Biddeston, Queensland
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{GeoGroup}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = town
| name = Biddeston
| city = Toowoomba Region
| state = qld
| image = Fields at Biddeston.jpg
| caption = Fields along Oakey Biddleston Road, 2014
| coordinates = {{coord|-27.5702|151.7155|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title|name=Biddeston (town centre)}}
| pop = 269
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| established =
| postcode = 4401
| area = 73.8
| timezone = AEST
| utc = +10:00
| dist1 = 13.9
| dir1 = S
| location1 = Oakey
| dist2 = 23.6
| dir2 = W
| location2 = Toowoomba
| dist3 = 155
| dir3 = W
| location3 = Brisbane
| dist4 =
| dir4 =
| location4 =
| lga = Toowoomba Region
| stategov = Condamine
| fedgov = Groom
| near-n = Oakey
| near-ne = Kingsthorpe
| near-se = Athol
| near-s = Southbrook
| near-sw = Linthorpe
| near-w = Linthorpe
| near-nw = Aubigny
}}
Biddeston is a rural town and locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia.{{cite QPN|2451|Biddeston|town in Toowoomba Region|accessdate=29 December 2020}}{{cite QPN|47890|Biddeston|locality in Toowoomba Region|accessdate=29 December 2020}} In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Biddeston had a population of 269 people.
History
File:StateLibQld 2 196139 Biddeston State School tent, Queensland, 1919.jpg
File:Original one room school at Biddeston Queensland, circa 1921.JPG
Crosshill State School opened on 9 August 1880 and closed on 1940.{{Citation|author1=Queensland Family History Society|title=Queensland schools past and present|publication-date=2010|edition=Version 1.01|publisher=Queensland Family History Society|isbn=978-1-921171-26-0}}{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article217688433|title=School for Crosshill.|date=11 March 1879|newspaper=Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser|access-date=23 November 2019|issue=1464|location=Queensland, Australia|page=3|via=National Library of Australia}}
A postal receiving office opened on 1 February 1882 and was upgraded to a post office on 1 July 1927. During that time it was run by the Anderson family of Biddeston Farm, which is probably the origin of the district name. The post office closed on 5 January 1965.{{Cite web | last = Phoenix Auctions History | title = Post Office List | publisher = Phoenix Auctions | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=QLD&filter=*Biddeston* | access-date = 14 February 2021 | archive-date = 9 May 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210509071637/https://ssl.google-analytics.com/urchin.js | url-status = live }}
The town reserve was established on 26 August 1890.
In 1880, a 10-acre block of land on the Oakey-Southbrook Road was aside for a school. However, it was not until 14 October 1919 that the Biddeston State School finally opened, but with only a tent for a schoolroom for the 14 children enrolled under teacher Margaret Cecilla Cloherty Anderson. It was not until 10 October 1921 that the Education Department built a one-room timber building to replace the tent. Despite growing enrolment numbers, the Education Department would not enlarge the building apart from the addition of a verandah in 1927. It was not until 1954 that a second school room was built.{{Cite QldSchool|access-date=21 May 2014}}{{cite web|title=School history |url=http://www.biddestoss.eq.edu.au/school_history.htm |publisher=Biddeston State School |access-date=21 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521045422/http://www.biddestoss.eq.edu.au/school_history.htm |archive-date=21 May 2014 }} A pre-school was added in 1986.
Burton Provisional School opened on 22 February 1900. On 1 January 1909, it became Burton State School. It closed on 5 December 1944.{{Cite QSA Agency|8921|Burton State School|15 April 2024
}} It was at 1840 Toowoomba Cecil Plains Road ({{Coord|-27.5494|151.7531|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Burton State School (former)}}).{{Cite web |date=1932 |title=Parish of Westbrook |url=https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/cadastral/cad-map-40chain-parish-westbrook-sh1-1932/original |access-date=15 April 2024 |publisher=Queensland Government |format=Map}}
Biddeston was the site of the Biddeston Murders that took place on 2 March 2015 when a grandfather killed his pregnant daughter and grandson.{{Cite web|date=2015-03-05|title=Man took own life after murdering grandson, daughter: police|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-06/biddeston-shooting-grandfather-derek-sharpley-took-own-life/6284866|access-date=2021-03-03|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU|archive-date=8 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208173354/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-06/biddeston-shooting-grandfather-derek-sharpley-took-own-life/6284866|url-status=live}}
Demographics
In the {{CensusAU|2011}}, the locality of Biddeston had a population of 328 people.{{Census 2011 AUS|id=SSC30156|name=Biddeston (SSC)|access-date=21 May 2014|quick=on}}
In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, the locality of Biddeston had a population of 284 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC30248|name=Biddeston (SSC)|accessdate=20 October 2018|quick=on}}
In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Biddeston had a population of 269 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL30246|name=Biddeston (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}
Road infrastructure
Economy
There are a number of homesteads in the locality:{{Cite web|date=18 November 2020|title=Homesteads - Queensland|url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/b27874c1-ccb9-463d-a26f-706abcc0ab79|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124212526/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/b27874c1-ccb9-463d-a26f-706abcc0ab79|archive-date=24 November 2020|access-date=24 November 2020|website=Queensland Open Data|publisher=Queensland Government}}
