Curra, Queensland

Curra Queensland
Curra Country Club
Curra
Coordinates	26°04′15″S152°35′22″E / 26.0708°S 152.5894°E / -26.0708; 152.5894 (Curra (centre of locality))
Population	2,104 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	20.587/km2 (53.32/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4570
Area	102.2 km2 (39.5 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	11.0 km (7 mi) S of Gunalda 20.8 km (13 mi) NNW of Gympie 186 km (116 mi) N of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Gympie Region
State electorate(s)	Gympie
Federal division(s)	Wide Bay
Suburbs around Curra: Scotchy Pocket Gunalda Anderleigh Sexton Curra North Deep Creek Bells Bridge Chatsworth Corella

Curra is a rural residential locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2021 census, Curra had a population of 2,104 people. ^[1]

Geography

Curra is in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland. It also belongs to the non-functional administrative unit known as the County of March.

The Mary River forms the western boundary, and Curra Creek is part of the northern boundary. To the east of the locality is a large portion of Curra State Forest. ^[3]

Mount Corella is in the south of the locality ( 26°06′54″S152°36′54″E / 26.1151°S 152.6149°E / -26.1151; 152.6149 (Mount Corella) ) rising to 336 metres (1,102 ft). ^{[4] [3]}

The Bruce Highway passes through the locality, entering from the south-east (Bells Bridge) and exiting to the north (Gunalda). ^[3]

The North Coast railway line passes through the locality, entering from the south-west (Corella) and exiting to the north (Scotchy Pocket / Gunalda) with two railway stops (from north to south):

• Curra railway station ( 26°04′16″S152°35′30″E / 26.0711°S 152.5917°E / -26.0711; 152.5917 (Curra railway station) ) ^[5]
• Harvey's Siding ( 26°05′13″S152°36′44″E / 26.0870°S 152.6122°E / -26.0870; 152.6122 (Harvey's Siding) ) ^[6]

Curra is zoned rural/residential with working pastoral farms and small acreages. ^[3]

History

Original home of Cliff Jones

Old farmhouse at Curra

Curra (Aboriginal name 'Kurui' means grey forest possum). The local Aboriginal tribe of the Gympie region and the Mary River Valley are the Kabi Tribe of the Kabi Kabi First Nation language group.^{[ citation needed ]}

The first landholder owner was Walter Hay whose cattle station homestead in 1859 was named "Currie" and later changed to Curra.^{[ citation needed ]}

During the gold rush era starting in 1867, Curra was a stopover depot at Palmer's Stockholm Hotel at the Nine Mile for travellers between Maryborough and Gympie using Cobb & Co coaches.^{[ citation needed ]}

In 1887, 23,500 acres (9,500 ha) of land were resumed from the Curra pastoral run. The land was offered for selection for the establishment of small farms on 17 April 1887. ^[7]

Curra Provisional School opened on 17 July 1893. On 1 January 1909 it became Curra State School. It closed in 1961. ^{[8] [9]} It was at approximately 6 Curra Road ( 26°04′26″S152°35′21″E / 26.0738°S 152.5891°E / -26.0738; 152.5891 (Curra State School (former)) ). ^[10]

There was a mine in the Curra Estate Road area and there is a working limestone quarry.^{[ when? ][ citation needed ]}

Curra Post Office opened by 1916 (a receiving office had been open from 1892) and closed in 1977. ^[11]

Curra was once part of Shire of Tiaro but, since 2008, is within the Gympie Region local government area. ^[2]

In 2012, the section of the Bruce Highway between Cooroy and Curra was considered to be one of the most dangerous of Queensland roads. ^[12]

A new Gympie Bypass, which intersects the existing Bruce Highway at Curra is scheduled to be completed in late-2024. ^[13]

Demographics

In the 2006 census, Curra had a population of 1,372 people. ^[14]

In the 2016 census, Curra had a population of 1,920 people. ^[15]

In the 2021 census, Curra had a population of 2,104 people. ^[1]

Facilities

A peaceful area for families and retirees with facilities such as the rural fire service; parks and playground; a post office box; Puma service station – with motel accommodation, food and groceries and a discount Pharmacy; a community club called the Curra Country Club; and a 6 hectare block of land, council approved for hotel/motel and shops. There is an increasing amount of small businesses establishing in this area.^{[ citation needed ]}

Education

There are no schools in Curra. The nearest government primary schools are Gunalda State School in neighbouring Gunalda to the north and Chatsworth State School in neighbouring Chatsworth to the south. The nearest government secondary school is James Nash State High School in Gympie to the south-east. ^[3]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Curra (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Curra – locality in Gympie Region (entry 46323)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 20 July 2021.
3. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 11 December 2021.
4. "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
5. "Curra – railway station in Gympie Region (entry 9040)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 11 December 2021.
6. "Harveys Siding – railway station in Gympie Region (entry 39841)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 11 December 2021.
7. "Proclamations under the New Land Acts". The Brisbane Courier . Queensland, Australia. 2 March 1877. p. 3. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020– via Trove.
8. "Curra". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
9. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN   978-1-921171-26-0
10. "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m110" (Map). Queensland Government. 1952. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
11. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
12. "Cooroy to Curra on death list again". The Bundaberg Newspaper Company. 19 January 2012. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
13. "Bruce Highway (Cooroy to Curra) Section D". Queensland Government Department of Transport and Main Roads. 19 October 2023. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
14. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Curra (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
15. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Curra (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.

Further reading

• Celebrating 100 years of education at Chatsworth : Chatsworth School centenary : incorporating Bell’s Bridge, Carmyle, Corella, Curra and Tamaree. Chatsworth State School. 2000. — via State Library of Queensland

External links

Media related to Curra, Queensland at Wikimedia Commons

• "Curra". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
• Community website