Gordon Park, Queensland

Gordon Park Brisbane, Queensland
Established:	1880s
Postcode:	4031
Location:	6 km (4 mi) from Brisbane
LGA:	City of Brisbane
State District:	Stafford
Federal Division:	Lilley
Suburbs around Gordon Park: Stafford Kedron Kedron Stafford Gordon Park Wooloowin Grange Windsor Lutwyche

Gordon Park is a small residential area in the middle of Brisbane's northern suburbs and the smallest suburb within Brisbane City Council. Without any major shopping centres or business, it seems like a small town instead of being close to the centre of a major city.

Profile

Gordon Park is about 5 km from Brisbane’s CBD. Over 37% of households in this area consist of couples with children, 40% are couples without children and 18% are single parent families. Stand alone house account for 65% of all dwellings in this area, and units account for a further 28%. Highset Queenslanders, many beautifully renovated, are a feature of this green and leafy suburb. The median house price in Gordon Park for the 2004 calendar year was $383,750.

History

Aboriginal History

The Turrbal clan occupied the northern side of the Brisbane River. This clan was often referred to by the "whites" as the "Duke of York’s" clan. There were camping grounds around the Breakfast Creek area and the explorers John Oxley and Allan Cunningham met members of the clan at the mouth of the Creek in 1824.

The main encampment of the Turrbal clan was in “Yorks Hollow”. This gully passes through Victoria Park and the Royal National Association Showgrounds at Bowen Hills. In 1858 two Aborigines, Dalinkua and Dalpie from the Breakfast Creek area, wrote letters to The Moreton Bay Courier protesting about the treatment their people received at the hands of the white settlers.

Urban Development

The Gordon Estate – Lutwyche of 264 blocks went to auction on 25 September 1886. Gordon Park Estate of 1063 allotments was advertised for auction on 13 December 1890. The suburb was named after General Gordon who was the hero of the eight-month siege of Khartoum in the Sudan in the late 19th century. Most of the names in the suburb relate to General Gordon, the armies he served with, and their sphere of operation. Trams ran to Gordon Park connecting it with Brisbane until they were progressively withdrawn from use, finally ceasing all operations on 13 April 1969. In the mid 1980s residents pushed to retain the locality name after concern that it could fade out of use.

Landmarks

In 1926 the Gordon Park Baptist Church started as a tent mission on property at Khartoum Street which was owned by the church. It was originally known as the Gordon Park Mission Church. The church rented a house, which became the home of the pastors on the corner of Groom and Thistle Streets until a manse was purchased and officially opened on 9 May 1953. The President of the Baptist Union of Queensland opened the Church hall in 1961. A new church at 106 Khartoum Street was built which opened on 10 September 1977. The original pulpit from the old church along with a communion tray was donated to the Beenleigh Baptist Church.

Residents of Note

Gordon Park resident, Tom Nash, was born in Essex, England in 1909. He emigrated to Australia at the age of 17 aboard the S.S. Vedic, a ship chartered by the Salvation Army to bring 700 young emigrant to Australia. He was awarded the Order of Australia in 1985 in recognition of his service to the local community. Prior to receiving the award he had received a certificate of merit for services to the incapacitated Servicemen’s Association, an RSL certificate of merit, honorary life membership of the RSL and the Paul Harris Fellowship medal from Rotary International. Tom Nash had also been a Brisbane City Council councillor.

In terms of musical talent, Gordon Park has had a proportionally large output of talented individuals, including renowned bass players, French hornists, pianists and rappers, often originating from a single family, also historically notable for occasionally providing free concerts at local surgeries.

Pink Bullet bassist and vocalist Maurice Moynihan lives in Gordon Park. Several members from local indie dark wave cult band The Mercy Dolls also call Gordon Park home. They colloquially refer to the suburb in lyrics as Anti-Ramsay Park, an ironic reference to the popular TV Chef, and bemoan its apparent lack of fine dining establishments of quality and/or reputation.

The suburb is also home to the infamous "howlin' huskies" - two Siberian Husky dogs who synchronise their howling with the Ambulance sirens that commute down nearby Lutwyche Road. "Stunt Spoodle" Baxter SanChoiBow, renowned for his sweet jumps and related antics, also calls Gordon Park "home".

References

External links

• ourbrisbane.com website - Gordon Park section
• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Gordon Park
• BRISbites is a growing collection of information bites about topics and resources in Brisbane's suburban history

Coordinates: 27°24′58″S 153°01′37″E / 27.416°S 153.027°E / -27.416; 153.027