Redland City, also known as the Redlands and formerly known as Redland Shire, is a local government area (LGA) and a part of Greater Brisbane in South East Queensland, Australia. With a population of 159,222 as of June 2021, Redland City is spread along the southern coast of Moreton Bay, covering . The city borders the City of Brisbane to the west and north-west and Logan City to the south-west and south, while its islands are situated north of the City of Gold Coast.
The Redlands first attained city status on 15 March 2008, having been a shire since 1949, when it was created by a merger of the Tingalpa and Cleveland Shires.Queensland State Archives, Search for Agency Details of Redland City Council , Retrieved 7 April 2014 Despite this status, Redland City consists largely of suburban and coastal communities, featuring a somewhat disjointed urbanisation around major suburbs interspersed with bushland. Unlike many neighbouring LGAs, there is no clear city centre.
Major suburbs include Capalaba, Cleveland, Victoria Point, Thornlands, and Redland Bay. The latter is the city's namesake, due to the colour of its fertile soil.David Tuffley, 2007, "Redland Bay, Australia: Introduction", Griffith University: , Retrieved 7 September 2015 North Stradbroke Island and smaller nearby islands, most notably those of Southern Moreton Bay, comprise the eastern portion of the Redlands. The city's boundaries correspond to those of the federal division of Bowman.
In the , the Redland City had a population of 159,222 people.
History
The area now known as the Redlands was initially inhabited by the Jagera, Turrbal, and Quandamooka people. Some locations derive their names from Aboriginal languages, and known historic sites within the area include a bora ring at Mount Cotton. The Quandamooka are recognised as the traditional custodians of North Stradbroke Island, and more recently applied for native title over much of the Redlands' surrounding islands and mainland.
Jandai (also known as Janday, Jandewal, Djendewal, Jundai, Goenpul and Jandawal), is one of the Aboriginal languages used on Stradbroke Island.
Europeans first entered the Redlands in the late 18th century while mapping Moreton Bay: James Cook made observations of the then-undivided Stradbroke Island; Matthew Flinders landed on Coochiemudlo Island in 1799; and Robert Dixon later surveyed and named much of the area.
By the 1840s, the coastal township of Cleveland was in contention to become a major port replacing Brisbane, but was ultimately not chosen due to the region's existing sandbars and shipwrecks, and an unfavourable review from Governor George Gipps during his 1842 visit. Louis Hope and other land purchasers began to develop significant infrastructure at this time. On 11 November 1879, under the Divisional Boards Act 1879, the Tingalpa Division was created to govern the area to the east of metropolitan Brisbane. The area around Cleveland split away to form the Cleveland Division on 30 May 1885. Under the Local Authorities Act 1902, both became Shires on 31 March 1903. The Tingalpa council met at Mount Cotton.
On 1 October 1925, a sizeable portion of the Shire of Tingalpa (suburbs west of Tingalpa Creek, including Upper Mount Gravatt and Rochedale) became part of the new City of Brisbane along with 20 other local governments.Queensland Places, "Tingalpa", Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland: , Retrieved 19 May 2015City of Brisbane Act 1924 (accessed 19 May 2015) On 9 December 1948, as part of a major reorganisation of local government in South East Queensland, an Order in Council renamed the Shire of Cleveland to be Shire of Redland and amalgamated part of Shire of Tingalpa into it (the other part of Tingalpa amalgamated to form the Shire of Albert).Queensland Places, "Redland City", Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland: , Retrieved 19 May 2015
The twentieth century saw significant population growth in the Redlands, preceded by the construction of the Cleveland railway line. Peel Island became a leper colony, while North Stradbroke Island became a hub for sand mining, and is also associated with the Indigenous rights movement as the home of poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal and academic Aileen Moreton-Robinson. On 15 March 2008, Redlands was granted city status.Redland City Council, "Redlands City Community Plan Project Proposal", 18 March 2008: , Retrieved 19 May 2015The Redland Foundation, "About Us": , Retrieved 19 May 2015
In June 2018, the Redland City Council approved a marketing campaign to brand the city as "Redlands Coast" with the tagline "naturally wonderful". The campaign seeks to attract tourists to the city's of coastline (due to a number of islands which form part of the city).
In late 2019, trials of Australia's first driverless bus were conducted on Karragarra Island with a view to introducing the service to the islands' communities. The trial was conducted by the Redland City Council and the RACQ.
Geography
Although most of the population resides on the main urban conglomeration based around the centres of Capalaba, Cleveland and Victoria Point, over 6,000 people live on islands in Moreton Bay that are part of the city. These are North Stradbroke, Coochiemudlo and the Southern Moreton Bay Islands of Karragarra, Lamb, Russell and Macleay. Tingalpa Creek rises on Mount Cotton, forming Leslie Harrison Dam, and marking the majority of the area's western boundary.Mary Howells, "Living on the Edge: along Tingalpa Creek a history of Upper Tingalpa, Capalaba and Thorneside", University of Queensland, 2001: , Retrieved 19 May 2015
Biogeography Redland City has many immediately recognisable animals and plants such as koalas, migratory shorebirds, flying foxes and scribbly gum forests. It is also home to over 1,700 other recorded native species, many of which are under threat from population growth and its associated effects such as habitat clearing and fragmentation, road construction, pollution and expanding development.Biodiversity Strategy 2008–2012, Redland City Council, May 2008: , Retrieved on 5 February 2014 The council area is also home to Venman Bushland National Park, and the Eprapah Scout environment training centre.
