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Widgee

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Widgee is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Widgee had a population of 862 people.[1]

Widgee
Queensland
Soldiers' Memorial hall
Widgee is located in Queensland
Widgee
Widgee
Coordinates26°12′59″S 152°25′12″E / 26.2163°S 152.42°E / -26.2163; 152.42 (Widgee (centre of locality))
Population862 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density4.358/km2 (11.287/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4570
Area197.8 km2 (76.4 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC 10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Gympie Region
State electorate(s)Gympie
Federal division(s)Wide Bay
Suburbs around Widgee:
Oakview Lower Wonga Bells Bridge
Black Snake Widgee Glastonbury
Wrattens Forest Wrattens Forest Upper Glastonbury

History

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The name is believed to have originated from the Aboriginal words Witchee Witchee meaning listen or hark.[3]

In 1887, 43,000 acres (17,000 ha) of land were resumed from the Widgee Widgee pastoral run. The land was offered for selection for the establishment of small farms on 17 April 1887.[4]

Widgee Provisional School opened on 11 July 1892, presumably in temporary premises,[5][6] as tenders to erect a building were not called until April 1893.[7] It became Widgee State School on 1 January 1909. A new school building was built in 1913.[8] It was closed in 1921. It was near Station Creek (approx 26°11′52″S 152°25′01″E / 26.19787°S 152.41702°E / -26.19787; 152.41702 (Widgee State School (first site))).[9][10][11]

On 10 August 1912 at the Lands Office at Gympie, the Queensland Government offered for selection 48 agricultural lots in the Widgee Repurchased Estate. The lots ranged in size from 160 to 758 acres (65 to 307 ha), in total 20,266 acres (8,201 ha). 17 blocks were situated around Waroonga Creek to the north-west of Widgee Mountain (26°14′34″S 152°22′23″E / 26.2428°S 152.3731°E / -26.2428; 152.3731 (Widgee Mountain)) while 31 blocks were situated to south around Widgee Creek and Little Widgee Creek. The blocks were described as suitable for dairying and general farming with an average annual rainfall of 40 inches (1,000 mm).[12][13]

The Widgee Soldiers' Memorial Hall was officially opened in the presence of 300 people on Saturday 31 March 1923 by Harry Clayton, the Member for the local electoral district of Wide Bay in the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[14] The opening of the hall enabled the school to re-open using the hall until 1938 when a new school was built beside the hall.[10]

On Sunday 27 March 1938, a stump-capping ceremony was performed for a Catholic church on land donated by Mrs W. Power of Widgee.[15] The church was officially opened and dedicated to St Vincent de Paul on Sunday 25 September 1938 by Archbishop James Duhig in the presence of 500 residents. The timber church was 60 by 30 feet (18.3 by 9.1 m) and could seat 100 people; it cost £674.[16]

Demographics

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In the 2011 census, Widgee had a population of 788 people.[17]

In the 2016 census, Widgee had a population of 794 people.[18]

In the 2021 census, Widgee had a population of 862 people.[1]

Heritage listings

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Widgee has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Education

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Widgee State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 2156 Gympie-Woolooga Road (26°12′14″S 152°26′35″E / 26.2038°S 152.4431°E / -26.2038; 152.4431 (Widgee State School)).[20][21] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 52 students with 4 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 6 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).[22]

There are no secondary schools in Widgee; the nearest one is James Nash State High School in Gympie.[23]

Amenities

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St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 2010

St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church is on the south-west corner of Gympie Woolooga Road and Little Widgee Road (26°12′15″S 152°26′33″E / 26.20419°S 152.44243°E / -26.20419; 152.44243 (St Vincent de Paul's Catholic Church)).[24][25][26]

The Soldiers' Memorial Hall is at 2148 Gympie Woolooga Road (26°12′14″S 152°26′38″E / 26.20391°S 152.44380°E / -26.20391; 152.44380 (Widgee Soldiers' Memorial Hall)).[27][28] Inside the hall, an honour board commemorates those who served in World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War.[29] Outside the hall, a war memorial also commemorates those who served in the conflicts.[30][31]

Widgee Showgrounds are at 22 Upper Widgee Road (26°12′07″S 152°26′13″E / 26.20197°S 152.43687°E / -26.20197; 152.43687 (Widgee Showgrounds)).[32] The Widgee & District Pony Club is located there.[33]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Widgee (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  2. ^ "Widgee – locality in Gympie Region (entry 46397)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  3. ^ "NOMENCLATURE OF QUEENSLAND-306". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 22 September 1936. p. 12. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  4. ^ "Proclamations under the New Land Acts". The Brisbane Courier. Queensland, Australia. 2 March 1877. p. 3. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020 – via Trove.
  5. ^ "LOCAL NEWS". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser. No. 6, 447. Queensland, Australia. 9 June 1893. p. 2. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "NOTES AND NEWS". Gympie Times And Mary River Mining Gazette. Vol. XXVIII, no. 3483. Queensland, Australia. 22 August 1896. p. 5. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Advertising". Gympie Times And Mary River Mining Gazette. Vol. XXV, no. 3068. Queensland, Australia. 13 April 1893. p. 2. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "WIDGEE". Gympie Times And Mary River Mining Gazette. Vol. XLVI, no. 7128. Queensland, Australia. 20 September 1913. p. 6. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  10. ^ a b "A Brief History of Widgee". Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Parish of Widgee" (Map). Queensland Government. 1903. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  12. ^ "The Widgee Estate". State Library of Queensland (Real estate map). 1912. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Advertising". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 10 August 1912. p. 11. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2020 – via Trove.
  14. ^ "MEMORIAL HALL AT WIDGEE". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser. No. 14, 862. Queensland, Australia. 4 April 1923. p. 6. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "Augmenting Gladstone's Water Supply". The Courier-mail. No. 1427. Queensland, Australia. 29 March 1938. p. 8 (Second Section.). Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "NEW CATHOLIC CHURCH". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser. No. 20, 871. Queensland, Australia. 1 October 1938. p. 5. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Widgee". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 9 July 2013.  
  18. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Widgee (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  19. ^ "Wodonga House (former) (entry 600643)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  20. ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  21. ^ "Widgee State School". Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  22. ^ "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  23. ^ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  24. ^ "St Vincent de Paul Church, Widgee". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  25. ^ "St Vincent de Paul's Catholic Church | Widgee". Queensland Religious Places Database. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  26. ^ "St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church" (Map). Google Maps. September 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  27. ^ "Widgee Soldiers' Memorial Hall" (Map). Google Maps. August 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  28. ^ "Widgee Memorial Hall". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  29. ^ "Widgee & District Honour Board". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  30. ^ "Widgee War Memorial". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  31. ^ "Widgee Memorial Hall". Gympie Regional Council. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  32. ^ "Widgee Showgrounds" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  33. ^ "Widgee & District Pony Club". Facebook. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.

Further reading

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