Oakey, Queensland
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Oakey is a rural town and
locality Locality may refer to: * Locality, a historical named location or place in Canada * Locality (association), an association of community regeneration organizations in England * Locality (linguistics) * Locality (settlement) * Suburbs and localitie ...
in the
Toowoomba Region The Toowoomba Region is a Local government in Australia, local government area (LGA) on the border of Darling Downs and South East Queensland regions of Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, the LGA was preceded by several other local go ...
,
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
, Australia. The Museum of Army Aviation is located at Oakey Airport. In the , the locality of Oakey had a population of 4,756 people.


Geography

The town is situated on the eastern side of the Darling Downs and the
Toowoomba Region The Toowoomba Region is a Local government in Australia, local government area (LGA) on the border of Darling Downs and South East Queensland regions of Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, the LGA was preceded by several other local go ...
local government area. Oakey Creek, a tributary of the
Condamine River The Condamine River, part of the Balonne catchment that is part of the Murray-Darling Basin, drains the northern portion of the Darling Downs, an area of sub-coastal southern Queensland, Australia. The river is approximately 500 kilometres (3 ...
, passes through the town. Oakey is one of the towns contained in the Queensland State
Electoral district of Condamine Condamine is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland. Condamine takes in areas to the north-west, west and south of Toowoomba. It includes a number of small towns, such as Oakey, Pittsworth, ...
and at the federal level it lies within the
Division of Groom The Division of Groom is an Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives, Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. Groom is an Agriculture in Australia, agricultural electorate located on the Darling Downs in southern Queensland. I ...
. The town is surrounded by farms. The town is bypassed by the
Warrego Highway The Warrego Highway is located in southern Queensland, Australia. It connects coastal centres to the south western areas of the state, and is approximately 715 km in length. It takes its name from the Warrego River, which is the endpoint ...
(National A2). The Western railway line connects
Toowoomba Toowoomba ( ), nicknamed 'The Garden City' and 'T-Bar', is a city on the border of South East Queensland and Darling Downs regions of Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital, Brisbane. The urban population of Toowoom ...
with south-western Queensland; it passes through the locality which is served by two railway stations: * Boolee railway station, on a spur line west of the town () * Oakey railway station, serving the town () Oakey Airport is an airport (). It is located on the site of the World War 2 airbase. The
Oakey Army Aviation Centre Oakey Army Aviation Centre is situated approximately from the town centre of Oakey in Queensland, Australia. It provides a training establishment for Australian Army Aviation, and also hosts the Republic of Singapore Air Force's "Cougar" ...
is the major user of the airport.


History

Oakey and the creek around which the town is located were named for the river oaks that dominate the banks of the creek.


19th century

The area was first settled in the early 1840s when pastoralists moved into the area and found the land to be suitable for grazing. In 1859, the Jondaryan Woolshed was built to the west of the town to service the rapidly growing wool industry. The first shearing took place in 1861. The Jondaryan pastoral station dominated the area, encompassing over . The woolshed was responsible for over 200,000 head of sheep and could cater for in excess of 50 shearers working simultaneously. Following
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, the homestead landholding was reduced and separated to allow for
soldier settlement Soldier settlement was the settlement of land throughout parts of Australia by returning discharged soldiers under soldier settlement schemes administered by state governments after World War I and World War II. The post-World War II settlement ...
programs. The building of the Western railway line through the area in 1867 prompted the growth of a township to service the pastoral community. Growth of the town was slow, however featured some enterprising ventures, including a short-lived meatworks near the town, which planned to tin and export kangaroo and wallaby under the marketing name 'Australian Game'. The enterprise was unsuccessful and closed down in 1876. The town was surveyed in 1868, with the first sale being 28 June 1870. Originally named Oaky, the spelling of Oakey was officially adopted in August 1940. Oakey Creek Post Office opened on 1 June 1869. It was renamed Oakey by 1878. Oakey Creek Vested School opened on 10 August 1874, with a number of celebrations:
"A grand picnic and ball was held here on the 3rd instant in honor of the opening of the above school. The school-house is a neat weatherboard building, shingled, and with a verandah on each side, and capable of accommodating between sixty and seventy children, and will amply supply the requirements of the district for years to come. The teacher's residence is a smart little four roomed cottage, but I should think rather small. The appointment of Mr. Tait as teacher is sure to give satisfaction."
The school was later renamed Oakey Creek State School. In 1905, it was renamed Oakey State School.


