Minden is located in the geographic region (but not the local government area) of Lockyer Valley at the northern foothills of the Little Liverpool Range. The Warrego Highway passes through Minden from east to west. It is the most southerly part of the Somerset Region local government area.
History
The area was originally known as Back Plains or Rosewood Scrub but was changed to Minden in 1879 at the request of German settlers, after the town of Minden in Westphalia, Germany. In 1916, during World War I, the name was changed to Frenchton due to anti-German sentiment but was restored to Minden in 1930.[2][3][4][5]
Minden State School opened on 23 September 1878. In 1916 it was renamed Frenchton State School but was later restored to Minden State School.[6]
On Thursday 8 December 1891, St John’s Lutheran Church Coolana opened in Minden.[7] St John’s celebrated its 125th anniversary with a special service on Sunday 4 December 2016.[8]
Frenchton Post Office opened on 1 July 1927 (a receiving office had been open from 1878, known as Rosewood Scrub until 1879 and Minden until 1916 during World War I), reverted to Minden in 1930 and closed in 1971.[9]
Demographics
In the 2011 census, the locality of Minden had a population of 1,093.[10]
In the 2016 census, the locality of Minden had a population of 1,204 people.[11]
In the 2021 census, the locality of Minden had a population of 1,227 people.[1]