Highfields, Queensland

Highfields is a small town in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In 2022 the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated the resident population of the Highfields region was 15478.[4]

Highfields
Queensland
View over Highfields from Mitchell Road Park, looking west towards Gowrie Mountain
Highfields is located in Queensland
Highfields
Highfields
Coordinates27.4633°S 151.9458°E / -27.4633; 151.9458 (Highfields (town centre))
Population8,131 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density311.5/km2 (806.9/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4352
Elevation700 m (2,297 ft)
Area26.1 km2 (10.1 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Toowoomba Region
State electorate(s)Toowoomba North
Federal division(s)Groom
Suburbs around Highfields:
Meringandan Kleinton Cabarlah
Woolmer
Cawdor		 Highfields Spring Bluff
Birnam Blue Mountain Heights Ballard

Geography

Highfields is situated on the Great Dividing Range, slightly north of Mount Kynoch. It is on the New England Highway. It serves as a satellite town to the city of Toowoomba, accommodating many of Toowoomba businesses' employees. The Australian Bureau of Statistics also defines a larger growth area, named Highfields, that includes the suburb and several of those surrounding.

Climate

Along with Meringandan, the climate is oceanic (Köppen: Cfb) due to elevation, usually located further south of Australia.[5]

History

The area probably takes its name from the Highfields pastoral run, north of the township.[6] The area was first developed in the 1860s. Initially, there were a number of sawmills in the area, harvesting the local timber. Then the construction of the railway line between Ipswich and Toowoomba (completed in 1867) brought railway workers to the district. As the timber-getters cleared the land, dairy farms were established.[6] The first post office openly briefly in 1866 with a weekly mail service from Toowoomba.[7][8] It re-opened in 1868[9] and changed its name in December 1877 to Koojarewon.[3][10]

The Highfields School opened on 17 January 1870 in the Rising Sun Hotel under teacher Mr Larkin.[11][12] The first school building was constructed in the 1880s.[13] In 1906, the school was renamed Koojarawon.[3]

In 1879, a Baptist Church opened in Highfields.[14][15] On Sunday 22 November 1908, the church was reopened following a major reconstruction.[14][16][17]

In 1907, the protests of residents resulted in both the school and the post office returning to the name Highfields.[3][18] Another post office in the Highfields area is now the Geham Post Office.[3]

View Glen State School opened on Highfields Road on 25 May 1914. It closed on 1924.[19][20][21][22]

Coming into the 1960s,Highfields remained a rural community with, at one stage, only 9 children enrolled in the Highfields State Schooll. However, residential subdivision started to occur in the 1960s, to a point where it is now considered a satellite town of Toowoomba. As at 2014, the school was one of the largest primary schools in the Toowoomba and Darling Downs region.[6][13]

Toowoomba Christian College opened on 30 January 1979.[19]

Mary MacKillop Catholic School opened on 26 January 2003 as primary school.[19] In 2015 it was renamed Mary Mackillop Catholic College in 2015 to reflect its expansion to secondary schooling.

The Cabarlah Community School opened in Wirraglen Road, Highfields, in January 2006.[23] It used the Reggio Emilia teaching philosophy. In March 2008 it was closed when the Queensland Government's Non-State Schools Accreditation Board refused to accredit the school, claiming it did not meet the requirements of the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act 2001. Although the school appealed the decision, the Queensland Education Minister, Rod Weldford, upheld the board's decision.[24]

The Highfields Library and Community Centre opened in 2022, to cater for the population growth in the district.[25]

Highfields State Secondary College opened on Tuesday 27 January 2015.[26][27]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Highfields had a population of 8,131 people.[1]

The Big Cow at Kulangoor, prior to its move to Highfields

On 10 January 2020, the Big Cow was moved to the Highfields Pioneer Village, where it was restored and officially re-opened on 20 September 2020.[28][29] The Big Cow was built in the 1970s to attract tourists to a working dairy farm at 9-11 Ayrshire Rd, Kulangoor. It is one of the many Australian Big Things. It was sculpted by Hugh Anderson, who also sculpted the Big Bulls in Rockhampton. The Big Cow is seven times the size of an Ayrshire cow on which it is modelled. It is made of concrete and described as "able to withstand a cyclone". After the dairy farm closed, the Big Cow remained on the property which was used for a variety of purposes. In March 2016, the Big Cow was described as "closed and fallen into disrepair".[30]

Education
Aerial view of Highfields State School, 2021

Highfields State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 10459 New England Highway (27.4628°S 151.9557°E / -27.4628; 151.9557 (Highfields State School)).[31][32] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 730 students with 56 teachers (50 full-time equivalent) and 32 non-teaching staff (22 full-time equivalent).[33] It includes a special education program.[31][34]

Toowoomba Christian College is a private primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at 10852 New England Highway (27.4877°S 151.9492°E / -27.4877; 151.9492 (Toowoomba Christian College)).[31][35] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 697 students with 47 teachers (44 full-time equivalent) and 37 non-teaching staff (29 full-time equivalent).[33]

Mary MacKillop Catholic College is a Catholic primary and secondary (Prep-9) school for boys and girls at 75 Highfields Road (27.4512°S 151.9428°E / -27.4512; 151.9428 (Mary MacKillop Catholic College)).[31][36] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 696 students with 51 teachers (46 full-time equivalent) and 38 non-teaching staff (28 full-time equivalent).[33]

Highfields State Secondary College is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at 10 O'Brien Road (27.4466°S 151.9511°E / -27.4466; 151.9511 (Highfields State Secondary College)).[31][37] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 810 students with 66 teachers (64 full-time equivalent) and 35 non-teaching staff (26 full-time equivalent).[33] It includes a special education program.[31] The college is a Bring your own device (BYOD) school.[38]

Amenities

The Cultural Centre is a large venue for conferences and performances. Also located at the Centre is an outdoor public swimming complex with a large indoor arena holding two volleyball and basketball courts and a gym. Just outside this is the Highfields Library at Community Court;[39] the library is operated by the Toowoomba Regional Council and is open seven days.[40] On the other side of the Cultural Centre is a skate park.

