Beechmont, Queensland


Beechmont is a rural town and locality in the Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia. In the, Beechmont had a population of 842 people.

Geography

Beechmont is positioned on a forested ridge leading from the Lamington Plateau to Tamborine Mountain. Outstanding views in nearly all directions means that on a clear day Cunninghams Gap and other Scenic Rim landforms are visible as well as Flinders Peak, Moogerah Peaks and the D'Aguilar Range to the north west of Brisbane. Lower Beechmont is also on the Beechmont road, but slightly lower down the hill.
Roads in the area are narrow and windy, some are prone to rockfalls and some with very steep slopes. The road to Binna Burra Lodge and access to Lamington National Park goes through Beechmont. The is a popular launch site for hangliders and paragliders.

History

The Beechmont district was first occupied and managed by the Yugambeh people before the arrival of European timber cutters in the 1880s. The district takes its current name from the White Beech trees in the area.
The Beechmont area was opened up for selection in 1886, however many of the early settlers left after a short stay on the mountain. By the turn of the century, only three families had established themselves in the area.
The Beechmont State School opened on 15 August 1904.
A dairying property located near Beechmont on the Nerang River was advertised to be sold by auction 23 November 1920 by Cameron Brothers auctioneers. The plan shows the land for sale, 858 acres, being subdivision 2 of portion 106, Parish of Gilston, on Beech Mountain, facing the present Binna Burra Road, within 13 miles of Nerang Township.
Fruit such as apples were grown in the 1910s in the rich Beech Mountain soils of the area, but were halted due to fruit fly infestations.
The tourism potential of Beechmont was realised in 1910 as one of the motivations to build a railway line to Canungra, which led to the Queensland Government deciding in 1911 to construct the Canungra branch line from Logan Village railway station on the South Coast railway line to Canungra. Construction began in 1913 and the line opened to Canungra railway station on 2 July 1915.
From the 1920s the area became to be known as a mountain tourist destination.
There are still dairy farms operational in the area, but only three remain in operation as the area is experiencing increasing levels of development.

Heritage listings

Beechmont has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Beechmont has a state school, Beechmont State School, which opened in 1904. It covers from preparatory school to year 6.

Amenities

Graceleigh Park

Graceleigh Park is a general purpose sports ground located next to the Beechmont State School. The park was named after the 'Graceleigh' property, one of the early dairy farms in the area and owned by John Sharp.
The park area provides facilities for cricket, soccer, football, tennis, and netball. The Beechmont Cricket Club and Beechmont Tennis Club both operate club rooms on the site.
The Scenic Rim Regional Council operates a mobile library service which visits Graceleigh Park.

Hall on Graceleigh

The 'Hall on Graceleigh' is a multi-purpose school hall located adjacent to the Beechmont State School and Graceleigh Park. It was built under the Building the Education Revolution stimulus program in 2011. Under an agreement with the local community group and Scenic Rim Council, the hall was built on council land in exchange for it being made available for general community use.

Providence Farm Hall

The 'Providence Farm Hall' was the original Beechmont community hall built in October 1948 on land donated by the McKenzie family. The hall was the venue of many community dances, celebrations, and social events. In 2011, the hall was sold back to the McKenzie family and the proceeds reinvested in community projects.

Beechmont Community Centre

The Beechmont Community Centre is located on the old state school grounds at Beechmont. The centre is home to many community groups and clubs. The Headmaster's Cafe operates from the original headmaster's residence at the site. The Beechmont Area Progress Association, who manages the site, operates the monthly Beechmont Markets and an op-shop.

Rosins Lookout Conservation Park

Rosins Conservation Area is part of a collection of linked conservation areas, including Springbrook National Park and Pocket Road Conservation Area, that provide a large area of core habitat for a wide range of native fauna.
The lookout at the top of the ridgeline adjacent to Beechmont Road provides for spectacular views over the Numinbah Valley across to Springbrook and Mount Warning. The lookout is a popular launch site for hang gliders and paragliders.

Infrastructure

There is a mobile phone tower near the village. Internet is available with ADSL1 and ADSL2+ over copper lines. The Beechmont exchange is connected via a microwave link to the Telstra National Network. Beechmont is listed on the National Broadband Network roll-out plans for Jul-Dec 2019 with a deployment of fixed wireless technology.
Tarred roads are available to Canungra and to Nerang. The roads are narrow and windy and sometimes closed or reduced to one lane passes after landslides and other rain induced incidents.

Notable People

Notable people from or who have lived in Beechmont include:

1936 Visit by John Bradfield

In July 1936, Dr John Bradfield, the designer of the Story Bridge in Brisbane and the Sydney Harbour Bridge was forced to stop at Beechmont when heavy rain prevented the completion of his journey to Binna Burra.

1942 P-40 Kittyhawk Crash

On 4 February 1942, a US P-40 Kittyhawk, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Donald Harry Hunter from 3 Service Flying Training School RAAF at Amberley, crashed on the side of Battens Ridge. Flt Lt Hunter was killed in the accident.

1971 RAAF Sabre Powerline Strike

On 18 July 1971, RAAF Sabre jet A94-962 flying out of Numinbah Valley, struck and severed high voltage powerlines between Beechmont and Binna Burra. The jet suffered damage to the nose, canopy, and tailplane but was able to return to Amberley.

Demographics

Beechmont has a population of 842 at the. The locality contains 17 households, in which 50.2% of the population are males and 49.8% of the population are females with a median age of 46, 8 above the national average. The average weekly household income is $1,399, $39 below the national average.
1.6% of Beechmont's population is either of Aborigional or Torres Strait Islander descent. 64.6% of the population aged 15 or over is either registered or de facto married, while 35.4% of the population is not married. 25.8% of the population is currently attending some form of a compulsory education. The most common nominated ancestries were English, Australian and Scottish, while the most common countries of birth are Australia, England and New Zealand, and the most commonly spoken languages at home are English, French and German. The most common nominated religions were No religion, Anglican and Catholic. The most common occupation was a technician/trades worker and the majority/plurality of residents worked 40 or more hours per week.