Gilberton, Queensland (Gold Coast)

Not to be confused with Gilberton, Queensland (Etheridge Shire).

Gilberton is a rural locality in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.^[2] In the 2021 census, Gilberton had a population of 31 people.^[1]

Gilberton Queensland
Private road through sugar cane fields, 2014
Gilberton
Coordinates	27.7425°S 153.2738°E / -27.7425; 153.2738 (Gilberton (centre of locality))
Population	31 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	3.88/km2 (10.04/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4208
Area	8.0 km2 (3.1 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	11.3 km (7 mi) ESE of Beenleigh 38.9 km (24 mi) NNW of Southport 42.1 km (26 mi) NNW of Southport 44.2 km (27 mi) SSE of Brisbane
LGA(s)	City of Gold Coast
State electorate(s)	Coomera
Federal division(s)	Fadden
Suburbs around Gilberton: Alberton Alberton Alberton Stapylton Gilberton Woongoolba Ormeau Norwell Norwell

Geography

The land is flat and low-lying, being less than 10 metres (33 ft) above sea level. It is well-watered by a number of creeks. Most of the land use is growing sugarcane with a small area of grazing on native vegetation in the west of the locality.^[3]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Gilberton had a population of 25 people.^[4]

In the 2021 census, Gilberton had a population of 31 people.^[1]

Education

There are no schools in Gilberton. The nearest government primary schools are Woongoolba State School in neighbouring Woongoolba to the east, Ormeau State School in Pimpama to the south, and Norfolk Village State School in neighbouring Ormeau to the south-east. The nearest government secondary schools are Beenleigh State High School in Beenleigh to north-east and Ormeau Woods State High School in neighbouring Ormeau to the south-east.^[3]

Amenities

There are a number of parks in the area, including:

• Goldmine Park (27.7623°S 153.2624°E / -27.7623; 153.2624 (Goldmine Park))^[5]
• Prairie Reserve (27.7550°S 153.2544°E / -27.7550; 153.2544 (Prairie Reserve))^[5]

Environmental issues

Sign about environment remediation, Gilberton, 2014

Gilberton has acid sulphate soil in naturally water-logged conditions. The lowering of the water table due to drainage work on the Pimpama River allows oxidisation of the iron sulfide to create sulphuric acid which can, in turn, enable the release of iron, aluminium and other heavy metals, doing damage to both the natural and built environment. Application of lime to neutralise low pH levels and the maintenance of broad shallow drains to reduce oxidisation are used to mitigate the problem.^[6]

Coomera Connector

The Coomera Connector will connect Gold Coast suburbs from Coomera to Carrara with a multi-modal urban arterial road by 2031. It is proposed to reserve a land corridor from Coomera to Stapylton for future extensions; on current plans, this land corridor will pass through Gilberton near the confluence of Sandy Creek and Halfway Creek.^[7][8][9]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Gilberton (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Gilberton – locality in City of Gold Coast (entry 46048)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
3. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
4. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Gilberton (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
5. "Land for public recreation - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
6. Pearson, Leonie; Geoff McDonald; Sarah Park; Ben Harman; Sonja Heyenga; Heidi Horan (July 2007). "Future Use of the Rocky Point Cane Landscapes, Gold Coast" (PDF). CSIRO. Archived from the original on 31 December 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
7. "Notification of a future state-controlled road: Coomera Connector" (PDF). Queensland Government Gazette. 15 March 2019. pp. 15–16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
8. "Gold Coast City Transport Strategy 2031" (PDF). City of Gold Coast Council. March 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 December 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
9. "Draft Gold Coast City Transport Strategy 2031" (PDF). City of Gold Coast Council. October 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 December 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2014.