Mundubbera, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Mundubbera is a town in the Wide Bay-Burnett
region of Queensland
, Australia
. The town is located on the Burnett Highway
, 405 kilometres (251.7 mi) north west of the state capital, Brisbane
and 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) west of the regional centre, Bundaberg
. Mundubbera is built on the bank on the Burnett River
. At the 2001 census
, the town had a population of 1,053.
Mundubbera is the self-proclaimed "Citrus
Capital of Queensland", although this is disputed by the neighbouring (and rival) town of Gayndah
.
of the Burnett, Auburn and Boyne rivers just upstream from Mundubbera.
European settlement took place in the late 1840s. Closer settlement, involving migrants from Germany
, Britain
and the Netherlands
, did not take place until the early 1900s and the town was established in its existing site prior to World War I
. The railway arrived in 1914.
Henry Zipf planted the first citrus orchards in 1933 and established Mundubbera as a major producer of export citrus. The recent (2006) drought and the after effects of the 2004 Citrus canker
outbreak in Emerald
has had a dampening effect of the citrus industry in the area.
areas, fruit growing. Fruit grown in the Mundubbera area includes citrus, mango
es, avocado
es and stone fruit.
In addition, Mundubbera is Queensland's largest producer of table grape
s.
During the fruit picking seasons Mundubbera can double in size as many itinerant workers and backpacker
s from around the world come to the town looking for work on the orchards. Seasonal workers are accommodated in two large caravan parks in Mundubbera itself or in many on-site parks.
Supporting the fruit industry are businesses such as a fruit juice processor and several packing sheds. *Bugs for Bugs, an integrated pest management
business, raises insects that act as a biological control for common fruit pests, allowing less chemical insecticide use.
With large areas of State forest in the shire, Mundubbera also has a large timber industry with a mill in Mundubbera town. Other industries include piggeries and dairy
ing. Commercial activity is limited, and consists mainly of small businesses supporting local residents and farmers. The town has two hotels, two motels and an IGA supermarket, plus the usual small town services such as a butcher, baker, newsagency and post office.
and the Mundubbera-Durong road. The Burnett Highway links Mundubbera with Gayndah and Goomeri
to the east; and Eidsvold
, Monto
and Biloela
to the north. The Mundubbera-Durong links Mundubbera to Dalby
and Toowoomba
in the Darling Downs. This road is single lane bitumen in parts
Public transport is limited. In 2005 the only public transport servicing Mundubbera had was a bus service operating once a week on Thursdays to Bundaberg and on Wednesdays and Fridays to Maryborough
. An active rail link from Mundubbera to Maryborough and the coast is maintained but the line no longer has a passenger service.
The main school in Mundubbera is the Mundubbera P-10 school, offering education from pre-school to year 10. High school students wishing to complete Years 11-12 must either attend Burnett State College (formerly Gayndah State High School), 45 kilometres (28 mi) to the east in Gayndah or attend boarding school
s in Brisbane, Toowoomba or Rockhampton
.
Wide Bay-Burnett
Wide Bay-Burnett is a region of the Australian state of Queensland, located between 170 and 400 kilometres north of the state capital, Brisbane. The area's population growth has exceeded the state average over the past 20 years, and it is forecast to grow to more than 430,000 by 2031...
region of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The town is located on the Burnett Highway
Burnett Highway
The Burnett Highway is an inland rural highway located in Queensland, Australia. The highway runs generally north - south, from its junction with the Bruce Highway, just south of Rockhampton, to Nanango. Length is approximately 550 kilometres...
, 405 kilometres (251.7 mi) north west of the state capital, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) west of the regional centre, Bundaberg
Bundaberg, Queensland
Bundaberg is a city in Queensland, Australia. It is part of the Local Government Area of the Bundaberg Region and is a major centre within Queensland's broader Wide Bay-Burnett geographical region...
. Mundubbera is built on the bank on the Burnett River
Burnett River
The Burnett River is a river in central Queensland, Australia that empties into the Pacific Ocean near the city of Bundaberg. The Burnett River region is largely given over to growing sugar cane....
. At the 2001 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, the town had a population of 1,053.
Mundubbera is the self-proclaimed "Citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
Capital of Queensland", although this is disputed by the neighbouring (and rival) town of Gayndah
Gayndah, Queensland
Gayndah is a town located on the Burnett River in Queensland, Australia. It is north of the state capital, Brisbane, and west of the regional city of Maryborough. The Burnett Highway passes through the town. At the 2006 census, Gayndah had a population of 1,745.-History:Exploration of the...
.
History
Mundubbera means either Footsteps in the trees or Meeting Place of the waters in the local Aboriginal language. The latter name refers to the confluenceConfluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Burnett, Auburn and Boyne rivers just upstream from Mundubbera.
European settlement took place in the late 1840s. Closer settlement, involving migrants from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, did not take place until the early 1900s and the town was established in its existing site prior to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The railway arrived in 1914.
