Kingaroy is the seat of the South Burrnett Region.[7] It is known as the "Peanut Capital of Australia" because Australia's largest peanut processing plant is located in the town and it's peanut silo dominates the skyline.[8] Kingaroy is also known as the hometown of former Premier of Queensland, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.[9]
Geography
Kingaroy is surrounded by extensive (and very picturesque) farmlands interspersed with low rolling hills. The Booie Range lies immediately north-east of the town and the Bunya Mountains about 55 kilometres (34mi) to the south-west.
The Stuart River (26°33′55″S151°48′30″E / 26.565304°S 151.808283°E / -26.565304; 151.808283) flows northwards on the western outskirts of the town. The locality is part of the Burnett River catchment.[10] The productive lands of the catchment feature sedimentary floodplains. The rich fertile soils of the floodplains are the agricultural and resource backbone of the region. While there are benefits of the flooding there are also risks including the loss of vegetation in riparian zones, biosecurity issues and spread of weed species.[11]
The locality sits in the Tarong Coal Basin.[12][13]
Kingaroy varies in altitude / elevation / height above sea level from about 415 metres (1,362ft) (highlight point) to 562 metres (1,844ft) (highlight point) above sea level.[14]
Edenvale is a neighbourhood within the locality (26°33′58″S151°51′26″E / 26.5662°S 151.8573°E / -26.5662; 151.8573 (Edenvale)), which takes its name from the Edenvale railway station which was named on 15 March 1911 by the Queensland Railways Department, because the land for the railway station was resumed from "Paradise Farm".[15]
Climate
Kingaroy experiences an elevation-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa), with very warm, relatively wet summers and mild, dry winters with cold nights. Annual precipitation averages 654.7 millimetres (25.78in), with a summer maximum.[16] Record temperatures have ranged from 41.6°C (106.9°F) on 12 February 2017 to −6.7°C (19.9°F) on 18 July 1961.[17]
Climate data for Kingaroy Airport (26º34'12"S, 151º50'24"E, 434 m AMSL) (2001-2024 normals and extremes)
The original weather station at Kingaroy's Prince Street had been recording rainfall since 1905 and temperatures since 1947. However, it closed in 2000, in favour of the new, more advanced weather station at the town's airport 2.2 kilometres (1.4mi) SW.
Climate data for Thangool Airport (26º33'00"S, 151º51'00"E, 442 m AMSL) (1947-2001 normals, extremes 1957-2001, rainfall to 1905)
The origin of the name Kingaroy is usually claimed to be derived from the Wakka Wakka Aboriginal word for 'Red Ant'. The local Kingaroy Rugby League football team is known as "the Red Ants" and a Red Ant features on the old Kingaroy Shire coat of arms. A Wakka Wakka Word List provides the following explanation: "Derived from 'king', a small black ant, and 'dhu'roi', meaning hungry. The name was suggested by a local Aboriginal helper of the surveyor, Hector Munro, who surveyed the original grazing holding of this name, on account of these ants being a pest at the survey camp.".[3][4][20] Munro selected Wakka Wakka words describing various species of ants when he surveyed a number of local towns, including Taabinga (dha' be'ngga) and Mondure (mon'dhur).[20]
History
Wakka Wakka (Waka Waka, Wocca Wocca, Wakawaka) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken in the Burnett River catchment. The Wakka Wakka language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the North and South Burnett Regional Council, particularly the towns of Cherbourg, Murgon, Kingaroy, Gayndah, Eidsvold and Mundubbera.[21]
Rural settlement of the area dates back to 1843 when one of the first selections was made at Burrandowan (west of Kingaroy) by squatter and explorer Henry Stuart Russell. Even through Russell was reputedly the first European to realise the potential of the South Burnett, it was Simon Scott of Taromeo (now Blackbutt) and the Haly brothers of Taabinga who brought the first flocks of sheep to the area in the late 1850s.
In 1878, the district where Kingaroy now stands was settled by the Markwell brothers. When the first resumptions were made from the enormous Taabinga holding, the brothers selected two adjoining areas and in 1883 these leases were converted to freehold and became known as the 'Kingaroy Paddock'. The corner of this paddock was located on what is now known as Haly Street, named after the brothers who settled at Taabinga Station about 12 kilometres (7mi) south-west of present-day Kingaroy. A small, prosperous village grew up around Taabinga in the 1890s.
