Edmonton, Queensland


Edmonton is a former town supporting a sugar mill, but is now a suburb of Cairns in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Edmonton had a population of 10,753 people.

Geography

Edmonton is located approximately south of the centre of Cairns. It is within the Cairns Region local government area. The Bruce Highway passes from south to north through the centre of the suburb and the North Coast railway line passes from south to north through Edmonton parallel and to the east of the highway. The suburb is served by two railway stations, Edmonton and Queerah, while a cane tramway network delivers harvested sugarcane to the Mulgrave Sugar Mill at Gordonvale.

History

Originally known as Hambledon, then Hambledon Junction, Edmonton began as a group of Sugar Cane Plantations selected in 1883 by Thomas Swallow.
Blackfellow's Creek Provisional School opened in 1887, becoming Blackfellow's Creek State School in 1903. In 1910 it was renamed Hambledon State School.
There was a railway station known as Hambledon Junction from 1897, but in 1911 the Queensland Railways Department took over the Cairns-Mulgrave Tramway from the Cairns Divisional Board and renamed it n
Edmonton, probably after Edmonton, London, England. The town then took this name.
The Edmonton public library building opened in 1975.
The primary industry in Edmonton was traditionally growing sugarcane, but as Edmonton has grown, it has become an outer suburb of Cairns. Edmonton has experienced rapid growth in new housing estates in recent years resulting in consequent population growth.
In March 2006, Tropical Cyclone Larry hit Edmonton causing minimal damage. The centre of the cyclone passed through the town of Innisfail, south of the suburb.
At the 2006 census, Edmonton had a population of 8,035.
Isabella State School opened on 1 January 2007.
In the 2016 census, Edmonton had a population of 10,753 people.

Schools

Hambledon State School is a primary school for boys and girls operated by the Queensland Government at 77-83 Stokes Street. In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 774 students with 66 teachers and 38 non-teaching staff.
Isabella State School is a primary school for boys and girls operated by the Queensland Government on Walker Road. In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 625 students with 45 teachers and 37 non-teaching staff.

Communications

As a suburb of Cairns, Edmonton is served by the city's broadcasting media outlets and the Cairns Post newspaper. The Southern Herald is the local independent monthly suburban newspaper which is delivered to homes in Edmonton.

Entertainment

Edmonton is home to a mid-sized water park/recreation area named Sugarworld. The park includes some relics from the city's sugar cane mill.

Facilities

The Cairns Regional Council operates the Edmonton Library at 175 Bruce Highway.