Caboolture () is a town and

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 ...

in the

City of Moreton Bay The City of Moreton Bay, known until July 2023 as the Moreton Bay Region, is a Local government in Australia, local government area in the north of the Brisbane metropolitan city in South East Queensland, South East Queensland, Australia. Estab ...

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 located on the northern side of the Caboolture River. In the , the suburb of Caboolture had a population of 29,534 people.

Geography

Caboolture is a major urban centre of the

Moreton Bay Moreton Bay is a bay located on the eastern coast of Australia from central Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources. The waters of Moreton Bay are a popular destination for recreational anglers and are ...

local government area. It is located approximately north of

Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

, the state capital of Queensland. Caboolture is now considered to be the northernmost urban area of the greater Brisbane metropolitan region within

South East Queensland South East Queensland (SEQ) is a Bioregion, bio-geographical, Megalopolis, metropolitan and Statistics, statistical Regions of Queensland, region of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland in Australia, with a population of ...

, and it marks the end of the Brisbane suburban commuter railway service along the North Coast railway line. The urban extent of the town of Caboolture is not formally defined but is generally regarded as including the following suburbs: * Bellmere * Caboolture (as a suburb) * Caboolture South * Morayfield (northern section, west of

Bruce Highway The Bruce Highway is a major highway in Queensland, Australia. Commencing in the state capital, Brisbane, it passes through areas close to the eastern coast on its way to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is part of the Australian Natio ...

) * Upper Caboolture

History

Indigenous history

'' Duungidjawu (''also known as ''Kabi Kabi, Cabbee, Carbi, Gabi Gabi)'' is an

Australian Aboriginal language The Indigenous languages of Australia number in the hundreds, the precise number being quite uncertain, although there is a range of estimates from a minimum of around 250 (using the technical definition of 'language' as non-mutually intellig ...

spoken on Duungidjawu country. The Duungidjawu language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of

Somerset Region The Somerset Region is a local government area located in the West Moreton region of South East Queensland, Australia, northwest of the City of Brisbane. The region is centred on the town of Esk, which also serves as the council seat. Somer ...

and the

, particularly the towns of Caboolture, Kilcoy, Woodford and

Moore Moore may refer to: Language * Mooré language, spoken in West Africa People * Moore (surname) ** List of people with surname Moore * Moore Crosthwaite (1907–1989), a British diplomat and ambassador * Moore Disney (1765–1846), a senior ...

''.'' '' Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi, Cabbee, Carbi, Gabi Gabi)'' is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Gubbi Gubbi country. The Gubbi Gubbi language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the

Sunshine Coast Region The Sunshine Coast Region is a local government area located in the Sunshine Coast region of South East Queensland, Australia, from which it takes its name. It was created by the amalgamation in 2008 of the City of Caloundra and the Shires o ...

and

Gympie Region The Gympie Region is a Local government in Australia, local government area in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, the state capital. It is between the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Sunshine Coast and ...

, particularly the towns of

Caloundra Caloundra ( ) is a coastal town in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the town of Caloundra had a population of 96,305 people. Geography Caloundra is north of the Brisbane central business district. Caloundra is acce ...

Noosa Heads Noosa Heads is a coastal town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), suburb in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It is a popular holiday destination. In the , the suburb of Noosa Heads had a population of 5,120 people. Geography ...

Gympie Gympie ( ) is a city and a Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. Located in the Greater Sunshine Coast, Gympie is about north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city lies on the Mary River ( ...

and extending north towards Maryborough and south to Caboolture''.'' The Gubbi Gubbi people are the traditional custodians of the area now known as Caboolture. The name ''Kabultur'' is derived from the Yugarabul dialect meaning "place of the carpet snake". The Gubbi Gubbi people harvested bush food, fresh water

mussel Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and Freshwater bivalve, freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other ...

oyster Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but no ...

s, fish, and some game animals, moving around the land to take best advantage of seasonally-available produce. Each year in March, the Gubbi Gubbi people would hold Bunya Festivals to feast on the plentiful and nutritious annual nuts of the

Bunya Pine ''Araucaria bidwillii'', commonly known as the bunya pine (), banya or bunya-bunya, is a large evergreen coniferous tree in the family Araucariaceae which is Endemism, endemic to Australia. Its natural range is southeast Queensland with two ver ...

