Redland City Queensland
Location withinSouth East Queensland
Population	159,222 (2021 census)[1] (46th)
• Density	296.392/km2 (767.65/sq mi)
Established	1948
Area	537.2 km2 (207.4 sq mi)[2]
Mayor	Jos Mitchell
Council seat	Cleveland
Region	South East Queensland
State electorate(s)	Capalaba Oodgeroo Redlands Springwood (part)
Federal division(s)	Bowman
Website	Redland City
LGAs around Redland City: Brisbane Moreton Bay Brisbane (Moreton Island) Brisbane Redland City Coral Sea Logan Gold Coast Coral Sea

Redland City, also known asthe Redlands and formerly known asRedland Shire, is alocal government area (LGA) and a part ofGreater Brisbane inSouth East Queensland, Australia. With a population of 159,222 as of June 2021, Redland City is spread along the southern coast ofMoreton Bay, covering 537.2 square kilometres (207.4 sq mi). The city borders theCity of Brisbane to the west and north-west andLogan City to the south-west and south, while its islands are situated north of theCity of Gold Coast.

The Redlands first attained city status on March 15th, 2008, having been a shire since 1949, when it was created by a merger of theTingalpa andCleveland Shires.^[3] Despite this status, Redland City consists largely of suburban and coastal communities, featuring a somewhat disjointed urbanisation around major suburbs interspersed withbushland. Unlike many neighbouring LGAs, there is no clearcity centre.

Major suburbs includeCapalaba,Cleveland,Victoria Point,Thornlands, andRedland Bay. The latter is the city's namesake, due to thecolour of its fertile soil.^[4]North Stradbroke Island and smaller nearby islands, most notablythose of Southern Moreton Bay, comprise the eastern portion of the Redlands. The city's boundaries correspond to those of the federaldivision of Bowman.

In the2021 census, the Redland City had a population of 159,222 people.^[1]

The area now known as the Redlands was initially inhabited by theJagera,Turrbal, andQuandamooka people.^[5] Some locations derive their names fromAboriginal languages, and known historic sites within the area include abora ring atMount Cotton.^[6][7] The Quandamooka are recognised as thetraditional custodians ofNorth Stradbroke Island, and more recently applied fornative title over much of the Redlands' surrounding islands and mainland.^[8][9]

Jandai (also known as Janday, Jandewal, Djendewal, Jundai, Goenpul and Jandawal), is one of the Aboriginal languages used onStradbroke Island.^[10]

Europeans first entered the Redlands in the late 18th century while mappingMoreton Bay:James Cook made observations of the then-undividedStradbroke Island;Matthew Flinders landed onCoochiemudlo Island in 1799; andRobert Dixon later surveyed and named much of the area.

By the 1840s, the coastal township ofCleveland was in contention to become a major port replacing Brisbane, but was ultimately not chosen due to the region's existing sandbars and shipwrecks, and an unfavourable review from GovernorGeorge Gipps during his 1842 visit.Louis Hope and other land purchasers began to develop significant infrastructure at this time. On 11 November 1879, under theDivisional Boards Act 1879, theTingalpa Division was created to govern the area to the east of metropolitanBrisbane. The area around Cleveland split away to form theCleveland Division on 30 May 1885. Under theLocal Authorities Act 1902, both became Shires on 31 March 1903. The Tingalpa council met atMount Cotton.

On 1 October 1925, a sizeable portion of the Shire of Tingalpa (suburbs west ofTingalpa Creek, includingUpper Mount Gravatt andRochedale) became part of the newCity of Brisbane along with 20 other local governments.^[11][12] On 9 December 1948, as part of a major reorganisation of local government inSouth East Queensland, an Order in Council renamed theShire of Cleveland to beShire of Redland and amalgamated part ofShire of Tingalpa into it (the other part of Tingalpa amalgamated to form theShire of Albert).^[13]

The twentieth century saw significantpopulation growth in the Redlands, preceded by the construction of theCleveland railway line.Peel Island became aleper colony, whileNorth Stradbroke Island became a hub for sand mining, and is also associated with theIndigenous rights movement as the home of poetOodgeroo Noonuccal and academicAileen Moreton-Robinson. On 15 March 2008, Redlands was granted city status.^[14][15]

In June 2018, the Redland City Council approved a marketing campaign to brand the city as "Redlands Coast" with the tagline "naturally wonderful". The campaign seeks to attract tourists to the city's 335 kilometres (208 mi) of coastline (due to a number of islands which form part of the city).^[16]

Although most of the population resides on the main urban conglomeration based around the centres ofCapalaba,Cleveland andVictoria Point, over 6,000 people live on islands inMoreton Bay that are part of the city. These areNorth Stradbroke,Coochiemudlo and theSouthern Moreton Bay Islands ofKarragarra,Lamb,Russell andMacleay.Tingalpa Creek rises onMount Cotton, formingLeslie Harrison Dam, and marking the majority of the area's western boundary.^[17]

Redland City has many immediately recognisable animals and plants such askoalas, migratoryshorebirds,flying foxes andscribbly gum forests. It is also home to over 1,700 other recorded native species, many of which are under threat from population growth and its associated effects such ashabitat clearing andfragmentation,road construction,pollution and expanding development.^[18] The council area is also home toVenman Bushland National Park, and theEprapah Scout environment training centre.

