Dunwich, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids DunwichNorth Stradbroke Island, Queensland |
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Dunwich, 2010
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 Dunwich
Location in Queensland
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| Population | 737 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 320/km2 (830/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1827 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4183 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 2.3 km2 (0.9 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Redland City | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Oodgeroo | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Bowman | ||||||||||||||
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Dunwich is a town and area on the western side of North Stradbroke Island in Queensland, Australia. It is part of the Redland City local government area. This area is managed from Cleveland on the Queensland mainland.
In 2021, about 737 people lived in Dunwich. It is one of three towns on North Stradbroke Island. The other towns are Amity Point and Point Lookout.
Contents
History of Dunwich
Dunwich was first known as Goompi. European settlers later called it Green Point. The first European settlement in Dunwich started in 1827. It was a place for ships to drop off their goods. It was also a military post.
However, bad weather caused problems for cargo. Also, the local Aboriginal people were not friendly. So, the post was closed in 1831. Dunwich was named after a village in England. This was done to honor the family of the Earl of Stradbroke.
Early Schools and Facilities
Dunwich Provisional School opened in 1889. It was a school for Aboriginal children. Over the years, this school moved several times. It went to Bribie Island and then to Peel Island. Later, it moved to the new Myora Mission on North Stradbroke Island.
In 1892, a special place was set up in Dunwich. It was for people with a serious skin condition called leprosy. Later, these people moved to Peel Island. A place to keep sick people separate (a quarantine station) opened in 1850. This was to stop sickness from spreading. It later moved to St Helena Island.
The old quarantine station became a nursing home for older people. This was one of the first in Queensland. The home moved to Sandgate in 1946. The main cemetery on the island is in Dunwich. It has over 10,000 graves. Most of these graves do not have names on them.
A second Dunwich Provisional School opened in 1904. It became Dunwich State School in 1915. In 1943, some people from the Myora Mission moved to Dunwich.
Important Achievements
Some old buildings from the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum are still here. They are now part of the North Stradbroke Island Historical Museum. You can find it on Welsby Street. The old Dunwich Convict Causeway is also still there. It has been made bigger for modern ships.
A group of Aboriginal workers at the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum made history. They were the first Aboriginal people in Australia to get equal wages. This happened in 1944. It was almost 20 years before equal wages were common elsewhere in Australia. The Asylum closed soon after this. So, the Aboriginal workers only got equal wages for about a year and a half.
People Living in Dunwich
In 2021, the population of Dunwich was 737 people. This number has changed over the years. In 2011, there were 883 people. In 2016, there were 864 people.
Most people living in Dunwich were born in Australia. Some others came from New Zealand and England. Most people also spoke only English at home.
Special Places in Dunwich
Dunwich has several places that are important for their history. These are called heritage-listed sites. They are protected because they tell us about the past.
- Dunwich Cemetery, Bingle Road
- Dunwich Convict Causeway: Junner Street
- Dunwich Public Reserve, Junner Street
- St Mark's Anglican Church and Dunwich Public Hall: Junner Street
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What Dunwich Offers
The Redland City Council has a public library in Ballow Road. It is a great place to read and learn.
Education in Dunwich
Dunwich State School is a primary school for kids from Prep to Year 6. It is a government school for both boys and girls. In 2018, about 177 students went to this school. It also has a special program for students who need extra support.
Dunwich used to have a high school. But it closed in 2012 because not enough students were enrolled. The closest high school now is Cleveland District State High School. It is in Cleveland on the mainland.
Getting Around Dunwich
There is no bridge to North Stradbroke Island. You can get to Dunwich by taking a ferry across Moreton Bay. These ferries carry cars and people. Mining companies also have big docks in Dunwich. They use them to load and unload materials.
Dunwich Airport is a small airport. It is about 3 kilometers south-east of the town.