. These huge trees provided a food source which could sustain large numbers of people. Towards the south of Caboolture is the Yugarabul traditional Aboriginal country of the Brisbane and surrounding regions.

19th century

The Caboolture area was colonised by European people in 1842 when the land around the

penal colony was opened up to free settlers.History of our towns , Caboolture Shire Council
By the mid-1860s the local pastoralists were experimenting with sugar cane and cotton. In 1867, a tiny settlement was established as a supply and trading centre for the settlers in the area and to service the needs of miners trekking from Brisbane to the goldfields near Gympie. The local shire was constituted in 1879 and in 1888 the railway line from Brisbane was opened. Caboolture Post Office opened on 1 September 1869. Settlement in Caboolture was accelerated with the discovery of

gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

at Gympie. In 1868, the town was used as a stop-over point by the Cobb and Co coach service connecting Brisbane, Gympie and Maryborough. This function continued with the rail link established in 1888. Caboolture State School opened on 4 August 1873. In 1890 it became Caboolture South State School. In 1908 it became Morayfield State School. The foundation stone of St Laurence's Anglican Church was laid on Saturday 26 January 1889 by Mrs W.G. Geddes in a service conducted by Canon Glennie and Archdeacon Matthews. Mr W.G. Geddes, one of the oldest settlers in Caboolture had donated the land. It was consecrated in 1959. It was re-built and re-dedicated in 1982. Caboolture North State School opened on 25 November 1889. In June 1912 it became Caboolture State School. Between 1940 and 1960 it was called Caboolture Rural State School. It had a secondary department from 1955 to 1961, after which a separate secondary school was established.

20th century

St Columban's College, Caboolture: On 5 December 1926 Roman Catholic Archbishop James Duhig laid the

foundation stone A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry Foundation (engineering), foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entir ...

for St Columban's College at "Highlands", 451

Sandgate Road Sandgate Road is a major road in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It provides part of the road connection between Redcliffe, Queensland, Redcliffe and the Brisbane central business district, Brisbane CBD. It is designated state route 26 through ...

Albion Albion is an alternative name for Great Britain. The oldest attestation of the toponym comes from the Greek language. It is sometimes used poetically and generally to refer to the island, but is less common than "Britain" today. The name for Scot ...

. The school officially opened on OSunday 29 January 1928. It was a school for boys operated by the Christian Brothers. In 1985 the Christian Brothers passed the management of the college to the Brisbane Diocese. This triggered a number of changes, a phasing out the primary school to focus on secondary schooling. In 1996 the school accepted enrolments from girls and in 1997 the school relocated to Caboolture. St Peter's Catholic School opened on 30 January 1951 in the parish church (now Mary McKillop Hall). It was initially operated by the

Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, often called the Josephites or Brown Joeys, are a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Mary MacKillop (1842–1909). Members of the congregation use the postnominal initials RSJ (Religious Sis ...

under principal Sister Juan McGrath, assisted by Sister Timothy and Sister Salome. Caboolture State High School opened on 23 January 1961, replacing the secondary department that operated at Caboolture State School from 1955 to 1960. Caboolture Special School opened in January 1980 with 50 students who had previously been in the Special Education Unit at Caboolture State School. Caboolture East State School opened on 29 January 1980. St Michael's College opened on 25 January 1983 with 4 students in a small farmhouse. It is associated with the Abbey Church of Christ the King, an Orthodox Catholic Church of Christ the King. St Paul's Lutheran Primary School opened in 1985. Tullawong State School opened on 1 February 1993. Tullawong State High School opened in January 1994. Before the 2008 local government amalgamations in Queensland, Caboolture Shire Council governed the area. Caboolture Christian School opened in 1998. In 2009 it was renamed Australian Christian College – Moreton. Harmony Montessori School opened in 1998.

