Hivesville, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids HivesvilleQueensland |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Street view in Hivesville, circa 1930
|
|||||||||||||||
 Hivesville
Location in Queensland
|
|||||||||||||||
| Population | 173 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 12.10/km2 (31.3/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4612 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 14.3 km2 (5.5 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | South Burnett Region | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Nanango | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Flynn | ||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Hivesville is a small rural town in the South Burnett Region of Queensland, Australia. It's a quiet place where people live and work. In 2021, about 173 people lived in Hivesville.
Contents
Where is Hivesville?
Hivesville is located on the road between Proston and Wondai. It's about 277 kilometers (172 miles) northwest of Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland.
A Look at Hivesville's Past
How Hivesville Got Its Name
Hivesville was first called Jaumbill by the Railways Department. This name is thought to be an Aboriginal word from the Waka language for 'yam'. However, a local politician named James Braidwood Edwards asked for the town to be named Hivesville. He wanted to honor George Hives, an early settler in the area. The railway station officially became Hivesville on March 2, 1923.
The Hives Family and Early Life
The Hives family owned a lot of land around the town from the 1890s. Their home, called 'Sandy House', was very important. It was a place where early farmers could get supplies and receive their mail.
Hivesville's First Businesses
For many years, Hivesville was the main business center for the area west of Wondai. It was a busy community even before the nearby town of Proston was started. The first store opened around 1910 or 1911. Locals called the town "Proston" in those early days, before it was officially named Jaumbill or Hivesville.
The first hotel, called the Proston Hotel, opened in 1911. It burned down in 1935, but a new one opened in 1937. It kept the name Proston Hotel until 1953, when it was finally renamed the Hivesville Hotel.
A Busy Town Center
Until about 1930, Hivesville was bigger and more important than Proston. It had many businesses, including:
- a general store
- a bakery
- a butcher
- a garage with petrol pumps
- a blacksmith
- a post office
- a school
- a hotel
- two cafes
- two bank branches
- a cinema called the Empire Theatre
- a railway station
The Proston railway line reached Hivesville in 1923, and the town was served by the Hivesville railway station. The railway line closed in 1993.
A large public hall was built, along with rooms for the Queensland Country Women's Association (QCWA). There were also Anglican and Lutheran churches. Many nearby farming areas looked to Hivesville as their main town for business. However, when Proston grew larger in the 1930s, Hivesville slowly became smaller.
The Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit opened on May 15, 1932. It was the first church in Hivesville. Volunteers built it following a design by architect Mr. E. Bird. The church closed on June 3, 2005.
St Mark's Lutheran Church opened in the early 1960s.
Early Settlers and Farming Life
Many brave settlers came to the Hivesville area in the early days. They bought uncleared land, usually between 300 and 350 acres. They paid for the land over many years.
These settlers worked hard to clear the bush and plant crops like corn and Rhodes grass. They earned money from dairying, sending cream by train to Maryborough and later to Murgon. They also raised pigs and sold calves. Life was tough, but they made it work.
Some English immigrants, who arrived on a ship called the "Oswestry Grange," settled in the northwestern part of the district. They worked together to ask for improvements like roads, railways, and schools.
Hivesville Today
Population
In 2006, Hivesville and the surrounding area had about 310 people. By 2016, the population was 169. In the most recent census in 2021, the population was 173 people.
Schools Near Hivesville
There are no schools directly in Hivesville today. Children usually go to Proston State School for primary school, which is to the west. For high school, students can attend Proston State School (up to Year 10) or Murgon State High School (up to Year 12) in Murgon.
What You Can Find in Hivesville
Today, Hivesville has a few important facilities:
- a church
- an old pub
- a convenience store that also sells petrol, diesel, and LPG gas
- a sports oval
The Hivesville branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association (QCWA) meets at 12 Main Street. St Mark's Lutheran Church is located at 11-13 Edward Street.
