Murphys Creek, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Murphys Creek Queensland
Murphys Creek railway station, 2011
Murphys Creek Location in Queensland
Population	633 (2021 census)
• Density	13.160/km2 (34.08/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4352
Area	48.1 km2 (18.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)	Lockyer Valley Region
County	Churchill
Parish	Taylor
State electorate(s)	Lockyer
Federal Division(s)	Wright
Localities around Murphys Creek: Cabarlah Fifteen Mile Fifteen Mile Spring Bluff Murphys Creek White Mountain Ballard Withcott Lockyer Upper Lockyer

Murphys Creek is a small country town. It is also a locality in the Lockyer Valley Region of Queensland, Australia. In 2021 census, about 633 people lived in Murphys Creek.

Discovering Murphys Creek's Location

This area is found at the bottom of the Great Dividing Range. This is a large mountain range in eastern Australia. Murphys Creek Road runs through the locality. It goes from the west to the southeast.

A Look Back: Murphys Creek's History

Murphys Creek was first known by other names. These included Murphy's Waterhole and Fingal. The name comes from Peter Murphy. He was a convict who worked for Patrick Leslie. Peter Murphy joined Leslie on his journey to explore the Darling Downs in 1841-42. Leslie thought highly of Murphy. He even helped Murphy get a pardon from the Governor.

How the Railway Shaped Murphys Creek

Murphys Creek grew into a railway town. It was on the train line between Toowoomba and towns to the east. These towns included Helidon, Ipswich, and Brisbane. A railway station opened here in 1867. It was part of the Southern and Western Railway.

The station was at the foot of the Great Dividing Range. It provided water and services for steam trains. These trains were about to climb the steep slopes of the Toowoomba range. The station was named after a creek in the area. This creek was named after a shepherd who built a hut there around 1864. A newspaper writer in those days called it a "feeding place for the engines." This meant trains stopped there to get water and fuel.

Important Services and Changes

The Murphy's Creek Post Office opened in 1868. It stayed open until 1987.

People living in the area wanted a school. So, Murphy's Creek Provisional School opened on October 3, 1870. A new state school building was built and opened on May 1, 1871. It became Murphy's Creek State School.

A small town called Fingal quickly grew around the station. By 1877, the town was big enough to need a booking office and passenger platform at the station. These were finished by 1878. But in 1887, a fire at the station destroyed some rooms. In 1917, the station stopped being a main watering stop for trains. Other places on the line took over this job. However, a large emergency water tank was built there in 1921.

The town's name officially changed from Fingal to Murphys Creek on January 17, 1924.

The End of an Era for the Station

The Murphys Creek railway station became less important in the late 1900s. This was because new diesel-electric trains were invented. These trains could climb the steep hills without needing extra help. Steam trains stopped running completely by the mid-1960s. The station finally closed in 1992. New computer systems for train signals meant the station was no longer needed.

The station buildings were sold in 1993. The water tank was then used for emergency water for the town. It also watered special heritage steam trains that sometimes ran from Brisbane to Toowoomba.

Recent Events

In 2011, Murphys Creek was hit by flash flooding. This happened on January 10, 2011, during the 2010–11 Queensland floods. Many buildings in the town were damaged.

Who Lives in Murphys Creek?

In the 2011 census, Murphys Creek had 664 people. They lived in 150 homes. The average age was 38 years old. Most people spoke English at home. About 65% of the people were born in Australia. Others came from England, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, the Philippines, or the United States of America.

In the 2016 census, the population was 629 people. By the 2021 census, the population was 633 people.

Special Places: Heritage Listings

Lockyer Creek Railway Bridge from the south-west, 2009

Murphys Creek has several places listed for their special history. These include:

• Odin Street: Murphys Creek Railway Complex
• Railway Corridor from the end of Murphy's Creek Station to Ruthven Street overbridge, Harlaxton: Main Range Railway
• Toowoomba - Helidon Line: Lockyer Creek Railway Bridge

Learning in Murphys Creek

Murphy's Creek State School is a government primary school. It teaches students from Prep to Year 6. Boys and girls attend the school. It is located at 49 Murphys Creek School Road (27°27′32″S 152°03′05″E / 27.4588°S 152.0513°E / -27.4588; 152.0513 (Murphy's Creek State School)). In 2017, the school had 52 students. It had 6 teachers and 9 other staff members.