Banyo and the neighbouring suburb Nudgee, with which it is intertwined in many respects, are both rich in local history. This history includes the recent preservation of an AboriginalBora Ring. The areas of Nudgee and Nudgee Beach border on the Boondall Wetlands, which is protected by the Brisbane City Council. Banyo has vastly increased the number of its business and industrial parks in recent years due to its close proximity to Brisbane Airport and the nearby Port of Brisbane. Nudgee Road is progressively becoming a commercial hub due to its connection to the Gateway Motorway, with a large service centre and petrol station and with new industrial grounds under construction overlooking the motorway itself. The Australian Catholic University chose to establish its Brisbane campus on the site of the former Pius XII Seminary. This teamed with Woolworths Supermarkets also setting up residency in the suburb has boosted the Banyo housing market. A residential estate, 'Couture', has been developed on the site of an old Army depot lying adjacent to the Golden Circle cannery based in next-door Northgate. Another new residential estate, 'Summerlin' has also recently been constructed on a former Hills Hoist manufacturing plant. Banyo's commercial centre has recently been enhanced following a Brisbane City Council Suburban Community Improvement Project.
History
Originally inhabited by the native Turrbal tribe, the area became known as Clapham Junction once the suburb was settled by Europeans in 1849. It was not until 1897 when it officially adopted the name Banyo, an Aboriginal word which means a hill or ridge. The name was chosen by Commissioner of Railways James Dixon, and was also given to the Banyo railway station. The hill that it was named after no longer exists, having been quarried for the construction of Eagle Farm Airport during World War II. Nudgee State School opened on 28 June 1875 on Nudgee Road. By 1924 frequent flooding of the school building and growth in the local population led to new school buildings being erected at 453 Earnshaw Road. On 31 December 2002 it was closed as part of an amalgamated with Banyo State High School to form Earnshaw State College, which opened in January 2003 from the site of the former high school. "A" Block of the former state school is listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register but is now within the suburb of Banyo, just beyond the boundary with Nudgee. Banyo State High School opened on 2 February 1954 and closed on 31 December 2002. It was reopened in January 2003 as Earnshaw State College, after merging with Nudgee State School, creating a "P-12" college. The Banyo Library opened in 1981 with a major refurbishment in 2009. At the Banyo had a population of 5,607 people. At the Banyo had a population of 5,868 people.
Demographics
In the, Banyo recorded a population of 5,868 people, 49.7% female and 50.3% male. The median age of the Banyo population was 37 years of age. 72.2% of people living in Banyo were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 66.7%; the next most common countries of birth were New Zealand 5.3%, India 3.1%, England 2.4%, Philippines 2.0%, China 0.9%. 81.8% of people spoke only English at home; the next most popular languages were 1.6% Punjabi, 1.1% Mandarin, 1.0% Hindi, 0.9% Vietnamese.
