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Coopers Plains is a middle-ring suburb on Brisbane’s southside, within Brisbane City Council’s Moorooka Ward. Historically rural until the 1940s, it is now a mixed residential, light-industrial and institutional suburb, notably home to the region’s major public hospital.
Population and Housing
The 2021 Census recorded 5,675 people in Coopers Plains. Housing is house-dominated: 75.4% separate houses, 10.9% semi-detached or townhouses, and 13.0% flats or apartments, a more traditional detached profile than some neighbouring suburbs.
Transport
Coopers Plains railway station, on Henley Street, sits within the suburb on the Beenleigh line, and was upgraded in 2008 with three platforms and wheelchair access. Local bus routes also serve the suburb.
Schools
Coopers Plains State School, on Orange Grove Road, is the suburb’s public primary school and explicitly serves Coopers Plains plus parts of Sunnybank, Salisbury and Nathan. There is no government secondary school located within Coopers Plains itself; Sunnybank State High School, in the adjoining suburb of Sunnybank, is the designated secondary school for the area. As with any suburb, verify the exact catchment for a specific address using the Queensland Government’s official EdMap catchment tool.
Health
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital, at the corner of Kessels and Troughton Roads, is a public hospital operated by Metro South Health and is located directly within Coopers Plains, making it the standout health facility in the suburb.
Parks and Local Life
Toohey Forest, a large Brisbane City Council bushland reserve surrounding Griffith University’s Nathan campus, lies near Coopers Plains, with the suburb’s railway station the closest station to the forest. The exact reserve boundary sits closer to the adjoining suburb of Nathan, so Toohey Forest is best described as bordering Coopers Plains rather than sitting inside it.
Shopping and Everyday Life
Coopers Plains has smaller local commercial nodes rather than a major shopping centre of its own, with more substantial retail found in the adjoining suburb of Sunnybank.
Planning and Development
Coopers Plains is covered by Brisbane City Plan 2014’s neighbourhood planning framework alongside nearby Acacia Ridge, Salisbury, Sunnybank, Nathan and Rocklea, with local precincts recognising a mix of residential areas and centre, office and industry zones near the station.
Flood and Property Due Diligence
Suburb-level flood context is only ever general, and Coopers Plains is no exception. Before relying on a property in Coopers Plains, check the official Brisbane City Council Flood Awareness Map and order a FloodWise Property Report for the exact address, since this is the only way to understand flood risk for a specific property rather than the suburb as a whole.
Nearby Suburbs Worth Comparing
Sunnybank (adjoining, larger retail and community hub, houses the secondary school serving Coopers Plains), Salisbury and Rocklea (adjoining, more industrial character) and Nathan (adjoining, home to Griffith University’s main campus and part of Toohey Forest) are worth comparing if you are considering Coopers Plains.
Useful Narevella Reading
If you are researching a specific Coopers Plains property, Narevella’s guides on flood risk checks, verifying a school catchment and checking nearby development applications cover the due diligence that matters most in a mixed-use suburb like this one.
Once you have a shortlist, Compare Suburbs can help you weigh Coopers Plains against nearby areas side by side, or Find Property For Me if you would like Narevella’s help identifying suitable properties.
This guide is general research information only, not a recommendation about any specific school, provider, service or investment outcome.
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