Grandchester, Queensland

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Grandchester
Queensland

Population:

735 (2006)

Postcode:

4340

Location:

76 km (47 mi) from Brisbane
34 km (21 mi) from Ipswich

LGA:

Ipswich City Council

Federal Division:

Blair

Localities around Grandchester:
Hatton Vale	Prenzlau	Tallegalla
Laidley	Grandchester	Tallegalla
Laidley South	Laidley South	Calvert

Grandchester is a town in the Lockyer Valley region in South East Queensland, Australia. It is located 76km west of the Brisbane CBD and is situated on the border of the Ipswich and Laidley local government areas. The name come from the village outside of Cambridge in England.[1]

1 History
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] History

Grandchester railway station

Further information: Rail transport in Queensland

Grandchester is home to the first narrow gauge mainline railway in the world. The first track opened to traffic on 31 July 1865 from Ipswich and terminated at this small town. The original railway station, formerly known as Bigge's Camp, still exists.

Grandchester was the home of one of the last known surviving steam-powered flat-belt sawmills in Australia. The engine powering it was manufactured in 1910, and the mill had been in operation from 1945 until it was destroyed beyond repair in a fire sometime in the early hours of 6 May 2007.^[1]