Cecil Plains, Queensland

Cecil Plains is a rural town and locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census, Cecil Plains had a population of 429 people.[1]

Cecil Plains
Queensland
Cecil Plains
Coordinates27.5316°S 151.1930°E / -27.5316; 151.1930 (Cecil Plains (town centre))
Population429 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density1.1844/km2 (3.068/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4407
Area362.2 km2 (139.8 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Toowoomba Region
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s)Maranoa
Localities around Cecil Plains:
Grassdale Springvale St Ruth
Tipton
Halliford Cecil Plains Nangwee
Dunmore
Kurrowah		 Condamine Plains Brachview

Geography

Cecil Plains is in the Darling Downs, 217 kilometres (135 mi) west of the state capital, Brisbane. The fertile black soil around Cecil Plains is ideal for cotton production and the town is now the home of one of the largest cotton gins in the southern hemisphere.[4]

History

European settlement in the area began in 1842, when Henry Stuart Russell claimed land around the Condamine River to establish Cecil Plains station. The site of the station homestead was to become the site of the town. Ludwig Leichhardt used the homestead as a base for two expeditions into the surrounding region in 1844 and 1847. The station originally grazed cattle but later moved to wool production.[4]

The town takes its name from the pastoral station, which in turn was named after Russell's mother Cecil Charlotte Russell, née Pemberton.[2]

In 1877, 8,300 acres (3,400 ha) of land was resumed from the Cecil Plains pastoral run to establish smaller farms. The land was offered for selection on 24 April 1877.[5]

Cecil Plains Provisional School opened on 17 January 1898. It closed briefly in 1910 and 1912 and then again from 10 October 1917 to 17 June 1919. It became Cecil Plains State School on 1 February 1922. In 1964 a secondary department was added. In 1975 a pre-school centre was added.[6]

In 1916, Cecil Plains station was acquired by the Queensland government and subdivided for closer settlement, with some parcels reserved for soldier settlers. The new settlers produced mainly wheat and dairy. [4]

The Cecil Plains railway arrived in 1919 with the town being served by the Cecil Plains railway station (27.5336°S 151.1900°E / -27.5336; 151.1900 (Cecil Plains railway station)).[7][8]

The post office in 1921 (a receiving office had been open from 1890).[9]

Haslemere State School opened in July 1925. It closed on 28 July 1961.[6] The school was located at 2811 Pampas Horrane Road (27.59145°S 151.24157°E / -27.59145; 151.24157 (Haslemere State School (former))).[10][11]

In November 1925, the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane provided a loan of £250 to establish a church in Cecil Plains.[12] St Margaret's Anglican Church was dedicated on Sunday 2 January 1927 by Archdeacon Glover. The architect was Mr Marks of Toowoomba and the timber church was built by J. Johnson of Dalby.[13]

A police station opened in 1934.[4]

The local pub is called the Victory Hotel, as a result of a successful vote in 1938 (on the third attempt) to establish a drinking establishment in the town. From the 1960s cotton became the main crop grown in the area.[4]

In the 2011 census, Cecil Plains had a population of 678 people.[14]

Recreation

Cecil Plains is host to a number of recreational facilities, including the Cecil Plains Golf Club and Apex Park at the Cecil Plains Weir.

Amenities

The Cecil Plains Library is operated by the Toowoomba Regional Council and opened in 1987.[15] The library is located on Taylor Street and is open three days a week.[16] Public accessible wifi is provided.[15] Current services and collections can be found at the Toowoomba Regional Council Library Service website.[17]

St Margaret's Anglican Church holds fortnightly Sunday services; it is part of the parish of St John's of Dalby.[18] The church is on Watson Street on the south side of the railway station, set among trees (27.5344°S 151.1922°E / -27.5344; 151.1922 (St Margaret's Anglican Church)).[19]

Education

Cecil Plains State School is a government primary and secondary (Prep-9) school for boys and girls at Taylor Street (27.5323°S 151.1928°E / -27.5323; 151.1928 (Cecil Plains State School)).[20][21] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 57 students with 13 teachers (9 full-time equivalent) and 11 non-teaching staff (7 full-time equivalent).[22]

The nearest secondary school offering education to Year 12 is Dalby State High School.[11]

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Cecil Plains (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Cecil Plains – town in Toowoomba Region (entry 6703)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  3. "Cecil Plains – locality in Toowoomba Region (entry 49368)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  4. "Cecil Plains". Travel. Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2007.
  5. "Proclamations under the New Land Acts". The Brisbane Courier. Queensland, Australia. 2 March 1877. p. 3. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020 – via Trove.
  6. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  7. The Oakey Region Tulk, Darren Australian Railway History, August, 2008 pp251-264
  8. "Cecil Plains – railway station in the Toowoomba Region (entry 6706)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  9. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  10. "Parish of Cecil Plains Sheet 1 County of Aubigny" (Map). Queensland Government. 1932. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  11. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  12. "THE CHURCHES". Daily Standard (4009). Queensland, Australia. 14 November 1925. p. 2. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "CHURCH DEDICATION". The Dalby Herald. Queensland, Australia. 4 January 1927. p. 3. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Cecil Plains (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  15. "Queensland Public Library Statistical Bulletin 2016–17" (PDF). Public Library Connect. November 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  16. "Toowoomba Regional Council". Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  17. "Libraries Toowoomba Regional Council". Toowoomba Regional Council. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  18. "Welcome to St John's Anglican Church Dalby". St John's Anglican Dalby. Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  19. "St Margaret's Anglican Church | Churches Australia". Churches Australia. Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  20. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  21. "Cecil Plains State School". Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  22. "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.

Further reading
  • Gersekowski, A., (editor.); Scott, P., (editor.); Cecil Plains School Centenary Committee (issuing body.) (1998), Saddles, sand burr, speech nights and software : a collection of memories from 100 years of education in Cecil Plains, Cecil Plains School Centenary Committee, ISBN 978-0-646-35867-3CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
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