The Hermitage, Queensland

The Hermitage Queensland
The Hermitage
Coordinates	28°12′25″S152°06′29″E / 28.2069°S 152.1080°E / -28.2069; 152.1080 (The Hermitage (centre of locality))
Population	55 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	3.74/km2 (9.69/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4370
Area	14.7 km2 (5.7 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	8.0 km (5 mi) E of Warwick 88 km (55 mi) S of Toowoomba 157 km (98 mi) SW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Southern Downs Region
State electorate(s)	Southern Downs
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Suburbs around The Hermitage: Sladevale Sladevale Swan Creek Mount Tabor The Hermitage Swan Creek Junabee Junabee Junabee

The Hermitage is a rural locality in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2021 census, The Hermitage had a population of 55 people. ^[1] There is a large agricultural research facility in the locality.

Geography

The terrain ranges from 460 to 640 metres (1,510 to 2,100 ft) above sea level with the lower land in the centre and south of the locality and the higher terrain in the north of the location. ^[3]

The land use is crop growing with some grazing on native vegetation. ^[3]

Climate

The lowest temperature in Queensland was -10.6 °C (12.9 °F) registered on 12 July 1965 in The Hermitage. ^[4]

v t e Climate data for Hermitage (1965-1998), 28.21°S, 152.10° E, 475m AMSL
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	41.7 (107.1)	39.0 (102.2)	35.5 (95.9)	33.9 (93.0)	28.2 (82.8)	24.6 (76.3)	25.2 (77.4)	31.3 (88.3)	32.5 (90.5)	36.4 (97.5)	40.1 (104.2)	40.6 (105.1)	41.7 (107.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	29.6 (85.3)	28.6 (83.5)	27.2 (81.0)	24.6 (76.3)	20.7 (69.3)	17.8 (64.0)	17.1 (62.8)	18.7 (65.7)	22.0 (71.6)	25.0 (77.0)	27.4 (81.3)	29.1 (84.4)	24.0 (75.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	16.8 (62.2)	16.5 (61.7)	14.6 (58.3)	10.9 (51.6)	7.7 (45.9)	4.2 (39.6)	2.4 (36.3)	3.4 (38.1)	6.2 (43.2)	10.1 (50.2)	13.0 (55.4)	15.6 (60.1)	10.1 (50.2)
Record low °C (°F)	8.4 (47.1)	6.8 (44.2)	1.1 (34.0)	−1.2 (29.8)	−5.3 (22.5)	−7.9 (17.8)	−10.6 (12.9)	−7.0 (19.4)	−5.3 (22.5)	−3.6 (25.5)	1.3 (34.3)	4.8 (40.6)	−10.6 (12.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	81.6 (3.21)	74.7 (2.94)	60.5 (2.38)	35.0 (1.38)	42.4 (1.67)	36.7 (1.44)	40.2 (1.58)	29.2 (1.15)	36.7 (1.44)	65.6 (2.58)	71.5 (2.81)	94.5 (3.72)	668.1 (26.30)
Average precipitation days	8.3	7.4	6.8	5.0	5.8	5.8	5.6	4.9	5.0	7.2	7.3	8.7	77.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours	251.1	214.7	235.6	231.0	198.4	195.0	217.0	244.9	252.0	257.3	255.0	257.3	2,809.3
Source: Bureau of Meteorology [5]

History

The Hermitage Research Facility was established in March 1897 and was known as the State Farm and/or the Experimental Farm, ^[6] making it one of the oldest research centres in Queensland. The original land parcel included the homestead of The Hermitage farm. Its original purpose was to provide advice to farmers taking up land in the area through the Queensland Government's closer settlement programs. During the Great Depression, the land was leased for commercial income, but in 1946 resumed undertaking government experiments with wheat breeding. ^[7] On Thursday 20 March 1997, a cairn with a time capsule was unveiled to celebrate the centenary of the research facility. ^[8]

The locality was officially named and bounded on 14 September 2001. ^[2] It takes its name from an early pastoral property called The Hermitage. ^[6]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, The Hermitage had a population of 54 people. ^[9]

In the 2021 census, The Hermitage had a population of 55 people. ^[1]

Education

There are no schools in The Hermitage; the nearest schools are in Warwick. ^[10]

Amenities

The Hermitage-Yangan branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms at 589 Warwick Yangan Road. ^[11]

Facilities

The Queensland Government operates the Hermitage Research Facility at 604 Warwick Yangan Road ( 28°12′21″S152°06′05″E / 28.2059°S 152.1014°E / -28.2059; 152.1014 (Hermitage Research Facility) ). It occupies 228 hectares (560 acres) with a variety of soil types. Research areas include plant breeding, drought tolerance, and disease screening. The crops researched include barley, sorghum, chickpeas and mungbeans. ^{[12] [7]}

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "The Hermitage (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "The Hermitage – locality in Southern Downs Region (entry 45991)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 26 December 2018.
3. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 4 February 2024.
4. "Rainfall and temperature records". Bureau of Meteorology . 30 September 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
5. "Climate statistics for Australian locations". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
6. "EXPERIMENTAL FARM". Warwick Argus . Vol. XXXIII, no. 2596. Queensland, Australia. 27 February 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 4 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
7. Amos, R. E. (1989). "Hermitage Research Station" (PDF). Queensland Agricultural Journal . 115 (6): 310–312.
8. "Centenary of Hermitage Research Station". Monument Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
9. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "The Hermitage (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
10. "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government . Retrieved 3 February 2024.
11. "Branch locations". Queensland Country Women's Association . Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
12. "Hermitage research facility", Research stations and facilities, Queensland Government, retrieved 4 February 2024