Nambour

Geography

Nambour is 101 kilometres (63 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane. The town lies in the sub-tropical hinterland of the Sunshine Coast at the foot of the Blackall Range. It was the administrative centre and capital of the Maroochy Shire and is now the administrative centre of the Sunshine Coast Region. The greater Nambour region includes surrounding suburbs such as Burnside, Coes Creek, and Perwillowen.

Nambour–Mapleton Road exits to the west and Nambour–Bli Bli Road to the east.

Etymology

The name is derived from the Aboriginal word "naamba", referring to the red-flowering bottle brush Callistemon viminalis.

History

In 1862, Tom Petrie with 25 Turrbal and Kabi Kabi men including Ker-Walli, Wanangga and Billy Dinghy entered Petrie's Creek with the view to exploit the large cedar growing in the vicinity. They encountered some resident Aboriginal people with whom they had a traditional ceremony together. Petrie's group afterwards made a permanent logging camp further up the creek in the area now known as Nambour. At this camp, the Aboriginal workers requested that Petrie brand them with his logging symbol. With a piece of prepared glass, he cut his logging symbol of a P inside a circle into each of the men's arms. These Aboriginal workers, as well as local Maroochy men such as Puram, worked hard, returning frequently with Petrie to build the roadway, fell the timber and transport the logs downriver. The Nambour area had its first permanent European settlement in 1870. The town was then still just called Petrie's Creek.

Maroochy Provisional School opened on 13 October 1879. It was renamed Nambour Provisional School in 1891. It became Nambour State School in 1897. It had a secondary school department from circa 1940 until 2 February 1953, when Nambour State High School opened on 2 February 1953.

Petrie's Creek Post Office opened on 1 June 1888 (a receiving office had been open from 1885, originally known as Carrollo) and was renamed Nambour by 1890.

In 1890 the Maroochy Divisional Board was established.

In 1891, the North Coast railway to Brisbane was completed, and at its opening Petrie's Creek was renamed "Nambour", after the Nambour cattle station.

On Monday 2 January 1893, St Joseph's Catholic Church was officially opened by Archbishop Robert Dunne. It was at 177 Currie Street (26.6300°S 152.9604°E / -26.6300; 152.9604 (St Joseph's Catholic Church)) on a 5-acre (2.0 ha) site donated by Daniel Currie (after whom Currie Street was named). It was 30 by 20 feet (9.1 by 6.1 m). Circa 1950, it was demolished to make way for a new church. The timber from the demolished church was used to construct Our Lady Star of the Sea (Stella Maris) in Maroochydore as a cost-saving measure. On Sunday 16 April 1950, Archbishop James Duhig laid the foundation stone for the new St Joseph's. On Sunday 1 July 1951, Duhig returned to bless and dedicate the new St Joseph's Church.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, the locality of Nambour had a population of 10,221 people.

In the 2016 census, the locality of Nambour had a population of 11,187 people. 52.9% of the population were female and 47.1% were male. The median age was 40 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 4.4% of the population. 77.1% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England 4.0% and New Zealand 3.6%. 87.7% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 33.5%, Catholic 16.0% and Anglican 13.5%.

In the 2021 census, the locality of Nambour had a population of 12,145 people.

Heritage listings

Nambour has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Mill Street, Currie Street, Howard Street: Moreton Central Sugar Mill Cane Tramway

17 & 19 Mill Street, and 14 & 16 Bury Street: former Moreton Central Sugar Mill Worker's Housing

Another heritage listing associated with the Moreton Central Sugar Mill is the

Store Road, Maroochy River: Tramway Lift Bridge over Maroochy River

Politics

Nambour is represented by the following politicians:

Economy

Nambour's primary industry has been sugar, with extensive cane fields surrounding the town, and the Moreton Central Sugar Mill in the town centre. The mill itself began operating in 1897 until it was closed in 2003.

The future of the sugar industry in the area is in doubt, with a number of former cane farms being converted to grazing cattle, turf farms or sold to property developers. Other industries in the area include tourism, and the growing of tropical fruits.

Situated near Nambour is the Queensland Government's Maroochy Research Station which is a major subtropical fruit and nut research and extension centre. The 61 ha research facility was established in 1945, and has an office and laboratory complex, glasshouses, netted orchards, postharvest coolrooms and a biotechnology facility. With access to national and international funding sources, specialist staff often work in conjunction with investigators from other research agencies.

