| Nerang Gold Coast, Queensland | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Nerang boat ramp at Arthur Earle Park | |||||||||||||||
  Nerang | |||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 27°59′25″S153°20′09″E / 27.9902°S 153.3358°E /-27.9902; 153.3358 (Nerang (town centre)) | ||||||||||||||
| Population | 17,048 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 474.9/km2 (1,229.9/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4211 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 11 m (36 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 35.9 km2 (13.9 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
| ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Gold Coast | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Gaven | ||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Nerang is a town andsuburb in theCity of Gold Coast,Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the2021 census, the suburb of Nerang had a population of 17,048 people.[1]
TheNerang River flows through the locality from south to east, passing through the town. The river ultimately flows into the most southern part ofMoreton Bay.[4]
Nerang has a small town centre in which banking and a range of other commercial and retail services are available. Of more prominence within the Division, is the development of a series of light industrial parks which house a diverse range of small and large business operations providing services such as panel beating, motor vehicle wrecking, a wide range of trades, printing and equipment hire services. Administration offices of the Gold Coast City Council are also located at Nerang including Council functions such as finance, town planning and building services.[5]
The town takes its name from the river which, in turn, is reportedly a word from theYugambeh language meaningsmall river or theBundjalung language meaningshovel nosed shark.[2] Before British colonisation the area was inhabited by theKombumerri clan and theWanggeriburra clan of theYugambeh people. Raids by theNative Police in the 1850s extinguished most of the Aboriginal population from the area. In one operation conducted along the Nerang River in 1857 by Sub-Inspector Frederick Wheeler, an Aboriginal camp was fired upon and dispersed, with a blind man named Nyajum being executed in front of his female relatives.[6][7]
The township of Nerang was surveyed by Martin Lavelle in June 1865.[5] Lavelle named a street after himself and others after local pioneers like William White the local squatter, and Edmund Price the local planter. Nerang has focused very much on the river crossing and the head of navigation. Land was first sold here in 1871. DailyCobb & Co coach services fromBrisbane began the same year[8] and river transport to the settlement became more regular. Benjamin Cockerill erected the first hotel, The Nerang, in early 1872. The population of the 'town' of Nerang in the 1871 census was too small even to be included in the list of towns in the region. A thrice weekly Cobb & Co coach service provided the incentive for the opening of a second hotel called the Southern Cross, followed by the Royal Mail in 1873. With an abundant supply ofred cedar amongst other tree species, the first industry to flourish in the area was timber cutting.
Nerang State School opened on 1 November 1875 with 47 students under teacher Thomas Johnson.[9][10]
With the establishment of a telegraph office, two stores, a butcher, a saddler, a baker and a boot maker it was clear that a township was forming. By 1881 the population reached 95.
On 30 September 1885 J. Howard Maynard auctioned 34 allotments on the bank of Mooyumbin Creek, bound by Martin Street, Tibbing Street and Price Street. At the time the amenities advertised included the Commercial Hotel, agricultural and saw-milling district and a railway station was promised.[11][12]
By 1888 there were three schools in Nerang The area and the population had grown to 343 by 1901. By 1905 Nerang was becoming a centre for dairying. Maize was the main industry with arrowroot and potato crops also becoming more important.
Although the economic focus of the Gold Coast today is tourism, in the 19th century the South Coast (as it was then known) was an agricultural area.Sugar andmaize were grown by farmers along the upper reaches of the Nerang River. At that time, Nerang was the one of those townships in the Gold Coast hinterland that reflected that the economic focus of the area was agriculture. TheSouth Coast railway arrived in Nerang in 1887 with the town being serviced by the old Nerang railway station27°59′43″S153°20′24″E / 27.9953°S 153.3401°E /-27.9953; 153.3401 (Nerang railway station (former)).[13][14][15] The railway linked these rural towns together and gave impetus to their development. Subdivision was conventional and buildings were traditional rural or rural commercial.
In 1927, a timber building was the first built specifically for use as the Nerang Council Chambers.[16] DuringWorld War II the Australian Army's4th Armoured Brigade operated a tank training centre at Nerang.[17]
TheShire of Nerang became part of theShire of Albert in 1950 and the Nerang Council Chambers became a post office.[16]
It was not until the mid 20th century that the beaches of the South Coast attracted significant interest as a holiday destination, which led to the coining of the name Gold Coast where tourism became the dominant sector of the economy.
