Brandon, Queensland
Town in Queensland, Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brandon is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Burdekin, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Brandon had a population of 1,088 people.[1]
Brandon | |||||||||||||
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  Brandon | |||||||||||||
 Interactive map of Brandon | |||||||||||||
| Coordinates: 19.5541°S 147.3547°E | |||||||||||||
| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||
| State | Queensland | ||||||||||||
| LGA | |||||||||||||
| Location |
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| Government | |||||||||||||
| • State electorate | |||||||||||||
| • Federal division | |||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||
• Total | 110.5 km2 (42.7 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 1,088 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||||||
| • Density | 9.846/km2 (25.501/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Time zone | UTC+10:00 (AEST) | ||||||||||||
| Postcode | 4808 | ||||||||||||
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History
Brandon was surveyed as a site for a township in 1882 and the first allotments were sold later that year.[4] The town is named after Henry Brandon a sugar pioneer in the Mackay and Lower Burdekin regions.[5] Henry Brandon was also the son-in-law of the colonist, Korah Halcomb Wills.[6]
Brandon Post Office opened on 6 September 1883.[7] Prior to that a Receiving office called Pioneer Estate, Lower Burdekin had serviced the area. The Receiving office name was changed to Brandon in August 1883.[8]
Brandon Provisional School opened in the town on 9 April 1888. It became Brandon State School on 11 July 1898.[9]
Kalamia State School opened beside the Kalamia Sugar Mill on 18 July 1928.[9]
Demographics
In the 2006 census, the town of Brandon had a population of 783 people.[10]
In the 2011 census, the locality of Brandon had a population of 1,267 people.[11]
In the 2016 census, the locality of Brandon had a population of 1,094 people.[12]
In the 2021 census, the locality of Brandon had a population of 1,088 people.[1]
Heritage listings
Brandon has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- St Patrick's Catholic Church, 27 Spiller Street[13]
Economy
Brandon is a sugarcane growing area with underground water supplies to irrigate crops. Wilmar Sugar Australia operates two sugar mills in Brandon, the Kalamia Sugar Mill in the north-east of the locality on Lilliesmere Road beside the Lilliesmere Lagoon (19.5229°S 147.4163°E) and the Pioneer Sugar Mill in the west of the locality on Pioneer Mill Road (19.5583°S 147.3309°E).[14]
Education
Brandon State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls on Drysdale Street (19.5537°S 147.3485°E).[15][16] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 45 students with 4 teachers and 6 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent).[17]
Kalamia State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls on Lilliesmere Road (19.5185°S 147.4176°E).[15][18] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 14 students with 1 teacher and 5 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).[17]
There are no secondary schools in Brandon. The nearest government secondary school is Ayr State High School in neighbouring Ayr to the east.[19]
Sport
Pioneer Park Speedway is a motorcycle speedway venue to the south west on Bruce Highway.[20][21] The track has been a significant venue for important speedway events, including qualifying rounds of the Speedway World Championship[22][23] and the final of the Australian Solo Championship.[24]
