Forest Lake

Forest Lake is an outer south-western suburb of the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Forest Lake is an outer south-western suburb of the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Forest Lake had a population of 22,904 people.It was the first Master Planned Community within the City of Brisbane.

Forest Lake is situated in the Yugarabul traditional Aboriginal country.A homestead was built by Henry Farley in the late 1870s on a site that is now Homestead Park (27.6073°S 152.9577°E? / -27.6073; 152.9577? (Homestead Park)). It was a substantial building of two-stories and timber construction.In 1881 the homestead and surrounding property were purchased by Michael (Stumpy) Durack.The surrounding area became part of "Archerfield Station". In the 1930s it was destroyed by fire, although it has been said that termites caused a great deal of damage to the structure beforehand.

During World War II, there was a command post of the Darra Ordnance Ammunition Depot in the area now Forest Lake. This depot was the largest ordnance depot in the South West Pacific Area. On 31 August 2005 the Richlands-Inala History Group erected an honour stone in Homestead Park, the site of the command post, commemorating the ammunition depot and the American army camps in Inala and Wacol nearby.

In 1990, construction of the master planned community commenced by Delfin Lend Lease. In 1991, Forest Lake was officially launched by the then Premier of Queensland, Wayne Goss. The development lasted until 2006, when the last block of land was sold.

Forest Lake State School opened on 1 January 1994.Forest Lake College (College Avenue Campus) opened in 1994.By 1998 the suburb had 10,100 residents.

The master planned community which was created by Delfin Lend Lease was so successful, that in the latter years of the development, up to 40% of new homes sold were purchased by existing residents. (David Keir, Project Director 1996-2000).

Grand Avenue State School opened on 1 January 1999.Forest Lake State High School opened on 1 January 2001.As the first Master Planned Community within the City of Brisbane, Forest Lake won numerous awards for its design and Delfin, the developer of Forest Lake, was absorbed into Lend Lease in 2001. Now operating as Delfin Lend Lease, they are developing the adjacent Springfield Lakes Master Planned Community.

Forest Lake College (Alpine Place Campus) opened on 2002.Mary McConnel School opened on 28 January 2003.In 2011, Forest Lake College was renamed St John's Anglican College.

In 2011, the lake experienced a blue-green algae (cyanobacterial) bloom, causing some concern to local residents. A local councillor advised people to not enter the water due to the high toxicity levels from the algae bloom.In the 2011 census, Forest Lake had a population of 22,426 people.In the 2016 census, Forest Lake had a population of 22,904 people.