The locality of Mount Crosby is bounded to the south-west and south by the Brisbane River (known by locals as the "Devil's elbow"), to the south-east by Mount Crosby Road and a second section of the Brisbane River, and to the north by Lake Manchester Road and Swensons Road. It is 22 kilometres (14 mi) south-west of the Brisbane CBD.
Mount Crosby (also known as Mount Belle Vue) (27°31′41″S152°47′56″E / 27.5281°S 152.7989°E / -27.5281; 152.7989 (Mount Crosby (Mount Belle Vue))) 183 metres (600 ft) above sea level [4][6]
Colleges Crossing (27°33′23″S152°48′13″E / 27.5564°S 152.8036°E / -27.5564; 152.8036 (Colleges Crossing)) is a historic ford on the Brisbane River, now replaced by a low-level bridge.[7]
Historyedit
The JageraAboriginal people inhabited areas in Mount Crosby and they had ceremonial grounds on the slopes of Mount Elphinstone and at Bellbowrie.[8]
John Oxley explored the Brisbane River in September 1824. He and Lieutenant Butler climbed the mountain (now known as Mount Crosby) naming it Belle Vue Mountain. The origin of the current name is uncertain, but there are two theories. The first theory is that first farmers to take up land in the area came from Crosbie-on-Eden on the England-Scotland border and they named the mountain Mount Crosbie. The second theory is that a gold prospector George Crosby worked here in the early days.[2][6]
In 1824, Allan Cunningham explored a shallow part of the Brisbane River (27°33′23″S152°48′13″E / 27.5564°S 152.8036°E / -27.5564; 152.8036 (Colleges Crossing)) at the south-eastern corner of the present-day locality of Mount Crosby.[9] This ford was later named Colleges Crossing after farmer George College or Colledge (his name was spelled with both variants) who immigrated to Brisbane on the ship Artemisia in 1849 and acquired land in the area circa 1852.[7]
The Crosby postal receiving office opened on 1 January 1882; it was renamed Mount Crosby receiving office in June 1917. It became a full post office in about 1924.[10]
In May 1881, tenders were called for the erection of a provisional school in Lower Kholo (now Mount Crosby).[11] Mount Crosby Provisional School opened on 30 January 1882 with 22 pupils under teacher Arthur Leigh.[12] It closed on 31 December 1892, but soon reopened on 11 September 1893 as Mount Crosby State School under head teacher Samuel Rea.[13][14][15] This original school was located at 655 Mount Crosby Road and is now heritage-listed.[16]
The Mount Crosby Pumping Station and the first Mount Crosby weir opened in 1892 to supply water to Brisbane. A small village was established to accommodate the workers, consisting of 60 cottages and other facilities such as a church/hall, store, and bowls club.[17][18]
A tramway was built from Tivoli to convey coal from the Ipswich Coalfield to the station.[19]
In the early 1940s, about 40 acres (16 ha) of land was sold to Scouts Australia. This was developed as the Tyamolum Scout Camp.[20]
The Autism Therapy & Education Centre opened on 1 March 1985 and closed on 5 June 2003. It was a school and therapy centre for children with autism.[23]
In the 2011 census, the population of Mount Crosby was 1,728, 49.9% female and 50.1% male.[25] The median age of the Mount Crosby population was 37 years of age.[25] 74.2% of people living in Mount Crosby were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 69.8%; the next most common countries of birth were England 7.2%, South Africa 3.2%, New Zealand 2.9%, United States of America 0.9%, Germany 0.8%.[25] 90.5% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 0.8% German, 0.6% Afrikaans, 0.5% Russian, 0.3% Persian (excluding Dari), 0.3% Mandarin.[25]
In the 2016 census, the population of Mount Crosby was 1,832, 50.6% female and 49.4% male.[26] The median age of the Mount Crosby population was 39 years of age.[25] 72.9% of people living in Mount Crosby were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 66.7%; the next most common countries of birth were England 6.9%, South Africa 3.3%, New Zealand 2.9%, Germany 1.1%, United States of America 0.7%.[26] 90.6% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were Afrikaans 1.1%, German 1%, Mandarin 0.8%, Dutch 0.4%, Persian (excluding Dari) 0.4%.[26]
In the 2021 census, Mount Crosby had a population of 1,860 people.[3]
Heritage listingsedit
Mount Crosby has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
97 Lake Manchester Road: Shift Operator's House at Holt's Hill Plant (also known as Waterworks Cottage No. 1) [35]
97 Lake Manchester Road: Holt's Hill Entrance Avenue Trees [36]
97 Lake Manchester Road: Holt's & Cameron Hill Reservoir & Filtration Plant [37]
570 Mount Crosby Road: Burrows House & Fig Tree [38]
655 Mount Crosby Road (27°32′27″S152°48′21″E / 27.5408°S 152.8058°E / -27.5408; 152.8058 (Mount Crosby State School (former))): former Mount Crosby State School and Residence [16]
659 Mount Crosby Road: Mount Crosby General Store & Post Office [39]
663 Mount Crosby Road: Waterworks Cottage No. 129 [40]