Education

Nambour State College is a government primary and secondary (Prep–12) school for boys and girls at 1 Carroll Street (26.6232°S 152.9623°E / -26.6232; 152.9623 (Nambour State College)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 1,538 students with 147 teachers (134 full-time equivalent) and 83 non-teaching staff (60 full-time equivalent). Its primary (Prep–6) campus is at Coronation Avenue (26.6212°S 152.9646°E / -26.6212; 152.9646 (Nambour State College – Junior School)). The school has a primary and secondary special education program. It also has a primary and secondary Intensive English program.

St Joseph's Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 177 Currie Street (26.6300°S 152.9601°E / -26.6300; 152.9601 (St Joseph's Primary School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 396 students with 23 teachers (21 full-time equivalent) and 19 non-teaching staff (11 full-time equivalent).

The Nambour campus of OneSchool Global (formerly known as the Agnew School) is a private primary and secondary school (3–12) for boys and girls at 281 Windsor Road (26.6209°S 152.9345°E / -26.6209; 152.9345 (OneSchool Global)). It is operated by the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. As at 26 October 2024, it had an enrolment of 35 students.

In addition, other suburbs of Nambour include the following schools:

Burnside:

Burnside State School (primary)

Burnside State High School (secondary)

Nambour Special School on Windsor Drive for children aged 5 to 18 years.

St John's College (Catholic secondary)

Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE has its largest campus in Nambour.

Kureelpa

Blackall Range Independent School (primary and secondary)

Facilities

Health

Nambour General Hospital is located on Hospital Road and provides a range of acute and subacute services within the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service.

The regions first major private hospital, Nambour Selangor Private Hospital, opened in 1960. It is located on Netherton Street.

Electricity

The distribution network company that provides electricity to Nambour residents is Energex. On 1 July 2010, Sunshine Coast Regional Council's Water Services (along with Moreton Bay Regional Council), moved over to the recently created water body, Unity Water. Unity Water was created by the Queensland Government as part of the State's takeover of South East Queensland's water facilities, dams and water supply networks. Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast Regional Councils own 50% of Unity Water.

Media

The daily local newspaper is the Sunshine Coast Daily which is published by APN News & Media. There is also a weekly news service provided by the Nambour Weekly which is published on Wednesdays. The Nambour Chronicle was published from 1903 until it ceased publication in the 1980s.

Nambour is also in the television broadcast licence areas of Brisbane (metro), enabling most areas of the Sunshine Coast to receive the commercial Brisbane stations.

Many community access stations, as well as some Brisbane stations can also be received.

Amenities

The Nambour Civic Centre is an arts and entertainment venue that includes cinema, music, theatre, dance and other events. The Nambour Lind Lane Theatre is another live theatre venue.

The Sunshine Coast Regional Council operates a public library in Nambour at the corner of Bury and Currie Streets.

The Nambour branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 10 Short Street.

Nambour Wesleyan Methodist Church is at 165 Perwillowen Road, Perwillowen. It is part of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia.

The main shopping areas in Nambour are Nambour Plaza which has approximately 40 stores, Nambour Mill Village Shopping Centre and Centenary Square Shopping Centre.

Nambour boasts a high proportion of parkland, covering approximately 9% of its total land size. This makes it one of the areas with the highest percentage of parkland in the Sunshine Coast region.

Sport

Nambour has a number of amateur sporting clubs including:

Nambour–Yandina United Football Club

Nambour and District Tennis Association

Nambas Tennis Club.

Nambour Golf Club

The Nambour Wildcats Soccer Club is part of the Sunshine Coast Churches Soccer Association and was established in 1976, it is one of the largest sporting clubs in the region with over 350 players from U6 to senior Mens, Ladies and Over 35's.

The Nambour Crushers Rugby League Club was established in 1985. The grounds are situated at 22 Crusher Park Drive. The Crushers have teams in all grades from Under 7s to A Grade and number approximately 300 players.

The Nambour Rugby Union Club entered the Sunshine Coast District Rugby Union Competition in 1981. The club is known as the "Toads". The club's ground is situated on Laidlaw Road in nearby Woombye. Nambour fields four "Senior" sides in the Sunshine Coast Competition: A Grade, Reserve Grade and U19's as well as a women's team. A junior club with teams from under 7s through to under 17s also runs. Nambour were local premiers in 1912 and 1913.

