Alexandra Headland, Queensland

Alexandra Headland Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Beach at Alexandra Headland, 1931
Coordinates	26°40′23″S 153°06′04″E / 26.673°S 153.101°ECoordinates: 26°40′23″S 153°06′04″E / 26.673°S 153.101°E
Population	3,717 (2011 census)[1]
• Density	2,480/km^2 (6,420/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4572
Area	1.5 km^2 (0.6 sq mi)
Location	4 km (2 mi) SE of Maroochydore
LGA(s)	Sunshine Coast Region
County	Canning
Parish	Mooloolah
State electorate(s)	Maroochydore
Federal Division(s)	Fisher
Suburbs around Alexandra Headland: Maroochydore Cotton Tree Coral Sea Buderim Alexandra Headland Coral Sea Buderim Mooloolaba Mooloolaba

Alexandra Headland is a suburb of the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia,^[2] located in the Maroochydore urban centre between Maroochydore CBD and Mooloolaba.

The suburb consists of several restaurants, a bowling alley, resorts and the shortest beach in the Maroochy district. The Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club has a building next to the beach.

The headland was once known as Potts Point, named after overseer John Potts employed by William Pettigrew who lived on the land from the year 1880 to 1890, when it was used to transport timber between Cotton Tree and Mooloolah River by bullock.

History

Potts Point was the original name given to the rocky headland between the estuaries of the Maroochy and Mooloolah Rivers. It was named after John Potts, William Pettigrew's (prominent land owner and businessman) overseer. It was renamed Alexandra Headland in honour of Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII, in 1901.^[2]

The area was formerly part of William Pettigrews 330 acre property. The land was purchased in 1864 at the first land sale in the Maroochy District. Over the next 30 years it was used as Pettigrew's base for his timber business.

The area was fenced as a paddock for the bullocks used to haul logs from Cotton tree across Potts Point to the timber depot at Mooloolaba (née Mooloolah Heads). Pettigrew built his house "Coolaluthin" and his overseers house "Wongotha" on the Headland.

Thomas O'Connor purchased all of Pettigrew's land at both Maroochydore and Mooloolaba in 1903. The land was subdivided and sold as allotments along the ocean front and Buderim Road in August 1915. It was during this time that the name Alexandra Headland was popularised.

Seaside cottages were built on the Headland during the 1920s. These were mostly built by the local residents from Woombye and Palmwoods.

O'Connor developed Alexandra Hostel on 36 acres behind the main surfing beach between 1923 and 1928. This was the first fully integrated resort complex on the Maroochy coast. The endeavour proved unsuccessful and was sold to the Presbyterian Church.

With the ensuing upgrading of transport services and roads as well as further land sales saw the continued progress of Alexandra Headland as a holidays resort. The Headland now boasted a holiday resort with all facilities, including a patrolled surf beach on its northern edge.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Alexandra Headland recorded a population of 3,717 people, 50.3% female and 49.7% male.

The median age of the Alexandra Headland population was 39 years, 2 years above the national median of 37.

71.5% of people living in Alexandra Headland were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were New Zealand 7.5%, England 4.4%, South Africa 0.8%, India 0.8%, United States of America 0.7%.

88.2% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 0.5% German, 0.3% Japanese, 0.3% Swedish, 0.2% Korean, 0.2% French.

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Alexandra Headland (Maroochy Shire) (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
2. "Alexandra Headland (entry 47312)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 March 2014.

External links

• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Alexandra Headland