In April 2013, the Redland City Council illegally cleared vegetation from public land on the foreshores ofMoreton Bay. The council has been required by the State Government to restore the cleared vegetation and install signage about the restoration.^[19] Trees felled included manysheoaks.^[20]

The city'skoala population has declined significantly in recent years. In 2010, it was estimated that only 2,000 koalas remained, a 65% decline since 1999. Figures from a count in 2012 have not yet been released by theQueensland Government.^[21] The Redland City-based Koala Action Group has warned that: "Rampant expansion of urban areas will lead to the loss of the koala populations that are vital to the long-term survival of the species."^[22]

The city boundaries include internationally significant coastalwetlands within theMoreton BayRamsar site.Tidal flats,mangroves andseagrass beds provide important habitats for fish,crustaceans, and:

• large numbers of the nationally threatenedgreen turtle and theloggerhead turtle
• the internationally vulnerabledugong, a large sea mammal from the orderSirenia which also includesmanatee species

• 43 species ofshorebirds, including 30 migratory bird species listed by international migratory bird conservation agreements, such as the vulnerableeastern curlew and thegrey-tailed tattler, that use this area in their journey through theEast Asian–Australasian Flyway.^[23][24][25]

Freshwater systems in the Redlands catchment do not meet set ecosystem health values, according to the Healthy Waterways Report Cards for both 2013 and 2014.^[26][27]

Fire ants have been detected in a number of Redland City suburbs, withSheldon andMount Cotton being assessed by BioSecurity Queensland as high-risk, and requiring treatment by ground teams.^[28]

Queensland Rail operates theCleveland railway line, which connects the Redlands with Brisbane as part of itsCity network. The line runs parallel with theBrisbane River to its south, passing through Brisbane'sCannon Hill andWynnum, before crossingTingalpa Creek to enter Redland City. Northern suburbs of the city are serviced by five stations:Thorneside,Birkdale,Wellington Point,Ormiston, andCleveland, where the line terminates.

TheTransLink (South East Queensland) bus network is prevalent in the Redlands. Bus stations atCapalaba andVictoria Point feature regular city-bound and outbound connections, with direct services toCarindale,Eight Mile Plains,Loganholme, and theBrisbane CBD duringpeak hour.

Plans for extending theEastern Busway toCapalaba bus station were "paused" in 2011 but a new planning study commenced in 2022.^[29]

TheGateway Motorway andPacific Motorway are located further west within theCity of Brisbane. Major roads are accessible from these highways, such asOld Cleveland Road,Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road, andMount Cotton Road, which enter the Redlands fromChandler,Burbank, andCornubia, respectively.

Redland City has a number of important cultural facilities, including the Redland Art Gallery,Redland Museum, and Redland Performing Arts Centre.

The city also has manyheritage-listed sites,^[30] including:

• Multiple historic sites of Cleveland, such as theCleveland Point Light,^[31]Old Cleveland Police Station,Cleveland Pioneer Cemetery,Grand View Hotel, andthe historic pine trees near the Point
• Thechurch, public hall,causeway andpublic reserve inDunwich,North Stradbroke Island
• WhepsteadManor atWellington Point
• TheIndustrial Ruins onMacleay Island
• TheOrmiston House Estate andFellmongery
• Norfolk Island Pine Trees
• Serpentine Creek Road Cemetery inRedland Bay.

The Redland City Council operate public libraries atAmity Point,Capalaba,Cleveland,Dunwich,Point Lookout,Russell Island andVictoria Point.^[32] There is a mobile library servingAlexandra Hills,Mount Cotton Park,Redland Bay,Thorneside,Victoria Point, andWellington Point.^[33]

For the year ending 30 June 2014, Redland City'sGross Regional Product (GRP) was estimated to be 4.77 billiondollars.^[34]

Key industry sectors includehealth care andsocial assistance,retail trade,education andtraining,sand mining,construction andtourism.

