Grandchester, Queensland
| Grandchester Queensland |
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 Grandchester
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| Population: | 735 (2006 Census)[1] | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 4340 | ||||||||||||
| Location: | |||||||||||||
| LGA: | City of Ipswich | ||||||||||||
| State electorate: | Electoral district of Ipswich West Electoral district of Lockyer |
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| Federal Division: | Blair | ||||||||||||
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Grandchester is a town in the Lockyer Valley region in South East Queensland, Australia. It is located 76 km west of the Brisbane CBD and is situated on the border of the Ipswich and Laidley local government areas. The name comes from Grantchester, a village outside of Cambridge in England.[2] At the 2006 census, Grandchester had a population of 735.[1]
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[edit] History
Grandchester is home to the first narrow gauge mainline railway in the world. The first track opened to traffic on 31 July 1865 from Ipswich and terminated at this small town.[3] The original railway station, formerly known as Bigge's Camp, still exists.
Grandchester is the home of one of the last known surviving steam-powered flat-belt sawmills in Australia. The engine powering it was manufactured in 1908, and the mill has been in operation from 1945. It was destroyed by a fire, sometime in the early hours of 6 May 2007.[4]
Work on the long process of restoring the mill to its former glory started almost immediately in the days following the fire. The mill is operating once again with work still continuing on the restoration. This will ensure that this important piece of history is preserved for the generations that follow.[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Grandchester (Ipswich City) (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=SSC36143&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, July, 1965 pp121-136
- ^ Ipswich City Council Media Release, May 9, 2007
- ^ [2]
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 27°40′S 152°28′E / 27.667°S 152.467°E
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