Goodna

Towards the eastern boundary of the City, the Goodna area owes its origin primarily to pastoralism and agriculture. As early as 1841 there was a sheep run called 'Woogaroo Station' which was owned by the Grenier family of South Brisbane. This name referred to a waterhole in the creek, and comes from the Yagara word 'wuguru' or whirlpool.

By the early 1840s Dr. Stephen Simpson, the lands commissioner and magistrate for the Moreton Bay district, was living in a slab hut and farming on the riverbank near the mouth of Woogaroo Creek. As the main road intersected with the track from Coopers Plains and the river, this was then a strategic location for Simpson. In 1851-1852 he purchased 2000 acres of land, including 640 acres on Wolston Creek. The homestead which he built on that property was called Wolston House, which is now a heritage listed building held by the National Trust of Queensland.

In 1856, the growing area was proclaimed as the village of Goodna. The name comes from 'guna' a Yagara word meaning ‘dung’. An unfortunate misunderstanding in language seems to be responsible for this name. 

In the following year Joseph Broad built a store on the site, which is now occupied by the Hotel Cecil, and the cemetery opened in 1859. By 1863 there was a small run to Holmes Inn, where Harriet Holmes was Post Mistress.

The 'Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum' was underway nearby, and so was the Congregational Church which opened in 1863.

There was one acting police sergeant and a constable by 1868 and Mr. W. Law established himself as a blacksmith in 1870, the year in which the State School opened. Like other towns of Ipswich, Goodna was affected by coalmining. From 1865 to 1877 Robert Towns’ Goodna Mine was in operation, followed by minor efforts thereafter.

The foundation stone of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church (formerly St Patrick's) had been laid in 1880 by Bishop James Quinn and the church opened the following year.

Daniel Jones built the first sawmill in 1884. By 1888 the population of Goodna was 500, and there were three friendly societies - the Oddfellows, Loyal Rose of Denmark and Good Templars.

Being near the Brisbane River, Goodna was also affected by flooding, especially in 1893 when residents took refuge at the school. Building casualties included: the chemical factory on the river flats, which was destroyed; the Primitive Methodist Church, which was carried downstream but rebuilt in Smiths Road (demolished 1984); and the railway station, which was picked up and completely turned around, but survived, only to be burnt down later.

The Catholic School opened in 1910 and the Sisters of Mercy Convent in 1911.