Keperra, Queensland

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Keperra
city = Brisbane
state = qld


caption =
lga = City of Brisbane
postcode = 4054
pop = 7052 (2001 census)
area = 5.5
est =
propval = $409,500 [ [http://www.domain.com.au/Public/SuburbProfile.aspx?searchTerm=Keperra&mode=research Keperra suburb profile @ domain.com.au] , accessed 1 October 2007]
stategov = Ferny Grove
fedgov = Brisbane
dist1 = 12
location1= Brisbane
near-nw = Ferny Hills
near-n = Arana Hills
near-ne = Everton Hills
near-w = Ferny Grove
near-e = Mitchelton
near-sw = Upper Kedron
near-s = The Gap
near-se = Enoggera

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” (a young tribe member who has reached initiation age). Two bora rings used to be located within the suburb, one near the corner of Samford Road and Keperra Street (now under housing) and one which disappeared with the construction of the Keperra Country Club.

In 1865 Thomas Price sold a large portion of land in Keperra to John and Mary Nicholsen who built a home and named it Groveley Lodge (the extra 'e' in the name was dropped in later years). The surrounding district soon became known by the same name and Keperra was known as Grovely West until recent times. In the 1880s the Nicholsens sold the land to the Dawsons (Dawson Parade). In 1908 the Dawson property was subdivided and pineapple and fruit gave way to poultry farming.

The railway was built through the area in 1918 but it was originally a siding located near the western end of the Keperra Country Club. Capt. Robert H Cottam founded the Keperra Golf Club in 1931 and it was originally called the Enoggera Golf Club. The name changed to the Keperra Golf Club in 1940 and it is now called the Keperra Country Club.

The railway station was named Keperra Station in 1932 and moved to its current site in 1956. In about 1940 a military camp was established on the slaughterhouse site. The army camp constructed many of the roads and much of the land was transferred to the Housing Commission for housing development in 1951.

The population of the suburb was 7,026 in 2006.

The suburb boasts a golf course (Keperra Country Club), football (soccer) club (Westside Sports Club), shopping centres (Great Western and two smaller ones at Dallas Parade near the Keperra station and on Dawson Parade near Grovely station), churches, a hospital, dog off-leash area, two railway stations (Keperra and Grovely) and bus services (to Mitchelton, The Gap and Ferny Grove). An area of vegetation known as Keperra Bushland bounds the suburb to the south on its border with The Gap while the Keperra Picnic Grounds are located in the north-west section at the intersection of Samford Road and Upper Kedron Road. From 1966 to 2000 there was a drive-in movie theatre located at the corner of Settlement and Samford Roads which is now the site of the Kings Grove Estate (known locally as Kings Park).

At the intersection of Settlement Road and Samford Road is the Great Western Shopping Centre. A large quarry exists to the east and south-east of the centre but mining activities have ceased and the area is being converted to a housing estate by Multiplex. The conversion will also see the expansion of the shopping centre to the south of its present location.

The railway line running east between Keperra, Grovely, Oxford Park and Mitchelton was recently duplicated. This work is is expected to be completed by 2008. Grovely is a locality within the suburb of Keperra. The Brisbane Institute of Tertiary and Further Education (TAFE) Grovely Campus is located within Keperra as is the Arana Leagues Club on Dawson Parade near the border with the suburb of Arana Hills.

Housing within the suburb ranges from modest post-war homes built from weatherboard and mainly located on the northern side of Samford Road and south of the railway to larger brick dwellings built during the 1980s and 1990s within the Kings Park Estate. The Estate began to be developed around 1988 in an area around Samford Road, Cobalt Street and Onyx Street. Properties in the southern sections (e.g. Balvenie Street) of the Estate date from the early 1990s.

A moderate segment of the population also lives within the large Keperra Sanctuary Retirement Village located on the south side of Samford Road, just east of the Great Western Shopping Centre.

Transport

Keperra railway station and Grovely railway station provides access to regular Citytrain services to Ferny Grove, Brisbane and Beenleigh.

Keperra is pretty much the toughest suburb in Brisbane. Many people have died as a result of gang like wars. Beware of the magpies.

References

*National Regional Profile : Keperra (Statistical Local Area). http://abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/305051326Population/People12000-2004?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=305051326&issue=2000-2004&num=&view=.
*"Brisbane Suburb: Keperra - History of Keperra". http://www.ourbrisbane.com/living/suburbs/keperra/history/ 19 May 2006.
*"Statistical Portrait of Brisbane (Outer North West)". http://bcc-communitydirectory.com/statistical_portrait/outer_north_west/population/ 19 May 2006.
*http://www.ourbrisbane.com/living/suburbs/images/png/6.pdf 19 May 2006.
*http://www.ourbrisbane.com/living/suburbs/keperra/history.
*Brisbane Memories - Site 17 - Keperra Indigenous Camping Ground. http://eresearch.griffith.edu.au/brisbanememories/index.php/Site_17_-_'Keperra_Indigenous_Camping_Ground'.