Population 723 (2011 census) Postcode(s) 4309 Kalbar Postal code 4309 Federal division Division of Wright | Established 1876 State electorate(s) Beaudesert Founded 1876 Local time Saturday 11:33 AM | |
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LGA(s) Scenic Rim Regional Council Weather 28°C, Wind SW at 14 km/h, 58% Humidity | ||
Kalbar is a small town and locality in the Scenic Rim, South East Queensland, Australia. It is located near the Cunningham Highway and directly north of Mount French in the Fassifern Valley. The town is part of the Scenic Rim Region local government area. At the 2011 census, Kalbar had a population of 723.
Contents
Map of Kalbar QLD 4309, Australia
History
Settlement began at the location in 1876 and by 1890 a small town had developed. The town was once known as Fassifern Scrub and then Engelsburg after the first settler of the town. The town has a very rich German history, reflected today in the many Anglo-German road and street names as well as the many local German settler descendant surnames. The name changed to Kalbar because of anti-German sentiment in 1916. The Mount Edwards railway line reached the town in the same year.
Kalbar State School opened in 1879.
Engelsburg Post Office opened on 7 July 1897 (a receiving office had been open from 1878. known as Engels for five years) and was renamed Kalbar in 1916.
During the 1899 referendum to decide if Australia should become a federation, Kalbar registered the highest No vote of any town in Queensland. In 1920, the Kalbar School of Arts hall and half the businesses in town were destroyed by fire.
From 1961 to 1990, Kalbar held a large annual celebration, the Fassifern Potato Festival. The event included a street parade with motorised floats culminating at the show grounds and continuation of festivities. Some artifacts from the festival can be found at the Templin Historical Museum. Harvest Festivals organised by the local Salvation Army church extended back to the 1920s. The annual agricultural show is held in June.
Heritage listings
Kalbar has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: