Arana Hills, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Arana Hills is a suburb within Moreton Bay, 12 km North-West of Brisbane
, the capital city of Queensland
, Australia
on the edge of the Bunyaville Forest Reserve. Its local government area
is the Moreton Bay Region.
The first land purchaser in the Arana Hills District was Henry St John Bridgeman in November 1863. This portion 9 parish of Bunya which covers a pocket of land bounded in part by Kedron Brook and Dawson Parade very soon became the property of William McCallum Park who sold to the Patrick family at the turn of the century.
The first subdivision was in 1937 named Patricks Estate with central road named Grove Avenue. The lots were 1–2 acres (4,000–8,000 m2). Twentyone years later, Camden Park Estate, being the 88 acres of other adjoining land formerly occupied by the Patrick family, was subdivided by Willmore and Randell. Prior to selling from 1958 there were a great number of problems of both access and water supply for which that firm agreed to provide some of the finance to the Pine Shire Council through this, the first of the small block housing estates in the shire. Other land estates to the north-west of the suburb were developed in the 1960s and 1970s.
The early residents started a Progress Association whose effort brought to the attention of the relevant agences, the needs of the growing community, e.g. postal services, specific road maintenance etc. On behalf of that Association, Mrs Melva Welch commenced the special service of visiting each new family who moved to the area, giving them information on all local services, and, most importantly say "welcome". For twenty-eight years the Adviser Newspaper which was completely compiled and distributed by local volunteers under the umbrella of the Progress Association brought to every home in the Hills district, news items from clubs, organizations and the Pine Rivers Shire Council (the name of the local authority had changed in 1959). Local businesses were encouraged to advertise for a very moderate fee, and the people who had been visited were also welcomed in the Adviser. Information gathered from the welcoming service visits also provided an accurate census on demographics in the suburb relating to future provision of services.
Prior to December 1962 when the new name was gazetted, the Queensland Place Names Board decreed that there were too many Camdens and Camden Parks, and this was confirmed when some confusion did occur with the area's mail being sent to Camden Park in South Australia.
There was consideration of many possible names before Mrs Pam Cory suggested that as Arana was a word for welcome this would be appropriate. Some years later, a newcomer claimed the word Orana was Welcome and that Arana was the word for Moon. Without anything more than an unsuccessful cursory check of available dictionaries of Aboriginal words, the substituted meaning was featured in the 1978 Arana Hills logo design. Because there was no written language of the Aboriginal people, the naming words were written by the Europeans as they interpreted hearing the sounds. It was the opinion of a recent seminar speaker that the vowels are not important in the native language, only the consonants. The word Urana could just as well as Orana or Arana mean welcome.
Camden Park, a small triangular area in the middle of the original housing estate, retains the name as a reminder of earlier years. Mr George Willmore, the real estate developer named many of the streets in the central Arana Hills subdivision in memory of the area around Sydney where he had lived.
Arana Hills is almost entirely a residential suburb with 20% of its area as parkland. It has a mixture of 1960s style chamferboard timber houses and more contemporary brick housing built upon steep hills, some with lovely city views. Some of the newer housing has been built on land in the Northern part of the suburb adjacent to the land previously held by the Railways as a timber reserve, and which is now Bunyaville State Forestry Park. In this Arlington chain of estates developed in the early 1990s, it is still common to see horse riders around the Collins Road area, ducks and their ducklings crossing busy roads and the occasional koala perched high up in the many trees in the district.
In 2008 Arana Hills was affected by severe thunderstorms that also affected many properties in northern Brisbane causing millions of dollars of damage. Many volunteers and SES crews were needed to help clean up the damage. The area has now returned to its original state, but with the loss of some trees.
and Coles
supermarket which opened in 1978. The area is also served by Brookside Shopping Centre
, which is located 3 km to the East and the Great Western Super Centre, 3 km to the South-West. It contains one kindergarten, C & K, two privately run childcare facilities, one independent primary school, Pine Community School, with primary schools located in nearby Ferny Hills
and Keperra (Grovely)
, as well as high schools located just beyond its boundaries in Ferny Grove
and Mitchelton
. Arana Hills has its own fire station, library, medical centre and is well serviced by public buses and Grovely train station less than 1 km away. The main post office is located in the Kmart Plaza, with all four major banks within 500m. Arana Hills has many community run clubs and associations whom are almost solely responsible for many of the sporting facilities being built. The Hills District of Ferny, Arana and Everton Hills community now have a commercially printed newspaper published monthly called the Echo.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, the capital city of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on the edge of the Bunyaville Forest Reserve. Its local government area
Local Government Areas of Queensland
This is a list of local government areas in Queensland, sorted by region. For the history and responsibilities of local government in that state, see Local government in Queensland.-LGAs sorted by region:...
is the Moreton Bay Region.
History
The first land purchaser in the Hills District was Edward Owens, Portion 12 (Patricks Rd to Kedron Brook), in 1863.(now part of the locality of Ferny Hills).The first land purchaser in the Arana Hills District was Henry St John Bridgeman in November 1863. This portion 9 parish of Bunya which covers a pocket of land bounded in part by Kedron Brook and Dawson Parade very soon became the property of William McCallum Park who sold to the Patrick family at the turn of the century.
