Bilinga, Queensland

Bilinga (/bəlɪnɡə/) is a southern coastal suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.[2] It is on the border with New South Wales. In the 2021 census, Bilinga had a population of 1,883 people.[3]

Bilinga
Gold Coast, Queensland
Aerial view of Bilinga beachfront, 2013
Bilinga is located in Queensland
Bilinga
Bilinga
Coordinates28.1613°S 153.5086°E / -28.1613; 153.5086 (Bilinga (centre of suburb))
Population1,883 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)4225
Elevation7 m (23 ft)
Area2.6 km2 (1.0 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)City of Gold Coast
State electorate(s)Currumbin
Federal division(s)McPherson
Suburbs around Bilinga:
Tugun Coral Sea Coral Sea
Cobaki Lakes (NSW) Bilinga Coolangatta
Tweed Heads West (NSW) Tweed Heads West (NSW) Tweed Heads (NSW)

Geography

Bilinga is bounded by Boyd Street to the north-west, the Coral Sea to the east, and the border with New South Wales to the west.[4]

The entire eastern coastline of the suburb is a continuous sandy surf beach, with the northern end known as Bilinga Beach (28.1547°S 153.5067°E / -28.1547; 153.5067 (Bilinga Beach)) and the southern end known as North Kirra Beach (28.1633°S 153.5183°E / -28.1633; 153.5183 (North Kirra Beach)).[4][5][6] Immediately inland from the beach is a narrow strip of housing (the only residential part of the suburb).[4]

Gold Coast Airport (formerly the Coolangatta Airport, 28.1650°S 153.5061°E / -28.1650; 153.5061 (Gold Coast Airport)) occupies the majority of the suburb, extending across the border into Tweed Heads West in New South Wales.[4][7]

The Gold Coast Desalination Plant is in the north-west of the suburb (28.158°S 153.498°E / -28.158; 153.498 (Gold Coast Desalination Plant)).[4][8]

The Gold Coast campus (28.1684°S 153.5185°E / -28.1684; 153.5185 (Gold Coast campus, Southern Cross University)) of the Southern Cross University (headquartered in Lismore, New South Wales) is in the south of the suburb.[4][9]

The Gold Coast Highway enters the suburb from the north (Tugun) and mostly separating the residential ara from the airport and other infrastructure before exiting to the south (Tweed Heads West / Tweed Heads) towards the Pacific Motorway.[4]

History

The word "Bilinga" is derived from the word "Bilinba", meaning bats. The name was adopted in 1918 as a place name for Crown lands north of Coolangatta.[10]

In February 1908, 5 land portions were advertised to be open for selection as agricultural farms and unconditional selections by the Department of Public Lands office. The map advertising the selection, surveyed by J.H.Jensen, shows the portions 84 to 88 situated between the South Coast railway line in the north and the tick fence to the south.[11]

After the land sales, a rail siding was created in 1919. It was located roughly an the intersection of the Gold Coast Highway and George Street (28.1601°S 153.5110°E / -28.1601; 153.5110 (Bilinga railway station)).[12][13]

After 1919, the catalyst for an increase in development was said to be the erection of a general store, owned by businessman Percy Hanzel, near the rail siding. Furthermore, increased development could be attributed to a new coastal road, which improved access to the area for holiday makers and residents.[10]

The drowning of a man on Bilinga Beach in 1937 led to the establishment of the Bilinga Surf Lifesaving Club in 1938.[14]

In 1989, Bilinga received 50,000 cubic metres of sand as part of a beach nourishment program.[15]

During 2020 and 2021, the Queensland borders were closed to most people due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Border crossing points were either closed or had a Queensland Police checkpoint to allow entry to only those people with an appropriate permit. The Gold Coast Highway at Bilinga was one of the police border checkpoints.[16]

Demographics

At the 2011 census, Bilinga had a population of 1,662.[17]

In the 2016 census, Bilinga had a population of 1,804 people. The median age of the Bilinga population was 47 years, 9 years above the national median of 38. 66.8% of people were born in Australia and 78.2% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 27.5% and Catholic 21.5%.[18]

In the 2021 census, Bilinga had a population of 1,883 people.[3]

Education

There are no schools in Bilinga. The nearest primary school is Coolangatta State School in neighbouring Coolangatta to the south-east. The nearest secondary school is Palm Beach Currumbin State High School in Palm Beach to the north-west.[4]

The Gold Coast campus of Southern Cross University offers a range of courses in arts, health, social science, business, education, information technology, law and tourism.[9] The university is a partner with the Gold Coast airport and other tourism-oriented businesses to offer specialised degrees and research in aviation and tourism.[19]

Community groups

Bilinga Surf Life Saving Club members patrol the beach on weekends and public holidays from September to May each year. Their clubhouse is at 257 Golden Four Drive (28.1552°S 153.5063°E / -28.1552; 153.5063 (Bilinga Surf Life Saving Club)) facing the beach.[20]

North Kirra Surf Life Saving Club has their clubhouse at 41 Pacific Parade on the foreshore (28.1650°S 153.5209°E / -28.1650; 153.5209 (North Kirra Surf Life Saving Club)).[21]

Notable people

Notable people from Bilinga include:

See also

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Bilinga (Suburb and Locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
  2. "Bilinga – suburb in City of Gold Coast (entry 46029)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  3. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Bilinga (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  4. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  5. "Bilinga Beach – beach in the City of Gold Coast (entry 41997)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  6. "North Kirra Beach – beach in the City of Gold Coast (entry 41998)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  7. "Aviation Facilities". Gold Coast Airport. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  8. "About the Gold Coast Desalination Plant" (PDF). Seqwater. August 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  9. "Our Gold Coast campus". Southern Cross University. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  10. "Bilinga History". City of Gold Coast Council. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  11. "Plan of portions 84 to 88, parish of Tallebudgera, county of Ward, Brisbane land agents district, Shire of Nerang" (1907) [Map]. Collections. State Library of Queensland.
  12. "Untitled" (Map). Queensland Government. 1947. Archived from the original on 5 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  13. "Moreton 40 Chain map AG2 series sheet 16 south". Queensland Government. 1929. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  14. Mangin, J. F. "Volume 1". History of Bilinga. Bilinga Surf Lifesaving Club. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  15. Graham, Bruce (2004). The Green Coast: The Natural Environment of the Tweed-Moreton Bioregion. Tweed Heads, New South Wales. p. 113. ISBN 0-9751817-0-X. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  16. "Crossing Qld-NSW border? Here's everything you need to know". Australia: ABC News. 25 July 2021. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  17. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Bilinga (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  18. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Bilinga (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  19. "2020 - New courses take flight at Southern Cross University". Southern Cross University. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  20. "Bilinga SLSC – small friendly family club". Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  21. "North Kirra Surf Life Saving Club". Archived from the original on 28 July 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  • Gresty, J.A., The Numinbah Valley: Its Geography, History and Aboriginal Associations
  • Watson, F.E Vocabularies of Four Representative Tribes of South East Queensland
  • Kerr, John. Destination South Brisbane, p. 45
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