Howard, Queensland

Howard is a rural town and locality in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census, Howard had a population of 1,359 people.[1] It is located 284 kilometres (176 mi) north of Brisbane and 37 kilometres (23 mi) west of Hervey Bay.

Howard
Queensland
Post office at Howard
Howard
Coordinates25.3180°S 152.5591°E / -25.3180; 152.5591 (Howard (town centre))
Population1,359 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density29.61/km2 (76.68/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4659
Area45.9 km2 (17.7 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Fraser Coast Region
State electorate(s)Maryborough
Federal Division(s)Hinkler
Localities around Howard:
Cherwell Pacific Haven Burrum River
Cherwell Howard Burrum Town
Duckinwilla Duckinwilla Torbanlea

Geography

The Bruce Highway passes through the locality in an east-west direction skirting the edge of the town. Queensland's North Coast railway line passes in a NW-SE direction through the town centre with Howard railway station (25.3181°S 0152.5639°E / -25.3181; 0152.5639 (Howard railway station)) serving the town.[4] The main streets of Howard are Steley and William.[5]

History

The town was originally known as Steley (after Abel Steley) but was renamed after William Howard, a pioneer in coal mining in the Burrum area.[2][6][7]

Abel Steley commenced coal mining in the area in 1856. After a series of setbacks, he eventually established the successful Beauford Colliery and the Queensland Collieries Company.[8]

In 1877 George Howard and his son William established the Howard Colliery.[9]

The first Burrum Post Office opened on 22 July 1878 and was renamed Howard in 1883.[10]

Burrum Provisional School opened on 18 February 1879. On 3 October 1884, it was renamed Howard State School.[11]

St Matthew's Anglican Church was opened on 3 October 1883 by Bishop Matthew Hale. It was built on 1 acre (0.40 ha) of land donated by the Queensland Land and Coal Company.[12] It was made of hardwood and was 40 by 23 feet (12.2 by 7.0 m) with walls 15 feet (4.6 m) high, capable of holding 200 people. A new church was dedicated on 29 October 1913 by Archbishop St Clair Donaldson and the old church became the church hall.[13] During World War II the hall was used as a field hospital. Its closure circa 2017 was approved by Bishop Jeremy Greaves.[14][15] The church and hall are at 11 William Street on the south-west corner with Diamantina Drive (25.3136°S 152.5659°E / -25.3136; 152.5659 (St Matthew's Anglican Church)).[16]

Howard was the seat of the Howard Division (1900-1903) and its successor Shire of Howard (1903-1917).[17]

Howard War Memorial

The Howard War Memorial was unveiled by Colin Rankin on 17 December 1921. Unusually for an Australian war memorial, the statue was made in Italy and depicts a soldier in Italian uniform.[18]

In May 1984, the Bruce Highway bypass was opened. Previously the highway had run through the town on Robertson Street. Neighbouring Torbanlea was also bypassed as part of same project.[19]

The Howard Library opened in 2000 and underwent a major refurbishment in 2014.[20]

In the 2011 census, Howard had a population of 1,364.[21]

In the 2016 census, Howard had a population of 1,359 people.[1]

The historic wooden foot bridge over the railway line in Steley Street near the C.W.A Hall was demolished in 2016 as it became too expensive to maintain. It was a popular spot for photographing trains traveling north or south.

Heritage listings

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

Amenities

Steley Street contains the skatepark, railway station, children's playground, community centre, kindergarten, respite centre, located on the southern end. Over the railway line is the Howard Sawmill (producers of kiln dried Queensland hardwood). The post office, drapery and patchwork store, hairdresser, grocery and hardware store are on the northern end. The C.W.A hall is also located in Steley Street. A 48 hour stop over for RVs is located in Steley Street opposite the Community Centre. The Howard Sub Branch of the RSL is located in Steley Street opposite the RV stop over.

The Fraser Coast Regional Council operates a public library at 56 Steley Street (25.3186°S 152.562558°E / -25.3186; 152.562558 (Howard Library)).[24]

The Howard branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the CWA hall at 77 Steley Street (25.3167°S 152.5616°E / -25.3167; 152.5616 (Queensland Country Women's Association)).[25]

William Street consists of a milk bar, butcher, bakery, pharmacy, hotel, bottle shop, newsagency, IGA supermarket, chip shop, doctor and several real estate agents.

Howard also has a golf course on the outer part of the main part of town.

The Bowls Club is located at Torbanlea.

Education

Howard State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 108 William Street (25.3219°S 152.5578°E / -25.3219; 152.5578 (Howard State School)).[26][27] In 2012 the school had an enrolment of 177 students with 12 teachers (11.3 full-time equivalent).[28][29] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 108 students with 8 teachers (7 full-time equivalent) and 8 non-teaching staff (5 full-time equivalent).[30]

There is no secondary school in Howard; the nearest are in Childers to the north-west, Hervey Bay to the east and Maryborough to the south.

Events

The Howard Country Market is held on the first Saturday of every month except January at the community centre. This market is the largest on the Fraser Coast with well over 100 stalls selling a huge variety of goods.

Notable residents

Notes and references
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Howard (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Howard – town in Fraser Coast Region (entry 16363)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  3. "Howard – locality in Fraser Coast Region (entry 50251)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  4. "Howard – Railway station in the Fraser Coast Region (entry 16365)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  5. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  6. "Howard, William 1838 – 1930". Burrum Mining Museum. 22 June 2020. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  7. "THE BURRUM COALFIELD". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (2401). Queensland, Australia. 13 January 1880. p. 3. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "THE LATE MRS. STELEY, OF HOWARD". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (9906). Queensland, Australia. 3 September 1904. p. 2. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Opening of the "Howard" Colliery on the Burrum River". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (1936). Queensland, Australia. 13 January 1877. p. 2. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  11. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
    - "Agency ID 5320, Howard State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  12. "BISHOP HALE'S VISIT". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (3, 192). Queensland, Australia. 6 October 1883. p. 3. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "HOWARD". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (12, 636). Queensland, Australia. 3 November 1913. p. 6. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. Anglican Church of Southern Queensland. "Closed Churches". Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  15. RosieJay (20 July 2015). "Historic St Matthew's Church facing closure". Fraser Coast Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  16. Google (3 July 2020). "St Matthew's Anglican Church and Hall, 11 William Street, Howard (Street View)" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  17. "Agency ID 955, Howard Divisional Board". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
    - "Agency ID 956, Howard Shire Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  18. "Howard and Burrum District War Memorial". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  19. "Burrum and District Museum". Australian Museums and Galleries. Archived from the original on 13 November 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  20. "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  21. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Howard (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  22. "Howard War Memorial (entry 600545)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  23. "Brooklyn House" (PDF). Local Heritage Register]. Fraser Coast Regional Council. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  24. "Howard Library". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 19 August 2016. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  25. "Branch Locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  26. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  27. "Howard State School". Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  28. "Queensland State and Non-State Schools". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  29. "2012 School Annual Report" (PDF). Howard State School. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  30. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.