- Aberdeen ({{coord|-27.5400|151.7467|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Aberdeen (homestead)}})
- Aughamore ({{coord|-27.5684|151.7285|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Aughamore (homestead)}})
- Bronte Park ({{coord|-27.5705|151.7445|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Bronte Park (homestead)}})
- Burton ({{coord|-27.5404|151.7489|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Burton (homestead)}})
- Chelandry ({{coord|-27.5726|151.7306|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Chelandry (homestead)}})
- Croxley ({{coord|-27.5294|151.7419|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Croxley (homestead)}})
- Egmont Park ({{coord|-27.6024|151.7302|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Egmont Park (homestead)}})
- Enterprise ({{coord|-27.5125|151.7486|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Enterprise (homestead)}})
- Glen Bride ({{coord|-27.5391|151.7388|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Glen Bride (homestead)}})
- Glen View ({{coord|-27.5838|151.7333|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Glen View (homestead)}})
- Goldrush Lodge ({{coord|-27.5843|151.7264|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Goldrush Lodge (homestead)}})
- Hillview ({{coord|-27.5810|151.7519|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Hillview (homestead)}})
- Kerrabee Park ({{coord|-27.5445|151.7552|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Kerrabee Park (homestead)}})
- Lange ({{coord|-27.5546|151.7315|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Lange (homestead)}})
- Martrise ({{coord|-27.5349|151.7018|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Martrise (homestead)}})
- Mayfield ({{coord|-27.5448|151.7591|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Mayfield (homestead)}})
- Parklands ({{coord|-27.5659|151.7419|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Parklands (homestead)}})
- Rayhill ({{coord|-27.5865|151.7114|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Rayhill (homestead)}})
- Roxanna ({{coord|-27.5513|151.7511|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Roxanna (homestead)}})
- Silver Springs ({{coord|-27.5899|151.7291|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Silver Springs (homestead)}})
- The Towers ({{coord|-27.5145|151.7221|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=The Towers (homestead)}})
- Wallaby Hill ({{coord|-27.6012|151.7323|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Wallaby Hill (homestead)}})
- Windemere ({{coord|-27.5506|151.7501|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Windemere (homestead)}})
- Ziebel ({{coord|-27.5203|151.7328|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Ziebel (homestead)}})
Education
File:Biddeston State School.jpg
Biddeston State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 2425 Cecil Plains Road ({{coord|-27.5541|151.6973|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Biddeston State School}}).{{cite web|date=9 July 2018|title=State and non-state school details|url=https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997|url-status=live|publisher=Queensland Government|accessdate=21 November 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121065959/https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997|archivedate=21 November 2018}}{{cite web|title=Biddeston State School|url=https://biddestonss.eq.edu.au/|url-status=live|accessdate=9 May 2021|archive-date=3 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303210309/https://biddestonss.eq.edu.au/}} In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 61 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 6 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).{{cite web|title=ACARA School Profile 2017|url=http://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-20172c7b12404c94637ead88ff00003e0139.xlsx?sfvrsn=0|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122010027/http://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-20172c7b12404c94637ead88ff00003e0139.xlsx?sfvrsn=0|archive-date=22 November 2018|access-date=22 November 2018}} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 70 students with 6 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 6 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).{{cite web|title=ACARA School Profile 2018|url=https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-2018.xlsx|publisher=Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority|accessdate=28 January 2020|archive-date=27 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827085246/https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-2018.xlsx|url-status=live}}
There is no secondary schools in Biddeston. The nearest government secondary school is Oakey State High School in neighbouring Oakey to the north.{{Queensland Globe|access-date=15 April 2024}}
Events
The Biddeston Tractor Pull is an annual event in which restored and modified tractors compete to pull heavy loads.{{cite news|title=Tractors pull Biddeston crowd|url=http://www.farmonline.com.au/multimedia/45025/tractors-pull-biddeston-crowd.aspx?page=1|access-date=21 May 2014|newspaper=Farm Online|date=18 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521110344/http://www.farmonline.com.au/multimedia/45025/tractors-pull-biddeston-crowd.aspx?page=1|archive-date=21 May 2014|url-status=dead}}
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- {{Citation | author1=Clarke, Ian W | author2=Telford, Thomas Colin | title=From tent to triumph : a celebration of 75 years of education at Biddeston :incorporating related historical aspects of Biddeston and surrounds | publication-date=1994 | publisher=Biddeston State School | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8431839 }}
External links
{{Commons category|Biddeston, Queensland}}
- {{cite web|url=https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-town-biddeston-1982.jpg|title=Town map of Biddeston|date=1982|publisher=Queensland Government}}
{{Toowoomba Region}}
{{authority control}}