Goomeri

Goomeri (/ɡuːˈmɛri/ goo-MERR-ee) is a rural town and locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census, the locality of Goomeri had a population of 664 people.[1]

Goomeri
Queensland
Goomeri looking towards the war memorial
Goomeri is located in Queensland
Goomeri
Goomeri
Coordinates26.1825°S 152.0680°E / -26.1825; 152.0680 (Goomeri (town centre))
Population664 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density6.252/km2 (16.194/sq mi)
Established1911
Postcode(s)4601
Area106.2 km2 (41.0 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Gympie Region
State electorate(s)Nanango
Federal division(s)Wide Bay
Localities around Goomeri:
Goomeribong Boonara Cinnabar
Manyung Goomeri Kinbombi
Moondooner
Redgate		 Barambah Kinbombi

Geography
Streetscape of the Burnett Highway (Moore Street), 2019

The town is located on the intersection of the Burnett, Bunya and Wide Bay Highways, 255 kilometres (158 mi) from the state capital, Brisbane.[4]

The main street is Moore Street; the Burnett Highway follows Moore Street through the town.[5]

Goomeri lies 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) west of the Coast Range.[6]

History
Goomeri Methodist Church, 1975

European settlement in the Goomeri area began in 1846 with the establishment of Booubyjan Homestead and Boonara Station.[7]

The Kilkivan to Goomeri section of the Nanango railway line opened in 1902, and the Goomeri to Wondai section opened on 14 September 1903.[8] The line was officially closed in early 2010.[9]

Closer settlement took place in 1911 with the sale of rural allotments and town blocks.[7]

Goomeri Post Office opened by June 1912 (a receiving office had been open from 1902).[10]

Goomeri Methodist Church opened on 30 August 1912.[11] It closed in January 2014 and is now used as a house.[12] It was at 10 Mactaggart Street (26.1772°S 152.0652°E / -26.1772; 152.0652 (Goomeri Methodist Church)).[13][14]

Anglican Church of the Epiphany, Goomeri, at the time of its opening, 1916

The Anglican Church of the Epiphany was dedicated on 12 March 1916 by Archbishop St Clair Donaldson.[15][16][17][18]

On Sunday 21 March 1920, St Kevin's Catholic Church was officially opened and blessed by Archbishop James Duhig. The church building had been relocated from Nanango, where it was originally opened in 1901.[19][20]

On 15 November 1940, the Goomeri War Memorial Clock was unveiled by the State President of the RSL, Raymond Huish.[21]

Goomeri Library opened in 1986.[22]

Circa 1997, the Apostolic Church at 103 Wittenberg Road, Tansey, was relocated to 19 Olive Street in Goomeri. It originally opened in Tansey on 26 September 1926 by Reverend W. Neimeyer.[23][24][25][26][27]

In the 2016 census, there were 664 people in the locality of Goomeri. Of these 49.4% were male and 50.6% were female. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people made up 8.7% of the population. The most common ancestries in Goomeri (State Suburbs) were Australian 34.6%, English 30.3%, Irish 7.1%, German 7.1% and Scottish 6.4%.[1]

Heritage listings
Hall of Memory
Goomeri War Memorial, 2010

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

Education

Goomeri State School is a government primary and secondary (Prep-10) school for boys and girls at 5 Munro Street (26.1796°S 152.0648°E / -26.1796; 152.0648 (Goomeri State School)).[31][32] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 146 students with 19 teachers (17 full-time equivalent) and 12 non-teaching staff (9 full-time equivalent).[33]

There is no secondary school offering education to Year 12 in Goomeri; the nearest government secondary school offering education to Year 12 is Murgon State High School in Murgon to the south-west.

Amenities
St Kevin's Catholic Church, 1975

Goomeri has a library at 35 Moore Street (26.1817°S 152.0674°E / -26.1817; 152.0674 (Goomeri public library)) operated by the Gympie Regional Council.[34]

The Anglican Church of Epiphany is at 9-11 Hodge Street (26.1843°S 152.0707°E / -26.1843; 152.0707 (Anglican Church of the Epiphany)).[16]

St Kevin's Catholic Church is at 17 Hodge Street (26.1842°S 152.0713°E / -26.1842; 152.0713 (St Kevin's Catholic Church)).[35][36]

The Apostolic Church is at 19 Olive Street (26.1796°S 152.0628°E / -26.1796; 152.0628 (Goomeri Apostolic Church)).[37][25][27]

Goomeri Bowls Club is at 57 Moore Street.[38]

Goomeri has a Swimming Pool with advertised opening hours.[39]

Attractions

With parks and a number of buildings built in the 1920s, Goomeri is a quiet place that is known for its "relaxed old world charm". Goomeri's Hall of Memory – still in use today - was built in 1926 and is now a heritage-listed building.[28]

The town is also well known for its gourmet food. Goomeri offers fine dining, country food, gourmet cheeses and locally grown olives to award winning pies. Goomeri is a gateway to the South Burnett wine district, with vineyards and cellar doors within proximity. Other industries in the area include beef and dairy.