21st century

Grace Lutheran College Caboolture opened in 2008 adjacent to St Paul's Lutheran Primary School. The college is campus of Grace Lutheran College at Rothwell. The Caboolture Library opened in 2011. Pumicestone State School opened in 2017. As part of the 30th Anniversary of Expo 88 celebration, on 26 October 2018, artist Ken Done unveiled the restoration of his iconic signs made for the Australia pavilion at Expo 88. It had spent the intervening years in a cow paddock beside the

at Deception Bay. The restoration was undertaken by the Caboolture Historical Village where they will remain on display.

Demographics

In the , the suburb of Caboolture had a population of 26,433 people. In the , the suburb of Caboolture had a population of 29,543 people. The median age of residents is 36 years. Crime rates per 100,000 persons in Moreton Bay North (which includes Caboolture) is lower than that of Ipswich, Logan and Toowoomba regions.

Heritage listings

Caboolture 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: * Lagoon Creek Pumping Station, Buckle Street

Transport

Caboolture is a regional transport hub. With its connections across the

Great Dividing Range The Great Dividing Range, also known as the East Australian Cordillera or the Eastern Highlands, is a cordillera system in eastern Australia consisting of an expansive collection of mountain ranges, plateaus and rolling hills. It runs roughl ...

via the D'Aguilar Highway, easy highway access to Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast via the

, and the Caboolture–Bribie Island Road to

Bribie Island Bribie Island is the smallest and most northerly of three major sand islands forming the coastline sheltering the northern part of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. The others are Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island. Bribie Island is ...

. Caboolture railway station is the terminus for QR Citytrain's Caboolture railway line, as well as being a major stop on the North Coast railway line. Citytrain operates regular services to Brisbane, in addition to

interurban The interurban (or radial railway in Canada) is a type of electric railway, with tram-like electric self-propelled railcars which run within and between cities or towns. The term "interurban" is usually used in North America, with other terms u ...

services to Nambour and Gympie. The area is serviced by two bus companies, Caboolture Bus Lines and the larger Kangaroo Bus Lines. All bus services in Caboolture travel ether via or to/from the Caboolture Bus Station located at the Caboolture railway station. The 651 local loop bus service provides transport throughout the northern portion of the suburb connecting it to other bus and train services at Caboolture railway station, bus services at Morayfield Bus Station and train services at Morayfield railway station. The 655 service runs a loop in the eastern portion of the suburb proving a bus connection to Caboolture Hospital. Bus routes 653 and 654 provides a connection to Caboolture South and Bellmere with a connection to train services at Morayfield railway station and bus services at Morayfield Bus Station. Bus route 657 travels to the northern portion of the suburb providing connections to Caboolture railway station. Route 652 provides a bus connection to Beachmere. Buses 640 and 643 travel from

. Route 640 connects Ningi, Bellara and Woorim and 643 connects Godwin Beach, Sandstone Point and Bellara. The 660 bus also travels to Caboolture Bus Station providing connections to Redcliffe, Morayfield, Burpengary and Deception Bay. Bus 9999 is a service that operates from Donnybrook and Toorbul on Thursday morning and afternoon that provides connection to Caboolture and Morayfield Bus Station. Kangaroo Bus Lines operates a rail bus on weekdays between Caboolture and

Nambour Nambour is a rural town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Nambour had a population of 12,145 people. Geography Nambour is north of the state capital ...

as route 649 to relieve congestion on the North Coast railway line north of Beerburrum. There is also a bus service from Kilcoy through the QConnect network under route number 895. It services Woodford, D'Agulair, Wamuran and terminates at the Morayfield Bus Station. Caboolture also contains its own airfield, which primarily services general and recreational aviation. Visiting aircraft are able to operate into the Caboolture airstrip, which is under the operational control of the Caboolture Aero Club Inc. Additionally the airport is home to a number of aviation enterprises and attractions – amongst them, the Caboolture Warplane Museum (with operational

P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed ...