View of Kingaroy Street (ahead) and Haly Street (left and right) from the Kingaroy railway station, circa 1910Kingaroy railway station (no longer in use), 2023
The opening of the 5th stage of Nanango railway line to its terminus at Kingaroy railway station in the newly laid-out town of Kingaroy (known as the 56-mile peg) in 1904 led to a land explosion around Kingaroy and the development of Kingaroy as it now exists.[22] Taabinga quickly declined into a ghost town by the end of World War I and today the original Taabinga Homestead and a few outbuildings are all that remain of it. The area opposite Kingaroy Airport is today known as "Taabinga Village" but is really only a suburb of Kingaroy.
Taabinga Village Provisional School opened on 10 August 1897. On 1 January 1909, it became Taabinga Village State School. On 16 July 1961, Taabinga Village State School was closed and pupils transferred to the new Taabinga State School in Kingaroy.[23]
Malar Provisional School opened in 1901. On 1 January 1909, it became Malar State School. There were a number of temporary closures until the school closed permanently in 1955. The school was "via Kingaroy".[23]
Historic photos of Kingaroy State School
Mount Jones Provisional School opened on 20 January 1902. In 1905, it was renamed Kingaroy Provisional School. On 1 January 1909, it became Kingaroy State School. On 19 February 191,8 a secondary department was added, which was discontinued in 1958 when Kingaroy State High School opened.[23]
The first Kingaroy Post Office opened by 1902 (a receiving office had been open from 1895) and was renamed Taabinga Village in 1905, when Kingaroy Railway Station office opened. This was renamed Kingaroy in 1907. The Taabinga Village office closed in 1929.[24]
Erin Vale State School opened in 1911. In 1912 it was renamed Stuart Valley State School. It closed in 1961. It was "via Kingaroy".[23]
Kingaroy's first general hospital opened on 19 November 1914. Prior the only hospital located in Kingaroy was St. Aubyn's private hospital, which opened in 1910. Clydebank Hospital became Kingaroy's second private hospital, which later became a hostel for children. Kingaroy's new public hospital was opened 7 October 1839.[25][26]
Kingaroy Soldiers' Memorial Rotunda, 1950
The foundation stone of the Kingaroy Soldiers' Memorial Rotunda was laid on 25 April 1922 (ANZAC Day) by the RSL president Sergeant Norman Booth.[27] It was dedicated on 29 June 1932 by Mayor-General Sir Thomas William Glasgow.[28][29]
The Kingaroy Branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association was established 22 August 1922 with Florence Daphne Youngman of Taabinga Homestead as the first president. In 1926 her husband Arthur Youngman donated land at 122 Kingaroy Street and Charlie Gills built the first rooms. On 24 November 1956 a hall was built at the rear of the rooms to allow for catering of weddings and functions.[30]
Aircraft firing butts, 2008
St Mary's Catholic Primary School opened in January 1929. In 1980 it merged with St Mary's Catholic Secondary School to become South Burnett Catholic College.[23]
The town's wastewater treatment plant was established circa 1940 with the treated water being discharged into the Stuart River. A major upgrade occurred between 2014 2016 resulting greater processing capacity at greater efficiency with treated water now being recycled for use on sporting fields and the golf course.[31]
The Royal Australian Air Force had a significant operational and training presence in the region during the World War II, the first squadrons deploying to the town's airport about mid-1942. At least eight squadrons were based at RAAF Kingaroy then (viz. Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, 15, 75, 92 and 93 Squadrons), together with No. 3 Initial Training School. Aircraft operated there by the RAAF included Avro Ansons, CAC Wirraways, DAP Beauforts, DH Mosquitos, Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawks and Bristol Beaufighters. Kingaroy R.A.A.F. Post Office was open from 7 August 1942 until 28 February 1946.[24][32]
The presence of the US Army in Queensland generally and more particularly in Kingaroy created a need to supply them with very large quantities of navy beans (known as baked beans in Australia) which led to widespread planting of navy beans in the Kingaroy area from 1940 with seed supplied by the US Army. Such was the military importance of navy beans that all war-time production of navy beans was done under contract to the Australian Government and subject to the National Security Act. After the war, the industry struggled with a number of issues including tariffs, marketing, processing and being controlled from Brisbane. With the vast majority of bean growers in Queensland being in the Kingaroy area and following the destruction of the processing factory in Toowoomba, local growers decided to form a co-operative based in Kingaroy to process and market the product locally on a site provided by Kingaroy Shire Council who wanted to encourage the project. Since 1993, the cooperative is known as Bean Growers Australia.[33]
