Gowrie, Australian Capital Territory

Gowrie
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Coordinates 35°24′43″S 149°06′36″E / 35.412°S 149.110°ECoordinates: 35°24′43″S 149°06′36″E / 35.412°S 149.110°E
Population 3,072 (2011 census)[1]
 • Density 1,620/km2 (4,190/sq mi)
Established 1981
Gazetted 5 August 1975
Area 1.9 km2 (0.7 sq mi)
District Tuggeranong
Territory electorate(s) Brindabella
Federal Division(s) Canberra
Suburbs around Gowrie:
Wanniassa Fadden
Monash Gowrie
Isabella Plains Richardson Chisholm

Gowrie is a suburb of Canberra, Australia, located in the northern end of the Tuggeranong Valley. Tuggeranong suburbs are the southernmost of Australia's capital city. Gowrie is named after Brigadier-General Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie (1872–1955), Governor-General of Australia from 1936–1944.[2]

Gowrie's streets are all named after members of the Australian Defence Force who won decorations, including the Victoria Cross.[2] Gowrie is the former site of the Athllon Homestead.

Demographics

On Census night 2011, Gowrie had a population of 3,072 people. The median age of people in Gowrie was 38 years, compared to a median age of 34 for Canberra. Unemployment in Gowrie was 0.6% lower than the Canberra average. The median individual income for Gowrie in 2011 was $915, just below the ACT median of $917, while the median household income was $2,141. In 2011 the median monthly housing loan repayment in Gowrie was $1,946.[1]

The residents of Gowrie are predominantly Australian born, with 77.2% being born in Australia. The three main countries of birth for those born overseas were England, 4.0%, India, 1.1%, New Zealand, 1.0%, Italy, 0.9%, and Germany, 0.7%. The most popular religious affiliations in descending order are Catholic, no religion, Anglican, Uniting and Presbyterian and reformed.[1]

Suburb amenities

Gowrie Primary School, showing the Lambrigg, Cuppacumbalong and Lanyon buildings

Gowrie Primary School, located on Jeffries Street, opened in 1983. The school's design has a rural theme, and each of the buildings are named after properties in the Tuggeranong Valley.[3] The Catholic Holy Family Parish Primary School and the Holy Family Church, both part of the South Tuggeranong Corpus Christi Parish, are located on Bugden Avenue.[4] Tuggeranong Presbyterian Church meets at Gowrie Primary School in Jeffries Street.[5]

The Gowrie local shopping centre is located on Jeffries Street. The centre includes a supermarket, pharmacy, hairdresser and cafe. Jeffries Street is also the site of a child care centre and the Gowrie Preschool. The Erindale Scout Hall is in Finlay Place.[6] The Gowrie District Playing fields also are located in the suburb.

Gowrie is serviced by several ACTION bus routes. Routes 65, 66 and 67 run between the Tuggeranong and Woden Interchanges every 20 to 60 minutes between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. The additional services 265 and 267, following the same routes through Gowrie as 65 and 67 respectively, run during peak hour from the Tuggeranong Interchange to City West. Route 170 also runs in peak hour from Monash to City West. Flexibus service 967 leaves the Tuggeranong Interchange every hour from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and the Erindale Shops every hour from 8:30pm to 11:30 p.m., and services the suburbs of Gowrie, Fadden and Macarthur.[7]

Politics

2012 ACT Election[8]
  Liberal 49.9%
  Labor 33.5%
  Greens 7.0%
  Australian Motorist Party 3.8%
  Bullet Train for Canberra 3.5%
  Independents 2.2%
2013 Federal Election[9]
  Labor 39.74%
  Liberal 38.16%
  Greens 11.51%
  Palmer United Party 4.85%
  Bullet Train for Canberra 4.21%
  Secular Party of Australia 1.52%

Gowrie is located within the federal electorate of Canberra. Gai Brodtmann currently (2014) represents the electorate of Canberra in the House of Representatives.

Gowrie is part of the Brindabella, which elects five members on the basis of proportional representation.

Polling place statistics are shown to the right for the Gowrie polling place in the 2012 ACT and the 2013 federal elections.

Geology

The west of Gowrie is built on Deakin Volcanics green-grey and purple rhyodacite. In the east, Gowrie is built on green-grey, purple and cream rhyolite. These rocks are 414 million years old from the Silurian period.[10]

Looking north-west towards the Brindabella Ranges on the left and Gowrie on the right.
Aerial photo from the east

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gowrie, Australian Capital Territory.
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Gowrie (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Canberra's suburb and street names : origins and meanings. Department of the Environment, Land and Planning. 1992. p. 54. ISBN 1-86331-128-9.
  3. ↑ "Gowrie Primary School: Our School". Gowrie Primary School. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  4. ↑ "Holy Family School in Gowrie". Gowrie Primary School. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  5. ↑ "Tuggeranong Presbyterian Church". Tuggeranong Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  6. ↑ Erindale Scout Group (2006) Home. Retrieved 1 July 2006
  7. ↑ ACTION Buses(2006)ACTION Buses. Retrieved 2 July 2006
  8. ↑ "Results for Brindabella candidates at Gowrie Polling Place". ACT Electoral Commission. 12 Feb 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  9. ↑ "Federal Election 2013 - Polling Place Gowrie". Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  10. ↑ Henderson G A M and Matveev G, Geology of Canberra, Queanbeyan and Environs 1:50000 1980.