Sandgate (4017)
Located 16 km on the Northside of Brisbane’s CBD and situated on Bramble Bay, Sandgate (4017) has been popular since the early 1900s as a seaside escape for Brisbane city dwellers for boating, swimming, golf, open-air cinema and dances. Despite its small village community feel, it is also well serviced by rail, bus and motorway access to Brisbane and surrounding suburbs. Although houses are being substantially upgraded through renovation, their large traditional look is being maintained.
The mix of small retail shopping strips and centre, schools, parks, cycling tracks, esplanade, wetlands and swimming pool is attracting more affluent families. Today, Sandgate’s residents are very actively involved in a large number of sporting and cultural activities including artists’ collectives, a theatre group, police and citizen’s youth groups, gymnastics, martial arts, football, kayaking, sailing, kitesurfing, and windsurfing to name just a few.
Sandgate was first developed in 1853 as a small seaside suburb, which with the advent of coach services in 1874 and rail services to Brisbane in 1882 began to develop more rapidly such that it was proclaimed a town in 1850. A town hall was opened in 1911 and recently refurbished to mark its centenary in 2011. Before being amalgamated into Brisbane, Sandgate had its own council from 1880 to 1924.
Another well-known landmark, the Baptist Church was first established in the early 1900s, and although it has been restored many times, it remains, albeit as a private child care centre. Similarly, the Sandgate Post Office has been relocated, renovated and is now operating as a restaurant.
As of 2011, 4600 people lived in Sandgate, their average age is 43 years. 88% were born in Australia, New Zealand or England and almost all spoke only English at home.