St Mary's Catholic Secondary School opened in 1946. In 1980 it merged with St Mary's Catholic Primary School to become South Burnett Catholic College.[23]
Kingaroy State High School opened on 28 January 1958, replacing the secondary department at Kingaroy State School.[23]
South Burnett Catholic College opened in 1980, as the merger of St Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools.[23]
Kingaroy Christian College opened on 24 April 1984 and closed on 6 May 1999.[23] The college had buried a time capsule on 24 April 1994. On 16 April 2013, former students dug up the time capsule with the assistance of the owners of the former school site. The time capsule contained a number of small items including a floppy disk.[34]
St John's Lutheran Primary School opened on 23 January 1989 with 26 students and 2 teachers. The school was established by relocating the school buildings from the closed Mannuem Creek State School in Mannuem.[35][36] In 2014 the school expanded to offer junior secondary schooling (Years 7 to 9).[23][37]
Kingaroy is also noted for being the first region in Australia to be placed on Level 7 Water Restrictions, which occurred on 1 October 2007.[39]
In 2017, Kingaroy Magistrates and District Court underwent a $5.3 million refurbishment. The improvements included a full internal and external refurbishment and a new secure interview room for witnesses to give evidence. The courthouse was officially opened on 6 February 2018 by Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath.[40]
Kingaroy also has a number of sites listed on the Local Heritage Register of the South Burnett Regional Council, including:
Youngman Street: Kingaroy Showgrounds – the former Coolabunia railway station and station master's house, pavilions, World War II huts, spectator stands, stables and amenities come under the umbrella of the Showgrounds listing.[53]
Kingaroy is noted for its rich, red, volcanic soil, seen in the foreground. Its newly established vineyards have enabled the area to benefit from tourism.A wheat field in the Kingaroy region
Traditionally, Kingaroy has always been the centre of Australia's peanut and navy bean industries but since the early 1990s it has also developed into one of the twin hubs of the South Burnett's rapidly expanding wine industry (the other hub is at Murgon, Redgate and Moffatdale, 55 kilometres (34mi) to the north).
Droughts and uncertainty surrounding the region's annual peanut crop led some farmers to diversify and grow grapes. Rich volcanic soil, hot dry summers and cold winters proved to be ideal conditions for wine growing. Quite a number of vineyards were established in the region, and the success of their wine enables the South Burnett region, which includes Kingaroy, to promote the area as a tourist destination. The success of these enterprises has been largely attributed to the scenery of the location, and has benefited the local economy.
Other than grapes, peanuts and navy beans, other crops commonly grown in the Kingaroy area are sorghum, wheat, maize, sunflowers, citrus fruits and duboisia, a kind of plant often used for pharmaceutical products.
Kingaroy is centred on one of Australia's largest pork producing regions, and since the early 1960s has been home to one of Queensland's largest pig abattoirs, Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory.
Hardwood Forestry Plantations have been prominent across the landscape since the early 2000s, having been established on many farms in the region as joint ventures between Landholders and the Queensland Government. The Plantation Forestry Industry is expected to provide employment for many locals in the future.
Sports
Kingaroy has a vibrant sporting life. The town is home to a number of leading sports people including NRL players Chris Sandow and Chris McQueen Wallabies centre/fly-half Berrick Barnes, as well as former Australian cricket test and one day opening batter Matthew Hayden and Southern Stars women's cricket Australian representative bowler Holly Ferling. Kingaroy also has its own golf club, cricket club. Kingaroy Bowls Club has 2 Grass greens and plays on Thursdays and Sundays. Kingaroy & District Tennis Association has 8 synthetic grass courts, and a practice wall. The tennis club holds Thursday night fixtures and other social day matches during the week. It is also has a notable speedway track.
