Eumundi, Queensland

Eumundi is a rural town and locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Eumundi had a population of 2,221 people.

Eumundi is very popular on the coast for its bi-weekly farmers' markets. The marketplace is full of locally-made produce, which has made Eumundi and the surrounding area a haven for small businesses.

Geography

Eumundi is 21 km south-west of Noosa Heads and 118 km north of the state capital, Brisbane. It is located just off the Bruce Highway. Nearby towns are Yandina and Cooroy.

History

Town blocks were surveyed and divided in 1890. The town's name is believed to come from the Kabi name Ngumundi, the name of a local Indigenous clan leader, who was said to have adopted escaped convict Bracefield as his adopted son. Prior to 1890 the town was called Eerwah after Mount Eerwah; this was changed to avoid confusion with the nearby town of Beerwah.

The original Eumundi railway station opened in 1891 on Gympie Road (now Memorial Drive) opposite Gridley Street () as part of the opening of the North Coast line; it is now the site of the Eumundi Markets. The current Eumundi railway station () opened in 1988 when a deviation was built as part of the electrification of the North Coast line.

St Ita's Catholic Church was originally built circa 1896 on a hilltop on the corner of Gridley Street and Crescent Street overlooking the town. A church bell was installed in 1912. In 1934 it was relocated closer to the town centre at 129 Memorial Drive (). Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd attended this church as a child (he became an Anglican later in life). The church closed circa 1976 and the building sold and is now a private home. The church bell is now in the Eumundi Museum.

On Thursday 14 June 1900, 17 choice farm blocks were advertised for auction by King and King Auctioneers. A map advertising the auction stated that Eumundi Estate was 1/4 mile from Eumundi Station and the Brisbane and Gympie Railway line ran through the property.

In 1906, at the Land Office in Brisbane, the Queensland Government auctioned 13 town lots in Eumundi, each of which was approximately . These were located in two groups, one near Etheridge Street and the other near Arundell Street.

A town hall was completed in 1908 after a school of arts committee raised the funds.

On Saturday 2 December 1911 the Eumundi Methodist Church was officially opened by Reverend Henry Youngman, President of the Methodist Church of Australia. The church at 73 Memorial Drive () was built by Francis Gustavus Hill and was . The external walls were double-dressed crows ash chamferboard, the ceiling was of pine, and the roof was iron. In 1996, the now-closed Methodist Church was re-opened as the Eumundi Historical Museum.

St George's Anglican Church at 15 Cook Street was dedicated on 21 July 1912 by Archbishop St Clair Donaldson. Its closure on 26 June 2005 was approved by Assistant Bishop Appleby. The property was sold and the church is now a private residence.

The Eumundi branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association was established on 9 November 1927. On 26 December 1929 their building was officially opened by Harry Walker, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Cooroora.

St Andrew's Presbyterian Church at 123 Memorial Drive () opened in 1953.

The Orana Nursery, operated in Eumundi from 1973 to 1991. It became the largest supplier of bougainvilleas in the Sunshine Coast region.

On 24 March 1979 the first Eumundi Market was held at the CWA hall with 3 stalls, 8 visitors and $30 of sales. It grew to over 600 stalls and 1.6 million visitors each year.

The original Eumundi Brewery was opened in the Imperial Hotel in 1988. The brewery was closed in the late 1990s, but was rebuilt on its original site in the Imperial Hotel in 2017.

At the Eumundi recorded a population of 1,924.

In the the locality of Eumundi had a population of 2,221 people.

In September 2019 the Eumundi Community Church (formerly the St Andrew's Presbyterian Church) closed, leaving the town without any active churches. The closure was due to declining attendance which was attributed to decreasing religious beliefs (in the 2016 census 43% of Eumundi residents said they had "no religion") and a preference of those with religious beliefs to attend larger services in other towns, such as the Hillsong Church in Noosa Heads.

In 2020 the town's rugby union club fielded a senior team for the first time in about 100 years.

Heritage listings

Eumundi has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
* 63 Memorial Drive (): Eumundi School of Arts
* Memorial Drive (): Eumundi War Memorial Trees
* 15 Cook Street (): St George's Anglican Church

Education

Eumundi State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 22 Caplick Way (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 645 students with 46 teachers (40 full-time equivalent) and 25 non-teaching staff (16 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program.

There is no secondary school in Eumundi. The nearest secondary school is Noosa District State High School which operates on two campuses. Its junior campus is in Pomona to the north-west and its senior campus is in neighbouring Cooroy to the immediate north-west.

Facilities

Eumundi Police Station is at 5 Napier Street ().

Eumundi Post Office is at 71 Memorial Drive ().

Eumundi Cemetery is at 632 Bunya Road (). It is managed by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council.

Amenities

The Sunshine Coast Regional Council operates a mobile library service which visits Memorial Drive across from the School of Arts () on Tuesday afternoons.

The Eumundi branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at QCWA Hall at 78 Memorial Drive ().

The Eumundi Aquatic Centre is on Memorial Drive (). It has swimming pools and a gym. There are also tennis courts on the site operated by the Eumundi Tennis Club.

Eumundi Showgrounds is at 1 Black Stump Road ().

There is a child care centre at 4 Napier Street ().

Events

The Eumundi Markets are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 80 Memorial Drive (). The markets have a philosophy of "locally made".

The Eumundi Agricultural Show is normally held in September each year, but has not been held during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attractions

Eumundi Brewery at the Imperial Hotel at 1 Etheridge Street () offers tours of the brewery. However, during 2020 and 2021, the tours have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As at February 2021, the Eumundi Museum at 73 Memorial Drive () is closed for refurbishment expected to re-open in late 2021.

Ball Lookout at 224 Eumundi Range Road () has panoramic views to the south-west.

Bi-Centennial Lookout at the end of Panorama Drive () on the boundary with Doonan has 360-degree panoramic views.

Eumundi is proud of its late 19th-century history, with fewer old buildings.

Notable residents

Notable former residents include:
* Kevin Rudd, the former Prime Minister of Australia and former Foreign minister
* Pat Rafter, tennis champion

See also

*List of Australian place names of Aboriginal origin

References

External links

*

{{Authority control

Suburbs of the Sunshine Coast Region
Populated places established in 1890
Towns in Queensland
1890 establishments in Australia
Localities in Queensland