Meringandan, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Meringandan is a small town in Queensland
, Australia
. The town is located near Highfields
, 19 kilometres (12 mi) NNW of Toowoomba
. At the 2006 census
, Meringandan had a population of 1,474.
It contains two parks; it is also the gateway to Cooby Dam. Meringandan has one school, a country pub, convenience store and a butcher. It has an annual rodeo which many people attend. It is drained by the meandering Meringandan Creek.
The name Meringandan is a corruption of the aboriginal words, Moorin meaning fire and Gandan meaning clay. Therefore Meringandan means 'place of fire and clay'.
, Henry and Fred Isaacs occupied the Gowrie Estate, including Meringandan in 1841.
In 1866 the estate was sold to a French Count, Ernest de Satge de St. Jeon, his younger brother Oscar and George King. During 1868, the Count returned to France, and the Gowrie Estate became the sole property of the Hon. George King and his sons. The owners originally used the property for sheep raising. Later, owing to heavy losses caused by dingoes, the sheep were replaced by cattle. The Isaac brothers built a homestead in Meringandan, and here, in 1860, was born the first white child, Eliza Hunt, her father being an overseer and stockman on the estate.
The Land Act on 1868 meant that the Meringandan portion of Gowrie Station was resumed and thrown open for settlement. Many German farmers emigrated to Queensland in the 1860s, some coming to the Darling Downs. Many families in this district are of German descent. These pioneers were amazed that the minimum amount of land they could select was 40 acres (161,874.4 m²). What were they going to do with such a huge area?
After being thrown open for selection in 1872, the land was soon occupied. A railway line was constructed from Toowoomba to Cabarlah
, the first train running in September, 1883. Meringandan being their nearest railway station, the settlers in the Goombungee
and Haden areas used it to forward their goods. Most of the farmers did their own carting, but well known carriers were Jack Wieck, Herman Lau, George Klein and Jack Lange.
The township grew rapidly. General stores were erected, and hotels were built, "The Criterion"; "Farmers Arms". Blacksmiths were kept busy, and so were the butchers. Before 1900, the farmers' wives baked their own bread, but early in the century a bakery was established by O. Wuersching, the first baker employed being Walls.
The spiritual welfare of the district was not neglected. The German settlers congregated in their little slab church, built in 1870. Later the Church of England, the Congregational Church, and the Church of Christ built Churches.
During 1875, a state school was built in the present grounds, Jack Maag being the builder. Mr. Isaac John Thomas was appointed head teacher of the school, which was opened on 24 January 1876. The enrolment for that year was 80 pupils.
At the beginning of the century, the Court House was moved from Cabarlah and erected at Meringandan. But the construction of the railway to Haden in 1910 saw the town begin a decline, hastened by the advent of motor transport. In the early 1900s a line of teams stretching a distance of half a mile, waiting to load or unload at the railway station, was a familiar sight. Now the railway yards have vanished and a park stands where the railway station used to be.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The town is located near Highfields
Highfields, Queensland
Highfields is a town, just north of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia along the New England Highway. It is situated on the Great Dividing Range, slightly north of Mount Kynoch. It serves as a satellite town to the city of Toowoomba, accommodating many of Toowoomba businesses' employees...
, 19 kilometres (12 mi) NNW of Toowoomba
Toowoomba, Queensland
Toowoomba is a city in Southern Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. With an estimated district population of 128,600, Toowoomba is Australia's second largest inland city and its largest non-capital inland city...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Meringandan had a population of 1,474.
It contains two parks; it is also the gateway to Cooby Dam. Meringandan has one school, a country pub, convenience store and a butcher. It has an annual rodeo which many people attend. It is drained by the meandering Meringandan Creek.
The name Meringandan is a corruption of the aboriginal words, Moorin meaning fire and Gandan meaning clay. Therefore Meringandan means 'place of fire and clay'.
History
Following the settling of the Leslie brothers at Toolburra, near WarwickWarwick, Queensland
Warwick is a town in Queensland, Australia, lying south-west of Brisbane. It is the administrative centre of the Southern Downs Local Government Area. In 2006 the town of Warwick had a population of 12,562....
, Henry and Fred Isaacs occupied the Gowrie Estate, including Meringandan in 1841.
In 1866 the estate was sold to a French Count, Ernest de Satge de St. Jeon, his younger brother Oscar and George King. During 1868, the Count returned to France, and the Gowrie Estate became the sole property of the Hon. George King and his sons. The owners originally used the property for sheep raising. Later, owing to heavy losses caused by dingoes, the sheep were replaced by cattle. The Isaac brothers built a homestead in Meringandan, and here, in 1860, was born the first white child, Eliza Hunt, her father being an overseer and stockman on the estate.
The Land Act on 1868 meant that the Meringandan portion of Gowrie Station was resumed and thrown open for settlement. Many German farmers emigrated to Queensland in the 1860s, some coming to the Darling Downs. Many families in this district are of German descent. These pioneers were amazed that the minimum amount of land they could select was 40 acres (161,874.4 m²). What were they going to do with such a huge area?
After being thrown open for selection in 1872, the land was soon occupied. A railway line was constructed from Toowoomba to Cabarlah
Cabarlah, Queensland
Cabarlah is a locality approximately 15 km north of the Toowoomba city centre. It is situated on the Great Divide with views to the east of the Lockyer Valley through to Brisbane and to the west across the Darling Downs...
, the first train running in September, 1883. Meringandan being their nearest railway station, the settlers in the Goombungee
Goombungee, Queensland
Goombungee is a small town north of Toowoomba in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Goombungee had a population of 717.The town hosts an annual Iron man and Iron women competition on Australia Day...
and Haden areas used it to forward their goods. Most of the farmers did their own carting, but well known carriers were Jack Wieck, Herman Lau, George Klein and Jack Lange.
The township grew rapidly. General stores were erected, and hotels were built, "The Criterion"; "Farmers Arms". Blacksmiths were kept busy, and so were the butchers. Before 1900, the farmers' wives baked their own bread, but early in the century a bakery was established by O. Wuersching, the first baker employed being Walls.
The spiritual welfare of the district was not neglected. The German settlers congregated in their little slab church, built in 1870. Later the Church of England, the Congregational Church, and the Church of Christ built Churches.
During 1875, a state school was built in the present grounds, Jack Maag being the builder. Mr. Isaac John Thomas was appointed head teacher of the school, which was opened on 24 January 1876. The enrolment for that year was 80 pupils.
At the beginning of the century, the Court House was moved from Cabarlah and erected at Meringandan. But the construction of the railway to Haden in 1910 saw the town begin a decline, hastened by the advent of motor transport. In the early 1900s a line of teams stretching a distance of half a mile, waiting to load or unload at the railway station, was a familiar sight. Now the railway yards have vanished and a park stands where the railway station used to be.