The Nambour and Districts Netball Association is made up of clubs from Yandina, Burnside, Nambour, Woombye, Palmwoods and the school based Saints club.

Nambour Cricket Club is part of the Sunshine Coast Cricket Association and has played on the Nambour showgrounds since the early 1890s when a Nambour team competed against teams from nearby towns.

The Nambour Aquatic Centre is located in Petrie Park and has heated pools all year round. The complex offers a variety of activities including a 50m heated pool, a 25m heated enclosed pool, toddler pools and fountains/play area, a learn to swim program, aqua aerobics classes, and a poolside cafe.

Attractions

The Big Pineapple tourist attraction on the southern outskirts of the town reflects both of these pursuits.

Other tourist attractions include Thrill Hill Waterslide Park, and the Big Macadamia nut.

Events

The Big Pineapple Music Festival attracts thousands of visitors to Nambour.

Nambour Originals (sibling of Peregian Originals held at Peregian Beach) is an open air community event that involves live music in a picnic style format. It is held at 1pm every 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at Quota Park Amphitheatre on Matthews Street. The facilities at Quota Park include barbecues, a sheltered area, shady trees, a kids play area, toilets and parking.

The Nambour Festival, which began as the Nambour Sugar Festival in the 1980s, has been held at Quota Park since 2008. The festival showcases local musicians, entertainers, cooking demonstrations, local produce, a diverse range of activities for children, and market stalls.

The Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show was first held in 1905 in Woombye. The first show in Nambour was held in 1909. Today, the Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show is a modern three-day show full of agricultural, community and entertainment events.

The Queensland Home Garden Expo is a three-day gardening event held at the Nambour Showgrounds.

Transport

Translink is the authority that coordinates and integrates the public rail and bus services in South East Queensland, of which Nambour is in Zone 6.

Nambour is serviced by several Queensland Rail passenger trains, including the Tilt Train and is approximately one and a half hours north of Brisbane by rail. Regular services depart from Nambour railway station and use the Sunshine Coast line.

The region connected to Brisbane via the Bruce Highway which forms part of the M1 motorway.

Greyhound Australia interstate coach operators also operate daily bus services to Brisbane using the major corridors. The local bus service is operated by Kinetic Sunshine Coast which has various routes between Nambour and Noosa and the Sunshine Coast, including one via Eumundi.

Nambour is also served by Sunshine Coast Airport. The airport is approximately 25 minutes east of Nambour by car. Brisbane Airport is approximately one hour and ten minutes south of Nambour by car.

Climate

Nambour experiences a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa), with hot, wet summers and mild winters.

Notable people

Entertainment

Sam Atwell, actor

Mike Chapman, record producer and songwriter who was a major force in the British pop music industry in the 1970s

Jon Coghill, Powderfinger drummer

Judith Durham, lead vocalist for The Seekers

Benjamin Law, writer, author and comedian

Ivan Sen, filmmaker

Politics

Carolyn Male, member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 2001 to 2012

Kevin Rudd, former prime minister and former foreign minister, was born in Nambour and attended Nambour State High School

Fiona Simpson, Queensland Speaker, attended Nambour State High School

Wayne Swan, former deputy prime minister and former treasurer, attended Nambour State High School

Sport

Scott Anderson, rugby league

Ian Baker-Finch, 1991 British Open winner

Lee Carseldine, cricketer

Larissa Crummer, soccer player for Australia

Jake Friend, rugby league

Angela Kennedy, Olympic swimmer

Alastair MacKellar, professional cyclist

Rhys Magin, Australian rules footballer

Reed Mahoney, rugby league

Casey McGuire, rugby league

Ashley Noffke, cricketer

Joel Parkinson, surfer

Pat Rafter, tennis player made his debut in Nambour. His name has been on the wall of the local tennis club since he won the junior championship as a sixteen-year-old.

Clint Robinson, canoeist

Billy Slater, rugby league, was born in Nambour

Tia-Clair Toomey, 6 time CrossFit Games champion

Sharni Webb, Australian rules footballer

Other

Max Gaylard, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General currently working as deputy special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and United Nations coordinator for humanitarian and development activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Daniel Keighran, awarded Australia's military highest honour, the Victoria Cross for Australia for bravery during the Battle of Derapet in Afghanistan in 2010.

Michael Wesley, deputy vice-chancellor international, Melbourne University and former executive director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy.

David Billings, Amelia Earhart Researcher and author of the "Earhart Lockheed Electra Search Project"[1] website.