Witta is a rural town and

locality Locality may refer to: * Locality (association), an association of community regeneration organizations in England * Locality (linguistics) * Locality (settlement) * Suburbs and localities (Australia), in which a locality is a geographic subdivis ...

in the

Sunshine Coast Region The Sunshine Coast Region is a local government area located in the Sunshine Coast district of South East Queensland, Australia. It was created by the amalgamation in 2008 of the City of Caloundra and the Shires of Maroochy and Noosa. It cont ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. In the , Witta had a population of 1,201 people.

History

Queensland State Archives 2390 C M Nothlings vineyard and shingle roof cottage at Teutoberg Blackall Range c 1899

Queensland State Archives 351 Looking from Witta Road towards Conondale c 1931

Witta was first settled around 1887 by German immigrant families. They called it ''Teutoberg'' (also spelled ''Teutoburg''), possibly referring to the

Teutoburg Forest The Teutoburg Forest ( ; german: Teutoburger Wald ) is a range of low, forested hills in the German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. Until the 17th century, the official name of the hill ridge was Osning. It was first renamed th ...

area in Germany. The town was renamed in 1916 during

World War 1 World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

due to

anti-German sentiment Anti-German sentiment (also known as Anti-Germanism, Germanophobia or Teutophobia) is opposition to or fear of Germany, its inhabitants, its culture, or its language. Its opposite is Germanophilia. Anti-German sentiment largely began with t ...

. The name Witta is a corruption of the word ''wetya'' meaning ''

dingo The dingo (''Canis familiaris'', ''Canis familiaris dingo'', ''Canis dingo'', or ''Canis lupus dingo'') is an ancient (Basal (phylogenetics), basal) lineage of dog found in Australia (continent), Australia. Its taxonomic classification is de ...

'' in the

Kabi language Kabi Kabi, also spelt Gabi-Gabi/Gubbi Gubbi, is a language of Queensland in Australia, formerly spoken by the Kabi Kabi people of South-east Queensland. The main dialect, Kabi Kabi, is extinct, but there are still 24 people with knowledge of th ...

. Maleny Provisional School opened on 1 October 1892 with the first enrolments on 3 October 1892. It was renamed Teutoberg Provisional School in 1893. It became Teutoberg State School in 1909, and Witta State School in 1926. The school closed on 23 August 1974. A reserve for a School of Arts (often known as '' Mechanics' institutes'' outside Queensland) was gazetted in 1907. The School of Arts was opened on 7 October 1908 by Harry Frederick Walker,

Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly This is a list of members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, the state parliament of Queensland, sorted by parliament. See also * Queensland Legislative Assembly electoral districts This is a list of current and former electoral div ...

for Wide Bay. In the 2011 census, Witta had a population of 1,230 people. In the , Witta had a population of 1,201 people.

Geography

Witta is located within the Blackall Ranges. The lower land is mostly cleared for residential and farming purposes. The higher land is largely undeveloped natural bushland.

Amenities

There is a small cemetery on Witta Road ().

Attractions

Obi Lookout is on Schultz Road ().

Notable residents

Otto Nothling Otto Ernest Nothling (1 August 1900 – 26 September 1965) was a rugby union player who represented Australia, as well as an Australian cricketer who played in one Test in 1928. He is one of only two Australian rugby and cricket dual internat ...

, born in Witta, represented Australia in cricket and rugby union

References

External links

* * {{authority control Suburbs of the Sunshine Coast Region Towns in Queensland Localities in Queensland