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Dundathu
Queensland
Dundathu; Queensland
	Dundathu
Coordinates	25°27′44″S 152°44′19″E / 25.4622°S 152.7386°E
Population	238 (2021 census)
• Density	23.11/km2 (59.8/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4650
Area	10.3 km2 (4.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	10.0 km (6 mi) NNE of Maryborough ; 21.1 km (13 mi) SSW of Hervey Bay ; 274 km (170 mi) N of Brisbane ;
LGA(s)	Fraser Coast Region
State electorate(s)	Maryborough
Federal division(s)	Wide Bay
	Suburbs around Dundathu:

Dundathu is a rural locality in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2] In the 2021 census, Dundathu had a population of 238 people.^[1]

Geography

The Mary River forms part of the southern boundary. Saltwater Creek forms a large part of the southern boundary as it flows east to join the Mary.^[3]

Maryborough–Hervey Bay Road (State Route 57) runs through from south to north.

History

William Pettigrew explored along the Mary River in search of timber. He landed at the place he named Dundathu on 29 October 1862. Pettigrew established a sawmill which was operating by October 1863. William Sim was a partner in the Dundathu mill, having previously worked in another of Pettigrew's sawmills.^[4] On 25 December 1893, the sawmill was destroyed by fire and it was not insured.^[5] The mill was not rebuilt and people moved away. Another fire in August 1895 destroyed a number of empty houses, with Dundathu settlement described as "ashes and desolation" from which it did not recover.^[6]^[7]

On Sunday 21 January 1866, a church was opened in Dundathu provided by Pettigrew and Sims. It was 32 by 18 feet (9.8 by 5.5 m) with a spire rising to 30 feet (9.1 m) with opening for a bell and a clock. The church was to be used as a school during the week and a separate teacher's residence was built.^[8] Although initially operating as a non-vested non-denominational school, with the abolition of the non-vested school system in 1880, it became under the control of the Queensland Government as Dundathu Provisional/State School. It closed in May 1895, after the teacher was withdrawn due to low student numbers caused by the closure of the sawmill.^[9]^[10]^[11]

In 1878, a traveller along the Mary River described Dundathu as follows:^[12]

"The next break in the peaceful monotony of the placid river is Dundathu, a timbering establishment consisting of a sawmill, store, school, and about thirty cottages, all nestling in a green hollow among picturesque conglomerate rocks, and commanded by the handsome villa residence of the Sim family."

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Dundathu had a population of 252 people.^[13]

In the 2021 census, Dundathu had a population of 238 people.^[1]

Education

There are no schools in Dundathu. The nearest government primary school is in neighbouring St Helens to the south-west. The nearest government secondary schools is Aldridge State High School in Maryborough to the south-west.^[14]

Amenities

Duriseer Park is a 2.9 hectares (7.2 acres) recreational area on the Maryborough - Hervey Bay Road (25°27′47″S 152°44′00″E / 25.4631°S 152.7334°E / -25.4631; 152.7334 (Duriseer Park)).^[15] It has playground and picnic/BBQ facilities.^[16]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Dundathu (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
^ "Dundathu – locality in Fraser Coast Region (entry 46645)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
^ "Dundathu, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
^ "POLICE COURT". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser. Vol. VI, no. 422. Queensland, Australia. 10 November 1866. p. 2. Retrieved 27 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser. No. 6, 608. Queensland, Australia. 26 December 1893. p. 2. Retrieved 27 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "NOTES AND NEWS". Gympie Times And Mary River Mining Gazette. Vol. XXVII, no. 3331. Queensland, Australia. 27 August 1895. p. 3. Retrieved 27 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^ Kerr, John (1998). Forest industry heritage places study : sawmills and tramways South Eastern Queensland (PDF). pp. 278–279. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 May 2024.
^ "MARYBOROUGH". Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald And General Advertiser. Vol. V, no. 569. Queensland, Australia. 23 January 1866. p. 3. Retrieved 26 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
^ "Item ID9721, Dundathu State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
^ "No title". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser. No. 7, 001. Queensland, Australia. 2 April 1895. p. 2. Retrieved 27 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "THE SKETCHER". The Queenslander. Vol. XIV, no. 155. Queensland, Australia. 3 August 1878. p. 557. Retrieved 26 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Dundathu (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
^ "Land for public recreation - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
^ "Durisdeer Park". Fraser Coast Regional Council. Retrieved 27 July 2024.