Proston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Proston Queensland
Blake St, the main street of Proston
Proston Location in Queensland
Population	410 (2021 census)
• Density	8.89/km2 (23.0/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4613
Elevation	368 m (1,207 ft)
Area	46.1 km2 (17.8 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	280 km (174 mi) NW of Brisbane 226 km (140 mi) N of Toowoomba 65 km (40 mi) NW of Kingaroy 41 km (25 mi) NW of Wondai
LGA(s)	South Burnett Region
State electorate(s)	Nanango
Federal Division(s)	Flynn
Localities around Proston: Okeden Stalworth Kinleymore Okeden Proston Kinleymore Okeden Melrose Melrose

Proston is a small town in the countryside of Queensland, Australia. It's located in the South Burnett Region. In 2021, about 410 people lived here. Proston is known for its friendly community and beautiful natural surroundings.

Exploring Proston's Location

Proston is about 280 kilometers (174 miles) northwest of Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland. It's also 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest of Kingaroy, a bigger town in the South Burnett region.

Shops and Services in Town

Even though it's a small town, Proston has many useful shops and services. You can find a post office, a grocery store (SPAR), a pub called the Golden Spurs, a chemist, and a medical center. There's also a hardware store, a cafe, and a clothing shop.

Proston's Surrounding Landscape

The area around Proston is quite hilly. It's mostly made up of grasslands used for grazing animals. A long time ago, this land was covered in thick brigalow scrub, but most of it has been cleared for farming.

A Look Back at Proston's History

The name Proston comes from an old Aboriginal word. It might have meant "kurrajong tree," which is a type of tree.

How Proston Began

The land around Proston was first settled in 1910. Many of the early settlers came from England. They faced tough times because it was hard to find enough water for their farms.

Things started to get better when the railway arrived in 1923. This helped the town grow. Even more growth happened when the South Burnett Dairy Co-operative Butter Factory was built in 1934.

Proston's Schools Over Time

The first school in the area, Proston Provisional School, opened in 1917. It was for the children of workers building the railway line. This school moved around in a tent as the railway was built.

The current Proston State School opened in 1924 as a primary school. Later, in 1965, it started offering secondary education up to Year 10. A preschool was added in 1977.

Churches in Proston

The Shepherd Memorial Anglican Church of St Peter was built in 1939. Another church, St George's Anglican Church, was moved from Tingoora to Proston in 1969. It became the hall for St Peter's Church.

In 1967, the Speedwell Baptist Church also moved its building and its members to Proston.

Challenges and Growth

In the 1970s, the railway line and the Butter Factory closed. This made times tough for Proston. However, a new project helped the town. The Boondooma Dam was built on the Boyne River. This created Lake Boondooma, which provided water for the Tarong Power Station and solved Proston's water problems.

The Proston public library opened its doors in 1994.

Proston's Population

The number of people living in Proston has changed over the years:

• In 2006, there were 304 people.
• In 2016, the population grew to 379 people.
• By 2021, Proston had a population of 410 people.

Local Economy

The main ways people make a living in Proston are through farming. This includes:

• Dairying: Raising cows for milk.
• Beef cattle: Raising cattle for meat.
• Duboisia: Growing a special shrub used to make medicine.

Education in Proston

Proston State School, 2024

Proston State School is a government school for students from Prep (the first year of school) up to Year 10. It's located at 94 Rodney Street. In 2017, the school had 114 students and 14 teachers.

Some students from the nearby Durong South district attend primary school there and then come to Proston for junior secondary school. For students in Years 11 and 12, the closest high school is Murgon State High School in Murgon.

Facilities and Services

Proston Public Library, 2017

Proston has many important facilities for its residents. These include:

• A hotel
• A convenience store (SPAR)
• A cafe
• A post office
• A hardware store
• A police station
• An ambulance service
• A volunteer fire brigade

The town also has places for fun and relaxation, like tennis courts, a golf club, a bowling club, and a swimming pool. The South Burnett Regional Council runs a library at 34 Blake Street.

Community Groups

Proston has active community groups that help people and bring them together:

• Proston Meals on Wheels: Delivers meals to people who need them.
• Scout group: A group for young people to learn new skills and have adventures.
• Queensland Country Women's Association (CWA): The Proston branch meets at their hall on Rodney Street.

Sports and Fun Activities

Proston offers many ways to stay active and have fun:

• Proston Golf Club: A nine-hole golf course on the edge of town.
• Lawn Bowls Club: A popular spot for locals to play lawn bowls.
• Social Tennis: Held every Thursday night at the tennis grounds.
• Public Hall: Locals enjoy weekly dances here.

Local Attractions

The hilly land around Proston offers amazing views from different spots along the main road.

Lake Boondooma

Lake Boondooma is about 20 kilometers (12 miles) northwest of Proston. It's a great place for fishing, with fish like Australian bass, golden perch, and silver perch. You can also go waterskiing, sailing, and swimming.

For quieter fishing and canoeing, Proston Weir is just south of town. If you want to fish at Lake Boondooma, you'll need a special permit. The dam has places to stay, like caravan sites, camping spots, bunkhouses, and cabins. There are also tennis courts, modern bathrooms, a kiosk, and picnic areas.

Boondooma Homestead

Nearby, you can visit Boondooma Homestead, which was built in 1850. It was built by a stonemason from Flanders and is unique because it was built using metric measurements, possibly one of the first in Queensland! The homestead is about 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of Proston.

Sidcup Castle

An unusual sight in Proston is Sidcup Castle. This "castle" has seventeen rooms, and five of them are shaped like hexagons! It was built by Harold Douglas using recycled materials. He designed it to look exactly like his childhood home in Sidcup, England.

Exciting Events

Proston hosts several fun events throughout the year:

• Boondooma Yellowbelly Fishing Competition: Held every February, anglers compete for prizes.
• Proston Show and Campdraft: Takes place every March at the Showgrounds.
• Proston Car Rally Club: Holds a rally every three months on a private track west of town. These family weekends include time trials and free camping.
• Manar Park: An off-road park for 4x4s, dirt bikes, and other vehicles. It's located on a large cattle station northeast of Boondooma Homestead and has camping facilities.

Images for kids

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  Proston Lutheran Church, around 1954

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  Shepherd Memorial Church of St Peter, 2017