page_title: Beenleigh, Queensland
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Beenleigh, Queensland / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Aerial view of Beenleigh, 1954. This is an inversed image.
context_page_description: Beenleigh is a town and a suburb in the City of Logan, Queensland, Australia. At the 2016 Australian Census, Beenleigh recorded a population of 8,252. A government survey for the new town was conducted in 1866. The town is the terminus for the Beenleigh railway line, which first opening in 1885 and a stop on the South Coast railway line, which reached Southport in 1889. Beenleigh was the administrative centre of the former Shire of Albert. It is known for the heritage-listed tourist attraction called the Beenleigh Artisan Distillery.
context_section_description: This is the Yugambeh People's country, antedating European settlement by tens of thousands of years. Their Yugambeh language and heritage survive and is a testament to the Yugambeh Museum located in the town. Yugembah (also known as Yugumbir, Jugambel, Jugambeir, Jugumbir, Jukam, Jukamba) is one of the Australian Aboriginal languages in areas that include the Beenleigh, Beaudesert, Gold Coast, Logan, Scenic Rim, Albert River, Coolangatta, Coomera, Logan River, Pimpama, Tamborine and Tweed River Valley, within the local government boundaries of the City of Gold Coast, City of Logan, Scenic Rim Regional Council and the Tweed River Valley.
  Beenleigh was first colonised in the 1860s, with the first permanent European settlement occurring by John Davy and Frank Gooding, who named their sugarcane plantation Beenleigh in memory of their family estate in Devonshire, England. The first sugarcane mill was built in 1867, and by 1885, another 29 were operational.
  Beenleigh Post Office opened on 1 August 1867.
  On 3 December 1885, 85 resubdivided allotments of "Beenleigh Township Estate" were advertised to be auctioned by J.R. Dickson and Co. on 26 December 1885. A map advertising the auction states that the Estate was close to the Beenleigh Railway Station and was the property of the late Peter Benz.
  In October 1886, a well-known property on the Albert River owned by W. K. Witty called "Yellowwood Estate" was advertised for subdivision into suitable sized farms and then auctioned by Simon Fraser & Son. A map advertising the auction states that 40 choice farms were available and the auction was to be held on Saturday 27 November at the Palm's Hotel, Beenleigh.
  Commercial dairying in the area began in 1889. Beenleigh State School was opened on 6 February 1871.
  In June 1922, 12 portions of farm land located on the Logan River were advertised to be auctioned by Cameron Bros Auctioneers. A map advertising the auction states that the land was within easy reach of Cleveland Railway Station and Beenleigh, and that there was a steamer service weekly. The land was advertised as suitable for growing arrowroot and sugarcane and magnificent for dairying.
  The Beenleigh Memorial Park was dedicated on 21 August 1925.
  The abattoir was established in 1952 for beef production, and is still one of the largest industries in Beenleigh. Beenleigh State High School opened on 29 January 1963. Beenleigh Special School opened on 1 January 1981.	 	 
  Beenleigh was the centre of the Shire of Albert, which also included the suburbs of Eagleby, Alberton, Mt Warren Park, Windaroo, Edens Landing, Holmview, Pimpama, and Jacobs Well. In 1995, Albert Shire was dissolved and Beenleigh and the surrounding suburbs were then amalgamated into City of Gold Coast. In 2008, these suburbs were transferred from Gold Coast City to City of Logan (despite protests from locals, who voted against being part of Logan).
  At the 2016 Australian Census, Beenleigh recorded a population of 8,252.
caption: An aerial view of Beenleigh in 1954 (This is a mirror-image of the true aerial view.)
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