Kingaroy has a rich history with Australia's four Football codes. Rugby League is arguably the most popular sport in terms of having a following, which reflects the passionate Rugby League culture in the Wide Bay-Burnett region. Kingaroy has a rugby league team that participates in the South Burnett Rugby League competition, named the Kingaroy Red Ants.
The town also has two Football (Soccer) teams, Gunners and Wests, that take part in the South Burnett's Football competition. Kingaroy is also home to the South Burnett Thrashers, a Rugby Union team that participates at B Grade level in the strong Darling Downs Rugby Union competition. In 2013, an AFL team, the South Burnett Saints, joined the Darling Downs competition. This is based in Kingaroy and plays at Lyle Vidler Oval. Kingaroy previously had junior and senior AFL teams in the Darling Downs AFL competition, with the Kingaroy Bulldogs senior men's side playing on and off from the early 1980s up until 2006, and the Kingaroy-Nanango Jets junior side playing up until 2009.
The Kingaroy Showgrounds is also home to the Kingaroy Speedway, a 400 metres (440 yards)clay oval. The speedway, which opened in 1968, is run by the South Burnett Speedway Club.[66]
Culture
Kingaroy has a vibrant cultural and social life and is home to an art gallery and several local craft outlets as well as a range of well-maintained and attractive parklands. The South Burnett Regional Council operates a public library in Kingaroy at Glendon Street.[67][68]
Live entertainment is held regularly at the Returned Services League club as well as several central hotels and in Kingaroy Town Hall. A half-dozen cellardoors are located either in town of very close to it.
The South Burnett Musical Comedy Society (SBMCS) is based in Kingaroy and annually holds a minor production (e.g. a concert) around April/May and a major production (a full theatrical musical) around August to October. The group celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019.
The Kingaroy Public Library opened in 1945 and had a major refurbishment in 2011.[77]
Kingaroy also has an aerodrome a few kilometres from the centre of town and there is a coach service between Proston and Caboolture on weekdays.[78][79]
interpretative arena which highlights local industries.
The Heritage Precinct includes
Carroll's Cottage (the first building constructed in Kingaroy)[46]
Carrollee Hotel
Shire's earliest Council Chambers (built in 1913).[47]
The Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail follows the old railway line between the two towns. It is 88 kilometres (55mi) long and passes through Goomeri, Murgon, Wondai, Tingoora, Wooroolin, Memerambi, and Crawford. The trail from Kilkivan to Murgon is unsealed. Queensland’s first and longest sealed rail trail section of 44 kilometres (27mi) from Murgon to Kingaroy is for walkers and cyclists only. Short distances between towns means coffee is never far away.[94][95][96]
The town has two lookouts.
The narrow road to Mt Wooroolin Lookout is not suitable for vehicles towing caravans or trailers. The lookout provides 360 degree views, as well as a grassed area with picnic tables and wood barbecues.[97] There is a 2.4-kilometre (1.5mi) loop trail for hikers and mountain bikers from Mt Wooroolin Lookout through the nature reserve of endangered eucalypt woodland and dry vine forest.[98][99]Regent Bowerbirds, Black-breasted buttonquail and Eastern Shriketit can sometimes be sighted.[97]
The Kingaroy Observatory (formerly Maidenwell Observatory) was moved to its new site in Geoff Raph Drive at the airport in early March 2015 and opened for business on 29 June. Kingaroy Observatory is a major tourist attraction for those wanting to eyeball the Universe up close, in large powerful telescopes, under a canopy of stars not affected by light pollution.[102]
The town is situated in the middle of some spectacular scenery, and is popular for bushwalking.
Several wineries are located either in or very close to the town, along with the Booie Range Distillery which opened in 2001 – only the third distillery in Queensland.
Kingaroy is the largest town in the South Burnett and the region's commercial centre, offering all the services, shopping facilities and many of the industries generally expected in much larger centres. The town has its own hotels, motels, caravan parks, bed and breakfasts and cabins; and a range of restaurants, fast food outlets and petrol stations (including 24-hour petrol stations). Unlike many towns of its size, Kingaroy has its own shopping mall that includes Woolworths, Big W, and other retailers.
