Torbanlea

Torbanlea Queensland
Giant bamboo, Torbanlea, 2014
Torbanlea
Coordinates	25°20′46″S152°35′45″E / 25.3461°S 152.5958°E / -25.3461; 152.5958 (Torbanlea (town centre))
Population	791 (2016 census) [1]
• Density	27.85/km2 (72.14/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4662
Area	28.4 km2 (11.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	5.1 km (3 mi) SE of Howard 23.5 km (15 mi) WSW of Hervey Bay 25.4 km (16 mi) NNW of Maryborough 274 km (170 mi) N of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Fraser Coast Region
State electorate(s)	Maryborough
Federal division(s)	Hinkler
Localities around Torbanlea: Howard Burrum Town Burrum River Howard Torbanlea Burgowan Duckinwilla Duckinwilla Burgowan

Torbanlea is a rural town and locality in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. ^{[2] [3]} In the 2016 census the locality of Torbanlea had a population of 791 people. ^[1]

Geography

The Burrum River forms the western and northern boundary of the locality. The town is located on the north-western edge of the locality. The North Coast railway line passes through Torbanlea from the south-east to the north with the Torbanlea railway station ( 25°20′50″S152°35′53″E / 25.3472°S 152.5980°E / -25.3472; 152.5980 (Torbanlea railway station) ) in the town centre. ^[4] The Bruce Highway runs through the locality parallel and south of the railway line, bypassing the town centre. ^[5]

Apart from the town centre, the principal land use is farming mostly along the river and along the highway. The hillier parts of the locality in the south-east are undeveloped bushland. ^[5]

History

The name Torbanlea is believed to have been suggested by mining manager, James Robertson, after Torbane Hill in Scotland. ^[2]

Torbanlea State School opened on 26 September 1887. ^[6]

Torbanlea Primitive Methodist Church opened on Sunday 22 March 1891 by Reverend John Prowse. ^[7] Prior to this Reverend E. Knight held services in Torbanlea under a tree and in the Reading Room hall. With the amalgamation of the Methodist denominations circa 1900, the church became the Torbanlea Methodist Church. With the amalgamation of the Methodist Church into the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977, it became the Torbanlea Uniting Church. ^[8] The church is now closed and the congregation amalgamated with the Howard Uniting Church. The church was sold into private ownership in November 2015 for $80,000. ^[9] As at August 2020, the church building at 12 Gympie Street ( 25°20′47″S152°35′41″E / 25.3465°S 152.5946°E / -25.3465; 152.5946 (Torbanlea Uniting Church (former)) ) is still extant. ^[8]

St Stephen's Anglican Church opened circa 1896. It closed circa 1988. ^[10] It was at 10 Crawford Street ( 25°20′50″S152°35′45″E / 25.3472°S 152.5957°E / -25.3472; 152.5957 (St Stephen's Anglican Church (former)) ). ^[11] It was sold into private ownership in September 1989 for $25,000. As at August 2020, the church building is still extant, but modified to become a private residence. ^{[12] [13]}

An accident at a nearby colliery killed five workers in 1900.^{[ citation needed ]}

In May 1984, the Bruce Highway bypass was opened. Previously the highway had run through the town on Robertson Street. Neighbouring Howard was also bypassed as part of same project. ^[14]

In the 2011 census, Torbanlea reported a population of 871 people. ^[15]

In the 2016 census the locality of Torbanlea had a population of 791 people. ^[1]

Economy

Torbanlea was a coal mining town.^{[ citation needed ]} The manufacture of more than 60 trains at a facility in Torbanlea is planned ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. ^[16] This represented the largest investment in train manufacturing in the state. ^[16] The publicly owned facilities cost an estimated $239 million to build. ^[17]

Education

Torbanlea State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Pialba Road ( 25°20′52″S152°35′59″E / 25.3479°S 152.5998°E / -25.3479; 152.5998 (Torbanlea State School) ). ^{[18] [19]} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 305 students with 24 teachers (22 full-time equivalent) and 15 non-teaching staff (11 full-time equivalent). ^[20] It includes a special education program. ^{[18] [21]}

There is no secondary school in Torbanlea. The nearest government secondary schools are Hervey Bay State High School in Pialba in Hervey Bay to the north-east and Aldridge State High School in Maryborough to the south. ^[5]

Amenities

Howard/Torbanlea Uniting Church is in Coal Street, Howard ( 25°18′59″S152°33′29″E / 25.3163°S 152.5581°E / -25.3163; 152.5581 (Howard Uniting Church) ). ^{[22] [23] [24]} It is part of the Mary Burnett Presbytery of the Uniting Church in Australia. ^[25]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Torbanlea (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
2. "Torbanlea – town in Fraser Coast Region (entry 35008)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 20 July 2021.
3. "Torbanlea – locality in Fraser Coast Region (entry 46683)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 20 July 2021.
4. "Torbanlea – railway station in the Fraser Coast Region (entry 35009)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 20 October 2021.
5. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 20 October 2021.
6. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN   978-1-921171-26-0
7. "TORBANLEA". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser . No. 5, 513. Queensland, Australia. 31 March 1891. p. 3. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021– via National Library of Australia.
8. "Torbanlea Uniting Church - Former". Churches Australia. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
9. "12 Gympie Street, Torbanlea Qld 4662". Realestate.com.au . Retrieved 20 October 2021.
10. "Closed Anglican Churches". Anglican Church South Queensland. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
11. Google (20 October 2021). "10 Crawford St" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
12. "10 Crawford Street, Torbanlea Qld 4662". Realestate.com.au . Retrieved 20 October 2021.
13. "St Stephen's Anglican Church - Former". Churches Australia. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
14. "Burrum and District Museum". Australian Museums and Galleries. Archived from the original on 13 November 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
15. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Torbanlea (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
16. "Trains bound for Brisbane's 2032 Olympic Games to be built in Maryborough". ABC News. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
17. Annastacia Palaszczuk; Cameron Dick; Mark Bailey (20 October 2021). "Palaszczuk Government to invest $7.1 billion to make Queensland a train building powerhouse" (Media Statement). Retrieved 23 October 2021.
18. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
19. "Torbanlea State School". Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
20. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
21. "Torbanlea SS - Special Education Program". Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
22. "Find a Church". Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
23. "Howard/Torbanlea – Hervey Bay Uniting Church". Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
24. "Howard Uniting Church". Churches Australia. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
25. "Queensland congregations and faith communities" (PDF). Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod . March 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.

Further reading

• Torbanlea State School : 1887-1987 centenary, Torbanlea School Centenary Committee, 1987

External links

• "Torbanlea". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
• "Town map of Torbanlea". Queensland Government. 1970.