Dutton Park (4102)
Situated 4 km to Brisbane’s south and located on a steep ridge opposite St Lucia, Dutton Park (4102) was named for Charles Dutton a State Minister from 1883 to 1887 who created the area as a recreational reserve in 1884, the same year that rail was extended to the suburb.
In 1886, the local school was opened. In 1883, the Boggo Road Jail was established as a transit place for prisoners being transported to St Helena Island. In 1903, another facility was opened for female prisoners, which was subsequently closed in 1989 followed by closure and demolishment of the Jail entirely in 1992 and 1996, respectively. Remaining buildings are now a museum and part of a village residential development. Although its terrain has hindered ongoing development, today Dutton Park is mainly residential, with a few industrial and commercial areas.
From 1901 until 1969 electric trams serviced the area, the owner of the Tramway Company, developing a recreation reserve which, from 1908 hosted very popular open-air movie and variety shows and today, is home to Brisbane’s oldest cemetery. In 2006, the Eleanor Schonell Bridge connected the University of Queensland with Dutton Park, the area a popular recreational area with picnic sites and walking/cycling tracks. Dutton Park is a significant hub for various bus routes and is well served by regular trains.
In 2011, about 1500 people lived in Dutton Park, their average age being 34 years. Dutton Park’s residents are a young multi-cultural population half of whom were born overseas in countries such as China, Greece, and the United State with Greek, German, Russian, Vietnamese, and Mandarin spoken as well as English at home.
