and perhaps dominated the early township. Nonetheless the early township still retains its connection to the river and its early subdivisions and commercial centre survives. The Nerang town centre was bypassed by the Pacific Motorway in 1979. Nerang State High School opened on 28 January 1986. St Brigid's Catholic Primary School opened on 1994. In the 1990s, it was realised that the Gold Coast needed a railway leading to the construction of the Gold Coast railway line which reached Nerang in 1997, although the new railway line had to follow a different route and the new Nerang railway station was in a different location to the former station on the South Coast line. This railway line was not to service agriculture but for workers and tourists to commute between the Gold Coast and Brisbane (including connection to Brisbane Airport for business and leisure travellers). Like other Gold Coast hinterland towns, Nerang began to change from being a service centre for agriculture to becoming increasingly residential suburbs for workers in the coastal tourism industries. This was officially recognised in 2003 when Nerang was re-designated a suburb rather than a locality. Recent years have seen the early Nerang flourish as an administrative centre for the growing Gold Coast. The Nerang public library was opened in 2003. In the , Nerang had a population of 16,256. In the , Nerang had a population of 16,864 people. Transport Nerang is a regional and transportation hub, containing several shopping centres and Nerang railway station. Education Nerang State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 3 Nerang Street (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 325 students with 28 teachers (23 full-time equivalent) and 21 non-teaching staff (12 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program. St Brigid's Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 39-49 McLaren Road (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 406 students with 31 teachers (25 full-time equivalent) and 17 non-teaching staff (10 full-time equivalent). Nerang State High School is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at Weedons Road (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1026 students with 93 teachers (88 full-time equivalent) and 43 non-teaching staff (31 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program. Community amenities The Nerang Branch Library is located on the corner of White