Henry Zipf planted the first citrus orchards in 1933 and established Mundubbera as a major producer of export citrus. The recent (2006) drought and the after effects of the 2004 Citrus canker
Citrus canker
Citrus canker is a disease affecting citrus species that is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis. Infection causes lesions on the leaves, stems, and fruit of citrus trees, including lime, oranges, and grapefruit...
outbreak in Emerald
Emerald, Queensland
Emerald is a town located in the Central Highlands district of Central Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Emerald had a population of 10,999. The town is the business centre for the Central Highlands Regional Council....
has had a dampening effect of the citrus industry in the area.
Demographics
At the 2001 national census there were 1,053 persons resident in Mundubbera, 6.1 per cent of those of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander ancestry. 8.2 per cent of Mundubbera residents were born overseas.Industry
Industry in Mundubbera is entirely based around agriculture and forestry. The major agricultural activities in Mundubbera are cattle grazing and, in the irrigatedIrrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
areas, fruit growing. Fruit grown in the Mundubbera area includes citrus, mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
es, avocado
Avocado
The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
es and stone fruit.
In addition, Mundubbera is Queensland's largest producer of table grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s.
During the fruit picking seasons Mundubbera can double in size as many itinerant workers and backpacker
Backpacking (travel)
Backpacking is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low-cost, independent international travel. Terms such as independent travel and/or budget travel are often used...
s from around the world come to the town looking for work on the orchards. Seasonal workers are accommodated in two large caravan parks in Mundubbera itself or in many on-site parks.
Supporting the fruit industry are businesses such as a fruit juice processor and several packing sheds. *Bugs for Bugs, an integrated pest management
Integrated Pest Management
Integrated pest management is an ecological approach to agricultural pest control that integrates pesticides/herbicides into a management system incorporating a range of practices for economic control of a pest...
business, raises insects that act as a biological control for common fruit pests, allowing less chemical insecticide use.
With large areas of State forest in the shire, Mundubbera also has a large timber industry with a mill in Mundubbera town. Other industries include piggeries and dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
ing. Commercial activity is limited, and consists mainly of small businesses supporting local residents and farmers. The town has two hotels, two motels and an IGA supermarket, plus the usual small town services such as a butcher, baker, newsagency and post office.
Transport
The town is about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) south of the intersection of the Burnett HighwayBurnett Highway
The Burnett Highway is an inland rural highway located in Queensland, Australia. The highway runs generally north - south, from its junction with the Bruce Highway, just south of Rockhampton, to Nanango. Length is approximately 550 kilometres...
and the Mundubbera-Durong road. The Burnett Highway links Mundubbera with Gayndah and Goomeri
Goomeri, Queensland
Goomeri is a town in the South Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the intersection of the Burnett, Bunya and Wide Bay Highways, from the state capital, Brisbane. Part of the Gympie Local government area, at the 2006 census, Goomeri had a population of 488...
to the east; and Eidsvold
Eidsvold, Queensland
Eidsvold is a small town in the North Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. It is situated on the Burnett Highway approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The town is the self-proclaimed Beef Capital of the Burnett and is a hub for the regional cattle industry...
, Monto
Monto, Queensland
Monto is a town in Queensland, Australia, located on the Burnett Highway north-west of Brisbane and south of Rockhampton. The town was the administrative centre of Monto Shire. At the 2006 census, Monto had a population of 1,159.-History:...
and Biloela
Biloela, Queensland
Biloela is a rural town in Central Queensland, Australia. It is situated inland from the port city of Gladstone at the junction of the Burnett and Dawson highways...
to the north. The Mundubbera-Durong links Mundubbera to Dalby
Dalby, Queensland
Dalby is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, and is located approximately west of the state capital, Brisbane, at the junction of the Warrego, Moonie and Bunya Highways. Dalby is the administrative centre of the Western Downs Region and the centre of Australia's richest...
and Toowoomba
Toowoomba, Queensland
Toowoomba is a city in Southern Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. With an estimated district population of 128,600, Toowoomba is Australia's second largest inland city and its largest non-capital inland city...
in the Darling Downs. This road is single lane bitumen in parts
Public transport is limited. In 2005 the only public transport servicing Mundubbera had was a bus service operating once a week on Thursdays to Bundaberg and on Wednesdays and Fridays to Maryborough
Maryborough, Queensland
Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is...
. An active rail link from Mundubbera to Maryborough and the coast is maintained but the line no longer has a passenger service.
Education
Mundubbera is host to a limited range of primary and secondary school facilities. Primary schools in the area include the small school cluster of the rural schools of Boynewood SS, Binjour Plateau SS, Monogorilby SS and Riverleigh SS, which will be closed at the end of 2009 due to lack of enrolment.The main school in Mundubbera is the Mundubbera P-10 school, offering education from pre-school to year 10. High school students wishing to complete Years 11-12 must either attend Burnett State College (formerly Gayndah State High School), 45 kilometres (28 mi) to the east in Gayndah or attend boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s in Brisbane, Toowoomba or Rockhampton
Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
.