The Big Peanut
The Big Peanut is a monument located in Lions Park on the corner of Kingaroy Street and Baron Street. It is considered to be one of Australia's big things. Constructed by scrap metal artist Kane Minogue using old farming machinery from local peanut farms, the 450 kilogram sculpture stands at 3.4 metres tall and has a width of 1.4 metres.[103][104]
The Big Peanut was installed in Lions Park on 4 November 2021 and was officially unveiled at a community celebration on 2 April 2022 which was also held to recognise the Kingaroy Needs A Big Peanut committee, the sponsors and Minogue.[105][106] The original mascot from the defunct Kingaroy Peanut Festival was also in attendance.[106] Kingaroy's Peanut Festival was an annual event held from 1959 until it was axed in 2011 following the Queensland floods due to a lack of community support.[107]
Although the idea for such as landmark had regularly been suggested for at least thirty years prior, it wasn't until 2017 when the concept for The Big Peanut garnered substantial support after a social media campaign was launched called "Kingaroy Needs A Big Peanut" which drew support from South Burnett Regional Council.[108] Prior to the installation of The Big Peanut, the landmark was depicted in a 2020 episode of the ABC Kids program Bluey.[109]
In March 2022, a 29-year-old man appeared in court on 15 charges including 12 counts of wilful damage by graffiti after he used spray paint to vandalise The Big Peanut and other local sites across Kingaroy between 3 January 2022 and 10 January 2022.[110][111] He was ordered to pay restitution, complete 40 hours of unpaid graffiti removal work and also fined $250 for drug offences.[110]
Mundubbera is a rural town and a locality in the North Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Mundubbera had a population of 1,120 people.
Nanango is a rural town and locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Nanango had a population of 3,679 people.
Eidsvold is a rural town and locality in the North Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. The town is the self-proclaimed Beef Capital of the Burnett and is a hub for the regional cattle industry. In the 2021 census, the locality of Eidsvold had a population of 538 people.
Murgon is a rural town and locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Murgon had a population of 2,220 people.
Wondai is a rural town and locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Wondai had a population of 1,975 people.
Kilkivan is a town and locality in the Gympie Region of Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Kilkivan had a population of 689 people.
Goomeri is a rural town and locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Goomeri had a population of 677 people.
The Shire of Kingaroy was a local government area in the South Burnett area of Queensland, Australia, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) northwest of the capital, Brisbane. The shire covered an area of 2,420.3 square kilometres (934.5 sq mi), and existed as a local government area from 1912 until 2008, when it amalgamated with a number of other local government areas in the South Burnett area to become the South Burnett Region.
The South Burnett is a peanut growing and wine-producing area on the Great Dividing Range, north of the Darling Downs, in Queensland. It is with the basin of the Burnett River. The area is within two local government areas, South Burnett Region and Gympie Region.
Tingoora is a rural town and a locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia.
Wooroolin is a rural town and a locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia.
Kumbia is a rural town and locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Kumbia had a population of 301 people.
Memerambi is a rural town and locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Memerambi had a population of 338 people.
Booie is a rural locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Booie had a population of 1,094 people.
Durong is a rural locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Durong had a population of 219 people.
Haly Creek is a rural locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Haly Creek had a population of 124 people.
Taabinga is a rural town and locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia.
Brooklands is a rural locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Brooklands had a population of 324 people.
Goodger is a rural locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Goodger had a population of 176 people.
Inverlaw is a rural locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia.
↑ Shields, Tony; Campbell, Rod; Hughes, Travis (13 March 2019). "Coal in Kingaroy". Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
↑ "THE SOUTHERN BURNETT". The Queenslander. No.2025. Queensland, Australia. 31 December 1904. p.23. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "Media Statements". The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory. 6 February 2018. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
↑ "Taabinga State School". Taabinga State School. 29 November 2020. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
↑ Miller, Anne (28 October 2020). "Funding For School Memorial". southburnett.com.au. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
↑ Long, Brandon (5 November 2021). "Big Peanut unveiled in Kingaroy". Queensland Country Life. Australian Community Media. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
1 2 McGrath, Jessica (9 April 2022). "Party for Kingaroy's nut". South Burnett Today. Star News Group. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
↑ McGrath, Jessica (7 February 2022). "Festival of 'Our Peanuts'". South Burnett Today. Star News Group. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
↑ McGrath, Jessica (23 February 2022). "Firm stance against graffiti". South Burnett Today. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
External links
"Kingaroy". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
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