667 Mount Crosby Road: Waterworks Cottage No. 130 [41]
671 Mount Crosby Road: Waterworks Cottage No. 133 [42]
770 Mount Crosby Road: Mount Crosby Community Hall [18]
There are no schools in Mount Crosby. Despite the name, Mount Crosby State School is a government co-education primary (P-6) school located on the eastern side of Mount Crosby Road in neighbouring Karana Downs (27°33′03″S152°48′26″E / 27.550919°S 152.807199°E / -27.550919; 152.807199 (Mount Crosby State School)).[62] The nearest government secondary school is Ipswich State High School in Brassall in Ipswich to the south-west.[63]
Facilitiesedit
The locality has a major role in the supply of water to Brisbane, including:
Mount Crosby Wier and Pumping Station on Stumer Road
Mount Crosby Eastbank Water Treatment Plant (27°31′45″S152°48′12″E / 27.5292°S 152.8033°E / -27.5292; 152.8033 (Mount Crosby Eastbank Water Treatment Plant))[64]
Camerons Hill Reservoirs (27°31′24″S152°48′31″E / 27.5233°S 152.8086°E / -27.5233; 152.8086 (Camerons Hill Reservoirs))[64]
There is an SES Unit at 24 Stumers Road (27°32′16″S152°48′03″E / 27.5379°S 152.8008°E / -27.5379; 152.8008 (SES Unit)).[65]
Amenitiesedit
Mount Crosby is serviced by a fortnightly visit of the Brisbane City Council's mobile library service outside the Mount Crosby State School on Mountt Crosby Road.[66]
Mount Crosby Bowls Club is at 770 Mount Crosby Road (27°32′17″S152°48′13″E / 27.5380°S 152.8037°E / -27.5380; 152.8037 (Mount Crosby Bowls Club)).[67][68]
Mount Crosby Post Office is at 659 Mount Crosby Road, part of the general store (27°32′26″S152°48′19″E / 27.5406°S 152.8054°E / -27.5406; 152.8054 (Mount Crosby Post Office)).[67][69][70]
Tyamolum Scout Park and Camping Ground is at 31 Bunya Street (27°31′33″S152°50′34″E / 27.5257°S 152.8428°E / -27.5257; 152.8428 (Tyamolum Scout Park)). It has one building providing bunk-house style accommodation with kitchen, dining and uni-sex bathroom facilities. It also provides several areas for tent camping[71]
There are a number of parks in the locality, including:
^ ab"Mountain peaks and capes – Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
^"Holts Hill – mountain in Brisbane City (entry 16028)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
^ ab"Mount Crosby – mountain in Brisbane City (entry 8850)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
^ ab"Colleges Crossing – unbounded locality in the City of Ipswich (entry 7734)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
^"Mount Crosby: Aboriginal History". BRISbites. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
^"Mount Crosby". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
^Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
^"Advertising". Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald And General Advertiser. Vol. XXI, no. 2923. Queensland, Australia. 7 May 1881. p. 2. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Mount Crosby State School newsletter" (PDF). Mount Crosby State School. 13 August 2015. p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
^"Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
^Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
^"Mount Crosby: Major People". BRISbites. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
^"The history of the East Bank filters". Seqwater. Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
^"PREMIER TO AID CITY WATER PLAN". The Courier-mail. No. 3578. Queensland, Australia. 14 May 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 21 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
^"Council History". Ipswich City Council. 4 March 2014. Archived from the original on 19 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
^ ab"Landmark Areas – Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
^"Emergency services facilities – Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
^"Mobile library services". Brisbane City Council. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
^ ab"Building points – Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
^"Mount Crosby Bowls Club". Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
^"Mount Crosby LPO". Australia Post. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
^Google (29 April 2021). "Mount Crosby post office and store" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
^"Tyamolum Scout Park and Camping Ground" (PDF). Scouts Queensland. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
^ abcdefgh"Land for public recreation – Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
Further readingedit
Mt. Crosby State School Centenary 1882-1982, Mt. Crosby State School, 1982, retrieved 29 April 2021
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mount Crosby, Queensland.
University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Mount Crosby
"Mount Crosby". BRISbites. Brisbane City Council. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008.
"Mt Crosby". Our Brisbane. Brisbane City Council. Archived from the original on 8 March 2008.