Bakers Bend

Bakers Bend Queensland
Westgate railway station, 1930
Bakers Bend
Coordinates	26°44′00″S146°04′52″E / 26.7333°S 146.0811°E / -26.7333; 146.0811 (Bakers Bend (centre of locality))
Population	7 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	0.00345/km2 (0.0089/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4470
Area	2,029.2 km2 (783.5 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	42.4 km (26 mi) SSW of Charleville 308 km (191 mi) W of Roma 784 km (487 mi) ENE of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Shire of Murweh
State electorate(s)	Warrego
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Suburbs around Bakers Bend: Ward Charleville Sommariva Cooladdi Bakers Bend Riversleigh Murweh Wyandra Riversleigh

Bakers Bend is a rural locality in the Shire of Murweh, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2021 census, Bakers Bend had a population of 7 people. ^[1]

The locality contains two abandoned towns, both in the north of the locality:

• Westgate ( 26°35′04″S146°11′25″E / 26.5844°S 146.1902°E / -26.5844; 146.1902 (Westgate) ) ^[3]
• Wallal ( 26°36′55″S146°07′34″E / 26.6153°S 146.1261°E / -26.6153; 146.1261 (Wallal, Queensland) ) ^[4]

Geography

The Warrego River enter the locality from the north (Charleville) and then meanders southward, and exits to the south-west (Murweh). The locality is within the Murray-Darling drainage basin. ^[5]

The Mitchell Highway enters the locality from the north (Charleville) and runs loosely parallel and east of the river, exiting to the south (Murweh). ^[6]

The Western railway line enters the locality from the north (Charlevillle) and proceeds south to Westgate immediately west of the highland where the line now terminates. ^[6] There were a number of railway stations serving the locality, but only one station (Westgate) is still operational as the line now terminates at Westgate. The complete list is: ^[7]

• Westgate railway station, operational ( 26°35′12″S146°11′37″E / 26.5867°S 146.1936°E / -26.5867; 146.1936 (Westgate railway station) ) ^[8]
• on the Western railway line (from north to south
  • Wallal railway station, abandoned ( 26°39′05″S146°10′35″E / 26.6515°S 146.1763°E / -26.6515; 146.1763 (Wallal railway station (abandoned)) ) ^[8]
  • Mangalore railway station, abandoned ( 26°47′11″S146°05′45″E / 26.7865°S 146.0958°E / -26.7865; 146.0958 (Mangalore railway station (abandoned)) ) ^[8]
  • Dillalah railway station, abandoned ( 26°52′16″S146°03′55″E / 26.8712°S 146.0652°E / -26.8712; 146.0652 (Dillalah railway station (abandoned)) ) ^[8]
• on the Great Western railway line (from east to west)
  • Warrego River railway station, abandoned ( 26°35′24″S146°07′24″E / 26.5899°S 146.1234°E / -26.5899; 146.1234 (Warrego River railway station (abandoned)) ) ^[8]
  • Myendetta railway station, abandoned ( 26°35′13″S146°00′14″E / 26.5869°S 146.0038°E / -26.5869; 146.0038 (Myendetta railway station (abandoned)) ) ^[8]

The land use is grazing on native vegetation. ^[9]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Bakers Bend had a population of 28 people. ^[10]

In the 2021 census, Bakers Bend had a population of 7 people. ^[1]

Heritage listings

Bakers Bend has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Myendetta Homestead, off the Diamantina Developmental Road ( 26°33′58″S146°01′22″E / 26.5662°S 146.0228°E / -26.5662; 146.0228 (Myendetta Homestead) ) ^[11]
• Landsborough's Blazed Tree (Camp 69), off the Mitchell Highway ( 26°40′34″S146°09′29″E / 26.6761°S 146.158°E / -26.6761; 146.158 (Landsborough's Blazed Tree (Camp 69)) ) ^[12]

Education

There are no schools in Bakers Bend. The nearest government primary schools are Charleville State School in neighbouring Charleville to the north and Wyandra State School in neighbouring Wyandra to the south. The nearest government secondary school is Charleville State High School, also in Charleville. There is also a Catholic primary school in Charleville. However, for some students in the locality, all of these schools may be too distant for a daily commute with the alternatives being distance education and boarding school. ^[13]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Bakers Bend (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Bakers Bend – locality in Shire of Murweh (entry 49243)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 5 November 2019.
3. "Westgate – population centre in Shire of Murweh (entry 37126)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 21 May 2024.
4. "Wallal – population centre in the Shire of Murweh (entry 36303)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 24 March 2020.
5. "Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourses; Drainage boundaries". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
6. "Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Railways; Railway stations". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
7. "8144 Westgate" (Map). Queensland Government. 1973. Archived from the original on 12 July 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
8. "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
9. "Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
10. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Bakers Bend (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
11. "Myendetta (entry 602822)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
12. "Landsborough's Blazed Tree, Camp 69 (entry 602715)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
13. "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2025.