Lawgi Dawes

Lawgi Dawes is a rural locality in the Shire of Banana, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2016 census, Lawgi Dawes had a population of 144 people.[1] It contains the neighbourhood of Lawgi, a former town.[3]

Lawgi Dawes
Queensland
Sign outside Lawgi Hall, 2014
Lawgi Dawes is located in Queensland
Lawgi Dawes
Lawgi Dawes
Coordinates24.59°S 150.7619°E / -24.59; 150.7619 (Lawgi Dawes (centre of locality))
Population144 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density0.2520/km2 (0.6526/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4716
Area571.5 km2 (220.7 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Banana
State electorate(s)Callide
Federal division(s)Flynn
Suburbs around Lawgi Dawes:
Thangool Valentine Plains Valentine Plains
Thangool Lawgi Dawes Cania
Harrami Coominglah Coominglah

Geography

Lawgi is an abandoned neighbourhood (24.5666°S 150.65°E / -24.5666; 150.65 (Lawgi (neighbourhood))) within the locality.[3] It is located on the Burnett Highway.[4]

Mardale is a neighbourhood (24.55°S 150.7°E / -24.55; 150.7 (Mardale (neighbourhood))).[5] It is located on Blackmans Yard Road.[4]

The area is a productive agricultural area with cattle and grain farming predominating.

History

During the planning to build the Rannes-Monto railway line,[6] one of the proposed railway stations along the route was assigned the name Lawgi by the Railways Department in 1926. The name is believed to mean home in one of the Aboriginal languages.[2]

Dawes State School opened on 20 June 1932 and closed in October 1932.[7][8][9][10] It was located near the proposed Dawes railway station at the intersection of the Burnett Highway and Blackmans Yard Road (approx 24.6473°S 150.7477°E / -24.6473; 150.7477 (Dawes State School (former))).[11]

Construction of the railway line commenced from Rannes. On Saturday 24 September 1932, the segment from Thangool to Lawgi was officially opened by the Minister for Railways, John Dash (the Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Mundingburra).[12] This resulted in the establishment of the township of Lawgi.

Yaparaba State School opened on 30 August 1934 and closed on 6 February 1970.[13] It was located on a bend in Yaparaba School Road (approx 24.63521°S 150.70782°E / -24.63521; 150.70782 (Yaparaba State School (former))) to the immediate south of the never-constructed Yaparaba railway station on the never-constructed section of the railway line.[14]

Lawgi State School opened in September 1935. It was renamed Mardale State School in 1952. The school closed on 13 March 1964.[15][16] It was on Lawgi Connection Road (24.5709°S 150.6441°E / -24.5709; 150.6441 (Lawgi State School (former))).[17]

Coominglah State School opened circa December 1939 with teacher Miss Viola Petra Goodfellow.[18][19] It closed circa 1947.[13][20] It was on Burns Road (24.70892°S 150.81085°E / -24.70892; 150.81085 (Coominglah State School (former))) just on the border with Coominglah.[21]

The last section of the railway line from Lawgi to Monto was never completed, and Lawgi became the terminus.[22][23] However, the railway line was not profitable and the section from Thangool to Lawgi was closed in 1955.[24] As a result, the township gradually disappeared leaving only the community hall.

In 2003, local artists Gary Latcham and Jo Lawrence painted the exterior of the hall with the silhouettes of bottle trees against a sunset.[25]

In the 2016 census, Lawgi Dawes had a population of 144 people.[1]

In 2019, a decision was made to put cladding on the hall, covering the artwork. Gary Latcham assisted by local volunteer artists repainted the artwork.[25][26]

Amenities
Lawgi Hall painted with bottle trees, 2014

Lawgi Community Hall at the intersection of the Burnett Highway and the Lawgi Connection Road is used for regular community dances, occasional church services, indoor bowls, polling booth and other community functions. The exterior of the hall features a painting of bottle brushes trees against a multi-coloured sky.[27]

A memorial in the form of a gravestone marks the point where the proposed Rannes-Monto railway line was terminated at Lawgi. There is a rest area behind the hall for travellers.[27]

Free camping is also available at the nearby Lawgi Heritage Park, which boasts 360° views, stunning sunsets and hot showers.

Education

There are no schools in Lawgi Dawes. The nearest primary school is Thangool State School in neighbouring Thangool to the north-west. The nearest secondary schools are Biloela State High School in Biloela to the north-west and Monto State High School in Monto to the south-east.[4]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lawgi Dawes, Queensland.
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Lawgi Dawes (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Lawgi Dawes – locality in Shire of Banana (entry 49563)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  3. "Lawgi – neighborough in Shire of Banana (entry 39282)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  4. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  5. "Mardale – locality unbounded in Shire of Banana (entry 20931)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  6. "THE NORTHERN BURNETT". The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939). Brisbane, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 27 September 1919. p. 12. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  7. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  8. "DAWSON VALLEY DISTRICT NEWS". The Central Queensland Herald. Vol. 2, no. 89. Queensland, Australia. 10 September 1931. p. 39. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "CALLIDE". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 21 October 1931. p. 4 (FIRST EDITION). Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "GOOMERI". Morning Bulletin. No. 20, 577. Queensland, Australia. 29 June 1932. p. 12. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m163" (Map). [[Queensland Government[[. 1939. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  12. "THE LAWGI EXTENSION". Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954). Rockhampton, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 26 September 1932. p. 6. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  13. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  14. "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m163" (Map). Queensland Government. 1939. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  15. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  16. "Agency ID 6259, Mardale State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  17. "Parish of Scoria" (Map). Queensland Government. 1972. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  18. "DAWES". Morning Bulletin. No. 22, 789. Queensland, Australia. 7 December 1939. p. 11. Retrieved 28 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. "PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS". The Central Queensland Herald. Vol. 12, no. 648. Queensland, Australia. 14 August 1941. p. 21. Retrieved 28 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. "Agency ID 13187, Coominglah State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  21. "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m163" (Map). Queensland Government. 1950. Archived from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  22. "RAIL MOTOR SOUGHT". The Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1930 - 1956). Rockhampton, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 27 December 1934. p. 49. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  23. "LAWGI-DAWES RAILWAY". Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954). Rockhampton, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 19 August 1932. p. 6. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  24. "Cut Railway Losses Closing Lawgi And Ridgelands Lines". The Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1930 - 1956). Rockhampton, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 20 January 1955. p. 26. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  25. Porteous, Glen (11 January 2019). "Lawgi Hall back to life again". Rockhampton Morning Bulletin. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  26. "Public Artwork Artist Call Out". Banana Shire Council. 2018. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  27. "Lawgi Park Rest Area". Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2014.

Further reading
  • Thangool State School history update 1927 - 2002 : incorporating historical anecdotes, stories and data from: Clinker Creek, Dawes, Harrami, Kariboe Creek, Lawgi, Mardale, Mt Scoria, Thangool, Yaparaba State Schools, Thangool State School, 2002, ISBN 978-1-876674-45-8
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