Population 2,092 (2011 census) LGA(s) South Burnett Region Murgon Moondooner Local time Wednesday 9:42 AM | Postcode(s) 4605 State electorate(s) Callide Postal code 4605 Federal division Division of Wide Bay | |
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Location 223 km (139 mi) from Brisbane
199 km (124 mi) from Toowoomba
67 km (42 mi) from Kingaroy Weather 23°C, Wind E at 14 km/h, 85% Humidity | ||
Murgon is a town and locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. It is situated on the Bunya Highway 270 kilometres (170 mi) north-west of the state capital, Brisbane. At the 2011 Australian Census the town recorded a population of 2,092.
Contents
Map of Murgon QLD 4605, Australia
Murgon is in the region of Queensland known as the South Burnett, the southern part of the Burnett River catchment. Attractions of Murgon include winemaking, fishing on the nearby Bjelke-Petersen Dam and gem-fossicking. Industries include peanuts, dairy farming, beef and cattle production and wine. The Indigenous Australian settlement of Cherbourg is just south of Murgon.
History
Murgon Post Office opened by June 1908 (a receiving office had been open from 1904).
The foundation stone of the Murgon War Memorial was laid on 25 April 1920 (ANZAC Day) by Lieutenant Colonel Wilder Neligan. On 11 November 1921, the digger memorial was dedicated by RSL chairman, Major General Spencer Browne.
In the early 20th century the Nanango railway line reached the town. The town was the administrative centre for the former Shire of Murgon which existed from 1914 until 2008.
Heritage listings
Murgon has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Fossils
Murgon is also close to a famous fossil site. The Murgon fossil site is the only such site in Australia with a diverse vertebrate fauna dating to the early Eocene epoch, around 55 million years ago, only 10 million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Amenities
The South Burnett Regional Council operates a library in Murgon.
Notable residents
Notable residents of Murgon include: