Moffatdale, Queensland

Moffatdale is a rural locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2] In the 2021 census, Moffatdale had a population of 257 people.^[1]

Moffatdale Queensland
Parasailing on Lake Barambah impounded by the Bjelke-Petersen Dam, 2014
Moffatdale
Coordinates	26.3080°S 152.0183°E / -26.3080; 152.0183 (Moffatdale (centre of locality))
Population	257 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	4.886/km2 (12.65/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4605
Area	52.6 km2 (20.3 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	11.0 km (7 mi) SE of Murgon 54.7 km (34 mi) NNE of Kingaroy 98.4 km (61 mi) W of Gympie 237 km (147 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	South Burnett Region
State electorate(s)	Nanango
Federal division(s)	Wide Bay Flynn
Suburbs around Moffatdale: Murgon Redgate Redgate Cherbourg Moffatdale Redgate Charlestown Charlestown Barambah

Geography

The Bjelke-Petersen Dam is in the west of the locality (26.3032°S 151.9789°E / -26.3032; 151.9789 (Bjelke-Petersen Dam)) with the reservoir Lake Barambah (26.3269°S 151.9974°E / -26.3269; 151.9974 (Lake Barambah)) extending through the south-west of the locality.^[3]

Although Moffatdale is not officially a town, there is a residential subdivision near the school. Apart from this, the land use is a mixture of grazing on native vegetation and crop growing.^[3]

There are a number of homesteads in the locality, including:^[4]

• Barambah-Dale (26.2954°S 152.0291°E / -26.2954; 152.0291 (Barambah-Dale (homestead)))
• Bridgeman Downs (26.3128°S 152.0059°E / -26.3128; 152.0059 (Bridgeman Downs (homestead)))
• Brigalow Park (26.2839°S 152.0043°E / -26.2839; 152.0043 (Brigalow Park (homestead)))
• Dal Dowie Retreat (26.3283°S 152.0231°E / -26.3283; 152.0231 (Dal Dowie Retreat (homestead)))
• Lakeview (26.3350°S 152.0291°E / -26.3350; 152.0291 (Lakeview (homestead)))
• Moffatdale (26.2939°S 152.0258°E / -26.2939; 152.0258 (Moffatdale (homestead)))
• Parrishs Paddock (26.3064°S 152.0151°E / -26.3064; 152.0151 (Parrishs Paddock (homestead)))
• Peppercorn (26.3254°S 152.0110°E / -26.3254; 152.0110 (Peppercorn (homestead)))
• Sunny Brae (26.3175°S 152.0336°E / -26.3175; 152.0336 (Sunny Brae (homestead)))

History

Caulfield Provisional School opened on 1 November 1915. In 1916 it was renamed Barambah West Provisional School and again in 1918 as Moffatdale Provisional School. On 1 June 1926 it became Moffatdale State School.^[5]

Demographics

In the 2016 census Moffatdale had a population of 179 people.^[6]

In the 2021 census, Moffatdale had a population of 257 people.^[1]

Education

Moffatdale State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 892 Barambah Road (26.3059°S 152.0117°E / -26.3059; 152.0117 (Moffatdale State School)).^[7][8] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 42 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 6 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent).^[9]

There is no secondary school in Moffatdale. The nearest secondary school is Murgon State High School in neighbouring Murgon to the north-west.^[3]

Amenities

There are two boat ramps into Lake Barambah known as:^[10]

• Bjelke-Petersen Dam (West) (26.3059°S 151.9820°E / -26.3059; 151.9820 (Bjelke-Petersen Dam (West) boat ramp))

• Bjelke-Petersen Dam (East) (26.3063°S 151.9928°E / -26.3063; 151.9928 (Bjelke-Petersen Dam (East) boat ramp))

Both are on Haager Drive and are managed by the South Burnett Regional Council.^[10]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Moffatdale (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Moffatdale – locality in South Burnett Region (entry 46245)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
3. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
4. "Homesteads - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
5. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
6. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Moffatdale (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
7. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
8. "Moffatdale State School". Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
9. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
10. "Recreational Boating Facilities Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.