Sunnybank, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sunnybank Brisbane, Queensland
Mains Road, Sunnybank, 2018
Sunnybank Location in Queensland
Population	8,892 (2021 census)
• Density	2,021/km2 (5,230/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4109
Elevation	73 m (240 ft)
Area	4.4 km2 (1.7 sq mi)
Location	16 km (10 mi) SE of Brisbane CBD 10 km (6 mi) NW of Logan Central 67 km (42 mi) NW of Surfers Paradise
LGA(s)	City of Brisbane (Runcorn Ward)
State electorate(s)	Toohey Stretton
Federal Division(s)	Moreton
Suburbs around Sunnybank: Coopers Plains Robertson MacGregor Coopers Plains Sunnybank Eight Mile Plains Acacia Ridge Sunnybank Hills Runcorn

Sunnybank is a suburb in the city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is well-known for its many Asian shops and restaurants.

In the 2021 census, Sunnybank was home to 8,892 people.

Sunnybank's Past

The Jagera Indigenous people lived in the Sunnybank area for over 20,000 years. They were the first people here.

Early settlers found that Sunnybank had good rain and rich, sandy soil. This soil helped beautiful wild flowers grow. By the mid-1800s, the area became a busy farming community. Farmers grew fruits and raised chickens.

The area of Sunnybank was officially mapped out in 1886. Its name came from a farm called Sunny Brae Estate. This farm belonged to the Gillespie family. In 1885, a railway line was built through the area. The railway needed names for its stations. The Gillespies gave 2 acres of their land for the railway. Brae is a Scottish word for bank. So, the area was named Sunnybank.

The Sunnybank we know today is smaller than the original town. The old town of Sunnybank became part of the City of Brisbane in 1925. People still call this older area Sunnybank. Rolling hills and creeks like Stable Swamp Creek and Bulimba Creek have always attracted people and wildlife.

How Sunnybank Grew

As the 1900s began, farms slowly turned into suburbs. A large car factory, General Motors Holden, opened in nearby Acacia Ridge. This factory gave many people jobs in Brisbane.

In 1914, a group from the Church of Christ started meeting in homes. They bought land and built their first church in 1918. It moved to a new spot in 1922. By 1975, the church moved to its current location at 105 Station Road (27°34′32″S 153°03′19″E / 27.5756°S 153.0552°E / -27.5756; 153.0552 (Sunnybank Church of Christ)).

Oasis gardens and pools

The Oasis opened in 1938. It had beautiful gardens, swimming pools, and a small zoo. It quickly became a very popular place for tourists in Brisbane. The gardens were famous both in Australia and around the world. During World War II in 1942, thousands of American soldiers visited The Oasis. They used it as a place to relax and have fun. The Oasis was located at 141 Station Road (27°34′25″S 153°03′23″E / 27.5736°S 153.0563°E / -27.5736; 153.0563 (The Oasis (former))).

Brisbane hosted the 1982 Commonwealth Games at the Queen Elizabeth II sporting complex (now called the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre or QSAC). Later, Expo 88 also took place in Brisbane. These big events showed Brisbane and its suburbs like Sunnybank to the world. Since there wasn't much new land to build on, developers started building taller homes and businesses.

Asian Culture in Sunnybank

In the late 1980s, more and more people from Asian countries moved to Sunnybank. They also moved to the suburbs nearby. This change brought a new look to the area. The main shopping area of Sunnybank, near Mains Road and McCullough Street, now has many Asian restaurants and shops.

Today, Sunnybank is a lively suburb with many different cultures. Asian influences are strong in its design, food, and way of life. Many shops and businesses are owned by people of Asian background who now call Australia home. You can often see business signs written in both Chinese and English.

Who Lives in Sunnybank?

In the 2011 census, Sunnybank had 8,091 people. About half were female and half were male. The average age was 34 years old. This was 3 years younger than the average age for all of Australia.

About 44% of people in Sunnybank were born in Australia. This is less than the national average of nearly 70%. The next most common birthplaces were China (15.1%), Taiwan (7.1%), and India (3.5%).

About 48% of people spoke only English at home. The most common other languages were Mandarin (20.4%) and Cantonese (7.4%).

In the 2016 census, Sunnybank had 8,697 people. The largest group, 31%, said their family background was Chinese. About 19% of Sunnybank's people were born in China. Another 9.3% were born in Taiwan, and 2.6% in Hong Kong.

By the 2021 census, Sunnybank's population had grown to 8,892 people.

Learning in Sunnybank

Sunnybank State School, 1959

Sunnybank State School is a public primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It is located at 50 Eddington Street (27°34′32″S 153°03′05″E / 27.5756°S 153.0514°E / -27.5756; 153.0514 (Sunnybank State School)). The school also has a special program for students with special needs. In 2017, 340 students attended the school.

