prep to Year 6 students. You can find it at the corner of Walkers Road and Minimbah Drive.
• Morayfield East State School is also a government primary school (Prep-6) located at 107 Graham Road.
• Morayfield State High School is a government secondary school for students in Years 7 to 12. It's on Visentin Road.
• Carmichael College is a private school that teaches students from Prep to Year 12. It's located at 793-833 Oakey Flat Road. The school is named after a missionary named Amy Carmichael.

Getting Around Morayfield

Train Travel

The Morayfield railway station is a key way to get around. You can catch regular train services from here to Brisbane and Ipswich. You can also travel north to Caboolture and the Sunshine Coast.

Bus Services

Most bus services in Morayfield either go through or start from the Morayfield Bus Station. This station is located at 171 Morayfield Road, right next to the Morayfield Shopping Centre. Buses also connect to the Morayfield railway station.

There are several bus routes that help people get around:

• The 667 bus service travels around the southern part of Morayfield. It connects to other bus services at the Morayfield Bus Station and to the train station. On Sundays, it also goes to Burpengary.
• The 656 bus service loops to Upper Caboolture and connects to both the train and bus stations.
• Bus routes 653 and 654 connect Morayfield to Caboolture South and Bellmere. They also link to both the Morayfield and Caboolture train stations.
• The 651 bus travels along Morayfield Road to northern Caboolture, connecting both train stations.
• The 660 bus goes to the Morayfield Bus Station, offering connections to places like Redcliffe, Caboolture, Burpengary, and Deception Bay.
• Bus 9999 runs on Thursday mornings and afternoons from Donnybrook and Toorbul, connecting to Caboolture and the Morayfield Bus Station.
• There's also a bus service from Kilcoy (route 895) that travels through Woodford, D'Agulair, Wamuran, and Caboolture before ending at the Morayfield Bus Station.

Images for kids

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  Original building, Morayfield State School, 2014