Carindale
Postcode: 4152
Carindale is a suburb of the city of Brisbane, which has a population of approximately 35,000 and contains around 10,000 houses. The greater area was formerly known as Belmont.
Notable features of the suburb include a large shopping centre – Westfield Carindale – featuring 319 stores, the Pacific Golf Club, Belmont State School, Belmont Bushland Reserve, Belmont Private Hospital (psychiatric only) and Bulimba Creek. The Gateway Motorway borders the suburb.
Belmont State School began in 1876 with forty-seven children under the tutelage of Mr Jennings. By 1889, the number of children had declined to twenty and the school was in danger of closure, particularly as the regional inspector noted that only 5% of the school (one pupil) attended on most days. By the 1920s it had given way in importance to Carina School, which, when it began had taken the Belmont principal and teacher, Mr Briggs and Mr Douglas King. Enrolment steadily increased after World War II. It remained a one-teacher school for another sixty years and the original building was used until 1962. With the population increase after this time, Belmont State School was extended.
In addition to Indooroopilly in the west; Chermside on the north-side; and Mount Gravatt on the south side, the suburb has been described as a mini-CBD.
Surrounding suburbs include Belmont, Carina, Carina Heights, Mansfield, Cannon Hill, Tingalpa, Mount Gravatt East and Mackenzie. Public transport runs frequently to and from Carindale and the City via Old Cleveland Road and Creek Road, leading to the multi-million dollar busway. There are plans to extend bus routes from Carindale to the University of Queensland, via the Green Bridge, which completed construction in December 2006.
Federally, the people of Carindale are represented by Ross Vasta MP in the seat of Bonner. On a state level, the suburb is divided between the seats of Chatsworth (Chris Bombolas) and Mansfield (Phil Reeves).
The area is of a high socio-economic condition, which is evidenced by the “mini-mansions” that form much of the suburb.
20 to 39 year olds are the most prevalent age group in Carindale, with 30% of residents in this bracket. The next most common are people aged 40 to 59 (27%), then 5 to 19 (21%), 60+ (16%) and 0 to 4 (7%).
Carindale used to be farming land until about 20 years ago houses were first put on it. The suburb used to be called Belmont.