During the year ending in June 2014, an estimated 41,506 jobs were located in Redland City,^[35] along with an estimated 74,089 employed residents,^[36] meaning 32,035 (or 47.1%) of Redland City's employed residents who work travel outside of the area to do so.^[37]

North Stradbroke Island, one of the world's largestsand islands, has been the subject ofsand mining operations since 1949.^[38] In 2010,Queensland's Labor Government announced a phase-out of the sand mining industry over a 17-year period, with up to 80% of the island to be covered bynational park. In April 2011, the government then extended key expired mining leases to allow mining to continue at the mainEnterprise sand mine until the end of 2019, whileSibelco was interested in an extension to 2027.^[39] 2013 saw theLNP Government pass legislation allowing sand mining on the island for an extra 16 years: from 2019 to 2035.^[40] For mining to continue past 2019 at theEnterprise sand mine, the lease owner (currentlySibelco) would have to apply for an extension in 2019, under legislative amendments passed by theNewman Government in November 2013. However, if the amendments are repealed by a future government before 2019, the mine will close on 31 December 2019, the closure date legislated by the government in April 2011.^[41]

The circumstances leading up to this legislative amendment have been referred to Queensland'sCrime and Misconduct Commission.^[42] On 6 June 2014, North Stradbroke Island'straditional owners, theQuandamooka people, initiated a legal challenge saying, on the grounds that the LNP Government's extension of mining contravened theFederal Native Title Act.^[43] In May 2016, legislation passed by thePalaszczuk Ministry did confirm that sand mining on North Stradbroke will end by 2019.^[44][45]

Mainlandquarries are located in the suburb ofMount Cotton,^[46][47] and have drawn their own criticisms concerning allegations ofpollution^[48] andOHS breaches.^[49]

Toondah Harbour inCleveland is the location of the Stradbroke Island Ferry Terminal, used bywater taxis andvehicular ferries to provide access to North Stradbroke Island. Cleveland's Toondah Harbour andRedland Bay's Weinam Creek were declared Priority Development Areas (PDAs) under the Economic Development Act 2012 on 21 June 2013. PDA designation allows development to befast-tracked, but also means thatlocal communities and interest groups have less opportunity to comment on issues of concern.^[50]

The Government and Redland City Council have proposed PDA development schemes which have attracted community opposition. On 23 February, approximately 30 people attended arally to protest against the Government's plans to "carve up" the G.J. Walter Park as part of its Toondah Harbour redevelopment proposal.^[51] On 4 March 2014 a petition with 1,211 signatures calling for the Government's Toondah Harbour PDA plan to be withdrawn was tabled in theQueensland Parliament.^[52]

On 31 May 2014, an approved development scheme was released^[53] together with a lengthy report on the 583 submissions received during theconsultation period.^[54]

On 18 September 2014, the Government and Council announced that Walker Corporation had been selected as preferreddeveloper for both the Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek priority development areas.^[55]

In the2016 census, the population of the Redland City was 147,010.^[56] The median age was 41 years old, 3 years older than the nationwide median. The male-to-female ratio was 49-to-51. The most commonly nominated ancestries were English (32.1%), Australian (25.2%), Irish (9.0%), Scottish (8.6%), and German (4.5%). 72.5% of people were born in Australia, while the other most common countries of birth were England (6.7%), New Zealand (5.4%), South Africa (1.7%), Scotland (0.9%), and the Philippines (0.5%). Indigenous Australians accounted for 2.3% of the population. The most commonly spoken languages other than English were Afrikaans and Mandarin (0.5% each), German (0.4%), and Italian and Spanish (0.3% each). The most common religious affiliations reported were none (29.8%), Catholic (21.1%), Anglican (17.9%), and Uniting Church (6.1%).^[56]

Redland City Council has aMayor, and aCouncillor for each of its 10 divisions.^[57] Elections are held every four years andvoting is compulsory.

Jos Mitchell was elected mayor at the 2024 election.

Other notable members of the Redland Council include:

• 1961–1980: John Philip Goleby,Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly forRedlands^[59]

Redland City consists of the following suburbs and localities:^[60]

Redland City also includes a number of uninhabited or sparsely populated islands inMoreton Bay, including:^[61]

• Peel Island
• Cassim Island, near Cleveland: a low-lying area ofmangroves withseagrass around it which provides a high value habitat for wading birds and other fauna,^[62] named after William Cassim, an early Cleveland hotel keeper.^[63]

The following table lists of the population of Redland City and its predecessor local government areas:

• Kidd, Barry (1979),Redlands Illustrated History, B. Kidd,ISBN 978-0-9595110-0-0
• Townsend, Derek (1986),Redlands: The Story of an Australian Shire, WD,ISBN 978-0-947074-00-5

Wikimedia Commons has media related toRedland City.

• Redland City Council
• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Redland City
• Queensland Government Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Results of Search for Queensland Heritage Listed Places in Redland City
• Redland Shire Oral History Collection,State Library of Queensland

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