Gunalda
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2016}}
{{GeoGroup}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = town
| name = Gunalda
| state = qld
| image = Gunalda Hotel.JPG
| caption = Gunalda Hotel
| coordinates = {{coord|-25.9944|152.5613|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title|name=Gunalda (town centre)}}
| pop = 426
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| established =
| postcode = 4570
| area = 67.3
| timezone = AEST
| utc = +10:00
| dist1 = 27.3
| dir1 = NW
| location1 = Gympie
| dist2 = 194
| dir2 = NNW
| location2 = Brisbane
| dist3 =
| dir3 =
| location3 =
| dist4 =
| dir4 =
| location4 =
| lga = Gympie Region
| lga2 = Fraser Coast Region
| stategov = Gympie
| fedgov = Wide Bay
| near-n = Kanigan
| near-e = Anderleigh
| near-se = Anderleigh
| near-s = Curra
| near-sw = Curra
| near-w = Scotchy Pocket
| near-nw = Theebine
}}
Gunalda is a rural town in the Gympie Region and a locality split between Gympie Region and Fraser Coast Region in Queensland, Australia.{{Cite QPN|15054|Gunalda|town in Gympie Region|access-date=21 June 2017}}{{Cite QPN|49520|Gunalda|locality in Gympie Region|access-date=21 June 2017}}{{Cite QPN|46740|Gunalda|locality in the Fraser Coast Region|access-date=21 June 2017}} In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Gunalda had a population of 426 people.
Geography
The town is {{convert|196|km|mi}} from the state capital, Brisbane.
The Bruce Highway runs through from south-west to north.{{google maps|url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Gunalda+QLD+4570/@-26.0034003,152.5266727,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x6b94b22dfa7f32b7:0x400eef17f20ef80!8m2!3d-25.994203!4d152.5632554 |title=Gunalda, Queensland |access-date=20 August 2021}}
The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the south-west (Curra) and passes to the west of the town and exists to the north-west (Theebine). Previously the railway line passed through the town,{{Cite web |date=1982 |title=Town of Gunalda |url=https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-town-gunalda-1982.jpg |access-date=20 June 2022 |publisher=Queensland Government |type=Map |archive-date=20 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620070413/https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-town-gunalda-1982.jpg |url-status=live }} which was served by the now-dismantled Gunalda railway station ({{coord|-25.9943|152.5620|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Gunalda railway station}}).{{Cite web |date=2 October 2020 |title=Railway stations and sidings - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005070354/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |archive-date=5 October 2020 |access-date=5 October 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}
History
Thompson's Flat Provisional School opened on 8 August 1881. In 1889, the school was renamed Gunalda Provisional School. On 1 January 1909, it became Gunalda State School.{{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}}
Eaton Post Office opened on 1 September 1882 and was renamed Gunalda in 1883.{{Cite web | last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | publisher = Premier Postal Auctions | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=QLD&country= | access-date = 10 May 2014 | archive-date = 15 May 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140515223132/http://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=QLD& | url-status = live }}
The town was originally called Keelar but after the railway station was named Gunalda on 2 November 1923, the town was renamed Gunalda.
In December 1938, the foundation stone was laid for a Catholic church. On Sunday 8 October 1939, Archbishop James Duhig officially opened and dedicated the Catholic Church of the Little Flower.{{cite news|date=30 September 1939|title=NEW CHURCH AT GUNALDA|page=8|newspaper=Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser|issue=21,182|location=Queensland, Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151184573|access-date=31 August 2020|via=National Library of Australia|archive-date=19 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220619103409/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/151184573|url-status=live}}
In 1947, Christ Church Anglican was relocated from Munna Creek to 11 King Street ({{Coord|-25.9934|152.5613|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|display=|name=Christ Church Anglican}}) in Gunalda where it retained the name Christ Church Anglican.{{Cite web|title=Closed Churches|url=https://www.anglicanarchives.org.au/churches/|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403003329/https://www.anglicanarchives.org.au/churches/|archive-date=3 April 2019|access-date=24 February 2019|website=Anglican Church of Southern Queensland}}{{Cite web|title=Christ Church Anglican Church|url=https://www.churchesaustralia.org/list-of-churches/locations/queensland/f-k-towns/directory/1305-christ-church-anglican-church-|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831055522/https://www.churchesaustralia.org/list-of-churches/locations/queensland/f-k-towns/directory/1305-christ-church-anglican-church-|archive-date=31 August 2020|access-date=2020-08-31|website=Churches Australia|language=en}}
Demographics
In the {{CensusAU|2006}}, the locality of Gunalda and the surrounding area had a population of 574 people.{{Census 2006 AUS|id=SSC36185|name=Gunalda (Tiaro Shire) (State Suburb)|access-date=2010-12-07|quick=on}}
In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, the locality of Gunalda had a population of 392 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC31281|name=Gunalda (SSC)|access-date=20 October 2018|quick=on}}
In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Gunalda had a population of 426 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL31269|name=Gunalda (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}
Education
Gunalda State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at King Street ({{coord|-25.9927|152.5604|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Gunalda State School}}).{{cite web|url=https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997|title=State and non-state school details|publisher=Queensland Government|date=9 July 2018|access-date=21 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121065959/https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997|archive-date=21 November 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gunaldass.eq.edu.au|title=Gunalda State School|access-date=21 November 2018|archive-date=17 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190317043955/https://gunaldass.eq.edu.au/|url-status=live}} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 35 students with 3 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).{{cite web|url=https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-2018.xlsx|title=ACARA School Profile 2018|publisher=Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority|access-date=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 are no secondary schools in Gunalda. The nearest government secondary school is James Nash State High School in Gympie to the south-east.{{Queensland Globe|access-date=19 June 2022}}
Facilities
Gunalda Cemetery is on the western end of Cotter Drive ({{coord|-25.9875|152.5553|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Gunalda Cemetery}}).{{Cite web |date=12 November 2020 |title=Cemetery Areas - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/2baca5c3-a111-4fbc-86c9-3b896884438b |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115100513/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/2baca5c3-a111-4fbc-86c9-3b896884438b |archive-date=15 November 2020 |access-date=12 November 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}
References
{{commons category|Gunalda, Queensland}}
{{reflist}}
{{Gympie Region}}
{{Fraser Coast Region}}
{{authority control}}