Merrimac, Queensland

Merrimac is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2016 census, Merrimac had a population of 7,071 people.[1]

Merrimac
Gold Coast, Queensland
Entry Drive, 2015
Merrimac
Coordinates28.0511°S 153.3744°E / -28.0511; 153.3744
Population7,071 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density786/km2 (2,035/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4226
Area9.0 km2 (3.5 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Gold Coast City
State electorate(s)Mudgeeraba
Federal Division(s)
Suburbs around Merrimac:
Carrara Carrara Carrara
Worongary Merrimac Clear Island Waters
Mudgeeraba Robina Robina

Geography
Merrimac railway station concept design, 2019

Merrimac is located on the floodplains in the central region of the city. Merrimac is the site of new housing and building developments as of March 2006.

The South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program allows for an infill station to be constructed in Merrimac on the Gold Coast railway line, between the Nerang and Robina railway stations.

History
Digging a canal in swamp reclamation work at Merrimac, circa 1910

The origin of the name of the suburb is unclear. In 1873 Thomas Blacket Stephens purchased 6,980 acres (2,820 ha) of land; his wife Ann named the property Merrimac. In 1906, it was claimed to be named by the American Indian word for swift running waters.[3] It has been suggested that it has been named after the Merrimack River in the New England region of the United States, or USS Merrimac, a Union navy frigate itself named for the river.[4][5]

The land was swampy but Stephens and later his son William Stephens progressively drained the land and turned it into productive farming land, principally used for dairying, but also sheep, cattle and sugarcane.[5] The Stephens family continued to purchase land, increasing the estate to approximately 14,000 acres (5,700 ha) In 1908 , the family sold 11,000 acres (4,500 ha) at £4/15/0 per acre, believed to the highest price per acre of a property of that size at the time, to a syndicate from Victoria,[6] which subdivided it into small farms known as the Stephens Estate.[5]

Merrimac State School opened on 25 July 1917.[7]

Merrimac State High School opened on 30 January 1979 (but is now within the suburb of Mermaid Waters).[7]

St Michael's College opened on 4 February 1985.[7]

All Saints Anglican School opened on 28 January 1987.[7]

Gold Coast Jewish Day School opened on 1995 at 16A Ghilgai Road and was renamed King Solomon College on 1 January 1996.[7] In 2007 the Gold Coast Montessori College relocated to share the King Solomon College site (having been originally established on 13 July 2002 at Lot 2, Mudgeeraba Road, Mudgeeraba). Faced with falling student numbers King Solomon College suspended its operation on 18 July 2008.[8] Gold Coast Montessori College closed on 31 October 2008.[9] Two schools merged forming Queensland Independent College on 2 April 2009,[10][11] closing on 16 June 2017.[12][13][14]

The Queensland Football School took over the site of the Queensland Independent College to commence operation at January 2020,[15] but the school did not open.[16]

Gold Coast Montessori College opened on 13 July 2004.[7]

In the 2016 census, Merrimac had a population of 7,071 people.[1]

Heritage listings

There are a number of heritage sites in Merrimac, including:

  • 2 Ghilgai Road, 83 Macadie Way, 6 Boowaggan Road: Merrimac Drains Historic Landscape (The Great Swamp) [17]

Education

Merrimac State Primary School is the one public primary school in the suburb; Merrimac State High School is located in Mermaid Waters. Private schools (P–12) in Merrimac include St Michaels College, All Saints Anglican School and King Solomon College.

Merrimac State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 2 Boowaggan Road (28.0412°S 153.3766°E / -28.0412; 153.3766 (Merrimac State School)).[18][19] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 809 students with 63 teachers (53 full-time equivalent) and 35 non-teaching staff (20 full-time equivalent).[20] It includes a special education program.[18]

St Michael's College is a Catholic secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at Jondique Avenue (28.0443°S 153.3650°E / -28.0443; 153.3650 (St Michael's College)).[18][21] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 929 students with 71 teachers (67 full-time equivalent) and 39 non-teaching staff (29 full-time equivalent).[20]

All Saints Anglican School is a private primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at Highfield Drive (28.0608°S 153.3611°E / -28.0608; 153.3611 (All Saints Anglican School)).[18][22] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 1,788 students with 156 teachers (144 full-time equivalent) and 98 non-teaching staff (71 full-time equivalent).[20]

The Japanese Language Supplementary School of Queensland Japanese School of Gold Coast (ゴールドコースト校 Gōrudo Kōsuto Kō), a weekend Japanese school, holds its classes at All Saints. It maintains its school office in Surfers Paradise.[23]

There is no government secondary school in Merrimac. The nearest are Merrimac State High School in Mermaid Waters and Robina State High School in Robina.[24]

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Merrimac (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Merrimac – suburb in City of Gold Coast (entry 46063)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  3. "THE DAIRY". The Queenslander. Queensland, Australia. 12 May 1906. p. 31. Retrieved 5 April 2020 – via Trove.
  4. "Merrimac". Gold Coast City Council. Archived from the original on 23 December 2005. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
  5. "Merrimac history". Gold Coast City Council. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  6. "Sale of Merrimac". The Brisbane Courier. Queensland, Australia. 27 October 1908. p. 4. Retrieved 5 April 2020 – via Trove.
  7. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  8. "Queensland Jewish History". Jewish Queensland. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  9. Jones, Katrina (2 October 2008). "College in crisis finds a saviour". The Gold Coast Bulletin.
  10. "Montessori school may re-launch". Gold Coast Sun. 30 April 2008.
  11. "Our History". King Solomon College. Archived from the original on 24 November 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  12. "Changes to Register" (PDF). Non-State Schools Accreditation Board. November 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  13. Schools at 16A Ghilgai Road in Merrimac, Gold Coast (Report). Non-State School Accreditation Board. 9 April 2020.
  14. "Our History". Queensland Independent College. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  15. "Changes to Register" (PDF). Non-State Schools Accreditation Board. April 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  16. "Changes to Register" (PDF). Non-State Schools Accreditation Board. February 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  17. Gold Coast Local Heritage Register - A to M, pp. 75-76
  18. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  19. "Merrimac State School". Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  20. "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  21. "St Michael's College". Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  22. "All Saints Anglican School". Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  23. "平成 26(2014)年度" (Archive). The Japanese Language Supplementary School of Queensland. Retrieved on April 1, 2015. p. 4. "借用校舎：オールセインツアングリカンスクール(All Saints Anglican School) Highfield Drive, Merrimac, QLD4226, AUSTRALIA 事務所：The Japanese Society of the Gold Coast/ The Japanese School of Gold Coast 25 Mawarra Building, 3108 Gold Coast Highway, Surfers Paradise, QLD4217"
  24. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 4 April 2020.

Sources

Further reading
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