Upper Coomera, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Upper CoomeraGold Coast, Queensland |
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 Upper Coomera
Location in Gold Coast, Australia
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| Established | 1900s | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4209 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 23.8 km2 (9.2 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
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| LGA(s) | City of Gold Coast | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) |
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| Federal Division(s) | Forde | ||||||||||||||
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Upper Coomera is a lively suburb located in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It's a place where many families live. In 2021, about 27,180 people called Upper Coomera home.
Contents
Exploring Upper Coomera's Location
Upper Coomera is on the northern side of the Gold Coast. It sits west of the main highway, the Pacific Motorway. To the north, you'll find Willow Vale. The Coomera River forms its southern border, separating it from Oxenford. The Pacific Motorway is to its east, next to Coomera.
Upper Coomera and Coomera are important areas for growth on the Gold Coast. They are seen as key urban centres, much like Southport and Robina. Upper Coomera has many homes and shopping areas. It's a popular spot for people who travel to work in different cities. This is because it's about halfway between Southport and Beenleigh. It's also not too far from the city of Brisbane.
A Look Back: Upper Coomera's History
The name Coomera comes from the Yugambeh word kumera. This word means a type of wattle tree.
Early Days and Settlements
In 1864, British explorers mapped the land along the Coomera River. They set aside 15,000 acres for farming. In 1865, William Alfred Binstead was the first European to settle in Upper Coomera. He lived near a river crossing that later became part of a mail route. A ferry service started downstream, which became known as Coomera.
The sugar industry soon grew in the area. Arthur Ardagh's Otmoor plantation made the first refined sugar in 1870. Workers from the South Sea Islander community helped on the Otmoor farm. By 1881, they were the main workers there.
The Upper Coomera Cemetery was first planned in 1871. It officially opened in 1885. However, the first burial didn't happen until three years later.
Churches and Community Life
By December 1888, an Anglican church was built in Upper Coomera. Its opening was delayed until Bishop William Webber returned to Queensland. The bishop officially opened the church on March 31, 1889. A new Anglican Church, called Holy Road, opened later on December 18, 1937.
The Upper Coomera Shire War Memorial is at the corner of Oxenford and Tamborine Road (27°54′05″S 153°17′18″E / 27.90152°S 153.28828°E). It was revealed on May 18, 1918, by Edward Macartney. He was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly. The memorial first honored those who died in World War I. Later, names of those who died in World War II were added. The memorial reminds everyone of the brave people from the Coomera district who served.
Schools Through the Years
Coomera Upper Provisional School opened on October 23, 1876. It became Coomera Upper State School in 1878. This school closed in 1964.
Fern Hill State School opened in 1910 but closed a few years later in 1914.
The first bridge over the Coomera River was built in the 1930s.
Many new schools have opened in Upper Coomera more recently:
- Saint Stephen's College opened in 1996.
- Coomera Anglican College started on January 27, 1997.
- Upper Coomera State College opened on January 1, 2003.
- Assisi Catholic College opened on January 25, 2005.
- Coomera Springs State School opened in January 2008. It started with about 90 students.
- Highland Reserve State School opened in January 2009. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh officially opened it.
Who Lives in Upper Coomera?
In 2016, Upper Coomera had a population of 25,276 people. It was home to many people from New Zealand (894 people) and Māori (1,549 people). These were some of the largest communities in Queensland.
By 2021, the population of Upper Coomera grew to 27,180 people.
Important Places: Heritage Sites
Upper Coomera has a few special places that are important to its history. These are called heritage sites. One of them is:
- Upper Coomera War Memorial, located where Tamborine-Oxenford Road and Charlies Crossing Road North meet.
Learning in Upper Coomera: Schools
Upper Coomera has many schools for students of all ages.
Primary Schools (Prep-Year 6)
- Coomera Springs State School is a government primary school. It's for boys and girls from Prep to Year 6. You can find it on Old Coach Road (27°50′50″S 153°18′02″E / 27.8471°S 153.3005°E). In 2018, about 899 students went to this school. It also has a special education program.
- Highland Reserve State School is another government primary school. It's for boys and girls from Prep to Year 6. It's located at 570 Reserve Road (27°53′34″S 153°16′58″E / 27.8929°S 153.2829°E). In 2018, it had about 902 students. This school also offers a special education program.
Schools for All Ages (Prep-Year 12)
- Upper Coomera State College is a government school that teaches students from Prep all the way to Year 12. It's for both boys and girls at 137 Reserve Road (27°52′14″S 153°17′46″E / 27.8705°S 153.2961°E). In 2018, over 2,000 students attended this college. It also has a special education program.
- Assisi Catholic College is a Catholic school for boys and girls from Prep to Year 12. It's located at 173 Billinghurst Crescent (27°51′30″S 153°18′08″E / 27.8583°S 153.3021°E). In 2018, about 1,398 students were enrolled here.
- Coomera Anglican College is a private school for boys and girls, from Prep to Year 12. It's at 8 Days Road (27°51′30″S 153°18′20″E / 27.8584°S 153.3055°E). In 2018, about 1,414 students attended. It has a large sports centre with netball courts and a gym.
- Saint Stephen's College is another private school for boys and girls, from Prep to Year 12. You can find it at 31 Reserve Road (27°52′12″S 153°18′25″E / 27.8700°S 153.3069°E). In 2018, around 1,265 students were enrolled.
Community Hubs in Upper Coomera
The Upper Coomera Community Centre is on Reserve Road. It has offices, an Aquatic Centre, and the Upper Coomera Branch Library. This community centre opened on June 14, 2013. The library itself opened in April 2013 and is one of the newest Gold Coast libraries.
The Upper Coomera School of Arts was built in 1896. It's used for community meetings and other local events.
Shopping in Upper Coomera
Upper Coomera has several places to shop. The main ones are Coomera City Centre, Coomera Grand Shopping Centre, and The Hub. These are located near Days Road and Old Coach Road.
There are also bigger shopping centres nearby. These include Westfield Coomera (in the next suburb over), Westfield Helensvale, Robina Town Centre, Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Harbour Town Shopping Centre, and Australia Fair Shopping Centre.
Getting Around: Public Transport
Upper Coomera has good public transport. Many bus routes are available, run by Surfside Bus Lines and managed by Translink. There is also a train station on Foxwell Road in the nearby suburb of Coomera.