In April 2013, the Redland City Council illegally cleared vegetation from public land on the foreshores of Moreton Bay. The council has been required by the State Government to restore the cleared vegetation and install signage about the restoration.Judith Kerr, "Council guilty of illegal tree clearing", Redland City Bulletin, 26 July 2014: , Retrieved 27 July 2014 Trees felled included many sheoaks.
The city's koala population has declined significantly in recent years. In 2010, it was estimated that only 2,000 koalas remained, a 65% decline since 1999. Figures from a count in 2012 have not yet been released by the Queensland Government.Tony Moore, "State Government's go-slow on Koala Coast population figures", Brisbane Times, 9 December 2013 , Retrieved on 9 March 2014 The Redland City-based Koala Action Group has warned that: "Rampant expansion of urban areas will lead to the loss of the koala populations that are vital to the long-term survival of the species."KAG comments on Draft EPBC Act Referral Guidelines for the Vulnerable Koala: , Retrieved on 13 March 2014
The city boundaries include internationally significant coastal wetlands within the Moreton Bay Ramsar site. Tidal flats, mangroves and seagrass beds provide important habitats for fish, crustaceans, and: large numbers of the nationally threatened green turtle and the loggerhead turtle the internationally vulnerable dugong, a large sea mammal from the order Sirenia which also includes manatee species
43 species of shorebirds, including 30 migratory bird species listed by international migratory bird conservation agreements, such as the vulnerable eastern curlew and the grey-tailed tattler, that use this area in their journey through the East Asian–Australasian Flyway.Migratory waterbirds, Australian Government, Department of The Environment , Retrieved 13 February 2014BAAM Ecological Consultants and FRC Environmental, "Expert Advice in Ecology (Marine and Terrestrial)and Coastal Processes for Input to the preparation of a Structure Plan and Development Scheme for Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek Priority Development Areas":, Retrieved 5 May 2014
Freshwater systems in the Redlands catchment do not meet set ecosystem health values, according to the Healthy Waterways Report Cards for both 2013 and 2014.James Kelly, "Moreton Bay's grade falls in Healthy Waterways report", ABC News, 23 October 2013: , Retrieved on 8 March 2014Judith Kerr, "Water report gives Redland 'F' for fail", Redland City Bulletin, 22 October 2014: , Retrieved 22 October 2014
Fire ants have been detected in a number of Redland City suburbs, with Sheldon and Mount Cotton being assessed by BioSecurity Queensland as high-risk, and requiring treatment by ground teams.Judith Kerr, "Fire ants on the march in Redlands", Bayside Bulletin, 20 June 2013: , Retrieved on 9 March 2014
Transport
Queensland Rail operates the Cleveland railway line, which connects the Redlands with Brisbane as part of its City network. The line runs parallel with the Brisbane River to its south, passing through Brisbane's Cannon Hill and Wynnum, before crossing Tingalpa Creek to enter Redland City. Northern suburbs of the city are serviced by five stations: Thorneside, Birkdale, Wellington Point, Ormiston, and Cleveland, where the line terminates.
The TransLink (South East Queensland) bus network is prevalent in the Redlands. Bus stations at Capalaba and Victoria Point feature regular city-bound and outbound connections, with direct services to Carindale, Eight Mile Plains, Loganholme, and the Brisbane CBD during peak hour.
Plans for extending the Eastern Busway to Capalaba bus station were "paused" in 2011 but a new planning study commenced in 2022.Stephanie Bennett "Brisbane Metro: Funding for Eastern Metro Study to pave way for route through eastern suburbs to Capalaba", Courier Mail, 11 November 2022
The Gateway Motorway and Pacific Motorway are located further west within the City of Brisbane. Major roads are accessible from these highways, such as Old Cleveland Road, Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road, and Mount Cotton Road, which enter the Redlands from Chandler, Burbank, and Cornubia, respectively.
Culture and heritage
Redland City has a number of important cultural facilities, including the Redland Art Gallery, Redland Museum, and Redland Performing Arts Centre.
The city also has many heritage-listed sites, including: Multiple historic sites of Cleveland, such as the Cleveland Point Light, Old Cleveland Police Station, Cleveland Pioneer Cemetery, Grand View Hotel, and the historic pine trees near the Point The church, public hall, causeway and public reserve in Dunwich, North Stradbroke Island Whepstead Manor at Wellington Point The Industrial Ruins on Macleay Island The Ormiston House Estate and Fellmongery Norfolk Island Pine Trees Serpentine Creek Road Cemetery in Redland Bay.
Libraries The Redland City Council operate public libraries at Amity Point, Capalaba, Cleveland, Dunwich, Point Lookout, Russell Island and Victoria Point. There is a mobile library serving Alexandra Hills, Mount Cotton Park, Redland Bay, Thorneside, Victoria Point, and Wellington Point.
Economy
For the year ending 30 June 2014, Redland City's Gross Regional Product (GRP) was estimated to be 4.77 billion dollars..Id, Redland City Gross Product: , Retrieved 18 May 2015 Year (Ending June)Redland City – % Change in GRPQueensland – % Change in GRP20141.71.720131.72.620125.06.220111.60.720102.00.020091.00.6
Key industry sectors include health care and social assistance, retail trade, education and training, sand mining, construction and tourism.