The Gap, Queensland

The Gap Brisbane, Queensland
Walton Bridge Reserve at The Gap
The Gap
Coordinates	27°26′38″S 152°57′11″E / 27.44389°S 152.95306°E / -27.44389; 152.95306Coordinates: 27°26′38″S 152°57′11″E / 27.44389°S 152.95306°E / -27.44389; 152.95306
Population	15,949 (2011 census)
• Density	1,307/km2 (3,386/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4061
Area	12.2 km2 (4.7 sq mi)
LGA(s)	City of Brisbane (The Gap Ward)
State electorate(s)	Ashgrove
Federal Division(s)	Ryan
Suburbs around The Gap: Upper Kedron Keperra Enoggera Enoggera Reservoir The Gap Ashgrove Brookfield Mount Coot-tha Bardon

The Gap is a leafy and hilly suburb of Brisbane, in Queensland, Australia, located approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west of the Brisbane CBD.

The Gap was named for its geographical location - a valley - as it is surrounded by hills on four sides - Mount Coot-tha, Taylor Range, Mount Nebo and Mount Glorious. Access to the area is via Waterworks Road, Settlement Road, Mount Nebo Road, Dillon Road and Gap Creek Road (which passes to the back of Mount Coot-tha).

Initially inhabited by the Turrbal people, The Gap was originally heavily forested. With the arrival of European settlement, timber felling became the first industry in the area, and with the removal of the timber the area was turned over to farming. The first crown lease of land was in 1851, to Darby McGrath who ran a sheep station across the entire valley. The first freehold land sale was made in 1858, to P.B. and J. Paten in the area where Paten road runs today. Access to The Gap in the 1850s was via tracks which became Waterworks and Payne Roads. They also provided access to Enoggera Dam which was built in 1866 to provide a water supply for Brisbane. Following World War I the area was broken up into smaller farms for returned servicemen, many of whom farmed poultry and dairy cattle. Many of these farms were too small to be commercially successful, however small pockets of farming remained in The Gap until the 1980s.

From 1879 The Gap was part of the Ithaca local government division, then part of the Shire of Enoggera from 1887 to 1925.

Masons jam factory used to be located to the east of the Ashgrove Golf Course, but has not existed for the past two decades. A gold mine was located near the entrance to Payne Road Primary School. The billabong between The Gap State High School and Payne Road Primary School used to be a favourite swimming location and over the years has been home to turtles, eels and platypus. It was named Shepherd's Pool, supposedly after a shepherd who was killed by aborigines in 1852, although the name may derive from a P.A. Shepherd, who leased the adjacent land in the 1930s. There used to be a toll gate located on Waterworks Road near what is now the entrance to Brisbane Forest Park.