Austinville

History

Austinville settlement was established as a banana plantation in 1934, making it one of the Gold Coast's oldest suburbs. It was started as an attempt to resettle unemployed people on the land following the Great Depression, and therefore lift the economy. It was named after Under-Secretary for Labour and Industry at the time, William Henry Austin, who encouraged the building of many of these plantations throughout the state. Land was cleared and divided into blocks and approximately 50 small homes were built. Mudgeeraba Creek flowed behind the homes along the valley floor, and the rugged Nimmel Range bordered on the settlement's western side. The settlement was very short lived. By 1939, within just 5 years, most families had left the area. Rainforest has crept back into much of the once banana farming valley, and the area remains dwarfed by the surrounding conservation area. Austinville State School opened on 25 June 1934.

Geography

Austinville is situated in the Gold Coast Hinterland between Mudgeeraba and Springbrook. Austinville is located in a valley through which flows Mudgeeraba Creek and the rugged Nimmel Range looms in the distance. Significant rainforest exists in the area.

Most-observed species

• Pied Currawong

  Strepera graculina (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  9,698
• Lewin's Honeyeater

  Meliphaga lewinii (Swainson, 1837) · Aves
  9,367
• Eastern Whipbird

  Psophodes olivaceus (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  8,765
• Australian Brushturkey

  Alectura lathami J.E.Gray, 1831 · Aves
  7,674
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  7,572
• Eastern Yellow Robin

  Eopsaltria australis (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  7,446
• Welcome Swallow

  Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1842 · Aves
  7,334
• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  7,061