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GAYNDAH 2002

(Population 1781)


[This is a view taken from Mt Gayndah near the State High School.]

Visitor Information:

Gayndah is one of Qld's oldest towns, founded in 1849. It is on the Burnett Highway near the Burnett River,
147 km West of Maryborough, in the major citrus-growing area of Queensland. Oranges (citrus in general) were first grown in Gayndah by Old Frank Robinson Sr (Dec'd)near Humphrey on the back road to Mundubbera.

Home of the famous Gayndah Oranges - GAY DAN THE ORANGE MAN. The Orange Festival every two years - do you remember spending hours making paper flowers to put on the float for the Gayndah High School? I do - wasn't it a great experience!

OUR BIG FESTIVAL - WORLD FAMOUS GAYNDAH ORANGE FESTIVAL

Queens Birthday Weekend in June every 2 years is the time we celibrate the Gayndah Orange Festival (Held in odd-numbered years - 2003, 2005, 2007 etc.). It is a great time to have 'reunion' and run into old mates. Here is another opportunity to do it more often.

Gayndah was once considered as a possible site for the capital of Queensland. Just imagine the ships coming and going from Port Gayndah with what they now carry into the Brisbane River. High tide would have washed half of Gayndah away. At least they would be able to get under the new big bridge!

The first Queensland Derby was held here in 1868 - see Doomben & Eagle Farm we were the first!

Tourist Information:

Places of interest:- the BIG ORANGE, the little orange, Folk Museum, Mt Gayndah, the new Lookout (yes I have been there with my mum), Orange packing shed, the oldest School outside of Brisbane, Kelly's Orange "help yourself" stall, The Golden Orange (how could we forget it?), the mighty Burnett River where many of you would spend your time instead of going to school! The town has full facilities, hotels, wild women and wild horses - sorry that was in 1865.

Several homesteads in the district were built around 1890's. Historical Museum Complex, Simon Street, Gayndah includes Ban Ban Springs Homestead and Ideraway Homestead (both 1850s). (Trevor Savage used to live in the Ideraway Homestead building with his Uncle Les & Aunt Esther Savage as a young boy.)
Tel: (07) 4161 1698, Fax: (07) 4161 1689, WWW information on the Memorial in Capper Street, the main strip.

Also you can check out the Claude Warton Weir Recreation Area, 3 km West, for fishing and picnics.

MOVIE WORLD

The movie "Mango Tree was made in Gayndah for the most part. That put us on the map in the international arena. They did not have to do too much to the set to put it into the 1920's so it was a place of choice. I don't think everyone in Gayndah got a part like in Ben Hur but a few lucky ones got some drinking money I believe. The movie starred Christopher Tate, Sir Robert Helpmann and also my cousin Paul Savage. He did not receive a Grammy or an Oscar but I did see him in the movie when I purchased a copy and replayed it very slowly about 20 times.
Hang on a minute, didn't Prince Charles drive through town one day on his way up to the Barney Joyce Cattle property in Eidsvold and we all had to take a day off from school to stand in line in the main street and wave to him as he was away from mum and dad? He is used to seeing them wave every time they go anywhere. The things we went through just to grow up.

Now for some accommodation: Yes, there are four hotels/motels of which the Burnett Hotel, Grand Hotel and Golden Orange can be recommended, and two caravan/camping parks. My mate Peter Huth is Mayor so if you need any help in Gayndah just mention my name to him. Won't keep you out of jail but it will help start a conversation.

THE GAYNDAH TOUR

If you have driven in from Mundubbera after coming from Cairns or Darwin or somewhere interesting turn left after travelling across the really big bridge (how do they do it?) just after where the Butter Factory used to be just over the railway line, turn into the main street at the place where the Grand and Burnett Hotels are on opposite corners adjacent to where the Burchers used to be, then drive on past the Gayndah Cafe, the furniture shop on the right side of the road, Westpac Bank, National Bank, ANZ Bank, Mellors, Mitre 10, Bevan Surtees shoe shop, the Dentist that doesn't come in to work anymore, Gayndah Town Hall, Gayndah Bakery, Russia Lutvey's, Fruitgrowers, Frank Gunther's Chemist Shop, Stan Ping's Malted Milk Bar, Auntie Ivy Savage's old shop [HE Savage], Gayndah Council Chambers, BP Service Station, Post Ofice, the Tyre place, follow main street parallel to river past supermarket on left then Shell on right, past where Ray Miller used to live, Anglican Church then over the little bridge just after the swimming pool and you are now heading for Brisbane. After two short climbs the road flattens and passes through pastoral country with good views. At about 11kms, at Barambah Creek, emergency camping is possible. About 12kms, there is short hill before the Mt. Perry - Goomeri junction. After this big corner in the road you drive past Kirk's Pastoral property then you arrive at the Tourist mecca of the Natural Springs at Ban Ban Springs, 26 km South of Gayndah, a popular picnic area, known as the home of the Wakka-Wakka Tribe (did they ride Harley-Davidsons?).

