Queanbeyan, New South Wales

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Queanbeyan New South Wales
Population: • Density:	36,331 (2004) (37th) 210/km²
Established:	1838
Area:	173 km²
Time zone:  • Summer (DST)	AEST (UTC+10) AEST (UTC+11)
Location:	10 km from Canberra
LGA:	Queanbeyan City Council

Queanbeyan is a city and local government area (Queanbeyan City Council) in south eastern New South Wales, Australia. It is a city overshadowed somewhat by its proximity to the Australian federal capital city of Canberra: it has effectively become a de facto district of the nearby capital city as it lies on the Australian Capital Territory border and is approximately 10km from Canberra's CBD, Civic. The border itself is defined by a railway line. The Queanbeyan River runs through Queanbeyan, near the centre of the city.

Queanbeyan has a population of 36,331 and has been said to be the "fastest growing city in southern NSW".

[edit] History

Queanbeyan sign

Bridge near the centre of town over the river

Royal_Hotel in Queanbeyan, built 1926

A former monastry, St Benedicts now houses a number of local businesses

Queabeyan's "Tidy Town" awards are proudly displayed on the Queanbeyan Council Chambers Building (c. 1927)

The town grew from a squattage held by ex-convict inn keeper, Timothy Beard, on the banks of the Molonglo River. The original name was Quinbean which means "clear waters".

Queanbeyan was officially proclaimed a township in 1838 with a population at that time of about 50. Some of the significant historic buildings still standing date from those early days. Traces of gold were discovered in 1851 and lead and silver mines also flourished briefly. Settlers were harassed by bushrangers, of which John Tennant, Jacky Jacky, Frank Gardiner and Ben Hall were some of the more notorious.

The Commercial Banking company of Sydney limited (CBC now part of the National Australia Bank) opened in Queanbeyan on 19 September, 1859. The Bank of New South Wales began service in Queanbeyan in 1878.

The Golden Age (now The Queanbeyan Age) was Queanbeyan's first newspaper and was founded in 1860 by John Gale.

In 1880 the residence of John James Wright, the first mayor of Queanbeyan, was constructed along the edge of the Queanbeyan River. In 1982 that building became the Queanbeyan Art Centre.

Queanbeyan, an increasingly successful primary producing district, was proclaimed a Municipality in February 1885 incorporating an area of 5,700 acres (23 km²).

The railway reached Queanbeyan railway station in 1887 and it became the junction for the lines going to Canberra and Bombala. The town is served by the twice-daily Countrylink Xplorer service between Canberra and Sydney.

William James Farrer, the wheat experimentalist, established Queanbeyan's reputation as an agricultural district with his famous "Federation" rust-free strain, developed on his property "Lambrigg" at Tharwa. Farrer's work was only slowly recognised elsewhere in Australia, but local farmers supported him, particularly in his development of "Blount's Lambrigg", another strain which in 1889 gave hope to farmers after the disastrous season of 1887 when crops had failed after heavy Christmas rains.

At the height of its rural prosperity Queanbeyan boasted sixteen public houses and six flourmills powered by wind, water, horse and steam.

The Royal Hotel on Monaro street opened in 1926. Canberra was "dry" from 1910 at the time of the territory's foundation until 1928 when Federal Parliament had relocated from Melbourne. In that period many of the capital's residents crossed the border to drink at hotels in Queanbeyan.

By 1972 Queanbeyan had little difficulty in meeting the first basic requirement of city status; the population had risen to more than 15,000 and a future population of at least that number was assured. City status was accordingly granted on 7 July 1972. On 21 July, 1975 the Queen's Bridge was opened. This bridge took pressure off the existing bridge in linking Monaro Street directly to the east. From 1982 to 1989, the Canberra Raiders rugby league team played their home games in Queanbeyan, at Seiffert Oval.

[edit] Sport and culture

Queanbeyan has a strong sporting culture. One of the major sports in Queanbeyan is Rugby League. The town has two teams, the Queanbeyan Blues and the Queanbeyan Kangaroos, of which the Blues is, as of 2006, the more powerful team. In addition Queanbeyan has a successful Australian Rules Football team, the Queanbeyan Tigers, and a somewhat less successful Rugby Union team, the Queanbeyan Whites. Queanbeyan has fostered many rugby superstars including Ricky Stuart, David Campese and Matt Henjak. Other sporting icons include Mark Webber, a Formula One driver.

Queanbeyan includes a diverse range of cultures, many residents having Italian or Mediterranean origins ^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Politics

Queanbeyan leans towards the Australian Labor Party and is the Federal marginal seat of Eden-Monaro, currently held by the Hon Gary Nairn for the Liberal Party and is in the State seat of Monaro, currently held by Mr Steve Whan for Labor. The Jerrabomberra community has tended to vote Liberal at past Federal elections but at the 2003 State election voted for the first time strongly Labor against the then sitting National Party Member.

[edit] Today

Jerrabomberra, one of Queanbeyan's fastest growing suburbs

Queanbeyan is a thriving regional centre providing the opportunity for people to work in Canberra and live in New South Wales. The city is home to a large shopping centre known as Riverside Plaza. Queanbeyan has most of the major fast food outlets and selected specialty stores. Queanbeyan has two government high schools, Queanbeyan and Karabar. Queanbeyan primary schools include Queanbeyan Public School, Jerrabomberra Public School and St. Gregory's. Queanbeyan has all the facilities of a major regional centre including a hospital, ambulance station, local bus line (Deanes), indoor and outdoor swimming pool, community centre, public library and several parks. There is no longer a cinema in Queanbeyan. Much of the growth of Queanbeyan is found in Jerrabomberra, this suburb being created in 1992 and now having a population of over 6000.

[edit] Memorials, monuments and commemorative gates

Second Boer War memorial erected 1903	World War I memorial erected Anzac Day 25 April 1923	William Farrer memorial.	Memorial Gates - Queanbeyan Showgrounds
John Gale (journalist) "The Father of Canberra"

[edit] Notable residents - past and present

• David Campese - Wallaby winger, arguably the greatest winger of all time.
• Matt Giteau - present day Wallaby player, Australia's highest ever paid domestic football player of any code.
• Matt Henjak - present day Wallaby player, understudy of George Gregan, plays for Western Force.
• Langomi-e-Hau Latukefu A.K.A. Hau - rapper from award winning Hip Hop group Koolism.
• George Lazenby - movie star, most noted for being the 2nd official James Bond 007, following Sean Connery.
• Tommy Murphy - award-winning playwright.
• Gary Nairn - Eden-Monaro MP and Special Minister for State.
• Mark Webber - Formula 1 driver for Red Bull Racing

[edit] Suburbs of Queanbeyan

Many of Queanbeyan's innercity homes were built during the "Federation era", circa 1927

• Carwoola
• Crestwood
• Environa
• Googong
• Greenleigh
• Jerrabomberra
• Karabar
• Queanbeyan East
• Queanbeyan West
• Queanbeyan
• The Ridgeway
• Royalla
• Tralee

• (Oaks Estate is sometimes mistakenly assumed to be part of Queanbeyan but is in fact located in the Australian Capital Territory.)

[edit] Climate

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

	Cities of New South Wales
Capital:	Sydney
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