Idalia, Queensland

For other uses, see Idalia (disambiguation).

Idalia is a southern suburb in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia.^[2] In the 2021 census, Idalia had a population of 4,563 people.^[1]

Idalia Townsville, Queensland
Ross River Meatworks Chimney, 2009
Idalia
Coordinates	19.3072°S 146.8119°E / -19.3072; 146.8119 (Idalia (centre of suburb))
Population	4,563 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	1,304/km2 (3,380/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4811
Area	3.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	5.2 km (3 mi) S of Townsville CBD 355 km (221 mi) SSE of Cairns 1,328 km (825 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	City of Townsville
State electorate(s)	Mundingburra
Federal division(s)	Herbert
Suburbs around Idalia: Rosslea Oonoonba Oonoonba Annandale Idalia Oonoonba Annandale Wulguru Cluden

Geography

Idalia is bounded by the North Coast railway line to the east, the median strip of Racecourse Road to the south, the median strip of Stuart Drive to the south-west, and by the Ross River to the north-west.^[3]

The Bruce Highway runs along the southern boundary, Townsville Connection Road along the westhern boundary, and South Townsville Road along the eastern.^[4]

There are three saltwater lakes in Idalia, created as part of the Fairfield Waters subdivision to manage excess water during the wet season.^[5]

Idalia is situated between the suburbs of Annandale, Oonoonba, Cluden and Wulguru.

Quealban is a neighbourhood (19.3°S 146.8166°E / -19.3; 146.8166 (Quealban (neighbourhood))) around the former Quealban railway station (19.2975°S 146.8171°E / -19.2975; 146.8171 (Quealban railway station (former))) on the North Coast railway line.^[6][7] Two other abandoned railway stations on that line in the suburb are:

• Oonoonba railway station (19.3006°S 146.8183°E / -19.3006; 146.8183 (Oonoonba railway station (former)))^[8]

• Cluden railway station (19.3173°S 146.8234°E / -19.3173; 146.8234 (Cluden railway station (former)))^[8]

History

The name Quealban was assigned by the Queensland Railways Department on 22 May 1914 and is an Aboriginal word meaning curlew.^[6]

Oonoonba State School opened on 15 November 1920.^[9]

Idalia was once a light-industrial suburb of the city, but in recent years^[when?], with the initiation of the Fairfield Waters subdivision development, the suburb has rapidly expanded (in terms of establishments) and nearly tripled in size. ^{[citation needed]}

The suburb was significantly impacted by the 2019 Townsville flood with a majority of residential and commercial properties inundated to some extent.^[10] The velodrome was damaged and received a $2 million grant to replace it.^[11][12]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Idalia had a population of 4,438 people.^[13]

In the 2021 census, Idalia had a population of 4,563 people.^[1]

Heritage listings

Idalia has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Stuart Drive (19.305°S 146.8042°E / -19.305; 146.8042 (Ross River Meatworks Chimney)): Ross River Meatworks Chimney^[14]

Education

Oonoonba State School during the 2019 Townsville flood

Oonoonba State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at Fairfield Waters Drive (19.3045°S 146.8122°E / -19.3045; 146.8122 (Oonoonba State School)).^[15][16] In 2017 the school had an enrolment of 524 students with 46 teachers (38 full-time equivalent) and 30 non-teaching staff (17 full-time equivalent).^[17] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 501 students with 40 teachers (34 full-time equivalent) and 27 non-teaching staff (16 full-time equivalent).^[18] It includes a special education program.^[15]

There are no secondary schools in Idalia. The nearest secondary school is William Ross State High School in neighbouring Annandale to the south-east.^[19]

Amenities

Fairfield Central shopping centre is at corner of Waterfront Parade and Lakeside Drive (19.3153°S 146.8177°E / -19.3153; 146.8177 (shopping centre)).^[20][21]

Townsville Velodrome is a sports cycling centre at 46-92 Stuart Drive (19.3111°S 146.8086°E / -19.3111; 146.8086 (TOWNSVILLE VELODROME)).^[20] It has a banked velodrome and is operated by the Townsville Cycle Club.^[22][11]

Townsville District Pony Club operates from Pony Club Reserve at 92 Stuart Drive (19.3095°S 146.8095°E / -19.3095; 146.8095 (Pony Club Reserve)).^[23]

There are a number of parks in the area:

• Lakeshore Circuit park (19.3010°S 146.8130°E / -19.3010; 146.8130 (Lakeshore Circuit))^[23]

• Gordon Creek park at 94-194 Stuart Drive (19.3123°S 146.8117°E / -19.3123; 146.8117 (Gordon Creek park))^[23]

• Edgewater Circuit park (19.2961°S 146.8116°E / -19.2961; 146.8116 (Edgewater Circuit park))^[23]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Idalia (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Idalia – suburb in City of Townsville (entry 44602)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
3. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
4. "Idalia" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
5. "Environment". Fairfield Waters. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
6. "Quealban – locality unbounded in City of Townsville (entry 27788)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
7. "Townsville" (Map). Queensland Government. 1942. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
8. "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
9. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
10. Wainwright, Sofie; Bavas, Josh; Hession, Pat; staff (6 February 2019). "'It's house after house': Townsville residents return home to mud and mess". ABC News. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
11. "Recent Projects". Ormes Project Solutions. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
12. Littleproud, David (18 March 2020). "Joint media release with the Hon. Mick De Brenni MP - Townsville Cycle Club receives $1.86m in disaster funding to rebuild velodrome". Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
13. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Idalia (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
14. "Ross River Meatworks Chimney (entry 602719)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
15. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
16. "Oonoonba State School". Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
17. "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
18. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
19. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
20. "Building points - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
21. "Home". Fairfield Central. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
22. "Home". Townsville Cycle Club. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
23. "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.

External links

• "Oonoonba, Idalia, Cluden". Queensland Places. University of Queensland.