CAC Wirraway The CAC Wirraway is a Trainer aircraft, training and general purpose military aircraft manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) between 1939 and 1946. It was an Australian development of the North American NA-16 ...

and CAC Winjeel aircraft), skydiving club, and the Beaufort Restoration group (a group of volunteers restoring an Australian-built DAP Beaufort Mark VII Bomber).

Sport

Caboolture's senior sporting teams predominantly play in the respective Sunshine Coast competitions. The suburb's cricket club are reigning Sunshine Coast Cricket Association first division premiers. The rugby union club have rejoined the Sunshine Coast Rugby Union competition after a few years in Queensland Suburban rugby's Barber Cup. The following clubs are located in the Caboolture Sports Complex in the Centenary Lakes precinct: * Caboolture Amateur Boxing Association * Caboolture Badminton Club * Caboolture BMX Club * Caboolture and Districts Lawn Tennis Association * Caboolture Junior Rugby League Club * Caboolture Little Athletics Centre * Caboolture Netball Association * Caboolture Road Runners Club * Caboolture Snakes Senior Rugby League Club * Moreton Bay Table Tennis Association.

Education

State schools

Caboolture State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 12 George Street (). It includes a special education program. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 558 students with 41 teachers (37 full-time equivalent) and 39 non-teaching staff (26 full-time equivalent). Caboolture State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at Lee Street (). It includes a special education program. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 1248 students with 110 teachers (107 full-time equivalent) and 57 non-teaching staff (44 full-time equivalent). Caboolture East State School is a government primary (Early Childhood to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 44 Manley Street (). It includes a special education program and an early childhood developmental program. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 624 students with 54 teachers (49 full-time equivalent) and 54 non-teaching staff (34 full-time equivalent). Pumicestone State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 75 Cottrill Road (). It includes a special education program. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 380 students with 27 teachers (25 full-time equivalent) and 17 non-teaching staff (13 full-time equivalent). Tullawong State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 60–94 Smiths Road (). It includes a special education program. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 757 students with 57 teachers (52 full-time equivalent) and 47 non-teaching staff (27 full-time equivalent). Tullawong State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at Del Rosso Road (). It includes a special education program. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 912 students with 86 teachers (80 full-time equivalent) and 43 non-teaching staff (33 full-time equivalent). Lee Street State Special School is a government special education secondary school, which opened in 2020.

Private schools

Alta-1 College is a private secondary (11–12) school for boys and girls at 94 Parish Road (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 32 students with 3 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent). Australian Christian College – Moreton is a private primary and secondary (Prep–12) school for boys and girls at 34 Cottrill Road (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 1173 students with 47 teachers and 22 non-teaching staff (16 full-time equivalent). Caboolture Montessori School is a private primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 200 Old Gympie Road (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 139 students with 14 teachers (12 full-time equivalent) and 24 non-teaching staff (16 full-time equivalent). Grace Lutheran College Caboolture is a private secondary (7–12) campus at 129 Toohey Street () of Grace Lutheran College at Rothwell. It operates in partnership with St Paul's Lutheran Primary School. Horizons College is a private secondary (9–12) school for boys and girls at 2 King Street (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 110 students with 14 teachers (11 full-time equivalent) and 11 non-teaching staff (10 full-time equivalent). St Columban's College is a Catholic secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 100 McKean Street (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 1004 students with 83 teachers (79 full-time equivalent) and 67 non-teaching staff (43 full-time equivalent). St Michael's College is a private primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at Jan-63 The Abbey Place (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 335 students with 25 teachers (22 full-time equivalent) and 28 non-teaching staff (19 full-time equivalent). St Paul's Lutheran Primary School is a private primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 55 Smith Road (). It operates in collaboration with Grace Lutheran College Caboolture. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 356 students with 23 teachers (21 full-time equivalent) and 28 non-teaching staff (19 full-time equivalent). St Peter's Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 30 Beerburrum Road (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 677 students with 42 teachers (38 full-time equivalent) and 27 non-teaching staff (18 full-time equivalent).

