Western Creek, Queensland

Western Creek
Queensland
Western Creek; Queensland
	Homestead, Western Creek Station, circa 1875
	Western Creek
Coordinates	27°51′S 150°57′E / 27.85°S 150.95°E
Population	0 (2021 census)
• Density	0.0000/km2 (0.0000/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4357
Area	714.9 km2 (276.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	46.8 km (29 mi) W of Millmerran ; 129 km (80 mi) SW of Toowoomba ; 261 km (162 mi) WSW of Brisbane ;
LGA(s)	Toowoomba Region
State electorate(s)	Southern Downs
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
	Suburbs around Western Creek:

Western Creek is a locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2] In the 2021 census, Western Creek had "no people or a very low population".^[1]

Geography

The creek of the same name rises in the east of the locality and flows west through the locality into neighbouring locality of Weir River where it becomes a tributary of the river of the same name.^[3]^[4]

Most of Western Creek is within the Western Creek State Forest with only a few small areas of farmland and undeveloped land in the northern, eastern and southern parts of the locality.^[3]

History

The locality takes its name from the parish, which in turn was named after an early pastoral run Western Creek belonging to James Laidley during the 1840s. In 1849 it was taken over by Captain Frances Durrell Vignoles in 1849,^[5] who held it for about thirty years, but problems with grass seed and his sheep ruined him financially.^[2]^[6] It was taken over in 1883 by The Scottish Australian Investment Company Limited and then by Dalmally Limited in association with W.A. Russell. Following Russell's death, it was taken over by Albert Edward Specht of Wellcamp, the son of pioneering family on the Darling Downs.^[7] When Specht died in 1941, the property was taken over by his two brothers William Dougall Specht and Archibald John Specht. After Archibald's death in 1944, William continued to run the property until his death in 1952.^[8]^[9] The property was then purchased by Thomas Barkla son of J.E.E Barkla who had purchased adjacent Dunmore station in 1916.

The property originally carried over 100,000 head of sheep in addition to cattle and horses, but resumptions of land over the years reduced its capacity.^[7]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Western Creek had a population of 15 people.^[10]

In the 2021 census, Western Creek had "no people or a very low population".^[1]

Education

There are no schools in Western Creek. The nearest government primary schools are Cecil Plains State School in Cecil Plains to the north-east, Millmerran State School in Millmerran to the east, and Kindon State School in Kindon to the south-west. The nearest government secondary school is Millmerran State School (to Year 10). There are no schools nearby offering secondary schooling to Year 12; the options are distance education or boarding school.^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Western Creek (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Western Creek – locality in Toowoomba Region (entry 48093)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
^ "Weir River – watercourse in Western Downs Region (entry 37113)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
^ "TRANSFER OF RUNS". The Sydney Morning Herald. Vol. XXVI, no. 3816. New South Wales, Australia. 10 August 1849. p. 4. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Chinese and Cabbages". Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald And General Advertiser. Vol. XXXIV, no. 4982. Queensland, Australia. 8 June 1893. p. 2. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ^a ^b "WESTERN CREEK STATION". Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette. Vol. LXXII, no. 270. Queensland, Australia. 11 November 1933. p. 6. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "OBITUARY". Pittsworth Sentinel. Vol. 52. Queensland, Australia. 11 January 1952. p. 2. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Queensland Deaths". Archived from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Western Creek (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2024.