Cleveland is a coastal and central locality in the City of Redland, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Cleveland had a population of 15,850 people.
Its location makes it a transport hub for islands in Moreton Bay.
Cleveland is the traditional territory of the Koobenpul clan of the Quandamooka. There are conflicting reports as to the naming of Cleveland; it was either named in 1770 by Captain James Cook in honour of John Clevland, the Secretary of the Admiralty around the time, or by surveyors in the 1840s, in honour of William Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland. The latter is more likely as Cook did not enter Moreton Bay when he passed by on 17 May 1770 and it is not mentioned in his journal.
European settlement of Brisbane and surrounding areas was banned from 1824 until 1842, due to the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement, but the area to become Cleveland was first surveyed in 1840, and in 1841, was recommended for a maritime or seaport township. In 1847 a navigation beacon was established at Cleveland Point.
In 1847, the Government planned for the new town, and on 13 December 1850, Cleveland was proclaimed a township. The first land sales of the new township took place a year later, with early purchases primarily around Cleveland Point, at the time an early candidate for a major port to replace Brisbane. Brisbane was troubled by sand bars across the mouth of the Brisbane River, and Cleveland Point was closer to the southern passage (the entrance to Moreton Bay between North Stradbroke Island and Moreton Island).
However, when Governor Sir George Gipps visited Cleveland in 1842, it is reported that upon disembarking his boat, he immediately sank into the mudflats up to his waist. He was so annoyed by this that he changed his mind and suggested Ipswich. A series of wreckings in the southern passage led to ships using the longer but safer northern entrance between Bribie and Moreton islands. This, and an unfortunate fire at the Cleveland jetty, removed any hopes for Cleveland. In 1852, the first large buildings were built in Cleveland; what is now the Grand View Hotel, and the Old Courthouse, at the time a workers cottage. Farms sprang up; a brickworks was built at the point, and a wool store to handle shipping. The first mail service to Cleveland began in 1861, with the first school established at the same time. The wool store, unused because of Cleveland's failure as a port, was converted into a sawmill, which supplied timber to a shipyard built at the Point. The population at this time was only 270. Tourism blossomed with the arrival of the first regular steamer service to Cleveland in 1864.
The Cleveland Point Light was also constructed in 1864, and was only replaced in 1969. From this time, the most popular crop was sugar cane, until it was replaced by the popularity of fruits such as passion fruit and strawberries.
A rail line connecting Brisbane to Cleveland was completed in 1889, and with it tourism, residential subdivisions and farming further grew in the area.
The area now known as G.J. Walter Park was originally proclaimed a reserve by the Government on 13 March 1889. This area was used mainly by residents and day trippers for swimming, picnicking and general park use. This area is included on the Redland City Council's Register of Heritage Places classified as being of local significance.
The rail line continued further than it does today, terminating at Cleveland Point - the existing Cleveland station was constructed later, for passenger use.
The Redlands attracted farming families and became a district known for producing top quality fruits and vegetables with crops of strawberries, tomatoes, pineapples, custard apples, citrus fruits, bananas, herbs and vegetables grown very successfully.
The first Methodist services were held in Cleveland in 1908. Cleveland Methodist Church was opened in November 1909 on the corner of Passage and Queen Streets. On 13 May 1961 the foundation stone was laid for a new church by Reverend Joseph Tainton, President of the Queensland Methodist Conference. With the amalgamation of the Methodist Church into the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977, the church became the Cleveland Uniting Church. On 30 March 1980 the foundation stone for the third and current church building was laid by Reverend Douglas Fredrick Kirkup, Secretary of the Queensland Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia, and was opened on 22 June 1980 by Reverend Ronald Wilfred Elvery, the Moderator of the Queensland Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia. The two former church buildings remain on the site and are used as halls.
By the outbreak of World War I, the population in Cleveland had hit 540.
In 1960, lack of demand ended the rail service to Cleveland, and it was only restored twenty years later, by which time the population of Cleveland was over 5000.
The completion of the Leslie Harrison Dam allowed town water to be connected to the shire, with the majority of the town being serviced by 1970.
Construction of the Raby Bay canal estate broke ground in 1983.
By 1992, the population of Cleveland was nearing 10,000.
The current Cleveland Library opened in 1997.
In the 2016 census, Cleveland recorded a population of 14,801 people, 52.6% female and 47.4% male. The median age of the Cleveland population was 49 years, 11 years above the national median of 38. 64.8% of people living in Cleveland were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were England 9.3%, New Zealand 5.8%, South Africa 2.0%, Scotland 1.3%, Germany 0.7%. 86.3% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were, 1.1% Mandarin, 0.4% Cantonese, 0.4% German, 0.3% Afrikaans, 0.3% Spanish.In the 2016 census, Cleveland had a population of 14,801 people.
In the 2021 census, Cleveland had a population of 15,850 people.
History info courtesy of Wikipedia
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