Gowrie Junction, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gowrie JunctionToowoomba, Queensland |
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 Gowrie Junction
Location in Queensland
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| Population | 2,242 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 85.90/km2 (222.5/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4352 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 26.1 km2 (10.1 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Toowoomba Region | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) |
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| Federal Division(s) | Groom | ||||||||||||||
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Gowrie Junction is a small country area, or 'locality,' located in Queensland, Australia. It is found north-west of the city of Toowoomba. A smaller town called Gowrie is located within the eastern part of this area. In 2021, about 2,242 people lived in Gowrie Junction.
Contents
What is Gowrie Junction Like?
Gowrie Junction is a rural area, meaning it has a lot of open land and fewer buildings than a city. It is part of the Toowoomba Region.
How to Get Around: Roads and Railways
A major road called the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing goes through the southern part of Gowrie Junction. However, there are no exits or entrances to this road within the locality itself.
The Western railway line also runs through the area. You can find the Gowrie railway station here, which serves the town of Gowrie. There was once another station called Tilgonda railway station, but it is now closed.
A Look Back: Gowrie Junction's History
The name Gowrie comes from a large farm, or 'pastoral station,' that started in 1847. It is believed to be a changed version of an Aboriginal word, cowarie. This word might have referred to Gowrie Creek or meant 'freshwater mussel.'
The 'Junction' part of the name comes from the old Gowrie Junction railway station. From 1871 to 1915, this station was where two important railway lines met: the Southern and Western lines. Later, this station was simply renamed Gowrie railway station.
Important Places and Dates
- The Gowrie Junction Post Office opened on April 24, 1876. It was renamed Gowrie in 1961 and then closed in 1972.
- Gowrie Junction State School first opened its doors on March 1, 1878. On April 2, 1963, its name was changed to Gowrie State School.
- St John's Anglican Church was officially opened on July 9, 1882. Before the church was built, services were held in the home of George Downs, who helped a lot to create the church.
- In 1896, a wooden hall was built in Gowrie Junction. It was ready for use by July of that year.
- In 1898, the Gowrie Colliery (a coal mine) also built a public hall for the community to use.
Who Lives in Gowrie Junction?
The number of people living in Gowrie Junction has been growing.
- In 2011, there were 1,939 people.
- By 2016, the population grew to 2,120 people.
- In 2021, the population reached 2,242 people.
Learning in Gowrie Junction: Schools
Gowrie State School is a primary school for students from Prep (the first year of school) to Year 6. It is located at 22 Old Homebush Road. In 2018, the school had 183 students and 15 teachers.
If you are looking for other primary schools nearby, you can find Kingsthorpe State School in Kingsthorpe and Fairview Heights State School in Wilsonton.
Gowrie Junction does not have its own high school. Students usually go to secondary schools in nearby areas. These include Highfields State Secondary College in Highfields, Wilsonton State High School in Wilsonton, or Oakey State High School in Oakey.
What's Available: Facilities and Services
Gowrie Junction has a small shop and a community hall. There are also plans to build a shopping centre in the future. The people living in Gowrie Junction worked together to raise money and build their town's recreational hall.
The Toowoomba Regional Council provides library services to Gowrie Junction. A special mobile library van visits Gowrie Junction State School every Thursday. It also stops at the Gowrie Junction Federation Hall every Saturday.
Famous People from Gowrie Junction
One of the most well-known people connected to Gowrie Junction is Frank Riethmuller. He was born in 1884 near Toowoomba. Frank taught at Gowrie Junction's primary school from 1899 to 1905. He later became famous for breeding beautiful roses. One of his students was a girl who grew up to be Sister Elizabeth Kenny. She became well-known for her special way of treating poliomyelitis, a serious illness.
