Wacol is a suburb of Brisbane, in the Australian state of Queensland. According to the 2011 census, a total of 2,957 people lived within the boundaries of Wacol. The suburb is located on the east bank of the Brisbane River, 18 kilometres (11 mi) south-west of the Brisbane central business district, on the Brisbane-Ipswich railway line.
Demographics
In the 2011 census, Wacol recorded a population of 2,957 people; 19.3% female and 80.7% male.
The median age of the Wacol population was 35 years, 2 years below the Australian median. There is a marked over-representation of people aged between 20 and 40 years in Wacol, where they account for 54.1% of the population, compared to the national figure of 27.7%. The young and old are under-represented: children aged under 15 years made up 3.6% of the population .
76.5% of people living in Wacol were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 69.8%; the next most common countries of birth were New Zealand 5.2%, Indonesia 2.9%, England 2.7%, Vietnam 1.2%, Fiji 0.6%.
19.5% of people spoke only English at home; the next most popular languages were 1% Vietnamese, 0.5% Spanish, 0.3% Serbian, 0.3% Italian, 0.3% Mandarin.
History
Wolston House was opened in 1852. Still intact today the building is the only surviving early Brisbane River settlement. The building was planned to be demolished however the National Trust of Queensland intervened to save the building. Major conservation work was undertaken.
The suburb played host to the American military during World War II, who constructed Camp Columbia in 1942; after the war, control of the facility was transferred to the Australian government for use as a migrant reception and training centre.
Heritage listings
Wacol has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Facilities
Wacol is home for jail inmates at the Brisbane Correctional Centre (previously known as Sir David Longland Correctional Centre), Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, Brisbane Youth Detention Centre (10- to 17-year-olds), the Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre and the Wolston Correctional Centre. The Park Centre for Mental Health, formerly known as the Wolston Park Hospital, has acted as an institution for the mentally ill since 1865. In December 2011, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals moved from their premises in Fairfield to Wacol. There is also a significant industrial park located in the area.
Transport
The Ipswich Motorway crosses the suburb. A major upgrade of the road was completed in 2010. The Logan Motorway connects to the Ipswich Motorway in the south of the suburb.
Wacol railway station provides access to regular Citytrain services to Brisbane, Ipswich and Rosewood via Ipswich.
In the 2011 census, 11.2% of employed people traveled to work on public transport and 66.3% by car (either as driver or as passenger).