Grantham, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grantham Queensland
Grantham Hotel, located in Anzac Ave
Grantham Location in Queensland
Population	796 (2021 census)
• Density	16.146/km2 (41.82/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4347
Elevation	109 m (358 ft)
Area	49.3 km2 (19.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)	Lockyer Valley Region
County	Cavendish
Parish	Lockyer
State electorate(s)	Lockyer
Federal Division(s)	Wright
Localities around Grantham: Helidon Seventeen Mile Ringwood Helidon Grantham Gatton Placid Hills Carpendale Veradilla Winwill Lower Tenthill

Grantham is a small town in the Lockyer Valley Region of Queensland, Australia. It's a rural area, meaning it's mostly countryside with farms. The town is located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Brisbane, which is the capital city of Queensland. In 2021, about 796 people lived in Grantham.

Grantham's Location and Landscape

The Warrego Highway is a main road that goes right through Grantham, from east to west. This highway helps people travel to and from the town. Part of the Lockyer State Forest is also found in the north-west area of Grantham. This forest is a natural area with trees and wildlife.

A Look at Grantham's Past

Grantham has an interesting history, starting many years ago.

Early Settlement and Naming

The area where Grantham is today was first settled in 1841. A person named George Mocatta started a large farm there. He decided to name his farm Grantham, and this name later became the name of the town.

The Arrival of the Railway

In 1866, a special railway stop was built in Grantham. This stop was part of the main railway line that went to Toowoomba. The railway helped the small settlement grow. A few years later, in the mid-1870s, the Grantham railway station was built. This made it even easier for people and goods to travel.

Schools in Grantham

Education has been important in Grantham for a long time.

• In 1896, the Grantham Scrub Provisional School opened. It later became Grantham Scrub State School in 1909. This school closed around 1950.
• Grantham Provisional School opened on January 23, 1905. It also became Grantham State School on January 1, 1909. This school is still open today.

Local Industries and Services

Over the years, Grantham had different businesses that helped the town.

• A butter factory was built in 1907. This factory made butter from milk. A new brick building for the factory was built in 1926 and it operated until 1971.
• The Grantham Post Office opened on January 1, 1890. Before that, there was a smaller "receiving office" for mail since 1876.

The 2011 Flood and Rebuilding Efforts

On January 10, 2011, Grantham was hit by a very serious flash flood. This flood caused a lot of damage. Sadly, 12 people died, and many houses and buildings were destroyed.

After the flood, important people visited Grantham to see the damage and offer help. These visitors included Anna Bligh, who was the Premier of Queensland (like the state's leader), and Quentin Bryce, who was Australia's Governor-General (a representative of the King or Queen).

To prevent future floods from causing so much harm, a big decision was made in May 2011. The town decided to move to higher ground. A large piece of land, about 935 acres, was bought on a hill overlooking the old town. People who owned land in the old town could choose to swap their land for a new block on the hill. This new area was allowed to be built quickly without the usual long approval process. People from nearby towns like Murphys Creek and Helidon were also included in this plan. By March 2022, 110 new houses were built on the hill, but some homes still remain in the older part of town.

Grantham's Population

The number of people living in Grantham has changed over time.

• In 2016, there were 634 people living in Grantham. Most people (81.1%) were born in Australia, and almost everyone (90.9%) spoke only English at home.
• In 2021, the population of Grantham grew to 796 people.

Education in Grantham

Grantham State School is the main school in the town.

• It is a government primary school for students from Prep (the first year of school) to Year 6.
• The school is located at 15 Victor Street.
• In 2017, the school had 95 students and 6 teachers, along with other staff members.