HISTORY OF OUR SCHOOLING

The Gayndah State Rural School has been operating since 1863.

Original school built in(1863), is still in use.

We can all remember the "good old days spent learning in these buildings" can't we? Yes Mr Poole, why did I always seem to be getting the cane in Grade 4 & Gr 5? Was I a naughty little boy? Didn't do much good!

And that my friend is a quick drive through our great little town we used to all call home! We still love it and I for one am very proud of my Gayndah "red soil" heritage. Best little town in Australia.


The following are WEBSITES about GAYNDAH.
Check them out.

If you have a website you would like to put on this page please email: tksavage@bigpond.net.au.

http://www.northburnett.com [Local surrounding Shires]

Just for Mike Goebel and Peter Huth!
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~gfreed/sponsors.htm [Citroen Car Club]

http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/ASXX0214.html[Weather in Gayndah]

http://www.travelaustralia.com.au/qld/bundaberg/bundaberg_16.html [Gayndah as a travel destination]

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/rlq/4803.html [DPI Info about Gayndah]

http://www.rootsweb.com/~ausqld2/schools/gayndah1952_5-6.htm [1952 class photo - Gr 5 & Gr6]

http://www.rootsweb.com/~ausqld2/schools/gayndah1955-8.htm [1955 class photo - Gr 8]

http://www.rootsweb.com/~ausqld2/schools/gayndah1955-2nddept1.htm [Gayndah State Rural School photo - 1955]

http://www.rootsweb.com/~ausqld2/schools/gayndah1955-2nddept2.htm [ Full Gayndah Secondary School wing - Gayndah]

http://www.rootsweb.com/~ausqld2/schools/gayndah1956.htm [Original Gayndah State Rural School Building Built 1963 - Taken 1958]

http://www.walkabout.com.au/fairfax/locations/QLDGayndah.shtml

http://www.gayndahss.qld.edu.au [State School]

http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au//pfm/sites/0009635/main.htm [About Gayndah]

http://www.gu.edu.au/centre/qsc/qldpic/gayndah.htm [Gayndah Picture Theatres]

http://www.thesource.com.au/~gayndah-florists [Flowers]

http://www.casinocity.com/AU/QLD/Gayndah/Casinos.html [Gayndah Casinos]

http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/pub/directory/gayndah.htm [Gayndah Library]

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/nburn/gayndah.htm[Gayndah Services]

http://www.finalword.com/ubd_www/gayndah.htm [About the town]

http://www.onlinepharmacy.com.au/gayndahpharmacy.htm [Gayndah Pharmacy]

http://www.ljhooker.com.au/offices/agent.php?iOfficeCode=51 [L J Hooker]

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/qld/stories/s205758.htm [Drought conditions - Qld Country Hour]

http://rescomp.stanford.edu/~stanj/Travel/Australia/ch7.html [A Personal Trip]

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~abr/Nov98/pie.html [Peter Pierce - Book Review

http://www.binjplatss.qld.edu.au [Binjour Plateau State School (I went there!)]

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~rwwn/live.html [Women Writers]

http://www.lpe.nt.gov.au/advis/grass/BUFFEL.HTM [Buffel Grass]

http://sunshinecoast.directory.citysearch.com.au/E/V/SUNSH/0010/75/76/2.htm [Stolzenberg Drilling]

http://www.quakes.uq.edu.au/seis_maps/bundaberg.html [Earthquake Map]

http://www1.tpgi.com.au/users/smihill/Robfamily.html [Hill Family Tree]

http://www.regionalplates.com [Regional Number Plates]

http://www.satcom.net.au/mfhi/coornga.htm [History of Kooranga]

http://www.gayndahss.qld.edu.au/about.html [About Gayndah State School]

