Moonie, Queensland

Moonie Queensland
The playground, craft and information centre at Moonie
Moonie
Coordinates	27°43′00″S150°22′13″E / 27.7166°S 150.3702°E / -27.7166; 150.3702 (Moonie (town centre))
Population	182 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	0.09369/km2 (0.2427/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4406
Area	1,942.5 km2 (750.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	89.1 km (55 mi) SSW of Tara 96.1 km (60 mi) N of Goondiwindi 158 km (98 mi) SW of Dalby 222 km (138 mi) WSW of Toowoomba 375 km (233 mi) W of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Western Downs Region Goondiwindi Region
State electorate(s)	Warrego
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Localities around Moonie: Hannaford The Gums Tara Marmadua Southwood Moonie Weir River Lundavra Calingunee Boondandilla Yagaburne

Moonie is a rural town in the Western Downs Region and a locality split between the Western Downs Region and the Goondiwindi Region in Queensland, Australia. ^{[2] [3] [4]} In the 2021 census, the locality of Moonie had a population of 182 people. ^[1]

Geography

The town is on the Darling Downs at the intersection of the Leichhardt and Moonie Highways, 331 kilometres (206 mi) west of the state capital, Brisbane, and is the Official Oil Capital of Australia. The locality is split between the Western Downs Region (northern part of the locality) and the Goondiwindi Region (southern part of the locality).

The Moonie Highway passes through the locality from the north-east to the south-west. The Leichhardt Highway passes through the locality from the north to the south. The town is at the intersection of the two highways. ^[5]

History

The town's name is derived from Moonie River, which was first recorded as Mooni by Sir Thomas Mitchell in November 1846 when he passed through the region. ^[6]

Moonie State School opened on 14 May 1962. ^[7]

In 1973, a church building was moved from Drillham to Moonie to become Our Lady of the Way Catholic Church. ^{[8] [9]}

Moonie Post Office opened by June 1966 closed in 1983. ^[10]

Moonie Library opened in 2003. ^[11]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Moonie had a population of 189 people. ^[12]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Moonie had a population of 182 people. ^[1]

Economy

Farm land, Moonie, 2016

In December 1961, Moonie was the site of Australia's first commercial oil field, a very small field consisting of less than one percent of Australia's oil and gas reserves. ^[13] The oil field is still operational. ^[14] The region is also an agricultural area that produces grain, beef cattle and prime lambs.

Education

Moonie State School is a government primary (Early Childhood to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 11305 Moonie Highway ( 27°42′50″S150°22′24″E / 27.7138°S 150.3732°E / -27.7138; 150.3732 (Moonie State School) ). ^{[15] [16]} In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 43 students with 4 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent). ^[17] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 27 students with 2 teachers and 6 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent). ^[18]

There is no secondary school in Moonie. The nearest government secondary school is Tara Shire State School in neighbouring Tara to the north. However, unless resident in the northern parts of the locality of Moonie, the distances involved are so large that distance education and boarding school would be other options. ^[5]

Amenities

The town has a service station, the Moonie Sports Club, a pool and a motel.

Moonie Library is on the eastern corner of the Leichhardt Highway and the Moonie Highway ( 27°43′02″S150°22′16″E / 27.7172°S 150.3710°E / -27.7172; 150.3710 (Moonie public library) ). ^[19]

Our Lady of the Way Catholic Church is on the Moonie Highway ( 27°43′06″S150°22′02″E / 27.71836°S 150.3672°E / -27.71836; 150.3672 (Our Lady of the Way Catholic Church) ). It is part of the parish of St Mary of the Angels' Parish based in Tara within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba. ^{[8] [9] [20]}

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Moonie (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Moonie – town in Western Downs Region (entry 22670)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 29 December 2017.
3. "Moonie – locality in Western Downs Region (entry 47730)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 29 December 2017.
4. "Moonie – locality in Goondiwindi Region (entry 47820)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 29 December 2017.
5. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 1 January 2022.
6. "MOONIE, QUEENSLAND" . Retrieved 30 May 2011.
7. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN   978-1-921171-26-0
8. "Our Lady of the Way Catholic Church". Churches Australia. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
9. Blake, Thom. "Church of Our Lady of the Way". Queensland religious places database. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
10. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
11. "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
12. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Moonie (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
13. "Moonie". Walkabout - Australian Travel Guide. Fairfax. Archived from the original on 3 September 2007. Retrieved 23 September 2007.
14. Honari 1, Gonzalez 2, Underschultz 3, Garnett 4., V.1, S.2, J.3, A.4. (2019). "Moonie oil field history match and re-evaluation, The University of Queensland Surat Deep Aquifer Appraisal Project – Supplementary Detailed Report" (PDF). The University of Queensland. Retrieved 7 June 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. "Moonie State School" . Retrieved 21 November 2018.
17. "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Moonie State School. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
18. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority . Retrieved 28 January 2020.
19. "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. p. 16. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
20. "Our Lady of the Way Church, Moonie". Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba . 26 July 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2022.

External links

• "Town map of Moonie". Queensland Government. 1986.