Maroochy Waters, Maroochydore
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Maroochydore Sunshine Coast, Queensland |
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View of Maroochydore
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| Population | 47,645 (2011 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 858.5/km2 (2,223.4/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4558 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 55.5 km2 (21.4 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 104 km (65 mi) from Brisbane | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Sunshine Coast Region | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Maroochydore, Buderim, Kawana, Nicklin | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Fairfax, Fisher | ||||||||||||||
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Maroochydore is an urban centre on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. At the 2011 Australian Census the urban area recorded a population of 47,645.
Maroochydore is a major commercial area of the Sunshine Coast with most shopping precincts located in the central business district. It is home to the Sunshine Plaza shopping centre and the Sunshine Coast's major bus interchange for TransLink services operated by Sunbus. Maroochydore is also a venue of major surf sport carnivals, and is a popular holiday point from which to travel the rest of Queensland..
The name Maroochydore comes from the Aboriginal indigenous Yuggera language word 'Muru-kutchi', meaning red-bill: the name of the black swan, commonly seen in the area.
Maroochydore is the sixth town mentioned in the original (Australian) version of the song "I've Been Everywhere".
The town of Maroochydore was subdivided from the Cotton Tree reserve by Surveyor Thomas O'Connor in 1903. The land was acquired from William Pettigrew who had a timber depot at what is now Wharf Street.
Andrew Petrie during his 1842 exploration of the coast gave the name Maroochydore to the area. It was derived from the word "murukutchi-dha" in the language of the Brisbane River Aboriginal people who accompanied Petrie on his exploration. It literally means "the place of the red bills" that is the black swans.
Governor Gipps, stimulated by Petrie's exploration, proposed the Bunya Proclamation of 1842. This prevented settlement or the granting of cattle or timber licences in the Bunya Country which covered much of the Maroochy district. The Proclamation lapsed, attracting Tom Petrie to explore the coastal area for timber resources in 1862.
Due to the perilous nature of the Maroochy River bar it proved too hazardous for shipping. In 1864, Brisbane sawmill owner, William Pettigrew, established a depot and wharf at Mooloolaba (née Mooloolah Heads).
Twenty years on, in 1884, Pettigrew transferred his activities to Maroochydore. The area appears to have been mainly used for grazing cattle and has a landing place for timber rafted down the River. That same year, Pettigrew built the first house at Maroochydore. The house was occupied by an employee, Hamilton Muirhead. Pettigrew opened a sawmill on the riverbank in 1891, it was at this time a post office was opened too. Pettigrew continued to run his steamers "Tadorna Radja" and "Tarshaw" in the Maroochy River. The "Gneering" which had also serviced the river had been wrecked on the Maroochy River bar. The steamer was towed to Goat Island and left there as a wreck.
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