Amenities

The Moreton Bay City Council operates a public library, memorial hall, customer service centre and an art gallery at 4 Hasking Street. The Hub which houses the library, art gallery, and other amenities, has fifteen event and business spaces. The Caboolture Regional Art Gallery has a AAA rating, which makes it an international standard exhibition space. The Caboolture branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 10 George Street. It is one of the oldest in Queensland, having commenced in 1929. St Laurence's Anglican Church holds regular services at 165 King Street (). Caboolture Uniting Church is at 2-8 Smiths Road (corner King Street, ). It is part of the Caboolture Region Uniting Church. New Hope Church meets at the Senior Citizens Centre at 24 Hasking Street (). It is part of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

Governance

Caboolture is a centre within the

local government area. The mayor is Peter Flannery and the local councillor is Adam Hain. Caboolture is divided between the electoral districts of Pumicestone and Morayfield in the

Legislative Assembly of Queensland The Legislative Assembly of Queensland is the sole chamber of the unicameral Parliament of Queensland established under the Constitution of Queensland. Elections are held every four years and are done by full preferential voting. The Assembly ...

, and forms the main part of the Division of Longman in the

Australian House of Representatives The House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Australia, the upper house being the Australian Senate, Senate. Its composition and powers are set out in Chapter I of the Constitution of Australia. ...

Events and attractions

Caboolture Festival 2023 will be held during the month of April featuring a range of events. The Caboolture Country Markets are held every Sunday during winter. Local attractions include the Caboolture Regional Art Gallery, the Abbey Museum or Art and Archaeology, Centenary Lakes, Caboolture Historical Village and Woodfordia. The Caboolture Airfield is also home to the Caboolture Warplane and Heritage Museum. Included in their display is a collection of

warbird A warbird is any vintage military aircraft now operated by civilian organizations and individuals, or in some instances, by historic arms of military forces, such as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the Royal Australian Air Force's No. 100 ...

and other vintage aircraft in flying condition. Currently, the collection includes a

P-51D Mustang Over twenty variants of the North American P-51 Mustang fighter were produced from 1940, when it first flew, to after World War II, some of which were employed also in the Korean War and in several other conflicts. Allison-engined Mustangs NA- ...

, SNJ and Winjeel as well as a French built

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Nieuport 17 The Nieuport 17 C.1 (or Nieuport XVII C.1 in contemporary sources) is a French sesquiplane fighter aircraft, fighter designed and manufactured by the Nieuport company during World War I. An improvement over the Nieuport 11, it was a little large ...

fighter, as well as displays of aviation memorabilia and aircraft engines. Caboolture hosted an annual

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

festival and a ute muster each year, called the Urban Country Music Festival. The event was cancelled in 2016.

Notable people

* Paul Aiton, Papua New Guinea rugby league captain * Glen Boss, jockey who has won the

Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...

three times * Ken Day, rugby league player * Corey Horsburgh, rugby league player for the

Canberra Raiders The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugb ...

. * Andrew Lofthouse, newsreader * Lily Postlethwaite, Australian rules footballerYoung AFLW star scores Sports Award
from City of Moreton Bay] 21 January 2021 * Rod Pampling, PGA Tour professional golfer *

Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban ( né Urbahn; 26 October 1967) is an Australian and American country singer, songwriter and guitarist. Recognised with four Grammy Awards, he has also received 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, including the Jim Reeves Int ...

, singer who was born in New Zealand, and moved to Caboolture, aged two years

References

External links

* * {{authority control South East Queensland Suburbs of the City of Moreton Bay Towns in Queensland