Mudgeeraba, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mudgeeraba Gold Coast, Queensland
Old Post Office, 2015
Mudgeeraba Location in Queensland
Postcode(s)	4213
Area	25.8 km2 (10.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)	City of Gold Coast
State electorate(s)	Mudgeeraba
Federal Division(s)	McPherson Wright
Localities around Mudgeeraba: Tallai Worongary Merrimac Robina Advancetown Mudgeeraba Varsity Lakes Neranwood Austinville Bonogin Reedy Creek

Mudgeeraba (pronounced MUH-juh-ruh-bah) is a lovely town and suburb located in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Even today, Mudgeeraba still feels like a charming village from the 1800s. In 2021, about 14,578 people called Mudgeeraba home.

Exploring Mudgeeraba's Nature

Mudgeeraba Creek is the main waterway in this area of the Gold Coast. It flows into the larger Nerang River. Smaller creeks like Bonogin and Wyangan also join Mudgeeraba Creek.

Since 2005, a special program called "Beaches to Bushland" has been working to clean up and restore parts of Mudgeeraba Creek. Local groups, like the Austinville Landcare Group, help make the creek healthier.

A Look Back in Time

View of a farm in the Mudgeeraba district around 1891

Mudgeeraba is a great example of the old towns found in the countryside behind the Gold Coast. It used to be a farming area with traditional rural buildings. The old Schmidt Farmhouse, which is now in nearby Worongary, shows what farms were like back then.

People at the Mudgeeraba railway station, around 1917

In the mid-1870s, Mudgeeraba was a busy place for farming, cutting timber, and raising cattle. It became even more important when the railway arrived in 1903. This railway connected Brisbane all the way to Tweed Heads.

The original Mudgeeraba train station was near where the motorway entrance is today. At first, the station was built a bit far from the main town. So, people started buying land closer to the station, and the town centre eventually moved to its current spot. The old railway line closed in 1961. Today, the Pacific Motorway mostly follows the path of that old railway. A newer train line opened in 1998, connecting Brisbane to Robina, which is about 1.8 km from the old Mudgeeraba station.

Mudgeeraba Exchange Hotel, 1915

During the Great Depression in the early 1930s, special camps were set up along the Upper Mudgeeraba Creek. These camps helped people who were out of work. Residents grew vegetables using creek water and lived in simple huts. The government even helped people start small banana farms in the area.

Who Lives in Mudgeeraba?

In 2011, Mudgeeraba had a population of 13,204 people. About 51.3% were female and 48.7% were male. The average age was 36 years old. Most people (69%) living in Mudgeeraba were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces included New Zealand (8.5%) and England (6.1%). About 88.7% of people spoke only English at home.

By 2016, the population grew slightly to 13,624 people. In 2021, it reached 14,578 people.

Historic Places to See

Mudgeeraba has several places that are protected because of their history. These include:

• Franklin Drive (crossing Mudgeeraba Creek): The Dip Crossing Bridge (also known as the Old Mudgeeraba Creek Bridge).
• Hardys Road (corner of Gold Coast Springbrook Road): Persimmon Trees at Laver Family Park.
• 30 Hardys Road (Hinterland Regional Park): Hardy's House.
• 47 Railway Street: The Wallaby Hotel (which used to be called the Exchange Hotel).
• 57 Railway Street: The Mudgeeraba Old Post Office (which was once the Nerang Shire Council Chambers).
• 4 School Street: Mudgeeraba Special School (which was the former Mudgeeraba State School).
• Mudgeeraba Creek (upstream from Bonogin Creek): Hardy's Bridge.

Schools in Mudgeeraba

Aerial view of Mudgeeraba State School, 2023

Mudgeeraba has several schools for young people:

• Mudgeeraba State School is a government primary school for students from Preparatory to Year 6. It's located at 32-48 Old Coach Road. In 2017, it had 843 students.
• Clover Hill State School is another government primary school for students from Preparatory to Year 6. You can find it on Clover Hill Drive. In 2017, it had 947 students.

Clover Hill State School, 2023

• Mudgeeraba Creek State School is also a government primary school for Preparatory to Year 6 students. It's on Gold Coast-Springbrook Road. In 2017, it had 705 students.
• Mudgeeraba Special School helps students with special needs from Preparatory to Year 12. It's located at 4–6 School Street. In 2017, there were 160 students.
• Somerset College is a private school that teaches students from Preparatory to Year 12. It's on Somerset Drive. In 2017, it had 1,438 students.

There isn't a government high school in Mudgeeraba itself. The closest one is in the neighbouring suburb of Robina.

Local Facilities

Mudgeeraba is home to the Mudgeeraba Water Treatment Plant. This plant cleans water that comes from the Little Nerang Dam and sends it to other areas like Tugun and Molendinar.

The Gold Coast City Council uses the Old Post Office building (which used to be the Mudgeeraba Library) for community groups. They offer fun activities for both kids and adults, including things like computing and robotics.

The Springbrook Mudgeeraba branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the Bill Deacon Pavilion. This is located at the Mudgeeraba Showgrounds.

One of Australia's biggest car clubs, Kustoms of Australia, has its main office in Mudgeeraba. They have a building within the Gold Coast Historical precinct.

St Benedict's Catholic Church is located at 2 Wallaby Drive. It's part of the Burleigh Heads Catholic Parish.

Sports and Fun Activities

Mudgeeraba has many sports teams and clubs:

• The Mudgeeraba Redbacks are the local rugby league team. They play their home games at Firth Park.
• The Hinterland District Netball Association organises netball games for players aged 5 to 17 on Saturday mornings, and for older players on Monday nights, also at Firth Park.
• The Mudgeeraba Lawn Bowls Club is right behind the Rugby Club.
• The Mudgeeraba Soccer Club is another popular local team.
• The Mudgeeraba Spartans Junior AFL Club plays their home games at Somerset College.

Mudgeeraba is also the starting point for the annual Kokoda Challenge. This is a tough 96-kilometre cross-country event!

Famous People from Mudgeeraba

Some well-known people have connections to Mudgeeraba:

• Darius Boyd, a famous rugby league player.
• Richard Clapton, a musician.
• Denan Kemp, a former rugby league player.
• d'Arcy Doyle, an artist.
• Lyndon Dykes, a Scottish international footballer.
• Matthew Saunoa, who won New Zealand Idol in 2006.
• Anna Torv, an actress.