Woodford, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Woodford is a small town in Queensland
, Australia
, on the D'Aguilar Highway
72 km north-west of Brisbane
and 24 km west of Caboolture. Its Local Government Area is the Moreton Bay Region. The town is noted for its folk festival
that takes place over the New Year holidays. The Woodford Correctional Centre
is on the outskirts of town. It is the home town of child offender Chris Lewin.
established Durundur station along the Stanley River
, near where Woodford now stands. After the lease of Durundur expired in October, 1878, some land was thrown open for selection. Mr W. Yates was the first to take possession of his selected portion of the country and he built a hotel near a ford across the river. The hotel, and the town which developed around it, became known, unofficially, as Yatesville.
The town was positioned on a hill closer to the Stanley River than the present day town. When the introduction of a regular mail service required the town to have an official name a meeting was called and 'McConnel' was decided on in honour of the senior partner of Durundur Station ‑ but the Postmaster General would not accept that name. Therefore, another meeting was called and those present called it ‘Woodford' in honour of the junior partner, Mr H.C.Wood, and in recognition of the importance to the community of the ford across the river.
Timber cutting was the town's first primary industry, followed by dairying. A co-operative dairy factory opened in the town in 1904. Most of the timber sourced from the area is sent to a saw mill in Caboolture.
Woodford is the terminus for the disused Kilcoy branch railway line, which reached Woodford in 1909 and extended from Caboolture to Kilcoy. Between Caboolture (where it branches from the North Coast railway line
) and Wamuran, the tracks and corridor are mostly still in place. Beyond Wamuran, the railway was removed after its closure in the mid 1960s, and much of the land has been sold.
was held in Woodford in the same location as the Woodford Folk Festival
. The Aboriginal cultural event, the Dreaming Festival, is also held in there http://www.thedreamingfestival.com/.
Woodford's agricultural show is held in June each year and is one of the town's major events.
One of the major sporting events in the town each year is the Woodford Annual Fun Run, which is organised by the Anglican Church.
Woodford was also one of the filming locations for the movie Undead
.
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...
, on the D'Aguilar Highway
D'Aguilar Highway
The D'Aguilar Highway is a two-lane highway linking the Bruce Highway near Caboolture with Kingaroy in the state of Queensland, Australia. Major towns along the route include Woodford, Kilcoy, Yarraman, Nanango and Kingaroy...
72 km north-west of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and 24 km west of Caboolture. Its Local Government Area is the Moreton Bay Region. The town is noted for its folk festival
Woodford Folk Festival
The Woodford Folk Festival is an annual music festival held near the small country town of Woodford, 72 km north of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is one of the biggest annual cultural events of its type in Australia....
that takes place over the New Year holidays. The Woodford Correctional Centre
Woodford Correctional Centre
Woodford Correctional Centre is an Australian prison facility located in Woodford, Queensland, Australia.The prison is the highest security facility in Queensland as mentioned located in Woodford Queensland, approximately 80 kilometres from Brisbane and 30 minutes from Caboolture.On 1 April 1997,...
is on the outskirts of town. It is the home town of child offender Chris Lewin.
History
In 1841 the Archer brothersThe Archer brothers
The Archer brothers were among the earliest settlers in Queensland. They were explorers and pastoralists. Seven sons of William Archer, a Scottish timber merchant, they spent varying amounts of time in the colony of New South Wales, mainly in parts of what later became Queensland. A substantial...
established Durundur station along the Stanley River
Stanley River (Queensland)
The Stanley River in Queensland is the main tributary of the Brisbane River. The Stanley River valley extends roughly 35 km westwards from the area south of Maleny to Kilcoy before veering southwards....
, near where Woodford now stands. After the lease of Durundur expired in October, 1878, some land was thrown open for selection. Mr W. Yates was the first to take possession of his selected portion of the country and he built a hotel near a ford across the river. The hotel, and the town which developed around it, became known, unofficially, as Yatesville.
The town was positioned on a hill closer to the Stanley River than the present day town. When the introduction of a regular mail service required the town to have an official name a meeting was called and 'McConnel' was decided on in honour of the senior partner of Durundur Station ‑ but the Postmaster General would not accept that name. Therefore, another meeting was called and those present called it ‘Woodford' in honour of the junior partner, Mr H.C.Wood, and in recognition of the importance to the community of the ford across the river.
Timber cutting was the town's first primary industry, followed by dairying. A co-operative dairy factory opened in the town in 1904. Most of the timber sourced from the area is sent to a saw mill in Caboolture.
Woodford is the terminus for the disused Kilcoy branch railway line, which reached Woodford in 1909 and extended from Caboolture to Kilcoy. Between Caboolture (where it branches from the North Coast railway line
North Coast railway line, Queensland
The North Coast railway line is a narrow gauge railway line in Queensland, Australia. It runs from Brisbane, along the Queensland coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The line is electrified between Brisbane and Rockhampton...
) and Wamuran, the tracks and corridor are mostly still in place. Beyond Wamuran, the railway was removed after its closure in the mid 1960s, and much of the land has been sold.
Cultural and Sporting Events
In 2010 and 2011, the Australian music festival Splendour in the GrassSplendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
was held in Woodford in the same location as the Woodford Folk Festival
Woodford Folk Festival
The Woodford Folk Festival is an annual music festival held near the small country town of Woodford, 72 km north of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is one of the biggest annual cultural events of its type in Australia....
. The Aboriginal cultural event, the Dreaming Festival, is also held in there http://www.thedreamingfestival.com/.
Woodford's agricultural show is held in June each year and is one of the town's major events.
One of the major sporting events in the town each year is the Woodford Annual Fun Run, which is organised by the Anglican Church.
Woodford was also one of the filming locations for the movie Undead
Undead (film)
Undead is a 2003 Australian zombie horror comedy film written and directed by Michael and Peter Spierig and starring Felicity Mason, Mungo McKay and Rob Jenkins...
.