Ninderry, North Arm and Yandina Creek

These three rural/residential localities range from north to east of Yandina in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Ninderry is immediately south of North Arm.

North Arm was probably named after the North Maroochy River, a stream that runs south from the Cooroy district to join the Maroochy River at Yandina. North Arm is on the North Coast railway (1891), the old Bruce Highway and the present Bruce Highway. It is five km north of Yandina. Sugar farms were surveyed along the river at North Arm in the early 1880s, and dairying was also taken up by the end of the decade. A primary school was opened in 1885. Its present enrolment is about 350. Most farmers were recorded as sugar planters in the post office directory in 1902. Banana growing was active in the 1920s, but by the early postwar years most farms were probably engaged in mixed crops/dairying. Gold mining occurred in the mid-1930s. A World War II rifle range probably formed the genesis of the North Arm Rifle Club. North Arm has a public hall, the primary school and a forest reserve.

Ninderry is thought to be named after an Aboriginal expression denoting scrub leeches. However, the word is also the name of the legendary Aboriginal warrior who abducted the girl Maroochy and was repaid by being turned into Mount Ninderry (312 m), four km east of Yandina. The mountain is part of a volcanic range.

Ninderry was established 'on paper' as a village reserve in 1888, but did not amount to more than a series of farm selections.

Yandina Creek originates near Eumundi and runs generally south-east to join the Coolum Creek just before the latter joins the Maroochy River. 'Yandina' is thought to have derived from an Aboriginal expression referring to a ford or crossing place on the Maroochy River. The locality is formed around the creek.

Queensland Archives records two State primary schools at Yandina Creek; No 1610, c1901-64 and No 1449, c1914-20, 1933-41. One of them was in North Arm-Yandina Creek Road, west of McCords Road. The Coolum Beach Christian College (2004) is on Yandina Creek's eastern boundary, along with a large quarry and landfill facility.

Census populations have been: