Ballard, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BallardQueensland |
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Contractors Yard Ballards Camp during the construction of the Ipswich to Toowoomba Railway, 1865
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 Ballard
Location in Queensland
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| Population | 167 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 9.94/km2 (25.7/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4352 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 16.8 km2 (6.5 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Lockyer Valley Region | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Lockyer | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Wright | ||||||||||||||
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Ballard is a small countryside area in Queensland, Australia. It's part of the Lockyer Valley Region. In 2021, about 167 people lived there.
Contents
Where is Ballard?
Ballard is about 11 kilometers (7 miles) east of Toowoomba city. A road called Murphys Creek Road goes through the top left part of Ballard.
A Look at Ballard's Past
Ballard used to be known as Ballaroo. It was named after Robert Ballard. He was a railway engineer who helped build the main railway line from Ipswich to Toowoomba.
The Highfields Estate
In December 1885, a large area called "The Highfields Estate" was put up for sale. It had 147 small plots of land. Even though it was called Highfields, most of this land is actually in today's Ballard. Some parts are also in Blue Mountain Heights and Murphys Creek.
A map from that time showed the estate near the railway line and the Highfields railway station. This station is now called Spring Bluff railway station. The map also showed town plots where Valley View Road and Hanleys Road meet today. The people selling the land called it the "Sanatorium and Garden of Queensland." This means they thought it was a very healthy and beautiful place to live.
How Many People Live Here?
- In 2006, Ballard had 355 people.
- By 2016, the population was 151 people.
- In the most recent count in 2021, 167 people lived in Ballard.
Special Places in Ballard
Ballard has some places that are important because of their history. These are called heritage-listed sites.
- Swansons Rail Bridge: This old railway bridge is about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) north of Toowoomba. It's a special part of the area's history.
Schools Near Ballard
There are no schools directly in Ballard. Kids living here usually go to schools in nearby towns.
- Primary Schools: The closest primary schools are Harlaxton State School in Harlaxton, Withcott State School in Withcott, and Murphys Creek State School in Murphys Creek.
- Secondary Schools: For high school, students can go to Toowoomba State High School in Mount Lofty or Centenary Heights State High School in Centenary Heights.
Images for kids
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Swansons Rail Bridge, built for the railway
