Earlville is approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) south-west of the Cairns City centre.
The north-eastern part of the suburb is low-lying, less than 10 metres (33 ft) above sea level but the land gradually rises towards the west becoming more mountainous in the western part of the suburb. Most of the residential land is in the centre and eastern parts of the suburb, while the more mountainous western part is undeveloped.[3]
Mulgrave Road goes through the suburb from the north-east (Mooroobool / Bungalow) and then bends through the suburb to the south-east (Woree).[3]
Most of the eastern part of the present suburb formed part of the pioneer Hap Wah sugarcane plantation which was developed from 1878 by a Chinese consortium led by Andrew Leon. In 1886, after not finding it profitable, the plantation was sold.[6] Mulgrave Road was then known as Hap Wah Road.[7]
The origin of the suburb name is from the Earl family who lived in the area.[8] The historical name of Balaclava deriving from the historical estate name is still retained in business and organisation names, as well as in the naming of Balaclava Road, a prominent thoroughfare in the suburb.[9]
Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic School was established on 28 January 1964 by the Sisters of Mercy. There was an initial enrolment of 51 students with principal Sister M Consilia Wallwork assisted by a second teacher Sister M Agatha. The sisters lived at St Joseph's in Parramatta Park and travelled to the school each day. One of the classrooms was used for church services until the church was built.[10][11]
The Roman Catholic parish of Earlville was established with the appointment of the Reverend Pat McKenna as parish priest from 1 January 1965. It had previously been part of the Parramatta Park parish. The church dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians was blessed and opened by BishopJohn Torpie on 22 July 1973.[12]
The current Earlville Public Library opened in 1983, with a major refurbishment in 2003 and a minor refurbishment in 2007.[13]
Demographics
In the 2016 census, Earlville had a population of 4,030 people.[14]
In the 2021 census, Earlville had a population of 4,200 people.[1]
Seville Mercy Conference Centre is a conference centre with on-site accommodation and dining at 35 Bauhinia Avenue (16.9472°S 145.7255°E). It is operated by the Sisters of Mercy.[18][25]
^"COUNTRY MAILS". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. XLI, no. 8, 871. Queensland, Australia. 21 June 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 2 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Earlville Public Library"(PDF). Queensland Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-2017" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. November 2017. November 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.