Overview
Easy access to Brisbane and the Gold Coast and outstanding local scenery have made Beaudesert an increasingly popular place to live, especially for those with young families or anyone who enjoys the outdoors.
- Population – 6,395
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander percentage of population – 7.2%
- Closest major town/city – Gold Coast (58 km); Brisbane (70 km)
- Distance from airport – 78 km (Brisbane); 80 km (Gold Coast)
- Cinemas – 0
- Cafes/restaurants – 15
- Pubs/bars – 3
- Primary schools – 3
- Secondary schools – 1
- Tertiary education providers – 0
- Annual average maximum temperature – 26.7⁰C
- Annual average minimum temperature – 13.0⁰C
The location
The people
The population of Beaudesert is a little over 6,000 people. Population growth has been relatively modest recently, with two new upscale residential developments.
The main industries for employment in Beaudesert are aged care residential services, local government administration, education and food stores. The surrounding area also provides work in agriculture.
The original inhabitants of the Gold Coast region were the Yugambeh people, made up of several clans. They were semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers but lived inside distinct clan areas; Beaudesert was the land of the Kombumerri people. Many of the Kombumerri were displaced when Europeans arrived, but those who stayed played an important role in developing the region’s agriculture. Today, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents account for 7.2 percent of Beaudesert’s population, compared to the Queensland average of 4 percent.
The medicine
Health care in the town is provided by five general practices:
- Beaudesert Family Practice
- Beaudesert General Practice and Skin Cancer Clinic
- Beaudesert Medical Centre
- Doctors@Beaudesert
- Eaglesfield Street Medical Centre
The Beaudesert Hospital is a modern rural hospital providing emergency medicine, antenatal and obstetrics services, general surgery and palliative care. The town also has four aged care facilities.
Beaudesert’s health profile is relatively disadvantaged. The town has a high proportion of elderly people, which adds to the burden of chronic illness. Average income is slightly below the state average and unemployment is slightly above it, which has health implications.
Beaudesert is in the Brisbane South PHN and is classified RA2 (inner regional Australia).
Education
There is a good choice of early learning centres in Beaudesert, including C&K Beaudesert Community Kindergarten, Goodstart Early Learning and St Mary’s Kindergarten.
Public education is well catered for by the town’s state primary and high schools. Catholic education is also available at both primary and secondary levels.
Tertiary education is close by in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with a range of university and TAFE options: The University of Queensland, Bond University, Griffith University and TAFE Queensland.
Career options for partners
The unemployment rate of 9.5 percent in Beaudesert is about 2 percent higher than the overall Queensland level. There are slightly lower numbers employed in full-time positions and more in part-time jobs. The cafe, restaurant and takeaway industries, as well as health care and aged care, are where part-time opportunities may be found.
Volunteering rates are slightly above average with close to 20 percent of adults having done volunteer work for a group or organisation. There are several active charitable groups in the town, including St Vincent de Paul Society, St Mary’s Community Services, Meals on Wheels and Beaudesert Hospital Auxillary.
Arts and culture
Beaudesert has limited opportunities for the arts but there are some classes available in and around the town. Several lively groups use the arts and information centre for various activities catering to sculptors, writers, painters, musicians and more.
The Beaudesert Historical Museum offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of the area. The Beaudesert Historical Society organises the annual Shepherd’s Walk, which honours Chinese shepherds and Aboriginals who died in a conflict in the area around 1850.
Great outdoors
Beaudesert is surrounded by farmland, and there are many scenic walks among it. If you want a real treat, then a short drive will take you to Tamborine National Park, with 14 separate reserves. This upland area has some incredible bushwalking opportunities through a variety of forest environments, including wet eucalypt forests, mixed plantations and virgin rainforest.
Further to the south, Lamington National Park is significantly larger, with a wide range of walks winding past waterfalls and ancient trees. There are two campgrounds available, as well as several remote bush campsites for experienced bushwalkers. Most of Lamington National Park is more than 900 m above sea level, making it ideal for summer expeditions as temperatures are pleasantly cooler at the higher altitude. There is an incredible variety of plants, some of which are not found elsewhere.
The Mount Barney National Park, about a 50 km drive southwest of Beaudesert, is a mountainous area centred around one of Queensland’s highest peaks. It’s a great place for bush camping and 4WD touring.
Closer to town, and ideal for kids, Woollahra Farmworld is a working dairy farm offering picnic facilities and tours of the farm. It is just 8 km north of Beaudesert on the Mount Lindesay Highway.
Beaudesert has an active sports community, including rugby, soccer, cricket, golf, tennis and netball. There is an active cycling fraternity with plenty of enjoyable routes in and around town. Many roads have dedicated cycle lanes too.
Food and drink
People from quite a large surrounding area head to Beaudesert when they want to eat out, so it has a good selection of cafes and restaurants for a town of its size. The choice of cuisine is varied and includes Italian, Chinese and Indian, as well as takeaway.
Nightlife revolves around the town’s three hotels – the Beaudesert Hotel, which has a very nice courtyard beer garden, the Railway Hotel with its Steak House Restaurant, and the Logan and Albert Hotel, which still has its original 1934 facade.
Housing
Housing demand in Beaudesert is reasonably low compared to Queensland as a whole, however, the town has fewer unoccupied homes than the state and national averages. Renting and buying are both significantly cheaper than the national and Queensland levels. Homes tend to be spacious and most are relatively new. A three-bedroom home costs an average of $296,000, while rent for a three-bedroom home is around $310 per week.
Transport
There are buses approximately every hour on weekdays from Beaudesert to Browns Plains, connecting with the train network into Brisbane. Beaudesert is on the Mount Lindesay Highway that runs from Brisbane to the NSW border.
Other attractions
Broadband – Much of Beaudesert is already connected to the NBN, though rollout is still to be completed in some areas.
Notable residents – Golfer Jason Day was born in Beaudesert. One Nation’s Pauline Hanson is also a Beaudesert local.
Social scene
Beaudesert has diverse opportunities on the social scene, including walking groups, farmers’ markets, pop-up markets and sporting activities. These provide a hub for the community to come together. There is a wide range of shops and additional services around the town centre. Beaudesert businesses also serve the surrounding communities, so there’s a larger selection than you might expect.