Drayton, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Drayton Toowoomba, Queensland
Looking towards Drayton from Mount Peel
Drayton Location in Queensland
Population	1,813 (2021 census)
• Density	172.7/km2 (447/sq mi)
Established	1842
Postcode(s)	4350
Area	10.5 km2 (4.1 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	6.0 km (4 mi) SW of Toowoomba CBD 131 km (81 mi) W of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Toowoomba Region
State electorate(s)	Condamine
Federal Division(s)	Groom
Suburbs around Drayton: Glenvale Glenvale Harristown Westbrook Drayton Darling Heights Westbrook Finnie Finnie

Drayton is a small area located in the Toowoomba Region of Queensland, Australia. It sits on the southwest side of Toowoomba. In 2021, about 1,813 people lived there.

Drayton was one of the first important towns in the Darling Downs region. It was started in 1842. However, the nearby town of Toowoomba grew much faster. By the 1860s, Toowoomba became the main town, and Drayton became more like a suburb.

Exploring Drayton's Location

Drayton is found on the outer southwest edge of Toowoomba. The South Western railway line runs along its southwestern border. You can find the Drayton railway station there.

Mount Peel is a mountain in the northwest part of Drayton. It rises to 711 meters (about 2,333 feet) high.

To the west of Drayton, a road called ANZAC Avenue leads to a growing area. This area has many factories and businesses. It stretches west and north towards Glenvale.

Drayton has a mix of old and new homes. Some houses date back to the 1800s. Many homes and shops were built in the mid-1900s. More recently, in the 1990s and 2000s, many new houses and apartments were built. These were often for students from the nearby University of Southern Queensland.

Drayton's Past: A Look at History

The area where Drayton is now was first known as The Springs. This was around the 1840s.

How Drayton Got Its Name

In August 1842, a man named Thomas Alford opened a store in Drayton. He also built his home and started a post office there. It is believed he named the area Drayton. He named it after a place called Drayton in England. His father was a vicar (a type of priest) in that English town.

Drayton, 1887

Drayton was the main settlement in the region for a while. But then, the town of Toowoomba was started about four miles northeast. Toowoomba had better access to water and good conditions for farming. Because of this, many people quickly moved to the newer settlement. By 1905, a book called the Australian Handbook said that Drayton was "almost a suburb of Toowoomba."

Oldest School in Queensland

The Drayton National School opened on August 16, 1851. This school is now known as Drayton State School. It is one of the oldest state primary schools in Queensland!

One of the oldest buildings in the Drayton area is the Royal Bull's Head Inn. Drayton also had the region's first newspaper. It was called the Darling Downs Gazette and started in 1858.

From 1887 to 1949, Drayton had its own local government. It was called the Shire of Drayton.

On March 31, 1940, about 500 people gathered for a special event. They placed a stone monument (called a cairn) to mark the site of the first church in the Darling Downs. This was done to remember its founder, Canon Glennie. The Anglican church was located at the corner of Rudd Street and Cambooya Street.

People Living in Drayton

In 2016, Drayton had a population of 1,710 people. By 2021, the population had grown slightly to 1,813 people.

Important Historic Places

Drayton has several places that are listed for their historical importance. These are called heritage-listed sites:

• St Matthew's Anglican Church at 45–49 Glennie Street.
• Royal Bull's Head Inn at 47–59 Brisbane Street.
• Drayton State School at 71–89 Brisbane Street.
• O'Shea's Drayton Cottage at 56 Gwynne Street.

Learning in Drayton

Drayton State School is a government primary school. It teaches students from Prep (the first year of school) to Year 6. Boys and girls attend this school, which is located at 71–89 Brisbane Street. In 2017, the school had 321 students. It also has a special education program for students who need extra support.

Local Services

The Drayton Police Station is located at 35 Brisbane Street.

St Matthew's Anglican Church is a place of worship found on Glennie Street.

The Royal Bull's Head Inn

The Royal Bull's Head Inn is a very old building with a rich history.

• 1847-48: The inn was first built. It was started by William Horton, who was an English convict.
• 1858: The main brick and timber building you see today was mostly finished.
• 1879: The building stopped being an inn and became a private home.
• 1973: The National Trust, a group that protects historic places, bought the inn.
• 1976: Work began to restore the building to its original look.

Today, the Royal Bull's Head Inn shows what life was like in the 1870s. Some rooms have been kept exactly as they were back then.

Famous People from Drayton

Several notable people have connections to Drayton:

• Thomas Alford was a pioneer who helped start Drayton and Toowoomba.
• Arthur Hoey Davis, also known as the author Steele Rudd, was born in Drayton in 1868.
• Reverend Benjamin Glennie, an important Anglican clergyman, lived in Drayton for many years.
• James Purcell, who was important in the Queensland dairy industry in the early 1900s, was also born in Drayton.