Meringandan

Meringandan
Suburb
Main Street, 2014
Meringandan
Interactive map of Meringandan
Coordinates: 27°24′10″S 151°55′16″E / 27.4027°S 151.9211°E / -27.4027; 151.9211 (Meringandan (centre of locality))
CountryAustralia
StateQueensland
LGA
Location
Established1868
Government
 • State electorates
 • Federal division
Area
 • Total
23.3 km2 (9.0 sq mi)
Population
 • Total530 (2021 census)[2]
 • Density22.75/km2 (58.9/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+10:00 (AEST)
Postcode
4352
Suburbs around Meringandan
Muniganeen Douglas Groomsville
Meringandan West Meringandan Kleinton
Meringandan West Woolmer Highfields

Meringandan is a rural locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia.[3] In the 2021 census, Meringandan had a population of 530 people.[2]

Geography

The locality is on the Darling Downs near Highfields, 19 kilometres (12 mi) NNW of Toowoomba.[4]

It is drained by the meandering Meringandan Creek, which forms most of the boundary with Meringandan West.[4]

History

Meringandan is a corruption of the aboriginal words, Moorin meaning fire and Gandan meaning clay. Therefore, Meringandan means 'place of fire and clay'.[3]

Meringandan was once part of the Gowrie pastoral station, established in 1841. The district was opened to closer settlement in the 1870s with many Germans settling there.[5]

About 1875, the German settlers established a Lutheran church.[6] St Gregory's Anglican Church was established in 1886.[7][8] A Congregational Church opened in 1909.[9][10] A Church of Christ opened in 1919.[11]

Meringandan State School opened on 24 January 1876.[12] It was built in 1875 by Jack Maag. Isaac John Thomas was appointed the first head teacher of the school. The enrolment for that year was 80 pupils.[13] It is now within the suburb boundaries of Meringandan West.[14]

A branch railway line was constructed from Toowoomba to Cabarlah, and the first train ran in September 1883. As Meringandan had a railway station, the settlers in the Goombungee and Haden areas used it to forward their goods. Most farmers did their carting, but well-known carriers were Jack Wieck, Herman Lau, George Klein and Jack Lange. In the early 1900s, a line of teams stretching for half a mile, waiting to load or unload at the railway station, was a familiar sight. However, the construction of the Haden railway line to Haden in 1910 reduced the need to use Meringandan's railway station; meanwhile, the use of motor transport was increasing. Following the closure of the railway yards, the railway station was replaced with a park.[15]

St Gregory's Anglican Church was consecrated on Sunday, 12 September 1886 by Bishop William Webber.[16] It was located on a 1-acre (0.40 ha) piece of land near the railway station, donated by Mr Foland. Mr Maag built it, and it was 18 by 38 feet (5.5 by 11.6 m) and could seat 150 people.[17] In 1905, it was relocated to Kingsthorpe, where it was re-consecrated as St Gregory's by Archbishop St Clair Donaldson on 20 October 1905. It closed circa 1982.[18]

On Sunday, 2 February 1896, a new Lutheran church opened, replacing the previous one that had become dilapidated over its quarter century of use. L. Goebel and Son of Gomoran built the new church. The church was 40 by 20 feet (12.2 by 6.1 m) with the vestry 12 by 14 feet (3.7 by 4.3 m) and the porch 7 by 8 feet (2.1 by 2.4 m) with 14 feet (4.3 m) high walls. Inside, there was an elevated cedar pulpit.[19]

At the beginning of the 1900s, the Court House was moved from Cabarlah and erected at Meringandan.

Before 1900, the farmers' wives baked their bread, but early in the century, a bakery was established by O. Wuersching, the first baker employed being Walls.

Brigalow Park Provisional School opened on 17 October 1910. On 1 May 1912, it became Brigalow Park State School. It closed on 13 April 1962.[12]

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Meringandan had a population of 305 people.[20]

In the 2016 census, Meringandan had a population of 487 people.[21]

In the 2021 census, Meringandan had a population of 530 people.[2]

Education

There are no schools in Meringandan.[14] The nearest government primary schools are Meringandan State School in neighbouring Meringandan West to the west, Geham State School in Geham to the east, and Highfields State School in Highfields to the south-east. The nearest government secondary school is Highfields State Secondary College in Highfields to the south-east.[22]

Amenities

Library services in Meringandan are provided by the Toowoomba Regional Council's mobile library service. The van visits Meringandan State School and Meringandan Produce Store every Thursday.[23]

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Meringandan (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
  2. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Meringandan (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Meringandan – locality in Toowoomba Region (entry 49182)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourse". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Meringandan". Queensland Places. University of Queensland. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  6. ^ "German Lutheran Church | Meringandan". Queensland Religious Places Database. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  7. ^ "The Brisbane Courier". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. XLII, no. 8, 930. Queensland, Australia. 28 August 1886. p. 4. Retrieved 23 January 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "St Gregory's Anglican Church | Meringandan". Queensland Religious Places Database. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  9. ^ "DISTRICT NEWS". Darling Downs Gazette. Vol. LI, no. 8, 647. Queensland, Australia. 29 May 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 23 January 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Meringandan Congregational Church | Meringandan". Queensland Religious Places Database. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  11. ^ "CHURCH OF CHRIST". The Toowoomba Chronicle. Vol. LIII, no. 81. Queensland, Australia. 5 April 1919. p. 4. Retrieved 23 January 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ a b Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  13. ^ "History". Meringandan State School. 20 March 2012. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  15. ^ "Toowoomba Regional Landscape and Urban Character Study & Toowoomba Regional Secenity Amenity Study: Meringandan" (PDF). Toowoomba Regional Council. 14 September 2021. p. 234. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  16. ^ "QUEENSLAND NEWS". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. XLII, no. 8, 943. Queensland, Australia. 13 September 1886. p. 5. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "Tea-Meeting and Concert at Meringandan". Darling Downs Gazette. Vol. XXX, no. 5, 974. Queensland, Australia. 15 September 1886. p. 3. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ Anglican Church of Southern Queensland. "Closed Churches". Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  19. ^ "OPENING OF GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH at Meringandan". Darling Downs Gazette. Vol. XXXVIII, no. 8, 982. Queensland, Australia. 5 February 1896. p. 5. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Meringandan (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  21. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Meringandan (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  22. ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  23. ^ "Mobile library". Toowoomba Regional Council. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
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