20th century

Scots Presbyterian Church opened in 1906. A new church was built in 1957. St Monica's Catholic Church was opened on Sunday 14 February 1909 by Reverend D. Fouhy. The land was and the church was a Gothic structure, with walls, capable of seating 200 people. Messrs Marks and Lane were the architects and Mr Andrews was the contractor. The church was enlarged in 1919 to accommodate a school. A new brick church was built in 1957. The Cooyar railway line serviced the areas to the north of Oakey between 1913 and 1968. Between 1914 and 1984 the area to the southwest was serviced by the Cecil Plains railway line. St Monica's Catholic School was officially opened on Sunday 26 October 1919 by
Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
James Duhig Sir James Duhig KCMG (2 September 187110 April 1965) was an Irish-born Australian Roman Catholic religious leader. He was the Archbishop of Brisbane for 48 years from 1917 until his death in 1965. At the time of his death he was the longest- ...
. The church building had been enlarged to accommodate both the church and the school. The Oakey War Memorial in Campbell Street was unveiled on 28 August 1922 by the
Governor of Queensland The governor of Queensland is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in the state of Queensland. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia, governor-general at the national level, the governor Governors of ...
, Sir
Matthew Nathan Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Matthew Nathan (3 January 1862 – 18 April 1939) was a British soldier and colonial administrator, who variously served as the governor of Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, Hong Kong, Natal and Queensland. He was Under-Secre ...
. It was made "of Rockhampton marble on a pedestal of sandstone, with a polished granite centre piece, on which are inscribed in gold letters the names of no fewer than 332 soldiers of the Oakey district who took part in the Great War." The
Country Women's Association The Country Women's Association (CWA) is a women's organisation in Australia, which seeks to advance interests of women, families, and communities in Australia, especially those in rural, regional, and remote areas. It comprises seven indep ...
opened a branch in Oakey in 1924, which was noted to be 'thriving' in 1925, and celebrated 90 years of activity in 2014. The racehorse Bernborough was foaled at Rosalie Plains in 1939. He became well-known on the tracks around Toowoomba. Eventually the horse was sold to a businessman in Sydney and raced in three states, winning 15 consecutive races between 22 December 1945 and 19 October 1946. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the requirement for aircraft maintenance and construction exceeded the capabilities of Brisbane-based facilities. To expand the capability, a site at Oakey was purchased to facilitate the raising of Number 6 Aircraft Depot (6AD). An airbase was sited approximately north of the town, and runways were built. With a full complement of RAAF personnel, the base housed almost 2,000 troops. The Depot serviced, assembled and conducted test flights of
Bristol Beaufort The Bristol Beaufort (manufacturer designation Type 152) is a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Bristol Blenheim, Blenheim li ...
,
P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed ...
, Norsemen,
CAC Wirraway The CAC Wirraway is a Trainer aircraft, training and general purpose military aircraft manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) between 1939 and 1946. It was an Australian development of the North American NA-16 ...
and
Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced conti ...
aircraft. This airfield became an Army Aviation Training Centre in the 1970s, now Swartz Barracks, a major helicopter pilot and maintenance training facility for the Defence forces. After the war, the Oakey airport was serviced by Macair Airlines commercial air services originating in
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
, however the failure of Macair saw services commenced by
Skytrans Airlines Skytrans is an Australian airline and air charter business based in Cairns, Rockhampton and Townsville, in Queensland. The airline operates RPT (Regular Public Transport), charter and ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) services in ...
being routed via Toowoomba. The establishment of the Wellcamp Airport south of the town, servicing Toowoomba, saw Skytrans being replaced by Qantaslink and REX airlines, and the reduction of airspace for the Army Aviation Centre. The Oakey Veterinary Hospital was established in 1952. Oakey State High School opened on 28 January 1964. Since 1916, there was community interest in the establishment of a high school in Oakey, with the disadvantage of "scholars having to reside in Dalby, Warwick, or Toowoomba, after passing the examination" acting as a deterrent to many parents from pursuing higher education for their children. In response to a skills shortage in transport and logistics Oakey State High developed an innovative program called "Transport and Logistics Employees for our Community". In 2007, the successful partnership between school, training organisations and industry was recognised as the winner of the Showcase Award for Excellence in Community or Industry Partnerships by the Department of Education, Training and Employment. In 1975, Jondaryan Woolshed Historical Museum and Park was established to present the history of Jondaryan Station and its role in the development of pastoralism on the Darling Downs. The woolshed has been in continuous operation since it was built. Oakey State School celebrated its centenary in 1974. The Oakey Library opened in 1975 and underwent a major refurbishment in 2014. On Sunday 31 May 1987, the Oakey Uniting Church was officially opened and dedicated by Reverend Barry Dangerfield, the Queensland Moderator of the
Uniting Church in Australia The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) is a united church in Australia. The church was founded on 22 June 1977 when most Wiktionary:congregation, congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, about two-thirds of the Presbyterian Church o ...
. The hall beside the church was formerly the Maclagan Union Church. The Oakey Power Station is a 332 MW dual liquid/gas-fired plant and was commissioned in December 1999.


21st century

The main town centre was redeveloped during 2005 by the council and now includes new shops, landscaping and tree plantings. In January 2011 the Oakey Creek flooded, impacting 120 homes and businesses. In 2014 a Flood Early Warning System was installed upstream. In 2014, the Department of Defense investigated a contamination caused by fire-fighting foams used at the Army Aviation Training Centre and warned residents not to drink bore water. The chemicals have been identified as perfluorooctane sulphonate and
perfluorooctanoic acid Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA; conjugate acid, conjugate base perfluorooctanoate; also known colloquially as C8, from its chemical formula C8HF15O2) is a perfluorinated carboxylic acid produced and used worldwide as an industrial surfactant in ch ...
. The chemicals were used from 1970 until 2008. A lack of testing of these chemicals means no conclusive impact on human health has been proven. In 2020, a class action by residents by Oakey,
Katherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
, and Williamtown (all communities where the fire-fighting foams were used) was successful in establishing that news of the foam contamination had caused property prices in the affected communities to plummet. In December 2021, a 3-year study conducted by the
Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public university, public research university and member of the Group of Eight (Australian universities), Group of Eight, located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton, A ...
announced they did not find conclusive evidence of an increased risk of cancer or other disease because of the contamination.


