Smithlea, Queensland

Smithlea Queensland
Smithlea
Coordinates	28°48′24″S151°05′05″E / 28.8066°S 151.0847°E / -28.8066; 151.0847 (Smithlea (centre of locality))
Population	41 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	0.485/km2 (1.255/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4385
Area	84.6 km2 (32.7 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	16.5 km (10 mi) NW of Texas 97.7 km (61 mi) ESE of Goondiwindi 114 km (71 mi) W of Stanthorpe 153 km (95 mi) SW of Warwick 311 km (193 mi) SW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Goondiwindi Region
State electorate(s)	Southern Downs
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Suburbs around Smithlea: Beebo Beebo Limevale Camp Creek (NSW) Smithlea Limevale Texas (NSW) Texas (NSW) Texas

Smithlea is a rural locality in the Goondiwindi Region, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] It is on the Queensland border with New South Wales. ^[3] In the 2021 census, Smithlea had a population of 41 people. ^[1]

Geography

The Dumaresq River forms the southern and western boundary of the locality and is the border between Queensland and New South Wales. ^[4]

Texas–Yelarbon Road enters the locality from the south-east (Texas) and runs through the south and then west of the locality loosely parallel to the river before exiting to the north-west (Beebo). ^[5]

The land use is predominantly grazing on native vegetation with some crop growing in areas close to the river. ^[6]

History

Smithfield Provisional School opened on 7 May 1900, ^[7] becoming Smithfield State School on 1 January 1909. It closed in 1964. It was at approx 1381 Texas Yelarbon Road ( 28°48′15″S151°02′46″E / 28.80420°S 151.04598°E / -28.80420; 151.04598 (Smithfield State School (former)) ). ^[8]

A branch railway line from Inglewood to Texas via the Smithlea area was approved in1914. ^[9] Howvever, construction did not begin until February 1929 with the jobs created being sought by many hundreds of men out of work due to the Great Depression. ^{[10] [11]} The 55-kilometre (34 mi) Texas railway line was officially opened on Monday 10 November 1930 by Godfrey Morgan, the Queensland Minister for Railways. ^[12]

The Smithlea area was served by the Mundoey railway siding ( 28°47′37″S151°05′01″E / 28.79355°S 151.08348°E / -28.79355; 151.08348 (Mundoey railway siding (former)) ), which opened in September 1930. ^[13] It takes its name from the nearby Waddy Mundoey Creek, which is an Aboriginal name describing a European man with a wooden leg. ^{[14] [15]}

By 1963, passenger services on the railway line had ceased. ^[16] Regular services were withdrawn in 1985 being replaced by motor truck. The line closed on 1 January 1994 and is retained by Queensland Rail as a non-operational corridor. The track was left in place but other facilities were removed. ^[17]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Smithlea had a population of 47 people. ^[18]

In the 2021 census, Smithlea had a population of 41 people. ^[1]

Education

There are no schools in Smithlea. The nearest government primary and secondary school is Texas State School (Prep to Year 10) in neighbouring Texas to the south-east. There are no secondary schools providing education to Year 12 neaby; the alternatives are distance education and boarding school. ^[19]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Smithlea (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Smithlea – locality in Goondiwindi Region (entry 47828)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 6 May 2020.
3. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 28 December 2023.
4. "Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourses". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
5. "Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Railways; Railway stations". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
6. "Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use; Sugarcane areas". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
7. "OUR STATE SCHOOLS". Warwick Argus . Vol. XXXV, no. 2842. Queensland, Australia. 8 July 1899. p. 8. Retrieved 5 April 2025– via National Library of Australia.
8. "County of Clive" (Map). Queensland Government. 1921. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
9. "POLITICALITIES. Election Bribes". Queensland Figaro . Vol. XXXV, no. 2. Queensland, Australia. 12 January 1929. p. 13. Retrieved 13 March 2025– via National Library of Australia.
10. "TEXAS RAILWAY". The Toowoomba Chronicle And Darling Downs Gazette . Vol. LXVIII, no. 30. Queensland, Australia. 4 February 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 13 March 2025– via National Library of Australia.
11. "THE RAILWAYS". The Telegraph . No. 17, 658. Queensland, Australia. 9 July 1929. p. 3 (5 O'CLOCK CITY EDITION). Retrieved 13 March 2025– via National Library of Australia.
12. "BELOW ESTIMATED COST". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser . No. 18, 839. Queensland, Australia. 11 November 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 13 March 2025– via National Library of Australia.
13. "DAY BY DAY TEXAS RAILWAY". Warwick Daily News . No. 3487. Queensland, Australia. 3 September 1930. p. 4. Retrieved 13 March 2025– via National Library of Australia.
14. "Mundoey railway station – railway station in the Goondiwindi Region (entry 23438)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 13 March 2025.
15. "Waddy Mundoey Creek – watercourse in the Goondiwindi Region (entry 36119)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 13 March 2025.
16. Southern Downs Steam Railway (2008). "Historical information: (Warwick) – Inglewood – Texas". Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
17. QR Limited (Network Access division) (September 2005). "South Western System: Information Pack (Issue 2)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
18. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Smithlea (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
19. "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2025.