Allenstown is an inner southern
suburb
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
of
Rockhampton
Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. In the , the population of Rockhampton was 79,293. A common nickname for Rockhampton is "Rocky", and the demonym of Rockhampton is Rockhamptonite.
The Scottish- ...
,
Rockhampton Region
The Rockhampton Region is a local government area (LGA) in Central Queensland, Australia, located on the Tropic of Capricorn about north of Brisbane. Rockhampton is the region's major city; the region also includes the Fitzroy River, Mount ...
,
Queensland
Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
, Australia.
It is situated by road south-west of the
Rockhampton CBD
Rockhampton City is the central suburb of the city of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region of Queensland, Australia. It is also known as the Rockhampton CBD. In the , Rockhampton City had a population of 2,059 people.
Geography
Rockhampton ...
. In the , Allenstown had a population of 2,762 people.
[
]
Geography
The main business precinct of Allenstown is anchored by local shopping centre Allenstown Square, which was previously known as Allenstown Plaza before undergoing a major refurbishment and extension which was completed in 2012.
History
The suburb is named after William Allen, builder, around 1862.[ Allen's decision to sell blocks of land for thirty pounds following his return from the ]Canoona gold rush
During the Australian gold rushes, starting in 1851, significant numbers of workers moved from elsewhere in Australia and overseas to where gold had been discovered. Gold had been found several times before, but the colonial government of Ne ...
, which saw many new cottages being built, prompted the locals to dub the suburb "Allen's town".
In 1864, Patrick Egan established the Merry Jig Hotel.[
Rockhampton Cemetery opened circa 1864 although the earliest headstones was dated as 1862. It replaced an earlier cemetery at Col Brown Park beside the Fitzroy River. Following the opening of the North Rockhampton Cemetery, it became known as South Rockhampton Cemetery. It closed in 1993 and is now heritage-listed. The cemetery is organised by ]religious denominations
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name and tradition, among other activities.
The term refers to the various Christian denominations (for example, non-Chalcedonian, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, ...
.
In December 1870, tenders were called from carpenters to erect a Wesleyan Methodist church in Allenstown. The church was opened on Sunday 16 April 1871. It was designed by architect Septimus Nash Spong and described as "handsome and commodious". It was and capable of seating 100 people. It was organised and paid for by the "munificence" of Andrew Ross of Balnagowan. In November 1880, it was agreed that a new "central and substantial" church would be erected at an expected cost of £650, which would be funded in part by the sale of the Allenstown Wesleyan church and the Kent Street Wesleyan Church in the Rockhampton CBD
Rockhampton City is the central suburb of the city of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region of Queensland, Australia. It is also known as the Rockhampton CBD. In the , Rockhampton City had a population of 2,059 people.
Geography
Rockhampton ...
. The new church was opened in Campbell Street on Sunday 24 July 1881 with the Allenstown Wesleyan church building relocated to the rear of the new church at Campbell Street where it was used as a vestry and Sunday school.
Allenstown State School opened on 16 July 1877. The school celebrated its centenary in 1977.
On 15 October 1899, St Joseph's Catholic Cathedral was officially opened by Cardinal Patrick Francis Moran
Patrick Francis Moran (16 September 183016 August 1911) was a prelate of the Catholic Church and the third Archbishop of Sydney and the first cardinal appointed from Australia.
Early life
Moran was born at Leighlinbridge, County Carlow, Irel ...
of the Sydney Archdiocese with a celebration of the Pontifical High Mass
A Pontifical High Mass, also called Solemn Pontifical Mass, is a Solemn Mass, Solemn or High Mass celebrated by a Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop using certain prescribed ceremonies. Although in modern English the word ''pontifical'' is al ...
.
On Sunday 14 October 1900, the foundation stone was laid for St Mark's Anglican Church. Its opening service was held on Sunday 23 December 1900. The church was sold in 2021.
From 1909 until 1939, the city's tramway serviced Allenstown along Upper Dawson Road.[ In 2019, some of the original tram tracks were unearthed during local council roadworks.
The Cathedral College opened on 4 February 1991.]
Demographics
In the , Allenstown had a population of 2,721 people.
In the , Allenstown had a population of 2,911 people.
In the , Allenstown had a population of 2,790 people.
In the , Allenstown had a population of 2,762 people.
Heritage listings
Allenstown has a number of heritage-listed
This list is of heritage registers, inventories of cultural properties, natural and human-made, tangible and intangible, movable and immovable, that are deemed to be of sufficient heritage value to be separately identified and recorded. In ma ...
sites, including:
* St Mark's Anglican Church, 36 Larnach Street
* South Rockhampton Cemetery
South Rockhampton Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery at Upper Dawson Road, Allenstown, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1860 to 1970. It is also known as Dawson Road Cemetery and Rockhampton Cemetery. It was add ...
, Upper Dawson Road
* Allenstown State School, 13–33 Upper Dawson Road
* St Josephs Catholic Cathedral, 170 William Street
Education
Allenstown State School is a government primary (Preparatory to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 13–33 Upper Dawson Road (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 381 students with 31 teachers (29 full-time equivalent) and 27 non-teaching staff (17 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education
Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...
program.
The Cathedral College is a Catholic secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 189 William Street (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1,178 students with 79 teachers (78 full-time equivalent) and 59 non-teaching staff (48 full-time equivalent).
There is no government secondary school in Allenstown. The nearest government secondary school is Rockhampton State High School
Rockhampton State High School is a coeducational public secondary school located in Wandal, a suburb of Rockhampton in Queensland, Australia. The school has a total enrolment of more than 1000 students, with an official count of 1119 students i ...
in Wandal to the north.
Amenities
St Josephs Catholic Cathedral is at 169 William Street ().
There are a number of parks in the suburb:
* Bolton Park ()
* Connolly Park ()
* Frank Forde Park ()
* Kettle Park ()
* Musgrave Park ()
* O'Shanesy Park ()
* Saleyards Park ()
Rockhampton Cemetery (also known as South Rockhampton Cemetery) is at 113-171 Upper Dawson Road ().
Attractions
Allenstown is home to three of the seven Big Bulls statues that decorate Rockhampton, which regards itself as the Beef Capital of Australia. The three bull statues are located along the Bruce Highway (also known as Gladstone Road) and depict three important cattle varieties raised in the area: Santa Gertrudis, Romagnola, and Braford
The Braford is a cross between a Hereford bull and a Brahman cow. Conversely, it can also be a cross between a Brahman bull and a Hereford cow. The make up of the Braford is 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Hereford. Even though a true Braford meets those sta ...
. The Big Bulls are listed as one of "the big things of Australia".
The theft of the testicle
A testicle or testis ( testes) is the gonad in all male bilaterians, including humans, and is Homology (biology), homologous to the ovary in females. Its primary functions are the production of sperm and the secretion of Androgen, androgens, p ...
s from the bulls is a common prank and they frequently have to be replaced. Some residents also feel that the bull statues overemphasise one aspect of the city and should be relocated to less prominent locations. However, there is strong public support for the retention of the bulls.
References
External links
University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Allenstown
{{Rockhampton Region
Suburbs of Rockhampton