Meridan Plains, Queensland

Meridan Plains is a locality on the north-western edge of the Caloundra urban area in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2] Traditionally a rural area, the locality is attracting residential development from the expansion of Caloundra. In the 2021 census, Meridan Plains had a population of 4,589 people.^[3]

Meridan Plains Caloundra, Queensland
Meridan Plains, 2015
Meridan Plains
Coordinates	26°45′48″S 153°04′44″E / 26.7633°S 153.0788°E / -26.7633; 153.0788 (Meridan Plains (centre of locality))
Population	4,589 (SAL 2021)^[1]
Postcode(s)	4551
Area	19.0 km^2 (7.3 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	7.9 km (5 mi) N of Caloundra 18.3 km (11 mi) S of Maroochydore 28.8 km (18 mi) SE of Nambour 94.1 km (58 mi) N of Brisbane
Suburbs around Meridan Plains: Palmview Palmview Birtinya Glenview Meridan Plains Currimundi Corbould Park Little Mountain Aroona

Geography

Meridan Plains is 8 kilometres (5 miles) west-northwest of Caloundra. A large portion of the western boundary follows the Mooloolah River, while a small section aligns with the Bruce Highway. Caloundra Road passes through from west to south-east.^[4]

History

Meridan Plains is named either using a corruption of a Kabi language word meaning place of kangaroos or dingoes, or after the birthplace of John Westaway in Devonshire, England.^[2][5][6][7]

 

Westaway's cattle property "Meridan Plains"

In early 1861 the tender of Edmund Lander was accepted, by the Commissioner for Crown Lands, for the 25-square-mile (65-square-kilometre) pastoral run of Mooloolah Plains in the Wide Bay and Burnett District.^[8] A year later the lease was transferred to John Westaway.^[9]

Lander went on to select 80 acres (32 hectares) in 1869 on the main coach road between Brisbane and Gympie at the Mooloolah Bridge. On this property the Mooloolah Post Office was conducted.^[10][11]

A postal receiving office was established at Mooloolah Plains in charge of Mr. W. H. Westaway in 1874, and in 1890 the office's name was changed to Meridan.^[12][13]

Pacific Lutheran College opened on 26 September 2001.^[14]

The primary campus of Meridan State College opened on 1 January 2006, junior secondary in 2008 and the senior secondary campus in 2010.^[15]

On 14 June 2019 the boundaries of the localities of Bells Creek and Meridan Plains were reduce to create the new localities of Banya, Corbould Park, Gagalba and Nirimba to accommodate future suburban growth in the Caloundra South Priority Development Area.^{[16][17][18][19][20][21][22]}

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Meridan Plains had a population of 3,675 people.^[23]

In the 2021 census, Meridan Plains had a population of 4,589 people.^[3]

Education

Meridan State College is a government primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at 214 Parklands Boulevard (26°46′25″S 153°06′10″E / 26.7737°S 153.1028°E / -26.7737; 153.1028 (Meridan State College)).^[24][25] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 2,711 students with 194 teachers (182 full-time equivalent) and 94 non-teaching staff (64 full-time equivalent).^[26] It includes a special education program.^[24]

Pacific Lutheran College is a private primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at Woodlands Boulevard (26°45′23″S 153°06′19″E / 26.7565°S 153.1053°E / -26.7565; 153.1053 (Pacific Lutheran College)).^[24][27] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 948 students with 75 teachers (69 full-time equivalent) and 60 non-teaching staff (45 full-time equivalent).^[26]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Meridan Plains (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
2. "Meridan Plains – locality in Sunshine Coast Region (entry 50398)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
3. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Meridan Plains (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
4. Google (3 November 2022). "Meridan Plains" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
5. "Little Mountain – Caloundra West – Meridan Plains – Bells Creek". 2010. from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
6. Heap, E G B.A. (1966). "In the Wake of the Raftsmen. A Survey of Early Settlement in the Maroochy District up to the Passing of the Crown Lands Alienation Act, 1868. (Part III)" (PDF). University of Queensland espace. pp. 17–18. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
7. "Westaway Family Collection". heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
8. "Classified Advertising". The Moreton Bay Courier. Vol. XV, no. 999. Queensland, Australia. 23 March 1861. p. 4. Retrieved 4 March 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
9. "TRANSFER OF RUNS". The Courier (Brisbane). Vol. XVI, no. 1300. Queensland, Australia. 8 April 1862. p. 2. Retrieved 4 March 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
10. "CROWN LAND SELECTIONS". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. XXIV, no. 3, 723. Queensland, Australia. 8 September 1869. p. 3. Retrieved 4 March 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
11. "Advertising". The Telegraph (Brisbane). No. 451. Queensland, Australia. 11 March 1874. p. 3. Retrieved 4 March 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
12. "MELBOURNE". The Telegraph (Brisbane). No. 507. Queensland, Australia. 14 May 1874. p. 2. Retrieved 4 March 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
13. "Current News". The Queenslander. Queensland, Australia. 22 November 1890. p. 1002. Retrieved 4 March 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
14. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
15. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
16. . Queensland Government. 11 October 2019. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
17. "Proposed locality boundaries: Banya, Bells Creek, Corbould Park, Gagalba, Meridan Plains, Nirimba" (PDF). Queensland Government. 22 February 2019. (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
18. "Locality boundaries of Banya, Bells Creek, Corbould Park, Gagalba, Meridan Plains, Nirimba" (PDF). Queensland Government. 14 June 2019. (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
19. "Banya – locality in the Sunshine Coast Region (entry 50399)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
20. "Corbould Park – locality in the Sunshine Coast Region (entry 50400)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
21. "Gagalba – locality in the Sunshine Coast Region (entry 50401)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
22. "Nirimba – locality in the Sunshine Coast Region (entry 50402)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
23. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Meridan Plains (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
24. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
25. "Meridan State College". Meridan State College. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
26. "ACARA School Profile 2017". from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
27. "Pacific Lutheran College". from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2018.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meridan Plains, Queensland.

• "Meridan Plains". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.