Blenheim, Queensland

Blenheim
Suburb
View across Blenheim with the public hall in the foreground, 2024
Blenheim
Interactive map of Blenheim
Coordinates: 27°39′21″S152°19′02″E / 27.6558°S 152.3172°E / -27.6558; 152.3172 (Blenheim (centre of locality))
Country	Australia
State	Queensland
LGA	Lockyer Valley Region
Location	7.4 km (4.6 mi) SW of Laidley 16.4 km (10.2 mi) SE of Gatton 50.2 km (31.2 mi) ESE of Toowoomba 93 km (58 mi) WSW of Brisbane
Government
•  State electorate	Lockyer
•  Federal division	Wright
Area
• Total	35.9 km2 (13.9 sq mi)
Population
• Total	264 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	7.354/km2 (19.05/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+10:00 (AEST)
Postcode	4341
Suburbs around Blenheim Woodlands Glen Cairn Laidley Heights Ropeley Blenheim Laidley Creek West Rockside Mount Berryman Laidley Creek West

Blenheim is a rural locality in the Lockyer Valley Region, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2021 census, Blenheim had a population of 264 people. ^[1]

History

Originally the district was known as Sandy Creek, but later it was named Blenheim after Blenheim Park in Oxfordshire, England, which was in turn named after the Battle of Blenheim. ^[3]

Blenheim State School opened on 7 April 1879, with an initial enrolment of 73 pupils. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

In 1895, a German Baptist church was established at Blenheim under the leadership of C. Muetzelburg. As time passed, the desire for German-language church services diminished and, due to falling numbers attending, the church was closed and physically relocated to Laidley. ^[7]

Blenheim Lutheran Church opened on Sunday 31 March 1912. ^[8] In 1938, it was relocated to Laidley to be used as a church hall for the Laidley Lutheran Church. ^[9]

Blenheim Public Hall, 2024

Blenheim Public Hall was officially opened in August 1948 by Ted Maher, the member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for West Moreton. ^[10] It celebrated its 70th anniversary in August 2018. A mural commissioned for the opening of the building remains in display in the hall. ^[11]

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Blenheim had a population of 259 people. ^[12]

In the 2016 census, Blenheim had a population of 291 people. ^[13]

In the 2021 census, Blenheim had a population of 264 people. ^[1]

Heritage listings

• Blenheim State School, 81 Blenheim Road ( 27°39′02″S152°19′53″E / 27.6505°S 152.3313°E / -27.6505; 152.3313 (Blenheim State School) ) ^[14]

Education

Blenheim State School, Block A, from north-west

Blenheim State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 81 Blenheim Road ( 27°39′00″S152°19′54″E / 27.6501°S 152.3317°E / -27.6501; 152.3317 (Blenheim State School) ). ^{[15] [16]} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 81 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent). ^[17]

There are no secondary schools in Blenheim. The nearest government secondary schools are Laidley State High School in Laidley to the north-east and Lockyer District State High School in Gatton to the north-west. ^[18]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Blenheim (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Blenheim – locality in Lockyer Valley Region (entry 44944)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 27 December 2020.
3. "History". Blenheim State School. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
4. "Agency ID 4855, Blenheim State School". Queensland State Archives . Retrieved 25 April 2014.
5. "Official Notifications". The Brisbane Courier . National Library of Australia. 15 July 1878. p. 3. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
6. "History". Blenheim State School. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
7. "German Baptist Churches in Queensland and the German Baptist Conference". Baptist Union of Australia. Archived from the original on 18 March 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
8. "New Lutheran Church". Queensland Times . Vol. LIII, no. 8414. Queensland, Australia. 3 April 1912. p. 3 (DAILY). Retrieved 16 January 2024– via National Library of Australia.
9. "NEWS FROM DISTRICT CENTRES". Queensland Times . No. 18, 190. Queensland, Australia. 20 March 1945. p. 4 (DAILY). Retrieved 16 January 2024– via National Library of Australia.
10. "Blenheim Public Hall Opened". Queensland Times . No. 19, 259. Queensland, Australia. 27 August 1948. p. 3 (DAILY). Retrieved 9 May 2024– via National Library of Australia.
11. "Community to celebrate the long haul". Gatton, Lockyer and Brisbane Valley Star . 16 August 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
12. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Blenheim (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
13. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Blenheim (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
14. "Blenheim State School (entry 650244)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
15. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
16. "Blenheim State School". Blenheim State School. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
17. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority . Retrieved 28 January 2020.
18. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 26 April 2022.

Further reading

• Blenheim State School Centenary 1879-1979...Souvenir Booklet. Blenheim Centenary Souvenir Book Committee. 1979.

External links

• "Blenheim". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.