Wynnum, Queensland

Moreton Bay, North Stradbroke Island and mangroves from Wynnum

Wynnum is on the shores of Moreton Bay in Brisbane, Australia, about 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) east of the CBD.

Wynnum likely derives from a Durubalic word meaning pandanus palm or mud crab.[4]

Aboriginal history of Quandamooka (Moreton Bay) stretches back over 25,000 years[5] and Aboriginal connection to the Wynnum area has remained strong throughout European colonisation. Thomas Petrie, a visitor in the 1840s, described Wynnum as a large Aboriginal camp (centred on what is now Elanora Park 27.433°S 153.172°E / -27.433; 153.172 (Black's Camp), referred to as Black's Camp as late as the 1980s[6]) for launching expeditions to hunt turtle, dugong and flying fox on the neighbouring islands.[7] European settlement first appeared at North Wynnum (around the mouth of Wynnum Creek) at the fringe of Black's Camp.[7]

Aboriginal men from Black's Camp helped build the original Wynnum jetty in the 1850s, and in 1886, three local Aboriginal men, 'Johnny Murray, Tommy Nuggin and Sam', saved three European women from drowning in Wynnum Creek.[8] Local Aboriginal people also ran fishing, oyster-catching and turtle hunting enterprises from Wynnum into the early 1900s, with these tours advertised in Brisbane's newspapers.[4] There were some tensions with the European newcomers, including an unprovoked attack by local ruffians on the Aboriginal camp in Wynnum in 1884.[9] Well known Jagera chief 'King Sandy' Kerwalli (aka Gairballie) died at Black's Camp in 1900.[10]

The area remained sparsely settled by Europeans until the arrival of the railway in the late 1880s, but then grew fairly rapidly. On Saturday 22 November 1890, 95 subdivided allotments of Wynnum Station Estate were auctioned by R. J. Cottell. A map advertising the auction show them to be near Bridge Street and close to Wynnum Railway Station.[11][12]

In October 1892 the adherents of the Church of England in Wynnum decided to buy half an acre of land in Charlotte Street (now 77 Charlotte Street, 27.4435°S 153.1718°E / -27.4435; 153.1718 (St Peter's Anglican Church)) for £50 to erect a church.[13] After some years of fund raising, on Saturday 8 October 1896 the foundation stone was laid in the presence of the Bishop of Brisbane William Webber and the Premier of Queensland James Robert Dickson.[14] St Peter's Anglican Church was officially opened and dedicated on Thursday 9 March 1899.[15]

The former Wynnum Shire Council was created in 1902, and twelve years later Wynnum became a municipality with its own town council and the right to elect a mayor. Black's Camp was disbanded in 1908, and the area was redeveloped into Elanora Park in the 1930s.[16] The Wynnum Town Council was absorbed into the enlarged City of Brisbane in 1925.[17]

Street in Wynnum, c. 1889.

Wynnum State School opened on 24 February 1896. In 1910 it was renamed Wynnum Central State School.[18] It closed on 31 December 2010 as it was amalgamated with Lindum State School and Wynnum North State School in Prospect Street to create a new Wynnum State School.[19]

Wynnum North State School was established in 1911. The school originally opened in 1882 as Lytton State School but the buildings were relocated from Lytton to Wynnum North and the school renamed Wynnum North State School in 1911.[18] It closed on 31 December 2010 as it was amalgamated with Lindum State School and Wynnum Central State School to create a new Wynnum State School.[19]

Guardian Angels Catholic Primary School opened on 4 October 1914.[18]

St John's Anglican Church was dedicated circa 1929. It was at 54 Randall Street (approx 27.4551°S 153.1584°E / -27.4551; 153.1584 (St John's Anglican Church (former))).[20] It closed circa 1995.[21]

Wynnum jetty in 1907

The Wynnum Seventh-day Adventist Church was established in late 1937 with the first minister being Pastor Septimus Wilfred Carr. Initially they met in private homes and then relocated the Wynnum RSL Hall and then at the Wynnum St Peters Church of England Hall. In 1947 a block of land was purchased at the corner of Sunflower and Carnation Street, Wynnum and in 1948 the Mitchelton Methodist Hall was purchased and moved to the site as the congregations' first church.[22]

Wynnum State High School opened on 2 March 1942.[18]

In 1956 Anglicans in Wynnum constructed a Sunday school at Primrose Parade (Sibley Road end, approx 27.4409°S 153.1552°E / -27.4409; 153.1552 (St Margaret's Anglican Church Hall)). In 1964 they constructed a church hall, which was dedicated on 3 May 1964 by Coadjutor Bishop John Hudson as St Margaret's Anglican Church Hall. In 1984 the new St Peter's Anglican Church opened at 77 Charlotte Street and this led to the closure of St Margaret's Church Hall on 11 August 1985, after which St Margaret's was relocated to Murrarie to become St Clare's Anglican Church and the Primrose Parade site was sold for residential development.[21][23]

Mount Carmel College opened in 1957. It closed on 31 December 1992.[18]

St Oswald's Anglican Church in Wynnum North was dedicated circa 1957.[21] It was in Prospect Street.[24] In 1967 this church established the first Meals on Wheels service in Wynnum.[25][26] The church closed circa 1981.[21][24]

Wynnum North State High School opened on 28 January 1964.[18]

The suburb has traditionally boasted a country town atmosphere, but new residential development is resulting in significant population growth and changing demographics. The area is now marked by a mix of character housing and modern housing.

