Rocklea

Rocklea is a suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Rocklea is a suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Rocklea had a population of 1,595 people.

The locality was originally called Rocky Waterholes Creek. It was renamed Rocklea after a town in Dorset, England, with the opening of the Beenleigh railway line in 1884 as it was felt the original name was too long.The suburb was once the centre of the Shire of Yeerongpilly, which was established in 1879 and disbanded in 1925 after the City of Brisbane was created.

In August 1884, E. Hooker and Son auctioned 29 allotments of the Rocklea Estate. The map shows area near Ipswich Road and the Rocklea railway station.In September 1884, Hooker, Sons and Elliott Auctioneers auctioned 214 allotments of the Rocklea Township estate. The allotments were on Hawtree, Brier, Piers, Holmes and Blackburn Streets. Also in September 1884, John W. Todd auctioned 28 large blocks of the Mount Pleasant Estate. The map shows the area in Rocklea bordered by Ipswich Road and what is now Boundary Road, opposite what is now Archerfield Airport.In September 1884, 238 subdivided allotments of Rocky Waterholes Township Proper were auctioned by John Cameron. The following year, in December 1885, 152 subdivided allotments of Rocky Waterholes Township Proper Estate were auctioned by John Cameron Auctioneer. A map advertising the estate shows it to be very close to Rocky Waterholes Creek.Rocklea State School opened on 29 September 1885.In January 1925, work commenced on the Sydney–Brisbane rail corridor.Rocklea Tramline Estate was advertised for auction on 11 September 1915 by Henry B Watson, auctioneer. 189 building sites were offered on Freney and Bale Streets, Rocklea. The map advertising the estate sale states that the estate was six minutes from Rocklea and Salisbury railway stations.Show Ground Estate Rocklea was offered for sale in the late 1920s by Queensland Development Company, consisting of 104 allotments. The estate map shows the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor under construction (built 1925-1930). The Estate was adjacent to the Rocklea Showground and included Goburra, Corella, Boobook and Galah Streets. The southern border of the estate is labelled Fauna Parade, now Fauna Parade Park.In May 1928, W. J. Down and Co auctioned 55 allotments of the Abercrombie Estate. The map shows that the estate is in walking distance from the Rocklea railway station.In 1949, Commonwealth Engineering established a railway factory in Rocklea.The Brisbane Markets on a 53 hectares (130 acres) were officially opened on 31 August 1964 by the Premier of Queensland, Frank Nicklin. The first markets in Brisbane were at Market Street and produce was delivered by boats on the Brisbane River. In 1864 the markets relocated to Roma Street Markets where they were very well-located to Roma Street railway station which opened in 1873 enabling produce to be sent by rail. The markets expanded over time into Turbot Street until the traffic congestion created by the markets forced the markets to move to the suburbs in the 1960s.On 31 July 2009, the last race was held at the Rocklea horse harness racing track.

At the 2011 census, Rocklea had a population of 1,255.In the 2016 census, Rocklea had a population of 1,595 people.