Rocksberg

Rocksberg is a rural locality in the City of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia.^[2] In the 2021 census, Rocksberg had a population of 277 people.^[1]

Rocksberg Queensland
Mid-morning at the creek in Rocksberg Heritage Park, Queensland, Australia.
Rocksberg
Coordinates	27.1125°S 152.8428°E / -27.1125; 152.8428 (Rocksberg (centre of locality))
Population	277 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	10.95/km2 (28.36/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4510
Area	25.3 km2 (9.8 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	13.1 km (8 mi) WSW of Caboolture 54.6 km (34 mi) NNW of Brisbane CBD
LGA(s)	City of Moreton Bay
State electorate(s)	Glass House
Federal division(s)	Longman
Suburbs around Rocksberg: Campbells Pocket Wamuran Corymbia Ocean View Rocksberg Greenstone Ocean View Moorina Upper Caboolture

In April 2023, the Queensland Government decided to reflect the growing population of the region by creating five new localities named Corymbia, Greenstone, Lilywood, Wagtail Grove, and Waraba by excising parts of the existing localities of Bellmere, Rocksberg, Upper Caboolture, and Wamuran.^[3][4][5] Prior to land redistribution, parts of Corymbia, Greenstone, and Wagtail Grove were part of Rockberg.^[2]

Geography

The Caboolture River flows from north to east through the locality with Zillmans Crossing (27.1218°S 152.8588°E / -27.1218; 152.8588 (Zillmans Crossing)) being a former ford (now a low-level bridge) across the river. The ford was part of the Old North Road (now superseded by the Bruce Highway) and was named after Leopold Zillman, an early pioneer farmer in the area.^[6] The river flats (elevation about 50 metres above sea level) are used for agriculture, mostly grazing, but the western side of the locality is undeveloped mountain land rising to numerous unnamed peaks, the highest being 350 metres above sea level.^[7]

There is a picnic reserve near Zillmans Crossing.^[8]

History

The locality takes its name from the property name used by the Zillman family.^[2] In the early 1840s, the Archer brothers of Durundur Station and Evan Mackenzie of Kilcoy Station blazed a trail to connect their farms with Brisbane, creating Old North Road (as it now known) as the first road north from Brisbane. Later it was supplanted by a road closer to the coast (now known as Old Gympie Road) and subsequently by the Bruce Highway even closer to the coast.^[8]

Rocksberg Provisional School opened on 19 June 1893, becoming Rocksberg State School on 1 January 1909. It closed in 1954.^[9] It was located at approx 5 W James Road (27.1063°S 152.8361°E / -27.1063; 152.8361 (Rocksberg State School (former))).^[10]

In April 2023, the Queensland Government decided to reflect the growing population of the region by creating five new localities named Corymbia, Greenstone, Lilywood, Wagtail Grove, and Waraba by excising parts of the existing localities of Bellmere, Rocksberg, Upper Caboolture, and Wamuran.^[3][4][5] Rocksberg lost land to Corymbia, Greenstone, and Wagtail Grove.^[2]

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Rocksberg recorded a population of 302 people, 49% female and 51% male. The median age of the Rocksberg population was 43 years, 6 years above the Australian median. 76.6% of people living in Rocksberg were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were England 4.7%, New Zealand 2.7%, South Africa 2.3%, Indonesia 1%, Netherlands 1%. 88% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 1% Dutch, 1% German, 1% Indonesian, 0% Irish, 0% Gaelic (Scotland).^[11]

In the 2016 census, Rocksberg had a population of 300 people.^[12]

In the 2021 census, Rocksberg had a population of 277 people.^[1]

Education

There are no schools in Rocksberg. The nearest government primary schools are Bellmere State School in neighbouring Bellmere to the north-east, Minimbah State School in Morayfield to the east, and Dayboro State School in Dayboro to the south. The nearest government secondary schools are Tullawong State High School in Caboolture to the north-east, Morayfield State High School in Morayfield to the east, and Bray Park State High School in Bray Park to the south-east.^[7]

Attractions

Rocksberg Park Heritage Reserve is a recreational area on McNamara Road alongside the Caboolture River (27.0944°S 152.8371°E / -27.0944; 152.8371 (Rocksberg Park Heritage Reserve)). It has information about early pioneers of the district.^[13] It is part of the Caboolture Heritage Drive.^[14]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Rocksberg (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Rocksberg – locality in Moreton Bay Region (entry 52231)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
3. "Current proposals and decisions". Place Names. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
4. "Proposed Locality Names and Boundaries: Bellmere / Corymbia / Greenstone / Lilywood / Rocksberg / Upper Caboolture / Wagtail Grove / Wamuran / Waraba" (PDF) (Map). Queensland Government. 2 December 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
5. "Locality Names and Boundaries: Bellmere / Corymbia / Greenstone / Lilywood / Rocksberg / Upper Caboolture / Wagtail Grove / Wamuran / Waraba" (PDF) (Map). Queensland Government. 14 April 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
6. "Zillmans Crossing – ford in City of Brisbane (entry 38852)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
7. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
8. "Caboolture River Road: a Journey Through Time" (PDF). Moreton Bay Regional Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
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. "Caboolture" (Map). Queensland Government. 1932. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
11. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Rocksberg (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
12. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Rocksberg (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
13. "Rocksberg Park Heritage Reserve". Visit Moreton Bay Region. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
14. "Caboolture Heritage Drive Guide" (PDF). Moreton Bay Regional Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 March 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2022.