Cranbrook is a residential suburb on the north side of the Ross River, Townsville, 10 km south-west of the city centre. It was formally named in 1968 after the home of Robert Towns (1794-1873), after whom Townsville was named.
Urban development dates from the 1960s. The Catholic co-ed primary school and boys' secondary college opened in 1969, and most of the houses built then are of a high-set design. The later trend was to low-set houses. Cranbrook State primary school opened in 1981, later than might be expected but probably explained by the proximity of State schools in Kirwan, Heatley and Aitkenvale. Shops, however, could not be denied for so long, and Kmart Plaza at the corner of Nathan Street and Ross River Road dates from the 1970s.
Cranbrook's census populations have been:
| Census Date | Population |
|---|---|
| 1986 | 6794 |
| 1996 | 6445 |
| 2006 | 6276 |
| 2011 | 6146 |
