Queanbeyan, New South Wales
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Image:Queanbeyan sign nsw.jpg Template:Infobox Australian City Image:Queanbeyan river030.jpg
Queanbeyan is a city in south eastern New South Wales, Australia. It is a city overshadowed somewhat by its proximity to the Australian federal capital city of Canberra: it has effectively become a de facto district of the nearby capital city as it lays on the Australian Capital Territory border and is approximately 10km from Canberra's CBD, Civic. The border itself is defined by a railway line. The Queanbeyan River runs through Queanbeyan, near the centre of the city.
Queanbeyan has a population of 36,300 and has been said to be the "fastest growing city in southern NSW"
Suburbs of Queanbeyan
- Googong
- Dodsworth
- Karabar
- Letchworth
- Jerrabomberra
- (Oaks Estate is sometimes mistakenly assumed to be part of Queanbeyan but is in fact located in the Australian Capital Territory.)
History
Image:Queanbeyan royal hotel.jpg
The town grew from a squattage held by ex-convict inn keeper, Timothy Beard on the banks of the Molonglo River. The original name was Quinbean which means "clear waters".
Queanbeyan was officially proclaimed a township in 1838 with a population at that time of about 50. Some of the significant historic buildings still standing date from those early days. Traces of gold were discovered in 1851 and lead and silver mines also flourished briefly. Settlers were harassed by bushrangers, of which John Tennant, Jacky Jacky, Frank Gardiner and Ben Hall were some of the more notorious.
The Commercial Banking company of Sydney limited (CBC now part of the National Australia Bank) opened in Queanbeyan on the 19th of September, 1859. The Bank of New South Wales began service in Queanbeyan in 1878.
The Golden Age (now The Queanbeyan Age) was Queanbeyan's first newspaper and was founded in 1860 by John Gale.
In 1880 the residence of John James Wright, the first mayor of Queanbeyan, was constructed along the edge of the Queanbeyan River. In 1982 that building became the Queanbeyan Art Centre.
Queanbeyan, an increasingly successful primary producing district, was proclaimed a Municipality in February 1885 incorporating an area of 5,700 acres (23 km²).
The railway reached Queanbeyan in 1887 and it became the junction for the lines going to Canberra and Bombala. The town is served by the twice-daily Countrylink Xplorer service between Canberra and Sydney.
William James Farrer, the wheat experimentalist, established Queanbeyan's reputation as an agricultural district with his famous "Federation" rust-free strain, developed on his property "Lambrigg" at Tharwa. Farrer's work was only slowly recognised elsewhere in Australia, but local farmers supported him, particularly in his development of "Blount's Lambrigg", another strain which in 1889 gave hope to farmers after the disastrous season of 1887 when crops had failed after heavy Christmas rains.
At the height of its rural prosperity Queanbeyan boasted 16 public houses and six flourmills powered by wind, water, horse and steam.
The Royal Hotel on Monaro street opened in 1926. Canberra was "dry" from 1910 at the time of the territory's foundation until 1928 when Federal Parliament had relocated from Melbourne. In that period many of the capital's residents crossed the border to drink at hotels in Queanbeyan.
By 1972 Queanbeyan had little difficulty in meeting the first basic requirement of city status; the population had risen to more than 15,000 and a future population of at least that number was assured. City status was accordingly granted on 7 July 1972. On the 21st of July 1975 the Queen's Bridge was opened. This bridge took pressure off the existing bridge in linking Monaro Street directly to the east. From 1982 to 1989, the Canberra Raiders rugby league team played their home games in Queanbeyan, at Seiffert Oval.
Today
Queanbeyan is a thriving regional centre providing the opportunity for people to work in Canberra and live in Queanbeyan. The city is home to a large shopping centre known as Riverside Plaza which is anchored by Coles and Target. Nearby there are also Woolworths and Aldi supermarkets. Queanbeyan has most of the major fast food outlets and selected specialty stores. Queanbeyan has two government high schools, Karabar and Queanbeyan - both of which have a fairly poor academic reputation leading to many parents sending their children to private schools in the Australian Capital Territory - and many primary schools. Queanbeyan has all the facilities of a major regional centre including a hospital, ambulance station, local bus line (Deanes), indoor and outdoor swimming pool, community centre, public library and several parks. There is no longer a cinema in Queanbeyan. Much of the growth of Queanbeyan is found in Jerrabomberra, this suburb being created in 1992 and now having a population of 6000.
Image:Queanbeyan Streetscape.jpg
| Countrylink Southern | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bungendore | ↔ | Queanbeyan | ↔ | Canberra |