The Gaven Way, a highway connecting thePacific Highway to Nerang, opened to traffic on 10 December 1960. It was the first stage of thePacific Motorway in Queensland and the first initiative to diverting the major highway traffic travelling between Queensland and New South Wales to bypass the coastal recreational areas of the Gold Coast.
The South Coast railway and the Nerang railway station closed in 1964, partly reflecting the rising use of automobiles and partly reflecting the declining importance of agriculture. The Pacific Motorway development through the Gold Coast hinterland mostly followed the route of the reserved land corridor of the South Coast railway. The highway shifted development in the town in a manner which extended and perhaps dominated the early township. Nonetheless the early township still retains its connection to the river and its early subdivisions and commercial centre survives. The Nerang town centre was bypassed by the Pacific Motorway in 1979.[18]
Nerang State High School opened on 28 January 1986.[9]
St Brigid's Catholic Primary School opened on 1994.[9][19]
In the 1990s, it was realised that the Gold Coast needed a railway leading to the construction of theGold Coast railway line which reached Nerang in 1997, although the new railway line had to follow a different route and the newNerang railway station was in a different location to the former station on the South Coast line. This railway line was not to service agriculture but for workers and tourists to commute between the Gold Coast andBrisbane (including connection toBrisbane Airport for business and leisure travelers).
Like other Gold Coast hinterland towns, Nerang began to change from being a service centre for agriculture to becoming increasingly residential suburbs for workers in the coastal tourism industries. This was officially recognised in 2003 when Nerang was re-designated a suburb rather than alocality.[3] Recent years have seen the early Nerang flourish as an administrative centre for the growing Gold Coast.
The Nerang public library was opened in 2003.[20]
In the2011 census, the suburb of Nerang had a population of 16,256 people.[21]
In the2016 census, the suburb of Nerang had a population of 16,864 people.[22]
In the2021 census, the suburb of Nerang had a population of 17,048 people.[1]
Nerang is a regional and transportation hub, containing several shopping centres andNerang railway station.
Nerang State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 3 Nerang Street (27°59′19″S153°20′18″E / 27.9886°S 153.3384°E /-27.9886; 153.3384 (Nerang State School)).[23][24] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 325 students with 28 teachers (23 full-time equivalent) and 21 non-teaching staff (12 full-time equivalent).[25] It includes aspecial education program.[23]
St Brigid's Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 39-49 McLaren Road (28°00′03″S153°19′06″E / 28.0008°S 153.3183°E /-28.0008; 153.3183 (St Brigid's Catholic Primary School)).[23][26] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 406 students with 31 teachers (25 full-time equivalent) and 17 non-teaching staff (10 full-time equivalent).[25]
Nerang State High School is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at Weedons Road (28°00′02″S153°19′40″E / 28.0005°S 153.3278°E /-28.0005; 153.3278 (Nerang State High School)).[23][27] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1026 students with 93 teachers (88 full-time equivalent) and 43 non-teaching staff (31 full-time equivalent).[25] It includes a special education program.[23][28]
The Nerang Branch Library is located on the corner of White & Price Streets.[29] The Nerang Branch Library also holds the Special Needs Library Collection which contains specialist materials for developmental and disability needs.[30]
The Nerang branch of theQueensland Country Women's Association meets at the Girl Guide Hut at 40 Ferry Street.[31]
A number of well-known sporting teams represent the local area, including theNerang Roosters is the localrugby league club andNerang Bulls RUC are the localRugby Union club who play home games at Robert Dalley Park. The Carrara Sports Ground is located a short distance away from the Nerang Train Station with Metricon Stadium being the home for of the Gold Coast Suns AFL football team. The area surrounding the Carrara Sports Ground has undertaken significant development in anticipation for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Nerang also boasts a velodrome and a public swimming pool complex that has 3 pools and a junior splash area owned and operated by the Gold Coast City Council. The Mudgeeraba/Nerang Cricket Club also has its home ground at Carrara with turf wicket, practice nets and club house facilities. It has teams in all grades from juniors through to first grade in the Gold Coast District Cricket competition. There are also a number of world class golf courses within easy reach from Nerang. The Nerang Division takes in areas such as Springbrook, Natural Arch, the Rock Pools and Lower Beechmont; all great places to take the family for picnics, horse riding and bush walking.[5]
There are a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Relocated from Nerang:
