The Gums Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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Coordinates | 27°20′25″S 150°12′18″E / 27.3402°S 150.205°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 165 ( 2021 census) [1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 0.1522/km2 (0.3941/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4406 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 1,084.4 km2 (418.7 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST ( UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location | |||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | Western Downs Region | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Warrego | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Maranoa | ||||||||||||||
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The Gums is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. [2] [3] In the 2021 census, the locality of The Gums had a population of 165 people. [1]
The town is at the junction of the Leichhardt Highway and the Surat Developmental Road [4] on the Darling Downs, 329 kilometres (204 mi) west of the state capital, Brisbane.
The Glenmorgan railway line passes through the locality from east ( Tara) to west ( Hannaford). In 2017, there were three stations serving the locality: The Gums railway station (which is north of but close to the town, 27°19′43″S 150°11′07″E / 27.3286°S 150.1853°E), [5] Cabawin railway station ( 27°19′46″S 150°15′01″E / 27.3294°S 150.2503°E), [6] and South Glen railway station ( 27°18′19″S 150°19′00″E / 27.3053°S 150.3167°E). [7] However, in 2019, only The Gums railway station is listed as still operational. [8]
The name of the town was derived from The Gums railway station, on the Glenmorgan railway line from Dalby to Glenmorgan, [9] used from 1924. [2] [3]
South Glen Provisional School opened in 1913 and closed circa 1921. [10]
The Gums State School opened on 27 January 1913. [10]
In 1914 a Methodist church was built at The Gums. [11]
Cabawin Provisional School opened on 30 January 1934. In 1952 it became Cabawin State School. It closed in 1960. [10] It was on Cabawin South Road ( 27°21′52″S 150°15′30″E / 27.3644°S 150.2582°E). [12]
In the 2006 census, the locality of The Gums and the surrounding area had a population of 169 people. [13]
In the 2016 census, the locality of The Gums had a population of 159 people. [14]
In the 2021 census, the locality of The Gums had a population of 165 people. [1]
The Gums State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 12051 Surat Developmental Road ( 27°20′29″S 150°11′58″E / 27.3414°S 150.1994°E). [15] [16] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 22 students with 4 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent). [17]
There is no secondary school in The Gums. The nearest secondary school is Tara Shire State College in Tara. [18]
The Gums has a small cemetery ( 27°20′21″S 150°11′46″E / 27.3393°S 150.1960°E). One of the headstones is for the first headmaster of The Gums State School, Alexander Davison who died on 7 November 1916.