Grantham is a rural town and locality in the Lockyer Valley Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] The town is located 100 kilometres (62 mi) west of the state capital, Brisbane. In the 2021 census, the locality of Grantham had a population of 796 people.[1]

Grantham
Queensland
Grantham Hotel, located in Anzac Ave
Grantham is located in Queensland
Grantham
Grantham
Coordinates27°34′37″S 152°12′08″E / 27.5769°S 152.2022°E / -27.5769; 152.2022 (Grantham (town centre))
Population796 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density16.146/km2 (41.82/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4347
Elevation109 m (358 ft)
Area49.3 km2 (19.0 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)Lockyer Valley Region
CountyCavendish
ParishLockyer
State electorate(s)Lockyer
Federal division(s)Wright
Localities around Grantham:
Helidon Seventeen Mile Ringwood
Helidon Grantham Gatton
Placid Hills
Carpendale Veradilla
Winwill
Lower Tenthill

Geography

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The Warrego Highway passes through from east to west. The north-west corner is occupied by part of the Lockyer State Forest.

History

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The area was first settled in 1841, by George Mocatta.[4] He named his pastoral run Grantham, which became the name of the town.[2]

In 1866, a railway siding from the main Toowoomba line was opened which assisted in the development of a small settlement. It wasn't until the mid-1870s that the Grantham railway station was built.[4]

In August 1895, tenders were called for the erection of a provisional school at Grantham Scrub.[5] In January 1896 teacher, Catherine M. Ludeman was appointed to the Grantham Scrub Provisional School, suggesting it opened around that time.[6][7] On 1 January 1909, it became Grantham Scrub State School. It closed circa 1950.[8] It was located at 119 Missouri Road (corner of Grantham Scrub Road, 27°35′36″S 152°11′06″E / 27.59327°S 152.18507°E / -27.59327; 152.18507 (Grantham Scrub State School (former))) within the present-day locality of neighbouring Veradilla.[9][10]

Grantham Provisional School opened on 23 January 1905. On 1 January 1909 it became Grantham State School.[8]

A butter factory was established in 1907. The building was replaced in 1926 by a brick building which operated until 1971.[4]

Grantham Post Office opened on 1 January 1890 (a receiving office had been open from 1876).[11]

On 10 January 2011, Grantham was severely damaged in a huge flash flood. 12 people died and a large number of houses and other buildings were destroyed.[12] Following the floods, Grantham received visits by politicians including Queensland Premier Anna Bligh on numerous occasions. Australia's Governor-General Quentin Bryce also visited the town.[13] In May 2011, it was announced that the town would be moved to higher ground to prevent future damaging floods.[14] A 935-acre site was purchased so that landholders could be provided a voluntary swap of equivalent-sized blocks. The new site is situated on a hill overlooking Grantham and has permission from the state government to bypass the normal development approval process.[15] Residents of nearby Murphys Creek, Postmans Ridge, Withcott and Helidon have been included in the fast-tracked plan. As of March 2022, 110 houses are on the hill but over 50 dwellings remain in the older part of town.[16]

Demographics

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In the 2016 census, the locality of Grantham had a population of 634 people. 81.1% of people were born in Australia and 90.9% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 24.3%, Catholic 17.8% and Anglican 15.5%.[17]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Grantham had a population of 796 people.[1]

Education

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Grantham State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 15 Victor Street (27°34′26″S 152°12′07″E / 27.5740°S 152.2020°E / -27.5740; 152.2020 (Grantham State School)).[18][19] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 95 students with 6 teachers and 6 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent).[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Grantham (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  2. ^ a b "Grantham – town in Lockyer Valley Region (entry 14609)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  3. ^ "Grantham – locality in Lockyer Valley Region (entry 44957)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland) (2000). Heritage Trails of the Great South East. State of Queensland. p. 61. ISBN 0-7345-1008-X.
  5. ^ "TENDERS INVITED". Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald And General Advertiser. Vol. XXXVI, no. 5322. Queensland, Australia. 17 August 1895. p. 5. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "The Education Department". Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald And General Advertiser. Vol. XXXVI, no. 5390. Queensland, Australia. 25 January 1896. p. 5. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "The Department of Public Instruction". Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald And General Advertiser. Vol. XXXVI, no. 5454. Queensland, Australia. 23 June 1896. p. 3. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ "Parish of Terry" (Map). Queensland Government. 1930. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Layers: Locality; Land parcel". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  11. ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  12. ^ Walter Sofronoff (October 2015). "Grantham Floods Commission of Inquiry" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  13. ^ Tom Threadingham (24 May 2011). "Power and passion". Gatton, Lockyer and Brisbane Valley Star. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  14. ^ Georgia Waters (5 May 2011). "Flooded Queensland town to be relocated". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  15. ^ Matt Wordsworth (8 June 2011). "Flood-ravaged Grantham moves to higher ground". Australia: ABC News. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  16. ^ "'If there's higher ground, do it': The flood-prone Queensland community that moved up a hill". ABC News. 12 March 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  17. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Grantham (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.    Material was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
  18. ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  19. ^ "Grantham State School". Grantham State School. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  20. ^ "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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