Runcorn State School is also a public primary school for Prep to Year 6. Even though it's called Runcorn, it is located at 646 Beenleigh Road in Sunnybank (27°35′17″S 153°03′44″E / 27.5881°S 153.0621°E / -27.5881; 153.0621 (Runcorn State School)). It has programs for special education too. In 2017, 437 students were enrolled there.

Boorman Street entrance, Sunnybank State High School, 2012

Sunnybank State High School is a public high school for students from Year 7 to Year 12. You can find it on Boorman Street (27°34′34″S 153°03′35″E / 27.5762°S 153.0597°E / -27.5762; 153.0597 (Sunnybank State High School)). It also has a special education unit. In 2017, 664 students went to this high school.

Sunnybank Special School is a school for students with special needs. It teaches children from Early Childhood up to Year 12. The school is at 79 Troughton Road (27°34′20″S 153°02′54″E / 27.5721°S 153.0483°E / -27.5721; 153.0483 (Sunnybank Special School)). In 2017, 38 students were enrolled.

Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School is a Catholic primary school for Prep to Year 6. It is located on Shearwin Street (27°34′54″S 153°03′43″E / 27.5816°S 153.0619°E / -27.5816; 153.0619 (Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School)). In 2017, 509 students attended this school.

St Thomas More College is a Catholic high school for students from Year 7 to Year 12. It is at the corner of Troughton Road and Turton Street (27°34′25″S 153°02′56″E / 27.5737°S 153.0489°E / -27.5737; 153.0489 (St Thomas More College)). In 2017, 1012 students were enrolled.

Carinity Education is a private high school for girls from Year 7 to Year 12. It is located at 153 Lister Street (27°34′40″S 153°03′17″E / 27.5778°S 153.0547°E / -27.5778; 153.0547 (Carinity Education - Southside)). This school helps girls who find regular schooling difficult. In 2017, 114 students were enrolled here.

Sunnybank's Facilities

Sunnybank Hall, 2011

The Sunnybank Coopers Plains branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the St. Barnabas Anglican Church Hall. This hall is located at 189 Lister Street.

Health Services

Near the main shopping areas, you'll find the Sunnybank Private Hospital. It is a modern hospital with many specialist doctors.

Shopping Fun

Sunnybank has several shopping centres along Mains Road. Sunnybank Plaza is one of them. It has a Kmart, Coles, and a Hoyts Cinemas.

Across the road from Sunnybank Plaza is Sunny Park shopping centre. This centre has a Woolworths supermarket.

Market Square is across from these two centres. It is a community hub with a strong Asian focus. You'll find many Asian shops and restaurants there.

Other shopping centres nearby include Centro Pinelands, Oasis Shopping Village, Westfield Garden City, Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown, and Calamvale Central.

Places to Worship

Sunnybank has many places for people to worship. These include Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, and Uniting churches. There are also Chinese Methodist and Mormon churches.

Other spiritual sites include the Chung Tian Temple and Masjid Al Farooq (Kuraby Mosque). The Brisbane Synagogue is also nearby.

Sunnybank Church of Christ is at 105 Station Road (27°34′32″S 153°03′19″E / 27.5756°S 153.0552°E / -27.5756; 153.0552 (Sunnybank Church of Christ)). The Sunnybank Wesleyan Methodist Church also meets at the Church of Christ.

Sports in Sunnybank

Sunnybank is home to two rugby clubs. The Souths Sunnybank Rugby League Football Club is the second oldest rugby league club in Brisbane. The Sunnybank Dragons Rugby Union Club is also based here.

Getting Around Sunnybank

Sunnybank is a busy area, and traffic can be a problem. Mains Road often gets very crowded during peak hours. Cars and buses can get stuck as people travel home. However, the Mains Road bridge over the train line at Altandi has been made wider and better.

Sunnybank Plaza has a small bus stop. This stop is important for most bus routes in the area.

You can also travel by train. Banoon railway station, Sunnybank railway station, and Altandi railway station offer regular Queensland Rail City network services. These trains go to Brisbane and Beenleigh.

Sunnybank's Weather

Famous People from Sunnybank

Many well-known people have lived in or are connected to Sunnybank:

• Len Ardill, a politician.
• Mark Coyne, a rugby league player for Queensland and Australia.
• Ben Cutting, an Australian cricketer, born in Sunnybank.
• Luke Feldman, an Australian cricketer, born in Sunnybank.
• Katrina Gorry, a soccer player for the Australian women's national team.
• Samantha Reid, an Australian Olympic synchronized swimmer.
• Johnathan Thurston, a famous rugby league player for Queensland and Australia.
• Lote Tuqiri, a rugby player who played both rugby league and rugby union for his country.
• Daniel Vidot, a professional wrestler and former rugby league player.