Lower Wonga
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = suburb
| name = Lower Wonga
| city =
| state = qld
| image =
| caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|-26.1052|152.4713|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title|name=Lower Wonga (centre of locality)}}
| pop = 310
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| established =
| postcode = 4570
| area = 97.5
| timezone = AEST
| utc = +10:00
| dist1 = 31
| dir1 = WNW
| location1 = Gympie
| dist2 = 201
| dir2 = N
| location2 = Brisbane
| dist3 =
| dir3 =
| location3 =
| dist4 =
| dir4 =
| location4 =
| lga = Gympie Region
| stategov = Gympie
| fedgov = Wide Bay
| near-n = Sexton
| near-ne = Sexton
| near-e = Bells Bridge
| near-se = Bells Bridge
| near-s = Widgee
| near-sw = Oakview
| near-w = Woolooga
| near-nw = Woolooga
}}
Lower Wonga is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia.{{cite QPN|46355|Lower Wonga|locality in Gympie Region|accessdate=27 December 2020}} In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Lower Wonga had a population of 310 people.
Geography
The locality is predominantly flat cleared freehold land (80–100 metres above sea level) used for grazing, apart from an unnamed peak of 450 metres in the far south-west of the locality. Widgee Creek (a tributary of the Mary River) meanders from south to north through the east part of the locality.
The Wide Bay Highway passes from east to west through the northern part of the locality.{{Queensland Globe|accessdate=|access-date=26 February 2021}}
History
Wonga State School opened on 27 January 1914 and was renamed Wonga Lower State School in 1918. The school closed in 1968.{{Citation|title=Queensland schools past and present|publication-date=2010|author1=Queensland Family History Society|edition=Version 1.01|publisher=Queensland Family History Society|isbn=978-1-921171-26-0}} The school building was relocated to Queen's Park in Gympie where it was used for Scout Cubs.{{Cite web|url=http://www.museum.gympiegoldmuseum.com.au/files/other/FF-Lower-Wonga-Schl.pdf|title=Fascinating Find: Lower Wonga School|website=Gympie Gold Mining & Historical Museum|access-date=22 April 2017|archive-date=20 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220104231/http://www.museum.gympiegoldmuseum.com.au/files/other/FF-Lower-Wonga-Schl.pdf|url-status=live}}
In April 2017, a company SolarQ announced plans to build the Lower Wonga Solar Farm, a photovoltaic power station. If the project achieves its final configuration of 3 million solar panels capable of powering about 315,000 homes, it would become Australia's largest solar power station.{{Cite news|last=Atkinson|first=Bruce|date=19 April 2017|title=Queensland company lodges plan to build Australia's biggest solar farm near Gympie|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-19/mega-solar-farm-planned-for-gympie-qld/8451774|access-date=21 April 2017|archive-date=21 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421021135/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-19/mega-solar-farm-planned-for-gympie-qld/8451774|url-status=live}}
Demographics
In the {{CensusAU|2011}}, Lower Wonga had a population of 498 people.{{Census 2011 AUS|id=SSC30972 |name=Lower Wonga (SSC)|accessdate=21 April 2017|quick=on}}
In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, Lower Wonga had a population of 344 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC31711|name=Lower Wonga (SSC)|accessdate=20 October 2018|quick=on}}
In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Lower Wonga had a population of 310 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL31696|name=Lower Wonga (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}
Education
There are no schools in Lower Wonga. The nearest primary schools are Woolooga State School in neighbouring Woolooga to the west, Widgee State School in neighbouring Widgee to the south, and Chatsworth State School in Chatsworth to the east. The nearest government secondary schools are Kilkivan State School (to Year 12) in Kilkivan to the west and James Nash State High School (to Year 12) in Gympie to the east.