(from left to right) The Highfields Cultural Centre, Aquatic Centre and Library

The Highfields Sport & Recreation Park opened in 2019, which includes a number of netball courts, multi-use sporting fields, and tennis courts; amenities, picnic areas, and 150 additional car parking spaces.[41]

A shopping centre called Highfields Village was developed and opened in 2003 that contains a number of community stores, including a hardware store, a baker and a supermarket. A tavern was also opened at the site in 2003. The centre also contains a pizza store, a post office, a bank and a hairdressing salon. In addition to the Highfields Village shopping centre, the Plaza shopping centre was recently redeveloped (2007). It now has a supermarket, newsagency, numerous banks, takeaways and a hair dresser. Also serving the community are a small bundle of shops found on the turn off from the New England Highway to Highfields Road, amongst them include a bakery, a delicatessen, a hairdressers, a real estate agency and an auto parts shop.

The Highfields branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 2/10498 New England Highway.[42]

Highfields is also home to a football (soccer) club, Highfields FC, with teams ranging from Under 6's to Colts. Highfields also has a regional rugby league club, Highfields Eagles, with teams ranging from Under 7's to 16's in the juniors and has an under 18's, reserve and A grade team in the seniors. Highfields Lions were admitted into the AFL Darling Downs Senior competition in 2010, and now have a competitive club at Senior and Junior level. Highfields is home to the Highfields Redbacks Rugby Union Club. The Redbacks are based at Kuhls Road Oval, and field teams from Under 6's to Over 35's. Highfields & District Railways Bulldogs Cricket Club are the local cricket club with teams from under 7s – under 16s and D – A grade. Highfields and District Netball Club operates from the newly opened Highfields district sports park. Highfields and Districts Little Athletics Centre operates during the summer months from the AFL oval

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Highfields (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Highfields – town in Toowoomba Region (entry 15863)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  3. "Highfields – locality in Toowoomba Region (entry 50063)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  4. "Data by region | Australian Bureau of Statistics". Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  5. "Interactive Australia / New Zealand Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification Map". www.plantmaps.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  6. "Highfield and Highfields Shire". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  7. "TOOWOOMBA". The Queenslander. 24 February 1866. p. 8. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "TOOWOOMBA". The Queenslander. 17 March 1866. p. 8. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "TOOWOOMBA AND HIGHFIELDS POSTAL SERVICE". The Darling Downs Gazette and General Advertiser. Toowoomba, Qld. 9 November 1867. p. 3. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "A. A. Gazette, WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE VOICE OF THE DOWNS. TOOWOOMBA, DECEMBER 15, 1877". The Darling Downs Gazette and General Advertiser. Toowoomba, Qld. 15 December 1877. p. 5. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  12. "Agency ID 5313, Highfields State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  13. "Our School History". Highfields State School. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  14. "Queensland Baptist churches by date of erection/opening". Baptist Church Archives Queensland. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  15. "1878 Highfields". Baptist Church Archives Queensland. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  16. "1908 Highfields". Baptist Church Archives Queensland. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  17. "HIGHFIELDS BAPTIST CHURCH". Darling Downs Gazette. Vol. LI, no. 8, 491. Queensland, Australia. 24 November 1908. p. 4. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. "220 – Highfields / Koojarewon / Brookfield". Queensland Postage Stamp Numerals. Bernand Manning & Hugh Campbell. 19 April 2013. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  19. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  20. "Advertising". Darling Downs Gazette. Vol. LVI, no. 565. Queensland, Australia. 27 October 1913. p. 1. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. "VIEW GLEN SCHOOL". Darling Downs Gazette. Vol. LVII, no. 775. Queensland, Australia. 4 July 1914. p. 7. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. "Advertising". Darling Downs Gazette. Vol. LVII, no. 772. Queensland, Australia. 1 July 1914. p. 1. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  24. Searle, Susan (11 March 2008). "School shuts after failing government examination". Toowoomba Chronicle. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  25. "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
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  30. Tatham, Harriet (14 March 2016). "The Big Cow at Kulangoor in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast is closed and fallen into disrepair". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
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  34. "Highfields SS - Special Education Program". Archived from the original on 4 April 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
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  36. "Mary MacKillop Catholic College". Mary MacKillop Catholic College. 17 December 2021. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
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  38. "The school where everyone is the new kid". ABC Southern Queensland. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  39. "Highfields Library". plconnect.slq.qld.gov.au. State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 22 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  40. "Toowoomba Regional Council". Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  41. "Highfields Sport & Recreation Park". Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  42. "Branch Locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.

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