Harlaxton, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids HarlaxtonToowoomba, Queensland |
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View eastwards from Gilmour Court, 2014
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 Harlaxton
Location in Queensland
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| Population | 2,824 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 565/km2 (1,460/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4350 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 5.0 km2 (1.9 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Toowoomba Region | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Toowoomba North | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Groom | ||||||||||||||
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Harlaxton is a suburb in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. It used to be a farming area, but now most of it is homes. In 2021, about 2,824 people lived there.
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Harlaxton's Location
Harlaxton is located about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north of the Toowoomba city centre.
You can find the Willowburn railway station here. It is part of a big area where trains are sorted and stored. This area can be reached from Davidson Street.
Harlaxton's History
How Harlaxton Got Its Name
The name Harlaxton comes from a large house called Harlaxton House. This house was built in 1869. It was likely named after a place called Harlaxton in England.
The house was built for Francis Thomas Gregory. He was an explorer who traveled a lot in Western Australia. Later, he moved to Queensland and became an important government official.
Famous Residents and Buildings
Harlaxton House was also used as a summer home for Lord Lamington. He was the Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901. A railway station was even built nearby for his convenience.
Sadly, Harlaxton House is not in good condition today. This is partly because of blasts from nearby rock quarries.
Schools in Harlaxton
- Harlaxton State School first opened its doors on 2 September 1901. It has been teaching students for over 120 years!
- View Glen State School was another school that opened on 25 May 1914. However, it closed down just ten years later in 1924.
- Downlands Sacred Heart College is a Catholic school. It was started on 1 March 1931. At first, it was a boarding school only for boys, with 68 students. In 1971, the school began to accept students who lived at home, both boys and girls. Since 1993, girls have also been able to board at the school. This allows brothers and sisters to attend the same school.
Who Lives in Harlaxton
In 2016, Harlaxton had a population of 2,547 people. About 7.2% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Most people (81.1%) were born in Australia.
About 86.9% of people spoke only English at home. When asked about religion, the most common answers were No Religion (24.9%), Catholic (21.3%), and Anglican (15.6%).
By 2021, the population of Harlaxton had grown to 2,824 people.
Important Historic Places
Harlaxton has some places that are listed as important heritage sites. This means they are protected because of their history.
- Harlaxton House at 6 Munro Street is one of these sites.
- Tyson Manor is another important site. It is located on Ruthven Street, within the grounds of Downlands College.
Harlaxton's Economy
Harlaxton has a history as a place for industries. Besides the quarries, it is home to the Willowburn railway yard, where trains are sorted.
It also had the original Darling Downs Bacon Company. This company started in 1911 and later became part of KR Castlemaine.
Education in Harlaxton
Harlaxton has two main schools that serve the community:
- Harlaxton State School is a government primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It is located at 110 Ruthven Street. In 2017, the school had 130 students.
- Downlands College is a Catholic school that teaches students from Year 5 to Year 12. It is a day school, but also offers boarding for both boys and girls. The school is located at 72 Ruthven Street. In 2017, Downlands College had 770 students.
Fun Things to Do
Harlaxton is home to several sports clubs where you can play and watch games:
- The Toowoomba Cricket Club
- The Toowoomba Bears rugby union club
- The Willowburn Sports Club for soccer
