Bentley Park

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Bentley Park
Suburb
View from Bentley Park with Fletcher Court and Lamb Range in background, 2020
View from Bentley Park with Fletcher Court and Lamb Range in background, 2020
Bentley Park is located in Queensland
Bentley Park
Bentley Park
Interactive map of Bentley Park
Coordinates: 17°00′39″S 145°43′23″E / 17.0108°S 145.7230°E / -17.0108; 145.7230 (Bentley Park (centre of suburb))
CountryAustralia
StateQueensland
LGA
Location
Government
 • State electorate
 • Federal division
Area
 • Total
6.9 km2 (2.7 sq mi)
Elevation
9 to 302 m (30 to 991 ft)
Population
 • Total8,360 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density1,212/km2 (3,138/sq mi)
Postcode
4869
Suburbs around Bentley Park
Lamb Range Mount Sheridan White Rock
Lamb Range Bentley Park Edmonton
Lamb Range Edmonton Edmonton

Bentley Park is a south-western suburb of Cairns within the local government area of Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] It is located approximately 9 km (6 mi) south of the Cairns CBD. In the 2021 census, Bentley Park had a population of 8,360 people.[1]

Geography

The suburb is bounded to the east by the Bruce Highway and the North Coast railway line, which enter the locality from the south-east (Edmonton) and exit to the north-east (Mount Sheridan / White Rock).[3]

The suburb is bounded to the south by Bana Gindarja Creek, which flows into Wrights Creek and then via the Trinity Inlet to the Coral Sea.[4][5]

The land rises from an elevation of 9 metres (30 ft) aboe sea level in the east of the locality to 302 metres (991 ft) in the west of the locality.[4]

The predominant land use is suburban housing.[6] Despite the residential nature of the area, a cane tramway passes from the north (Mount Sheridan) through to the south (Edmonton) towards the Mulgrave sugar mill in Gordonvale.[3]

History

Bentley Park is situated in the Yidinji traditional Aboriginal country.[7] The origin of the suburb name is from a property titled Bentley Hall in England, named by an early settler Isaac Abraham Hartill.[8]

The Edmonton Catholic School was established on 29 April 1929 by the Sisters of Mercy with an initial enrolment of 30 pupils.[9] In 1965, it was renamed St Therese’s School. As suburban development increased around Edmonton, the rising number of students made it necessary to relocate the school to neighbouring Bentley Park in 1995. Although now under lay leadership, the school continues to be operated in the Mercy tradition.[10]

Bentley Park State School opened in 1997. In 1999, it was decided to expand it to incorporate secondary schooling, with the middle school opening in 2001 and the first Year 12 students graduating in 2004. With the addition of secondary schooling, it was renamed Bentley Park College.[11]

Bana Gindarja Creek was previously known as Blackfellow Creek until it was renamed in 2023.[5][12]

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Bentley Park had a population of 7,420 people.[13]

In the 2016 census, Bentley Park had a population of 8,018 people.[14]

In the 2021 census, Bentley Park had a population of 8,360 people.[1]

Education

Bentley Park College campus, 2007

St Therese's School is a Catholic primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 135 Robert Road (17°00′23″S 145°43′52″E / 17.0064°S 145.7312°E / -17.0064; 145.7312 (St Therese's School)).[15][16] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 620 students with 41 teachers (38 full-time equivalent) and 30 non-teaching staff (19 full-time equivalent).[17]

Bentley Park College is a government primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at McLaughlin Road (17°00′33″S 145°44′24″E / 17.0093°S 145.7400°E / -17.0093; 145.7400 (Bentley Park College)).[15][18] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1541 students with 126 teachers (122 full-time equivalent) and 85 non-teaching staff (64 full-time equivalent).[17] It includes a special education program.[15][19]

References

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Bentley Park (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  2. "Bentley Park (entry 45559)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  3. "Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Railways; Railway stations". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  4. "Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourse". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  5. "Bana Gindarja Creek – watercourse in the Cairns Region (entry 52206)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  6. "Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  7. "First people cultural history". Cairns Regional Council. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  8. "Cairns Heritage: B Suburbs" (PDF). Cairns Regional Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  9. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  10. "Our History". St Therese's Catholic School, Bentley Park. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  11. "History". Bentley Park College. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  12. Jackson, Luke (10 May 2023). "Renaming of Blackfellows Creek to Bana Gindarja Creek" (PDF). Cairns Regional Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  13. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Bentley Park". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  14. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Bentley Park (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  15. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  16. "St Therese's School". Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  17. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  18. "Bentley Park College". Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  19. "Bentley Park College - Special Education Program". Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  • "Bentley Park". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.