Burleigh Heads, Queensland

Burleigh Heads Gold Coast, Queensland
A beach in Burleigh Heads with high rise developments further in the background
Population	9,188 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	4220
LGA(s)	Gold Coast City
State electorate(s)	Burleigh
Federal Division(s)	McPherson
Suburbs around Burleigh Heads: Varsity Lakes Burleigh Waters Miami Reedy Creek Burleigh Heads Pacific Ocean Tallebudgera Elanora Palm Beach

Burleigh Heads is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2011 Census, Burleigh Heads had a population of 9,188.

Burleigh Heads is renowned for its surf break, and is an alternative to the more tourist ridden towns of the Gold Coast. The centre of neighborhood is James Street, a village consisting of cafes, delis, hairdressers, retailers, chemists, restaurants and charity stores.

The suburb boundary extends as far north as Miami Headland, Miami, and as far south as Tallebudgera Creek, Palm Beach. To the west, is the township of West Burleigh, with its shopping mecca, and thriving industrial area, and Burleigh Waters, a quiet suburbia, beautified by a man made lake and many council parks and gardens.

The headland of Burleigh, locally known as "The Point", is a favourite for weekend barbecues, cricket, and if the surf is up, spectators appear. On a Sunday afternoon, the local musicians and fire-twirlers come out to the park beside Burleigh SLSC for a jam and dance session.

History

The northern section appears to have been subdivided by the mid 1950s, but was the site of extensive sand mining in the following decades. The broad beachfront park is a legacy of that activity.

Burleigh township itself is much older and was the site of early development including restaurants and guest houses to support the increasing interest in bathing that took place in the last years of the 19th century and the first of the 20th century. It has been the centre of beach activities for many years.

Burleigh was also once home to the 5000 year old Kombumerri tribe.^[2] The area still holds significance for traditional owners.

Heritage listings

Burleigh Heads has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• 33 Tallebudgera Creek Road: West Burleigh Store^[3]

Demographics

In the 2011 Census the population of Burleigh Heads is 9,188, 52.2% female and 47.8% male.

The median/average age of the Burleigh Heads population is 40 years of age, 3 years above the Australian average.

69.3% of people living in Burleigh Heads were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were New Zealand 6.8%, England 4.6%, Brazil 0.9%, Scotland 0.8%, South Africa 0.6%.

85.2% of people speak English as their first language 0.8% Portuguese, 0.5% Italian, 0.4% German, 0.4% Japanese, 0.3% French.

Geology

The area of Burleigh Head was formed between 20 and 23 million years ago from molten lava due to numerous eruptions of Mount Warning. Flowing lava reached the shore in the area to form Burleigh headland and Point Danger.^[4] Geological processes that shaped the region resulted in a variety of different rock types, influencing the landscape, vegetation types and the animals they sustained. Queensland University geologists and students began coming to the area to collect specimens in the 1920s.^[5]

Ecology

Burleigh Headland is part of a wildlife corridor connecting coastal forests south to the Queensland New South Wales border ranges.^[6] Burleigh Ridge Park Reserve has a diverse habitat due to its geology. Conservation of the area has preserved many local plants that indigenous people would have used over 200 years ago. There are Eucalypt forest species favoured by Koalas. Other native wildlife include flying foxes, gliders and over 60 bird species.^[7]

Transport

Gold Coast Highway travels along the eastern side of the suburb passing through the heart of suburb. Gold Coast highway connects Burleigh Heads with all the coastal suburbs on the Gold Coast. West Burleigh Road (State Route 80) eventually becomes Reedy Creek Road after an intersection in front of Stocklands Burleigh Heads, connects the heart of the suburb with the Pacific Motorway and Varsity Lakes railway station.

Burleigh Heads is serviced by Translink services, a subsidiary of the Department of Transport and Main Roads, who operate an integrated ticketing system throughout South East Queensland. Burleigh Heads Bus stop is the main bus stop in the suburb, located on the Gold Coast Highway. Buses run at reqular and high frequency intervals that connect Burleigh Heads with the Gold Coast Airport, Tweed Heads, Robina and Broadbeach.

Schools

There are several schools servicing the Burleigh area including two state primary schools, Caningeraba State School located in Burleigh Waters and Burleigh Heads State School. Burleigh Heads State School was established in 1917 as the Burleigh School, with its name changed to Burleigh Heads State School in 1927. It moved to its present site on the Lower Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads, in 1935.

There are no state high schools in Burleigh Heads with students attending Miami State High School or Elanora State High School.

The largest school in the area is Marymount College, a catholic day school educating both boys and girls from Prep to Year 12. The school has over 2000 students combined across the two campuses, Primary and Secondary, which are located on the corner of West Burleigh Rd and Bermuda St, Burleigh Waters.

Burleigh beach

The north-east facing beach is protected by the point to the south and offers one of the best swimming, body boarding and surfing beaches on the Gold Coast. A mature stand of Norfolk Island Pines — reputably some of the earliest planted at the coast — and more recent plantings together totalling some 450 Norfolk Pines; form an attractive backdrop and are home to native birds.

Events

Burleigh Heads State School is home to The Village Markets.^[8] A bi-monthly event that promotes local emerging designers and artists.

Sport and recreation

Surfing

• Stubbies Surf Classic Burleigh Heads 1977 -1988
• The Quiksilver Pro is often contested at Burleigh Heads when the surf is not contestable at Kirra or Snapper Rocks.
• The Breaka Burleigh Pro Burleigh Boardriders Single Fin Classic and many other amateur and junior events are also contested each year.
• Professional/World tour Surfers Peter Harris(Surfer) Jay_Thompson

Others

• AFL club - Burleigh Bombers Australian Football Club
• Cricket club - Bullsharks
• Burleigh Bears
• Soccer club - Burleigh Heads Bulldogs Soccer Club
• Surf Life Saving - Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park Surf Life Saving Club

Landmarks

• The David Fleay Wildlife Park
• Aboriginal Bora Ring
• Burleigh Head National Park

See also

• List of Gold Coast suburbs

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Burleigh Heads, Queensland.

• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Burleigh Heads

Coordinates: 28°06′14″S 153°26′10″E / 28.104°S 153.436°E / -28.104; 153.436

Suburbs and localities, Gold Coast City, Queensland Advancetown Alberton Arundel Ashmore Austinville Benowa Biggera Waters Bilinga Bonogin Boyland Broadbeach Broadbeach Waters Bundall Burleigh Heads Burleigh Waters Carrara Cedar Creek Clagiraba Clear Island Waters Coolangatta Coombabah Coomera Currumbin Currumbin Valley Currumbin Waters Elanora Gaven Gilberton Gilston Guanaba Helensvale Highland Park Hollywell Hope Island Illinbah Jacobs Well Kingsholme Labrador Lower Beechmont Luscombe Main Beach Maudsland Mermaid Beach Mermaid Waters Merrimac Miami Molendinar Mount Nathan Mudgeeraba Natural Bridge Nerang Neranwood Norwell Numinbah Valley Ormeau Ormeau Hills Oxenford Pacific Pines Palm Beach Paradise Point Parkwood Pimpama Reedy Creek Robina Runaway Bay South Stradbroke Island Southern Moreton Bay Islands Southport Springbrook Stapylton Steiglitz Surfers Paradise Tallai Tallebudgera Tallebudgera Valley Tugun Upper Coomera Varsity Lakes Willow Vale Wongawallan Woongoolba Worongary Yatala