Stanthorpe, Queensland

Stanthorpe Queensland
Stanthorpe township (north-west aspect) taken from Mount Marlay lookout
Stanthorpe
Coordinates	28°39′22.26″S 151°56′14.1″E / 28.6561833°S 151.937250°E / -28.6561833; 151.937250Coordinates: 28°39′22.26″S 151°56′14.1″E / 28.6561833°S 151.937250°E / -28.6561833; 151.937250
Population	5,385 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	4380
Elevation	811 m (2,661 ft)
Location	218 km (135 mi) SW of Brisbane 143 km (89 mi) S of Toowoomba 237 km (147 mi) W of Gold Coast
LGA(s)	Southern Downs Region
County	Bentinck
Parish	Stanthorpe, Broadwater, Folkestone
State electorate(s)	Southern Downs
Federal Division(s)	Maranoa
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 21.7 °C 71 °F 9.0 °C 48 °F 757.6 mm 29.8 in

Stanthorpe is a town situated in south east Queensland, Australia. The town lies on the New England Highway near the New South Wales border 223 kilometres (139 mi) from Brisbane via Warwick, 56 kilometres (35 mi) north of Tenterfield and 811 m above sea level.^[2] The area surrounding the town is known as the Granite Belt. At the 2011 census, Stanthorpe had a population of 7003538500000000000♠5385.^[1]

History

Stanthorpe was founded by tin miners. People came from many countries to mine tin from 1872. Prior to 1872 this area boasted some large pastoral runs and a few prospectors in bark huts. At that time, the area was known as ‘Quart Pot Creek’. The Private Township of Stannum existed in the area along one side of the present main street. With the discovery of tin and the influx of miners and new businesses, a ‘more suitable’ name was sought by the town fathers. Thus, Stanthorpe became the name which encompassed all, as this area became for a time, the largest alluvial tin mining and mineral field in Queensland. Stanthorpe literally means 'tintown', as Stannum is Latin for 'tin' and thorpe is Middle English for 'village'.

When the tin prices fell many miners turned to farming. The sub tropical climate was very suitable for growing cool climate fruits and vegetables. Grapes were first planted here in the 1860s with encouragement from the local Catholic parish priest Father Jerome Davadi to produce altar wine. His Italian descent made grape growing and wine production a familiar past time and the notion caught on in the area. There were plenty of Italian settlers and wine was made for home enjoyment.

The railway reached Stanthorpe in May 1881.^[3] The cool dry climate was valued as an aid to health from the early nineteenth century especially for those suffering from tuberculosis or chest conditions. Following the First World War, Stanthorpe was a major resettlement area for soldiers recovering from mustard gas exposure. Many of these Soldier Settlers took up the land leased to them in the areas around Stanthorpe which now bear the names of First World War battlefields. Stanthorpe today is a popular place to reside because of its welcoming acceptance of newcomers.

Heritage listings

Stanthorpe has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• 94 Greenup Street: El Arish, Stanthorpe^[4]
• 98 High Street: Masel Residence (former)^[5]
• 140 High Street: Central Hotel, Stanthorpe^[6]
• Little Sundown Creek: Sundown Tin and Copper Mine^[7]
• Lock Street: Stanthorpe Soldiers Memorial^[8]
• Quart Pot Creek: Quart Pot Creek Rail Bridge^[9]
• Warwick-Stanthorpe railway line: Cherry Gully Tunnel^[10]

Gallery

• 

  El Arish, Stanthorpe

Farming

The main industry today is agriculture. Crops grown include vegetables, apples, grapes and stone fruit. Wine is also produced in the area, and sheep and cattle grazing is also prevalent.

Geography and climate

Owing to its elevation, Stanthorpe features a subtropical highland climate. At an altitude of 811 metres,^[2] Stanthorpe holds the record for the lowest temperature recorded in Queensland at -10.6 °C on 23 June 1961.^[11] Sleet and light snowfalls are occasionally recorded, with the last occurrence being in June 2013.^[12] The latest Queensland snowfall on record occurred on 17 November 2006.^[13]

Culture

Annual events

There are local events, including the Primavera,^[15] the Australian Small Winemakers Show,^[16] the Apple and Grape Harvest Festival^[17] and the Australian Country Shows and Rodeos.

The Brass monkey at Stanthorpe's central Post Office Square

South-West aspect of Stanthorpe Township as seen from Mt Marlay

Media

Rebel FM 97.1 MHz was Stanthorpe's first commercial FM radio station. Rebel FM has a new & classic rock music format. The Breeze broadcasts on 90.1 MHz with an easy adult contemporary & classics hits format. Both stations are part of the Rebel Media group. Toowoomba based station CFM also broadcasts in Stanthorpe on 97.9 MHz. CFM is a part of the Australia wide Southern Cross Media network.^[18]

The Stanthorpe area is served by a local Community Radio Station Ten FM. The Station is currently transmitting on 98.7 MHz with a low power transmitter situated on Mount Marley. The station has in 2011 upgraded its Stanthorpe studios with a new mixing desk, new computers and professional grade monitor speakers. Ten FM has a local focus, derived in part from the stringent rules controlling Community Radio Stations. The station transmits a broad range of programs to attract the widest audience. In particular, the station broadcasts Italoz, a weekly program with an Italian theme to cater for the many listeners around the Stanthorpe area with an Italian background.

The Border Post is the only paid local newspaper servicing the district. The Stanthorpe Border Post is relied upon for its coverage of local news and events.

Tourism

Stanthorpe and the surrounding Granite Belt and Granite Highlands area of South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales are the centre of a booming winery and national parks tourist destination. There are more than 50 wineries in the Granite Belt area, with a wide range of restaurants, Accommodation places and tourist venues. The Granite Belt national parks are Girraween, Bald Rock, Sundown, Boonoo Boonoo. Wine and tourism are a very important part of the town's economy, with the region operating its own wine and tourism marketing body named Granite Belt Wine Country. Backpacking is popular and there is large demand for fruit and vegetable pickers from November until May each year.^[19] Storm King Dam offers some good angling opportunities for Murray cod, yellowbelly and silver perch.

Education

Stanthorpe has a private co-ed catholic school, St. Joseph's School, servicing Preparatory to Year 12, as well as 3 main state funded institutions: Stanthorpe State Primary School, servicing Preparatory to Year 7; Stanthorpe State High School, servicing Year 8 to Year 12; and the Queensland College of Wine Tourism. There are also handfuls of smaller state primary schools scattered throughout the region. The towns first Bachelor level tertiary institution, The College of Wine Tourism, was opened in 2007. The college operates in co-operation with the local Stanthorpe State High School,^[20] as well as other regional schools, providing secondary, undergraduate, and graduate certification related to wine and tourism industries.^[21]

Notable people

• Jordan Atkins - Rugby League player for the Gold Coast Titans and Parramatta Eels
• John Alexius Bathersby former Roman Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane
• James Blundell - Country Music Singer
• Ben Dark - television presenter, Getaway, Nine Network
• Jack Drake - Bush poet,^[22]
• Michael Hancock - Former Rugby League player for the Brisbane Broncos, Queensland and Australia
• Billy Moore - Former Rugby League player for the North Sydney Bears, Queensland and Australia
• Greg Ritchie - Australian test and one-day international cricketer

See also

• Wallangarra
• Warwick

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stanthorpe, Queensland.

• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Stanthorpe