Sandgate, Queensland

Sandgate Brisbane, Queensland
Former Sandgate post office (now The Chandelier Pub & Diner)
Population	4,626 (2011)
• Density	1,076/km2 (2,790/sq mi)
Established	1853
Postcode(s)	4017
Area	4.3 km2 (1.7 sq mi)
LGA(s)	City of Brisbane, Deagon Ward
State electorate(s)	Sandgate
Federal Division(s)	Lilley
Suburbs around Sandgate: Brighton Brighton Moreton Bay Bracken Ridge Sandgate Moreton Bay Deagon Deagon Shorncliffe

Sandgate is a coastal suburb in Brisbane, Australia, 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north of the Brisbane CBD. The town became a popular escape for the people of Brisbane in the early 20th century. At the 2011 Australian Census the suburb recorded a population of 4,626.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, the population of Sandgate was 4,626, 51.4% female and 48.6% male.

The median age of the Sandgate population was 43 years, 6 years above the Australian median.

77.8% of people living in Sandgate were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 69.8%; the next most common countries of birth were England 5.9%, New Zealand 3.7%, Scotland 0.8%, Ireland 0.6%, Philippines 0.5%.

92.1% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 0.5% German, 0.5% Japanese, 0.4% French, 0.3% Filipino, 0.3% Italian.

Geography

Sandgate is situated on the coastline, along Bramble Bay. It is connected to the QR Citytrain network. The western border of the suburb is marked by the Gateway Motorway. A large section to the west of the suburb is known as the Deagon Wetlands which is part of the North East Wetlands of Brisbane.

Name

The name of the area may have been inspired by Sandgate on the coast of county Kent, England by James Burnett, an early surveyor in the region. Sandgate in Kent had a military camp, Shorncliffe Camp, on top of the cliffs adjacent to it. Sandgate in Brisbane also has an adjacent suburb called Shorncliffe.

History

Sandgate Town Hall

Sandgate Fire Brigade outside the fire station in 1923

Land in Sandgate became available in 1853, allowing a small seaside settlement to develop. By 1874, coach services connected Sandgate to Brisbane. The coming of the railway in 1882 promoted more rapid development of the Sandgate area. Travel to Brisbane by train could be completed in less than one half hour. Sandgate was declared a town by the Governor of Queensland in 1880. This new status meant a town council was formed to guide the development of the local area. Initially, the council chambers were located in Shorncliffe. However, following a fire which destroyed the council chambers in 1910, a much larger town hall was opened in 1911. The Sandgate Town Hall was extensively renovated in 2011 to mark the 100th anniversary of the hall.

The Sandgate Council, which operated from 1880 to 1924, had to provide a range of services for the growing community. These included a fire department, ambulance, and sanitation facilities, as well as maintaining roads and regulating local development. In 1925 Sandgate Council was amalgamated into the City of Brisbane.

As well as the town hall, Sandgate includes another historic landmark, which is the Baptist church on the corner of Cliff Street and Flinders Parade. The church first opened in the late 19th century and has since undergone multiple restorations, yet has continued to remain in its original structure - although it is now no longer operating as a church, being now utilised as a child care centre.

Swimming at Moora park in 1937

Sandgate boasted clean beaches that were a popular weekend destination, with thousands of people visiting from Brisbane to escape the heat. Boating, swimming and golf were the most common sporting activities. Moora Park was the location for dances and open-air films.

Sandgate is also home to a community theatre group called Sandgate Theatre Incorporated, which has been performing in the Sandgate Town Hall for over 50 years, having been continuously running since 1958. The theatre group is also host to Brisbane's longest running community theatre festival – the Yarrageh festival which is run in August/September each year at the Town Hall.

Heritage listings

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

• 1 Bowser Parade: former Sandgate Post Office
• 5 Brighton Road: former Sandgate Town Hall
• 6-8 Flinders Parade: former Sandgate Baptist Church
• 8 Seymour Street: Sandgate War Memorial Park
• 138 Flinders Parade: Broadhurst, Sandgate

Facilities

Holidaymakers at Sandgate, ca. 1920 to 1930

Most of Sandgate's facilities are located along Brighton Road, the main street in Sandgate, which include numerous banks, shops, services and a small shopping centre anchored by a Woolworths supermarket. Woolworths previously traded adjacent to the site of the centre until the opening of the new store in February 2009. The old Woolworths site has been redeveloped in to an Aldi supermarket and opened in December 2013. The Sandgate railway station on the Shorncliffe line is also within a short walk from these facilities.

Sandgate includes two schools, the Sacred Heart Primary School and Sandgate State School, both of which are also within walking distance from the railway station.

Recreational facilities in Sandgate include numerous parks, walking and bike tracks and a municipal swimming pool on Flinders Parade.

The Sandgate Golf Club is located in Allpass Parade, Shorncliffe.

In 2009, the Sandgate Post Office was relocated to other premises and the heritage-listed building was sold; it was renovated and is now operating as the 4017 Bar & Grill (4017 being the postcode for Sandgate). Despite objection by some members of the local public, a McDonalds family restaurant opened opposite the 4017 Bar & Grill in 2014.

Sport and recreation

A number of well-known sporting teams represent the local area. One of them is the well known Sandgate-Redcliffe Gators and Sandgate Football Club.

In 2005 Surf Connect Watersports Centre opened at 170 Flinders Parade. Other than kayak rentals, they introduced the sport of kitesurfing, windsurfing as well as standup paddling to the area. Sandgate is now a much more colourful and exciting village as a result of these water activities.

There is also a popular and well-equipped Police and Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) located next to playing fields at the western end of Kempster Street. It runs regular Blue Light Discos and other social events – and is a centre for gymnastics, martial arts training, and other sports in the area.

Operating out of the PCYC is the Shorncliffe Pottery Club which started in nearby Shorncliffe over 30 years ago, and after some years at Sandgate Town Hall relocated to the PCYC. That pottery and ceramics club holds an annual exhibition named Expressions at Sandgate Town Hall each October, as well as participating with other local arts organisations such as Sandgate Art Society (SasArt) and the Deagon-based Artrageous in staging other arts and culture events, including those which are held as part of the Bluewater Festival in the week preceding Easter each year.

The Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race starts from Shorncliffe Pier every Easter and is the keystone of the popular Bluewater Festival of arts and cultural events held throughout the district.

External links

• History of Sandgate
• Sandgate: Queensland Places
• "Sandgate" – charming waltz song: Sheet music and audio (Sarah Sullivan, soprano; Lynne Jordan, piano), State Library of Queensland
• — 1901 newspaper feature on Sandgate including many photographs
• Bluewater Festival