Widgee Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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Coordinates | 26°12′59″S152°25′12″E / 26.2163°S 152.42°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 862 (SAL 2021) [1] | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4570 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 197.8 km2 (76.4 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location | |||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | Gympie Region | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Gympie | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Wide Bay | ||||||||||||||
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Widgee is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. [2] In the 2021 census, Widgee had a population of 862 people. [3]
The name is believed to have originated from the Aboriginal words Witchee Witchee meaning listen or hark. [4]
In 1887, 43,000 acres (17,000 ha) of land were resumed from the Widgee Widgee pastoral run. The land was offered for selection for the establishment of small farms on 17 April 1887. [5]
Widgee Provisional School opened on 11 July 1892, presumably in temporary premises, [6] [7] as tenders to erect a building were not called until April 1893. [8] It became Widgee State School on 1 January 1909. A new school building was built in 1913. [9] It was closed in 1921. It was near Station Creek (approx 26°11′52″S152°25′01″E / 26.19787°S 152.41702°E ). [10] [11] [12]
On 10 August 1912 at the Lands Office at Gympie, the Queensland Government offered for selection 48 agricultural lots in the Widgee Repurchased Estate. The lots ranged in size from 160 to 758 acres (65 to 307 ha), in total 20,266 acres (8,201 ha). 17 blocks were situated around Waroonga Creek to the north-west of Widgee Mountain ( 26°14′34″S152°22′23″E / 26.2428°S 152.3731°E ) while 31 blocks were situated to south around Widgee Creek and Little Widgee Creek. The blocks were described as suitable for dairying and general farming with an average annual rainfall of 40 inches (1,000 mm). [13] [14]
The Widgee Soldiers' Memorial Hall was officially opened in the presence of 300 people on Saturday 31 March 1923 by Harry Clayton, the Member for the local electoral district of Wide Bay in the Queensland Legislative Assembly. [15] The opening of the hall enabled the school to re-open using the hall until 1938 when a new school was built beside the hall. [11]
On Sunday 27 March 1938, a stump-capping ceremony was performed for a Catholic church on land donated by Mrs W. Power of Widgee. [16] The church was officially opened and dedicated to St Vincent de Paul on Sunday 25 September 1938 by Archbishop James Duhig in the presence of 500 residents. The timber church was 60 by 30 feet (18.3 by 9.1 m) and could seat 100 people; it cost £674. [17]
In the 2011 census, Widgee had a population of 788 people. [18]
In the 2016 census, Widgee had a population of 794 people. [19]
In the 2021 census, Widgee had a population of 862 people. [3]
Widgee has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Widgee State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 2156 Gympie-Woolooga Road ( 26°12′14″S152°26′35″E / 26.2038°S 152.4431°E ). [21] [22] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 52 students with 4 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 6 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent). [23]
There are no secondary schools in Widgee; the nearest one is James Nash State High School in Gympie. [24]
St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church is on the south-west corner of Gympie Woolooga Road and Little Widgee Road ( 26°12′15″S152°26′33″E / 26.20419°S 152.44243°E ). [25] [26] [27]
The Soldiers' Memorial Hall is at 2148 Gympie Woolooga Road ( 26°12′14″S152°26′38″E / 26.20391°S 152.44380°E ). [28] [29] Inside the hall, an honour board commemorates those who served in World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War. [30] Outside the hall, a war memorial also commemorates those who served in the conflicts. [31] [32]
Widgee Showgrounds are at 22 Upper Widgee Road ( 26°12′07″S152°26′13″E / 26.20197°S 152.43687°E ). [33] The Widgee & District Pony Club is located there. [34]
Gympie is a city and a locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the Wide Bay-Burnett District, Gympie is about 170.7 kilometres (110 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city lies on the Mary River, which floods Gympie occasionally. The locality of Gympie is the central business district for the city of Gympie and also the administrative centre for the Gympie Region local government area. As of the 2021 Census, Gympie had an urban population of 22,424.
Kandanga is a town and a locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Kandanga had a population of 665 people.
Kilkivan is a town and locality in the Gympie Region of Queensland, Australia. At the 2016 census, Kilkivan had a population of 713.
Goomeri is a rural town and locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Goomeri had a population of 664 people.
Eumundi is a rural town and locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Eumundi had a population of 2,504 people.
The Shire of Kilkivan was a local government area about 180 kilometres (112 mi) north-northwest of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. The shire covered an area of 3,263.4 square kilometres (1,260.0 sq mi), and existed from 1886 until its merger with several other local government areas to form the Gympie Region on 15 March 2008.
The Shire of Cooloola was a local government area located about 170 kilometres (106 mi) north of Brisbane – the state capital of Queensland, Australia. The shire covered an area of 2,968.8 square kilometres (1,146.3 sq mi), and was the product of a merger in 1993 between the City of Gympie and the Shire of Widgee, which had both existed since 1879–1880. It merged with several other LGAs to form the Gympie Region on 15 March 2008.
Southside is a semi-rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Southside had a population of 5,737 people.
Imbil is a rural town and locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Imbil had a population of 924 people.
Theebine is a rural town and locality split between the Gympie Region and the Fraser Coast Region, both in Queensland, Australia.
Woolooga is a rural town and locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census the locality of Woolooga had a population of 247 people.
Tinana is a rural town and locality in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Tinana had a population of 5,872 people.
Kia Ora is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Kia Ora had a population of 218 people.
Cooloola Cove is a coastal locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Cooloola Cove had a population of 2,921 people.
Munna Creek is a locality split between the Fraser Coast Region and the Gympie Region, in Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Munna Creek had a population of 23 people.
Tansey is a rural town and locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Tansey had a population of 144 people.
Teebar is a rural locality in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Teebar had a population of 59 people.
Widgee Crossing North is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Widgee Crossing North had a population of 20 people.
Widgee Crossing South is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Widgee Crossing South had a population of 33 people.
Long Flat is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Long Flat had a population of 98 people.