Events and attractions
While Mundubbera attracts seasonal workers from around the world, tourism remains relatively undeveloped. Some attractions include:- The nearby Auburn River National ParkAuburn River National ParkAuburn River is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 277 km northwest of Brisbane. The park is located on the Auburn River, a tributary of the Burnett River, south-west of Mundubbera....
is a good location to find Queensland LungfishQueensland LungfishThe Queensland lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri is the sole surviving member of the family Ceratodontidae and order Ceratodontiformes. It is one of only six extant lungfish species in the world...
(Neoceratodus forsteri), known locally as Ceratodus, a rare living fossil found only in the Burnett and MaryMary River (Queensland)The Mary River is a river system in South East Queensland, Australia. The river rises at Booroobin in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, west of Landsborough...
Rivers. This park is popular with bush walkers and rock climbers. It features cascades, great swimming spots, caves, balancing rocks and superb scenery.
- The town lookout on the entrance to town on the Burnett HighwayBurnett HighwayThe Burnett Highway is an inland rural highway located in Queensland, Australia. The highway runs generally north - south, from its junction with the Bruce Highway, just south of Rockhampton, to Nanango. Length is approximately 550 kilometres...
is home to a Black stumpBlack StumpThe Australian expression black stump is the name for an imaginary point beyond which the country is considered remote or uncivilised, an abstract marker of the limits of established settlement. The origin of the expression, especially in its evolved use as an imaginary marker in the...
, to symbolise Mundubbera's location on the edge of the OutbackOutbackThe Outback is the vast, remote, arid area of Australia, term colloquially can refer to any lands outside the main urban areas. The term "the outback" is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas named "the bush".-Overview:The outback is home to a...
.
- Mundubbera is the home of the Big MandarinMandarin orangeThe orange, also known as the ' or mandarine , is a small citrus tree with fruit resembling other oranges. Mandarin oranges are usually eaten plain or in fruit salads...
, a larger than life fibreglass model of an Ellendale Mandarin that doubles as a kioskKioskKiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward...
for a local caravan park. It is one of many "Big" tourist attractionsAustralia's Big ThingsThe Big Things of Australia are a loosely related set of large structures or sculptures. There are estimated to be over 150 such objects around the country, the first being the Big Scotsman in Medindie, Adelaide, which was built in 1963....
that dot the Australian landscape.
- The Meeting Place of the Waters 360-degree mural painted on the sewerage pumping station is a visual tribute to the rivers that provide Mundubbera with its prosperity.
Events
- Mundubbera hosts a popular seven-a-side cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
tournament in February each year. - The Mundubbera Fish stocking association hosts a popular fishingFishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
competition. - The Ellendale Open, a pro-am golf tournament is held each year, on the Queens Birthday weekend, at the Mundubbera Golf Club
- The towns annual agricultural show occurs on the second Friday and Saturday of May each year, at the towns Show Grounds, amongst other events, it features a rodeo, cattle judging, chicken judging, and art and food judging, campdraft events, as well as a side show alley.
- Until recently the Rugby LeagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
teams of Mundubbera and Gayndah would play off in the State of Oranges, a pun on the State of OriginRugby League State of OriginState of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
matches between New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Queensland that recognised the strong but friendly rivalry between the two towns. This match has been reinstated and will be played on the Queen's Birthday Weekend in June. - The Mundubbera Bullarama committee runs an annual Rodeo in September, which attracts bull riders from around Queensland. Usually held at the towns show grounds, but in 2007 the event was held at the Scampers Grounds, an area also containing the towns Motocross Track, and 6 cricket ovals that hold a large portion of the seven-a-side cricket tournament.
- Mundubbera has a motocross track regarded by some as the best natural terrain track in Queensland, it holds several meets each year, in series such as the Thundercross Series.
Notable residents
Some notable people from Mundubbera include:- Former Queensland PremierPremiers of QueenslandBefore the 1890s, there was no developed party system in Queensland. Political affiliation labels before that time indicate a general tendency only. Before the end of the first decade of the twentieth century, political parties were more akin to parliamentary factions, and were fluid, informal and...
Wayne GossWayne GossWayne Keith Goss was Premier of Queensland from 7 December 1989 until 19 February 1996.-Early life:He was born at Mundubbera, Queensland and educated at Inala High School and the University of Queensland...
was born in Mundubbera. - Australian TestTest cricketTest cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
CricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er Martin LoveMartin LoveMartin Lloyd Love is a former Australian cricketer who played in five Tests from 2002 to 2003. He was a right-handed batsman....
was born and raised in Mundubbera. - Courtney BeutelCourtney BeutelCourtney Beutel is an Australian football player currently playing for Australian W-League team .-Honours:With Brisbane Roar: W-League Premiership: 2008-09 W-League Championship: 2008-09- References :...
, footballer with W-LeagueW-League (Australia)The W-League is the preeminent women's semi-professional football league in Australia. Established in 2008, it is composed of eight teams - seven of them are affiliated with seven of the Australian clubs currently in the A-League, with the eighth team based in Canberra...
team Brisbane Roar