Stafford

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

Stafford is a suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Stafford had a population of 6,561 people.

Stafford was originally called Happy Valley. It is possible that the name originates from the fact the Sir Thomas Brisbane for whom the city is named was an officer in the Staffordshire Regiment - a Stafford Knot is featured in the city's coat-of-arms. A public move to rename the area after the English county of Staffordshire in 1885 and 1886 led to its current name.Stafford State School opened on 25 May 1886. On 24 January 1955 the Stafford Infants State School opened removing the younger children from the main. The infants school closed on 9 December 1977 and the younger children became part of the main school again.In 1928, in what is now known as Stafford, 20 sites at Gourock Estate, Kedron, being resubs of 1 to 20 (subs A & B easements) of sub 1 of portion 96, Parish of Kedron, were advertised for auction by Isles, Love & Co. Auctioneers. A map produced to advertise the sale shows the land for sale being off Main Stafford (or Happy Valley) Road, near Clifford St.Queen of Apostles Catholic Primary School opened on 30 January 1962. In 2002 it opened its second campus for the younger studentsin neighbouring Stafford Heights to the north.Between 1940 and 1968 Stafford was served by electric trams operated by the Brisbane City Council. This was the last completely new tram line (as distinct from tram line extension) built in Brisbane.Construction commenced on the water reservoirs on top of Sparkes Hill in 1973 and was completed in 1978.One of the original large employers of local workers, Gibson's Tannery (also known as Scotia Works), closed in 1982 to make way for the Stafford City Shopping Centre, which opened in 1983 and extended in 1997.Previously, the Stafford Road shopping strip at the tram terminus was the local centre.At the 2011 census Staffordhad a population of 6,041 people.In the 2016 census Stafford had a population of 6,561 people.