Biggera Waters, Queensland


Biggera Waters is a coastal suburb in City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is located on the western side of The Broadwater and is north of the suburb of Labrador. At the 2016 census, Biggera Waters had a population of 8,534 people.

Geography

Its namesake, Biggera Creek, flows through the suburb itself and past a point known locally as "Land's End" at the mouth of the creek where it enters the Broadwater.

Etymology

An article in the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia by F.J. Watson offers this translation:
"Bigera from the red iron bark tree from the Yugambeh language."

History

Subdivided in the late 19th century, the area was originally settled by several fishing and agricultural families including John Siganto, a local landowner, who built a residence named "Finis" at Land's End. Land from Portion 62, Parish of Barrow, bound by Broad Street to the south, Loder Street to the west and Saltwater Creek to the north, was offered for sale in August 1883. Allotments 7,8 and 9 of section 4, portion 62 being site of the Labrador Hotel were offered for sale at the same time.
A school reserve was created on Biggera Creek in 1889 on the corner of Hollywell Avenue and Coomabah Road but it wasn't until 27 January 1970 that the Biggera Waters State School opened.
In 1937 construction started on 36 acres of scrub land to the north of Biggera Creek to build an aerodrome. It was considered suitable for both land and the sea planes which used the Broadwater but development of the site was halted due to World War Two. After the end of the war the aerodrome was revisited but the site was no longer considered suitable and other options were discussed.
Biggera Waters and surrounding regions experienced a period of growth in the 1950s and in 1953 approximately 18 acres of the aerodrome property, situated in the vicinity of Ocean, Broadwater and Stradbroke Streets, was sold for development.
By 1954, the area developed by Mr. Oates north of Biggera Creek was known as Angler's Paradise.
While there had been a crossing or bridge over the Biggera Creek for many years in the vicinity of Hollywell Road besides the school reserve, it wasn't until 1960, that a bridge was built across the mouth of the Biggera Creek at Land's End, opening up the northern side of the creek to greater residential development.

Amenities

The Harbour Town factory outlet mall on the Gold Coast is located on Brisbane Road at Biggera Waters on the site of the former Southport drive-in theatre.

Demographics

In the 2016 Census, there were 8,534 people in Biggera Waters. Of these 47.5% were male and 52.5% were female.