Gatton, Queensland

Prior to European settlement the area was occupied by members of the Yuggera Aboriginal language group.

Jagara (also known as Jagera, Yagara, Yugarabul, Yuggera and Yuggerabul) is one of the Aboriginal languages of South-East Queensland. There is some uncertainty over the status of Jagara as a language, dialect or perhaps a group or clan within the local government boundaries of Ipswich City Council, Lockyer Regional Council and the Somerset Regional Council.[6]

Warrego Highway leading into Gatton

The Gatton area was explored by Major Edmund Lockyer in 1825. A settlement known as Gatton was gazetted in 1855.[7][8] The name Gatton is taken from the village of Gatton in Surrey, England.[3]

The post office opened 1 January 1866, with Frederick Lloyd, a dairyman, as the first postmaster.[9] The small village did not experience significant growth until the mid-1870s, after the railway to Grandchester attracted people to the area.[10]

Catholic priest Father Brun established St Mary's School in 1868.[11] However, in 1892, the only teacher at the school Miss Mary O'Keeffe married James McKeen of Mount Sylvia, and the school closed.[12][13]

In January 1875, Gatton residents convened a meeting to establish a school.[14] In June 1875 tenders were called for the construction of a school building and a teacher's residence.[14] Gatton State School opened on 31 January 1876.[12]

The Queensland Agricultural College opened and established an experimental farm in 1897 at Gatton.[15]

In December 1898 three local young people from nearby Blackfellow's Creek were murdered. The crime, known as the Gatton murders, has never been solved.[16]

On 20 December 1902 auctioneer Elias Harding offered 36 town lots ranging in size between 0.25 to 0.5 acres (0.10 to 0.20 ha) in the Gaul Estate, being based around Gaul Street (27.5544°S 152.2803°E / -27.5544; 152.2803 (Gaul Estate)) and being bounded by Old College Road to the north, Allan Street to the east, Hickey Street to the south and Park Lane to the west.[17][18] Only 3 lots were sold.[19]

In 1913, following local agitation,[20] Gatton State School was expanded to offer secondary schooling, which was known by a number of names over the years: Gatton Secondary Department, Lockyer State High School, Gatton Intermediate School, and Gatton State School Secondary Department.[21] On 23 January 1961 it was replaced by a completely separate school, Lockyer District State High School.[12][22]

Our Lady of Good Counsel School was opened on 14 January 1917 by the Sisters of Mercy, following a fund raising campaign by Roman Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane James Duhig.[12][13]

The Gatton Star is a free, local, community newspaper which began publishing in 1956.[23]

Peace Lutheran Primary School opened on 27 January 1982.[12]

At the 2006 census, Gatton had a population of 6,869.[24]

In 2009, Gatton Library relocated from the Civic Centre in Railway Street to the new Cultural Centre.[25][26]

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

• Crescent Street: Boer War Memorial[27]
• Hickey Street: Weeping Mother Memorial[28]
• Warrego Highway: University of Queensland Gatton Campus[29]

According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 7,101 people in Gatton.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 3.3% of the population.
• 68.3% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were Taiwan 4.4%, India 2.2% and South Korea 1.8%.
• 72.6% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 5.3%, Arabic 2.0% and Korean 1.7%.
• The most common responses for religion were No Religion 22.6%, Catholic 20.7% and Anglican 11.7%.[30]

Gatton Civic Centre

As part of the "Salad Bowl" of the Lockyer Valley, the area is primarily agricultural, with vegetables making up the majority of crops. Fruit was grown extensively in the area until the 1990s, when economic conditions changed and many of the orchards were removed. There is also significant beef and dairy cattle farming, (Stanbroke Beef operates its abattoir at nearby Grantham) along with a growing equine industry, and the town is also a noted producer of fodder crops, particularly prime lucerne hay.

Edna Linning and her husband started Gatton Bus Services in 1957 when they heard a high school was being built in town. Originally, the business only had one bus travelling to the college and back; since the mid-1980s, the business has 14 buses, eight of which are used for school children. The buses travelled to Flagstone Creek, Buaraba, Esk, and Forest Hill to pick-up students. The company also organized tours of Gatton for schoolchildren who lived in the city, so they could understand farm life and see how produce is grown and harvested. In its early days the business also ran tours to Brisbane.

The area has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and mild, sunny winters. Heavy summer rain and warm conditions have provided ideal conditions for the areas agricultural productivity, although droughts and heatwaves can be problematic at times. Temperatures in Gatton are among the warmest in south-east Queensland in summer due to its position away from the coast but at low elevation in the Brisbane Valley.

Gatton State School is a government primary (Early Childhood-6) school for boys and girls at 26 William Street (27.5601°S 152.2783°E / -27.5601; 152.2783 (Gatton State School)).[32][33] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 506 students with 44 teachers (40 full-time equivalent) and 34 non-teaching staff (21 full-time equivalent).[34] It includes a special education program.[32]

Lockyer District State High School is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at 100 William Street (27.5669°S 152.2769°E / -27.5669; 152.2769 (Lockyer District State High School)).[32][35] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 1048 students with 95 teachers (91 full-time equivalent) and 51 non-teaching staff (37 full-time equivalent).[34] It includes a special education program.[32][36]

Our Lady of Good Counsel School is a Catholic primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 20 Maitland Street (27.5582°S 152.2716°E / -27.5582; 152.2716 (Our Lady of Good Counsel School)).[32][37] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 316 students with 23 teachers (20 full-time equivalent) and 16 non-teaching staff (10 full-time equivalent).[34]

Peace Lutheran Primary School is a private primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 36 East Street (27.5575°S 152.2743°E / -27.5575; 152.2743 (Peace Lutheran Primary School)).[32][38] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 262 students with 22 teachers (20 full-time equivalent) and 15 non-teaching staff (10 full-time equivalent).[34]

The University of Queensland has a campus on the former Queensland Agricultural College site at Lawes, just to the east of the town of Gatton. This Gatton campus is now the base for much of the university's rural-focused research and teaching.[39]

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council operate a public library in the Lockyer Valley Cultural Centre at 34 Lake Apex Drive.[40]

Boer war memorial, Gatton

The town has a number of war memorials:

• The Boer War Memorial was dedicated on 3 August 1908.[41]
• The Weeping Mother Memorial is an unusual depiction of the role of women in war. The foundation stone was laid on 22 April 1922 by the Australian Attorney-General, Littleton Groom and was unveiled on 14 November 1922 by Queensland Governor, Matthew Nathan.[42][43]
• The Gatton Shire War Memorial Pool was dedicated on 1 December 1959 to commemorate those who served in war.[44]
• The National Servicemen's Memorial was erected in November 1996 and commemorates those that served during the national service period of 1951 to 1972.[45]
• The Gatton Agricultural College War Memorial was dedicated on 25 April 1997 to commemorate the staff and students who died in war during the college's first century.[46]
• The Lone Pine Memorial is a tree planted from seeds whose lineage can be traced back to the Lone Pine at Gallipoli. It was dedicated on 19 May 2005.[47] Another Lone Pine Memorial at Gatton Campus also traces its lineage back to Gallipoli.[48]

The Lights on the Hill Truck and Coach Drivers' Memorial is located at Lake Apex Park on the outskirts of Gatton.[49]

• Gatton murders

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gatton, Queensland.

• "Gatton". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
• Town map, 1986
• Lights on the Hill Truck & Coach Drivers' Memorial official website