Kinbombi Falls

Goomeri’s information centre is situated at 41 Moore Street (Burnett Highway, 26.1839°S 152.0685°E / -26.1839; 152.0685 (Tourist information centre)), beside the windmill at Lions Park.[40][41]

Goomeri also has an hotel and an art studio.[42][43]

The Kinbombi Falls picnic and camping area is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south of the Wide Bay Highway along Kinbombi Road, and 10.5 kilometres (6.5 mi) from Goomeri.[44] A walking track leads to a deep natural pool. A track skirts the top of the gorge, offering views of the area.

The Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail follows the old railway line between the two towns. It is 88 kilometres (55 mi) long and passes through Goomeri, Murgon, Wondai, Tingoora, Wooroolin, Memerambi, and Crawford. The trail from Kilkivan to Murgon is unsealed. Queensland’s first and longest sealed rail trail section of 44 kilometres (27 mi) from Murgon to Kingaroy is for walkers and cyclists only. Short distances between towns means coffee is never far away.[45][46][47]

Events

The Goomeri Pumpkin Festival, held on the last Sunday in May each year, attracts up to 14,000 visitors each year. The highlight of the Pumpkin Festival is the "Great Australian Pumpkin Roll" down Policeman's Hill.[48]

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Goomeri (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Goomeri – town in Gympie Region (entry 14271)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  3. "Goomeri – locality in Gympie Region (entry 46335)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  4. Google (4 November 2022). "Goomeri to Brisbane" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  5. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  6. "Map of Coast Range in Queensland showing Goomeri (highlighted in purple) - Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia". www.bonzle.com. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  7. Kilkivan Archived 11 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine – Goomeri tourist information
  8. "Advertising". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser. No. 9615. Queensland, Australia. 11 September 1903. p. 3. Retrieved 4 November 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail Brochure. "Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail". Gympie Regional Council. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  10. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  11. "GOOMERI". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser. No. 12, 586. Queensland, Australia. 5 September 1913. p. 6. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. "Goomeri Uniting Church - Former | Churches Australia". Australia's Christian Heritage. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  13. Blake, Thom. "Goomeri Methodist Church". Queensland religious places database. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  14. Google (8 February 2020). "Goomeri Methodist Church (former, rear view)" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  15. "Year Book" (PDF). Anglican Archdiocese of Brisbane. 2019. p. 132. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  16. "Anglican Church of the Epiphany". Churches Australia. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  17. "PERSONAL". Queensland Figaro. Vol. XVII. Queensland, Australia. 18 March 1916. p. 7. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. "No title". The Brisbane Courier. No. 18, 174. Queensland, Australia. 15 April 1916. p. 12. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. "GOOMERI". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser. No. 14, 407. Queensland, Australia. 24 March 1920. p. 6. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. Blake, Thom. "St Kevin's Catholic Church". Queensland religious places database. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  21. "Goomeri Memorial Clock Tower". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  22. "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  23. "GOOMERI". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser. No. 17, 705. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1926. p. 10. Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. "SOUTH BURNETT". Daily Mail. No. 7678. Queensland, Australia. 8 October 1926. p. 3. Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. "The Apostolic Church of Queensland - Goomeri". Churches Australia. Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  26. Blake, Thom. "Tansey Apostolic Church". Queensland religious places database. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  27. Blake, Thom. "Goomeri Apostolic Chruch". Queensland religious places database. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  28. "Goomeri Hall of Memory (entry 600641)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  29. "Goomeri War Memorial Clock (entry 600642)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  30. "Barambah Homestead (entry 600644)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  31. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  32. "Goomeri State School". Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  33. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  34. "Goomeri Library". plconnect.slq.qld.gov.au. State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 22 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  35. "St Kevins Goomeri". Murgon Catholic Parish. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  36. "St Kevin's Catholic Church". Churches Australia. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  37. "Communities". Apostolic Church of Queensland. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  38. "Bowls Clubs". Gympie Regional Council. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  39. "Aquatic Facilities". www.goomeripool.com.au. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  40. "Goomeri". South Burnett Tourism. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  41. Google (25 March 2022). "Tourist information office" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  42. "Bar & Bistro | Joe's Grand Hotel | Queensland". Joe's Grand Hotel. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  43. Martindale, Dafyd (31 August 2022). "Goomeri Joins Studio Trail". southburnett.com.au. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  44. "Kinbombi Falls". Aussie Bushwalking. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  45. "Rail Trails in the South Burnett". South Burnett Regional Council. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  46. Council, Gympie Regional. "Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail". Gympie Regional Council. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  47. "South Burnett Rail Trail". South Burnett Regional Council. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  48. "Goomeri Pumpkin Festival". 13 June 2016. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.

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