The first subdivision was in 1937 named Patricks Estate with central road named Grove Avenue. The lots were 1–2 acres (4,000–8,000 m2). Twentyone years later, Camden Park Estate, being the 88 acres of other adjoining land formerly occupied by the Patrick family, was subdivided by Willmore and Randell. Prior to selling from 1958 there were a great number of problems of both access and water supply for which that firm agreed to provide some of the finance to the Pine Shire Council through this, the first of the small block housing estates in the shire. Other land estates to the north-west of the suburb were developed in the 1960s and 1970s.
The early residents started a Progress Association whose effort brought to the attention of the relevant agences, the needs of the growing community, e.g. postal services, specific road maintenance etc. On behalf of that Association, Mrs Melva Welch commenced the special service of visiting each new family who moved to the area, giving them information on all local services, and, most importantly say "welcome". For twenty-eight years the Adviser Newspaper which was completely compiled and distributed by local volunteers under the umbrella of the Progress Association brought to every home in the Hills district, news items from clubs, organizations and the Pine Rivers Shire Council (the name of the local authority had changed in 1959). Local businesses were encouraged to advertise for a very moderate fee, and the people who had been visited were also welcomed in the Adviser. Information gathered from the welcoming service visits also provided an accurate census on demographics in the suburb relating to future provision of services.
Prior to December 1962 when the new name was gazetted, the Queensland Place Names Board decreed that there were too many Camdens and Camden Parks, and this was confirmed when some confusion did occur with the area's mail being sent to Camden Park in South Australia.
There was consideration of many possible names before Mrs Pam Cory suggested that as Arana was a word for welcome this would be appropriate. Some years later, a newcomer claimed the word Orana was Welcome and that Arana was the word for Moon. Without anything more than an unsuccessful cursory check of available dictionaries of Aboriginal words, the substituted meaning was featured in the 1978 Arana Hills logo design. Because there was no written language of the Aboriginal people, the naming words were written by the Europeans as they interpreted hearing the sounds. It was the opinion of a recent seminar speaker that the vowels are not important in the native language, only the consonants. The word Urana could just as well as Orana or Arana mean welcome.
Camden Park, a small triangular area in the middle of the original housing estate, retains the name as a reminder of earlier years. Mr George Willmore, the real estate developer named many of the streets in the central Arana Hills subdivision in memory of the area around Sydney where he had lived.
Arana Hills is almost entirely a residential suburb with 20% of its area as parkland. It has a mixture of 1960s style chamferboard timber houses and more contemporary brick housing built upon steep hills, some with lovely city views. Some of the newer housing has been built on land in the Northern part of the suburb adjacent to the land previously held by the Railways as a timber reserve, and which is now Bunyaville State Forestry Park. In this Arlington chain of estates developed in the early 1990s, it is still common to see horse riders around the Collins Road area, ducks and their ducklings crossing busy roads and the occasional koala perched high up in the many trees in the district.
In 2008 Arana Hills was affected by severe thunderstorms that also affected many properties in northern Brisbane causing millions of dollars of damage. Many volunteers and SES crews were needed to help clean up the damage. The area has now returned to its original state, but with the loss of some trees.
Services
Arana Hills is served by several neighbourhood shopping villages as well as one of Queensland's six Kmart Plaza complexes anchored by a KmartKmart Australia
Kmart Australia Limited is a discount department store chain owned by Wesfarmers. It operates 172 stores in Australia and 15 in New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Victoria. Wesfarmers uses the Kmart name under licence from Sears Holdings Corporation.-History:Kmart Australia...
and Coles
Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
supermarket which opened in 1978. The area is also served by Brookside Shopping Centre
Brookside Shopping Centre
Brookside Shopping Centre is the largest shopping centre in Brisbane's north-west, situated in Mitchelton, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.-History:...
, which is located 3 km to the East and the Great Western Super Centre, 3 km to the South-West. It contains one kindergarten, C & K, two privately run childcare facilities, one independent primary school, Pine Community School, with primary schools located in nearby Ferny Hills
Ferny Hills, Queensland
Ferny Hills is an outer suburb north-west of Brisbane, Australia, and is located along Samford Road at the edge of the Brisbane Forest Park. Its local government area is the Moreton Bay Region.Ferny Hills is almost entirely a residential suburb...
and Keperra (Grovely)
Keperra, Queensland
Keperra is a suburb in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia which is located approximately 9 kilometres north-west of the CBD. It has a deep and rich history, with some thinking that the name was based upon the Aboriginal term for “Kipper”...
, as well as high schools located just beyond its boundaries in Ferny Grove
Ferny Grove, Queensland
Ferny Grove is a residential suburb in north-west Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It lies entirely within the Brisbane-metropolitan area administered by the Brisbane City Council.-General information:...
and Mitchelton
Mitchelton, Queensland
Michelton is a suburb of Brisbane, in Queensland, Australia. The suburb is located 8 kilometres from the Brisbane central business district some areas of Mitchelton can be 6 km to the Brisbane central business district....
. Arana Hills has its own fire station, library, medical centre and is well serviced by public buses and Grovely train station less than 1 km away. The main post office is located in the Kmart Plaza, with all four major banks within 500m. Arana Hills has many community run clubs and associations whom are almost solely responsible for many of the sporting facilities being built. The Hills District of Ferny, Arana and Everton Hills community now have a commercially printed newspaper published monthly called the Echo.