In 1987 Pandanus Beach was constructed by and bringing sand from North Stradbroke Island and building rock groynes to try to prevent the sand from being eroded by the action of the waves in the bay. On 26 September 1987 Pandanus Beach was officially opened by Tom Burns, the Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Lytton and resident of Wynnym.[27]

In the 2011 census, the population of Wynnum was 12,229, 51.1% female and 48.9% male.[28]

The median age of the Wynnum population was 40 years, 3 years above the Australian median.

73.7% of people living in Wynnum were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 69.8%; the next most common countries of birth were New Zealand 6.2%, England 5.3%, Philippines 0.9%, Scotland 0.8%, South Africa 0.5%.

88.9% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 0.5% Tagalog, 0.4% German, 0.4% Vietnamese, 0.3% Filipino, 0.3% Spanish.

Wynnum Hall

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

• 199 Bay Terrace: Mount Carmel Convent[29]
• 75 Berrima Street: Waterloo Bay Hotel[30]
• The Esplanade: Wynnum Wading Pool[31]
• 39 Mountjoy Terrace: former Wynnum Fire Station[32]

• Peel Street (27.4543°S 153.1763°E / -27.4543; 153.1763 (Wynnum State High School)): Wynnum State High School Block A[33]

• 33 Tingal Road: former Wynnum Ambulance Station[34]
• 272 Wynnum North Road: Nazareth House[35]

These examples are from the Queensland Heritage Register. Additional sites are listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register and the Australian Heritage Database.

Wynnum railway station

Wynnum is served by three stations on the Cleveland railway line. Wynnum North railway station, Wynnum railway station and Wynnum Central railway station provide access to regular Queensland Rail City network services to Brisbane and Cleveland.

Wynnum State School is a government primary (Early Childhood-6) school for boys and girls at 81 Boxgrove Avenue (27.4416°S 153.1602°E / -27.4416; 153.1602 (Wynnum State School)).[36][37] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 754 students with 57 teachers (51 full-time equivalent) and 36 non-teaching staff (22 full-time equivalent).[38] It includes a special education program.[36]

Guardian Angels' Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 188 Bay Terrace (27.4458°S 153.1758°E / -27.4458; 153.1758 (Guardian Angels' Primary School)).[36][39] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 546 students with 40 teachers (34 full-time equivalent) and 25 non-teaching staff (15 full-time equivalent).[38]

Wynnum State High School is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at Peel Street (27.4549°S 153.1766°E / -27.4549; 153.1766 (Wynnum State High School)).[36][40] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 875 students with 78 teachers (75 full-time equivalent) and 30 non-teaching staff (24 full-time equivalent).[38] It includes a special education program.[36]

Moreton Bay Environmental Education Centre is a special purpose school facility at 162 Stradbroke Avenue (27.4411°S 153.1635°E / -27.4411; 153.1635 (Moreton Bay Environmental Education Centre)).[36][41]

The Brisbane City Council operates a public library located at 145 Florence Street.[42] The library opened in 1946 with a major refurbishment in 2016 and offers publicly accessible Wi-Fi.[43]

The Bayside Parklands provide public access to 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) of shoreline including mangroves, mudflats and wetlands. Many migratory shorebirds can be seen from the parklands as Moreton Bay is a Ramsar site. Next to the Wynnum Wading Pool which has a playground and water park and the Wynnum Jetty, there is a man-made beach called Pandanus Beach.[44]

Wynnum Soccer Football Club 1929

It also has an extensive range of long established sporting clubs, such as Wynnum Seagulls Rugby League Club, Wynnum Golf Club, Wynnum District SC (Wolves FC Soccer Club - since 1921), Wynnum Manly District Cricket Club, Wynnum Bugs Rugby Union Club, Bayside United Soccer Club and Wynnum Vikings Australian Rules Football Club. Wynnum Esplanade hosts Wynnum parkrun every Saturday - a free weekly 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) walk/run which attracts many participants. Recreational clubs include the Wynnum Manly Leagues Club and the RSL. The Wynnum foreshore is a popular swimming and picnic spot for Brisbane families especially at weekends.

The Bay Belles branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the Wynnum RSL at 174 Tingal Road (27.4438°S 153.1694°E / -27.4438; 153.1694 (Wynnum RSL Club)).[45]

The following were either born or have lived at some time in Wynnum:

• Quentin Bryce - former Governor General of Australia
• Kay Danes - human rights activist, memoirist
• Keith Rayner - former Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne
• Samantha Riley - olympic swimming medallist
• Kyle Sandilands - radio host
• Stacey Thomson - television host

• St. Peter's Wynnum: diamond jubilee, 1899-1974, The Parish, 1974
• Hughes, Peter D; Hogan, Thelma (1999), Fishers of men: a history of the Anglican Church of Saint Peter's Wynnum, 1899-1999, [Cooroy, Qld.] printed by Queensland Media Print

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wynnum, Queensland.

• Brisbites: Suburban Sites: Wynnum (via Pandora)
• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Wynnum
• Wynnum-Manly History: A Virtual Heritage Trail (Brisbane Stories)
• Your Brisbane Past and Present