http://www.queensland-holidays.com.au/pfm/menu/places/02_05.htm [Places to Visit]

http://www.widebay.tafe.net/col/mbo.htm [Wide Bay Tafe - Gayndah]

http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/publications/signposts/SPTitles.html [Archives]

http://www.cynosure.com.au/isp/burnett [Internet ISP for Gayndah]

http://ca.weather.yahoo.com/Pacific_Rim/Australia/Queensland [Weather for Gayndah]

http://www.anbg.gov.au/chabg/bg-dir/048.html [Gayndah Botanical Gardens]

http://www.ausfish.com/fitzy/Comps.htm [Fishing with Fitzy]

http://www.widebay.net/icm/bcca/Resources.htm [Resources]

http://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/Help/QueenslandShireMaps/WideBay_Burnett/Gayndah/ [The Long Paddock]

http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/94543.html

http://www.qld.rsl.org.au/branches/WideBay/Gayndah.html [Gayndah RSL]

http://queensland.rleague.com/results/ctrlburnett/ctrlburnett-2000.htm [Rugby League 2000]

http://mullara.met.unimelb.edu.au/~blair/extremes/gayndah.html [Record of Temperatures in Gayndah]

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_039039.shtml [Climate averages recorded at Gayndah Post Office]

http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/ecq/election01/prof/profile16.html [Electoral District Profile - Gayndah]

http://www.education.qld.gov.au/tal/kla/aisr

Jill Slack (STOREY) Personal details:
Name: Jill Slack
Address: PO Box 24
Gayndah Qld 4625
Telephone: (07) 4161 1670
E-Mail:name@domain.com.au
Experience details
Categories: Literature:- Short stories, poetry, articles published in anthologies. Jill Slack is well known in Gayndah and surrounding areas for her published books about local Aborigines.

http://www.strautmann.com.au/qlddealers.html [Ron & Col Young]

http://www.burnett.net.au/callcost/prefixes.html [How to read Telephone Prefixes in the Gayndah Area]

http://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/about/maq/divfig/37.htm [People born overseas]

http://www.accessibility.com.au/brisbane/accomm/hotel16.htm [Accomodation in Gayndah]

http://www.qac.org.au/ontour/onstage/2001-program/eastern.html [Qld Arts Council on Tour - Gayndah]

http://www.pca.com.au/contact_us [Peanut Co of Aust - Gayndah]

http://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/ausrain/updates/monthly/040428.mr [Rainfall at Brian Pastures - Gayndah]

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~squeak/Kable/I1030.htm [Family Tree Florence Kable - Born 1874]

http://www.goodsams.org.au/newsletter/June/BTWJUNEP5.html [Boy is this different!]

http://www.restored-classics.com/dodge/claude.html [1924 Dodge found in Gayndah - wow!]

http://www.herald.com.au/calendar.html [Maryborough Herald - Well its NEAR Gayndah!]

http://www.isd.com.au/schools/q7288.htm [St Joseph's Catholic School Gayndah]

http://www.mundubbess.qld.edu.au/winter1.htm [Winter Carnival - don't miss it!]

http://www.qfvg.org.au/industry/fruit_vege/citrus.html [Background about Fruit & Vegetables - mentions ORANGES so I put it in.]

http://www.lighthorse.org.au/LighthorseDiscussionBoard/_disc1/00000353.htm [Do you know Christopher Jaynes - very very old but could be worth a wager!]

http://www.sunzine.net/bundaberg/burnett.htm
[Did you know Gayndah is a favourite tourist destination? Why did we all leave? Any why no pictures of Gayndah?]

http://www.prorodeo.asn.au/Calendar.htm [Rodeo dates for Gayndah-Yes we have it all at Radio Gayndah!]

http://www.rotarnet.com.au/users/9/9570 [Rotary Meetings]

http://www.courts.qld.gov.au/about/former/lee.htm [Judge born in Gayndah]

Now that you have read this travelogue about Gayndah and checked out all the websites I am sure you will feel like you never left the place. Let's all share this crazy website with everyone who we know went to that little old State High School on the Hill in Gayndah over the last 40 odd years. Let's not grow old as those who grow old do - let's remember our crazy childhoods and get together somehow and share a story or two on this website or over a cool XXXX (see I still can't speel).

Regards and get in touch
Trevor Savage.
10th April 2002 today.