Golden Beach, Queensland

Golden Beach Caloundra, Queensland
Golden Beach, looking across Pumicestone Passage towards Bribie Island
Golden Beach
Coordinates	26.8227°S 153.1219°E / -26.8227; 153.1219 (Golden Beach (centre of suburb))
Population	5,646 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	1,344/km^2 (3,480/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4551
Area	4.2 km^2 (1.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	2.1 km (1 mi) S of Caloundra CBD 22.3 km (14 mi) S of Maroochydore 96.7 km (60 mi) N of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Sunshine Coast Region
County	Canning
Parish	Bribie
State electorate(s)	Caloundra
Federal division(s)	Fisher
Suburbs around Golden Beach: Caloundra West Caloundra Bribie Island North Pelican Waters Golden Beach Bribie Island North Pelican Waters Coochin Creek Bribie Island North

Golden Beach is a coastal suburb of Caloundra in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2] It is located within the Caloundra urban centre directly southwest of the Caloundra CBD. In the 2021 census, Golden Beach had a population of 5,646 people.^[1]

Geography

Golden Beach is a coastal suburb with the Pumicestone Passage forming its eastern boundary. It is mostly fully developed with low density residential housing. A canal from the passage passes through the suburb from east to west leading into the canal developments of the neighbouring suburb of Pelican Waters.

The long sandspit at the northern tip of Bribie Island protects Golden Beach from the Coral Sea.^[3] However, this section of the Pumicestone Passage is very narrow and very shallow (less than 2 metres (6 ft 7 in)) with shifting sand and mud banks, which makes the northern sandspit highly dynamic in shape through natural processes of sand/mud buildup and erosion. During storms, waves may cross over the sandspit from the Coral Sea into the Pumicestone Passage, with the potential to break through the sandspit to create new entrances to Pumicestone Passage. The creation of new entrances would impact on Golden Beach and Pelican Waters, which would then be exposed more directly to the stronger wave action of the Coral Sea as opposed to the calmer waters of the Pumicestone Passage.^[4] In December 2020, wild weather began creating channels from the ocean through the northern sandspit into Pumicestone Passage.^[5]

History

Settlement of Golden Beach dates from the late 19th century, with land used mainly for farming and grazing. Development of the suburb started from the 1950s, with rapid growth from the 1960s into the 1980s.^[6] The suburb was named by the Caloundra Golden Beach Ltd, the developers of the area.^[2]

Golden Beach State School opened on 24 January 1983.^[7]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Golden Beach had a population of 5,575 people.^[8]

In the 2021 census, Golden Beach had a population of 5,646 people.^[1]

Education

Golden Beach State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Gregory Street (26.8144°S 153.1168°E / -26.8144; 153.1168 (Golden Beach State School)).^[9][10] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 657 students with 51 teachers (44 full-time equivalent) and 33 non-teaching staff (23 full-time equivalent).^[11] It includes a special education program.^[9][12]

There are no secondary schools in Golden Beach; the nearest secondary school is Caloundra State High School in neighbouring Caloundra to the north.^[13] Baringa State Secondary College, a new secondary education precinct was also recently opened in the nearby suburb of Baringa.^[14]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Golden Beach (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Golden Beach – suburb in Sunshine Coast Region (entry 50236)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
3. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
4. "Northern Bribie Island: What are the potential risks from a tidal breakthrough?" (PDF). Sunshine Coast Regional Council. August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
5. Stevenson, Ashleigh (14 December 2020). "Bribie Island erosion worries authorities as wild weather continues to whip the region". Australia: ABC News. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
6. "Introduction - Golden Beach". 2010. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
7. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
8. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Golden Beach (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
9. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
10. "Golden Beach State School". Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
11. "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
12. "Golden Beach SS - Special Education Program". Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
13. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
14. "Baringa State Secondary College". Baringa State Secondary College. 13 September 2022. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.

External links

• "Golden Beach". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.