Willawong is 17.3 kilometres (10.7 mi) by road south of the Brisbane GPO.[4]
The suburb's boundary is mostly defined by the course of the two creeks, Oxley Creek and Blunder Creek.[5] The Sydney–Brisbane rail corridor is aligned along the eastern edge of the suburb.[6]
History
The suburb of Willawong was officially created and named by the Queensland Places Names Board in 1970. Willawong is an Aboriginal word meaning the junction of two creeks.[3][5]
During the 1974 Brisbane flood, most of the suburb was inundated.[5] In 1983, local residents in Willawong and nearby suburbs began a campaign to stop sand mining in the area.[5]
Willawong once contained a toxic waste dump, which was closed in 1998.[7]
Demographics
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (June 2023)
In the 2011 census, the population of Willawong was 192, 45.8% female and 54.2% male.[8] The median age of the Willawong population was 40 years, 3 years above the Australian median. 59.8% of people living in Willawong were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 69.8%; the next most common countries of birth were Taiwan 9.3%, Vietnam 5.2%, England 4.6%, Indonesia 2.6%, New Zealand 2.6%. 62.1% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 11.8% Vietnamese, 7.7% Mandarin, 1.5% Urdu, 1.5% Dutch, 1.5% Greek.[8]
In the 2016 census, Willawong had a population of 177 people.[1]
Education
There are no schools in Willawong. The nearest primary schools are Acacia Ridge State School and Watson Road State School, both in neighbouring Acacia Ridge to the east, Durack State School in neighbouring Durack to the west, and Inala State School in Inala to the west. The nearest secondary schools are Glenala State High School in Inala to the west and Calamvale Community College in Calamvale to the east.[6]
There is a Transport for Brisbane bus depot at 399 Sherbrooke Road. The 6-hectare (15-acre) site is Brisbane's largest bus depot and can accommodate over 200 buses with facilities for refueling, vehicle maintenance, administration, and staff facilitities for car parking and recreation.[10][11]
Congregational Christian Church of Samoa is at 228 Learoyd Road (27°35′50″S153°01′21″E / 27.5973°S 153.0224°E / -27.5973; 153.0224 (Congregational Christian Church of Samoa)). It is also known as EFKS Southwest Brisbane, where EFKS is an abbreviation of Ekalesia Fa'apotopotoga Kerisiano Samoa, which translates as Congregational Christian Church of Samoa. Over the entrance door are the Samoan words Puna O Le Olataga which translate as Source of Salvation.[13]