Local government administration

Oakey has been part of
Toowoomba Regional Council The Toowoomba Region is a local government area (LGA) on the border of Darling Downs and South East Queensland regions of Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, the LGA was preceded by several other local government authorities with histo ...
since 2008. However, like many small towns in regional Queensland it has been administered by various local government entities over its history. # Jondaryan Division (1879–1903) # Jondaryan Shire (1903–2008) gaining Gowrie Shire (1903–1913) (part) in 1913, losing part to Millmerran (1913–2008) and Pittsworth (1913–2008) in 1913, gaining Newtown (1913–1917) (part) in 1917, gaining Drayton (1903–1949) (part) in 1949. # Toowoomba Region (2008–present)


Demographics

In the , the locality of Oakey had a population of 4,529 people. In the , the locality of Oakey had a population of 4,705 people. In the , the locality of Oakey had a population of 4,756 people.


Economy

Industry is rural based, processing livestock and grain. The district has a high concentration of cattle feedlots, an abattoir, a stockfeed manufacturer, grain trading and transport businesses. There is a coal mining operation in the surrounding district, and a business servicing the
coal seam gas ''Coalbed methane'' (CBM or coal-bed methane), coalbed gas, or coal seam gas (CSG) is a form of natural gas extracted from coal beds. In recent decades it has become an important source of energy in United States, Canada, Australia, and other co ...
(CSG) industry farther west. The township also provides services for agricultural and mining activities in the local area. The Oakey Veterinary Hospital has a specialist equine reproduction centre.


Education

Oakey State School is a government primary (Early Childhood to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 24 Campbell Street (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 344 students with 30 teachers (27 full-time equivalent) and 21 non-teaching staff (14 full-time equivalent). It includes a
special education Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...
program.St Monica's School is a Catholic primary (Preparatory to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 75 Lorrimer Street (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 138 students with 12 teachers (10 full-time equivalent) and 12 non-teaching staff (7 full-time equivalent). Oakey State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 1 Campbell Street (). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 454 students with 44 teachers (42 full-time equivalent) and 32 non-teaching staff (23 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program. The
University of Queensland The University of Queensland is a Public university, public research university located primarily in Brisbane, the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland. Founded in 1909 by the Queensland parliament, UQ is one of the six sandstone ...
has a campus for Equine Studies in the town.


Amenities

The township has many amenities, including an Olympic-sized swimming pool and golf course. The golf course is located at the corner of the Warrego Highway and Mount Tyson Road. The local RSL ( Returned Services League) Club provides convention style facilities, and is the hub of the war remembrance activities for the local area on
Anzac Day Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia, New Zealand and Tonga that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and ...
and
Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces me ...
. The town has well established daycare and pre-school centres. Oakey has a local hospital providing emergency services and inpatient care as well as a large co-located nursing home facility known as the EAF McDonald nursing home. There are two private GP practices in the town. The Oakey Library is located in the Oakey Civic Precinct at 60 Campbell Street between the swimming pool and the Community Centre. It boasts a 500-seat capacity Cultural Centre, and two multi-purpose sports halls at the two primary schools. Oakey has a number of churches, including: * St Monica's Catholic Church, 19 Campbell Street * Oakey Uniting Church, 13 Cherry Street * Scots Oakey Presbyterian Church, 4 Connelly Lane The Oakey branch of the
Queensland Country Women's Association The Queensland Country Women's Association (QCWA) is the Queensland chapter of the Country Women's Association in Australia. The association seeks to serve the interests of women and children in rural areas in Australia through a network of loca ...
meets at the Kenmore Library at the Anglican Church Hall at 5 Creek Street.


Attractions

The Museum of Army Aviation is located at the airport. It displays aircraft and memorabilia dating from World War I to the present.


Climate

Oakey's climate varies through the year, ranging from hot, humid and stormy summers to cool, dry and sunny winters. Oakey frequently records temperatures below 0 °C, often approaching −5 °C in winter and above 35 °C in summer, occasionally rising to above 40 °C. Its lowest recorded temperature is −7.5 °C (18.5 °F) and its highest recorded temperature is 42.8 °C (107.2 °F).


References


Further reading

* — includes Gowrie Little Plains School, Aubigny School, Crosshill School, Devon Park State School, Silverleigh State School, Boodua School, Greenwood State School, Kelvinhaugh State School


External links

*
University of Queensland: Queensland Places:Oakey
{{Darling Downs Towns in the Darling Downs Toowoomba Region Queensland in World War II