waterford
Waterford is a suburb in Logan City, Queensland, Australia with a population of 3,931 in the 2011 Census. The suburb includes Woodlands Estate.
The township of Waterford, was surveyed in 1866, but did not have a name at that time. A police barracks was also established at that time. The name of Waterford did not come into common usage until 1868.
Logan River residents continually lobbied for a bridge across the river, but the funding was not forthcoming. By 1875 tenders were called for the supply of timber for a bridge at Waterford. It was completed in August 1876.
A school was also required in the region. While the Logan Reserve School had been established around 1865, it was far removed geographically from Waterford. The first Waterford school was set up in Charles Wilson’s barn in 1869 and a new primary school was established in 1871.
Local government was introduced in the form of the Waterford Divisional Board, (later known as Shire Council) which commenced operation in 1880. Initial meetings were held in the Waterford Arms Hotel, and then in a storeroom opposite the Royal Hotel in Beenleigh. Waterford shared premises and a clerk, with the Beenleigh Division for many years. In 1906 new boundaries were gazetted for the Waterford Shire to include some of the former Yeerongpilly Shire to the west. Chairman Martin Schneider, then lobbied for independent premises for the Council. He donated land in Waterford and a small timber hall was erected. The first meeting in the new hall was held in April 1908.
Railway transport came to the Logan with the construction of the first part of the South Coast line in 1885. A rail bridge was constructed over the river at Loganlea in 1884.
The worst flood ever recorded on the river occurred in January 1887, and the railway bridge was washed away. The Waterford Bridge survived, but six houses were washed away.
Further major flooding occurred in April 1893, with the bridge suffering each time it had to endure a flood. By 1916 a new concrete bridge was built with steep sides, which was locally known as the pig trough.
In the twentieth century, dairying became the key industry, particularly after the opening of the Kingston Butter Factory in 1907. Cattle ticks were a problem and the locals installed a cattle dip in Waterford, between the bunya tress and the river in 1905.
Waterford was again victim to a major flood on Australia Day in 1947. The bridge washed away and the ferry had to be re-introduced while the construction of the new bridge was planned. Fortunately for the council, the Kingston-Beenleigh Road had been declared a main road, which meant the State Government had to pay for a new bridge. Despite local councillors lobbying the Main Roads Commissioner for a high level bridge, this was not forthcoming, and a new low level concrete bridge was constructed during 1953-54, which opened in July 1954.
Coincidently, the next major flood on the river occurred on Australia Day in 1974. Two houses were washed away, although the bridge survived. A new high level bridge was constructed in 1996.
Shire amalgamations in 1949, saw Waterford Shire incorporated into the Beaudesert Shire. In 1978 Logan and Albert Shires were formed and Waterford was split in two, with the western part in Logan and the remainder in Albert Shire (later Gold Coast).
