| Inala Brisbane, Queensland |
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The Bremer Institute of TAFE, Inala |
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| Population: | 12,568 (2004)[1] | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 4077 | ||||||||||||
| Location: | 18 km (11 mi) from Brisbane CBD | ||||||||||||
| LGA: | City of Brisbane | ||||||||||||
| State District: | Inala | ||||||||||||
| Federal Division: | Oxley | ||||||||||||
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Inala is a suburb of Brisbane, Australia, situated in the south-west of the metropolitan area.
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Following World War II there was a shortage of 250,000 houses across Australia. State and Commonwealth Governments responded by making housing a priority. In Queensland alone over 4000 families were living in makeshift dwellings of tin, calico and canvas. Queensland's Premier, Frank Cooper, signed the Commonwealth and State Housing Agreement in 1945 creating the Queensland Housing Commission. One of the earliest and biggest projects undertaken by the Commission was the detached housing estate in Inala.
In 1949–1950 the Queensland Housing Commission purchased 'Serviceton', comprising approximately 850 acres (3.4 km²) of land, from the faltering Serviceton Housing Co-operative. The Housing Commission subsequently annexed another 200 acres (0.8 km²) to the suburb and changed its name to Inala to avoid postal confusion with another Serviceton.
Inala was planned as a satellite town set on a broad high, gently sloping ridge about 18 kilometres from the Brisbane General Post Office. The development of the housing designs for the estate coincided with the emergence of architectural modernism in Australia. The innovative designs of young southern architects such as Robin Boyd, Roy Grounds and Harry Seidler featured the efficient use of space with lack of ornamentation, utilisation of new materials and techniques, low pitched roofs and above all design simplicity.
The worldwide shortage of materials coupled with huge demands created the impetus for exploring and using new materials and techniques in Inala. Reinforced concrete was used in the construction of houses after the war and this choice was made because of its strength and flexibility rather than for its aesthetic potential. Houses were situated on concrete stumps, framed with hardwood timber and floored with brushbox hardwood. In general, casement, hopper and awning windows were framed with silky oak. The outer walls were generally constructed of reinforced poured concrete approximately 40 cm thick. Internal walls and ceilings were constructed with rendered wire lath. These robust construction techniques also served to minimise maintenance costs for the Housing Commission.
Located 18 kilometres to the south west of the Brisbane CBD, Inala is considered a gateway to the nearby Wacol and Heathwood industrial estates. Inala Avenue/Poinsettia Street is the main roadway east-west and Serviceston Avenue/Rosemary Street and Blunder Road are the main roads stretching north-south.
Newer estates such as Forest Lake, and industrial estate, Heathwood, can be found to the south; other surrounding suburbs include, Durack, Darra and Oxley to the north; Richlands, Ellen Grove and Wacol to the west; and Willawong, Acacia Ridge, Pallara and Doolandella to the East.
There are several major shopping precincts within Inala. Inala Plaza (the "Civic Centre") which is located on the corner of Kittyhawk and Inala Avenues. This is the largest precinct in Inala and serves an ethnically diverse community. Other shops exist in Biota Street, located to the north, Skylark Street shops, located to the east and Coconut Grove which is located to the west.
There are a large number of Government funded community organisations and programs located in Inala, many of them overseen by Inala Community House, including Inala Youth Service, Skylarkers, Western Districts Out of Home Care, Western Districts Family Steps, Shared Family Care and The Childcare Access and Equity Resource Support Unit.
Various government services are located within the Inala Plaza precinct and surrounds. These include a Brisbane City Council Library, Department of Communities, Department of Corrective Services and a Centrelink office.
Sport and Recreation facilities include a Police Citizens Youth Club, a number of Brisbane City Council parks and recreation areas and one of the best skate parks in Brisbane.[2]
Inala has a number of schools and educational institutions.
Schools include:
Inala also has a campus of the Bremer TAFE.
Other Schools nearby include:
No rail services are in the immediate area, however the buses conduct services from Inala Plaza Bus Station to the rail stations nearest to Inala and surrounding suburbs. The Richlands railway station is Inala's closest rail link, being approximately 3 km from central Inala, and was opened in January, 2011..