Childers, Queensland
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Childers Queensland |
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Childers Main Street
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 Childers
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| Coordinates | 25°17′S 152°17′E / 25.283°S 152.283°ECoordinates: 25°17′S 152°17′E / 25.283°S 152.283°E | ||||||
| Population | 1,410 (2011 census) | ||||||
| Established | 1885 | ||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4660 | ||||||
| Elevation | 109.0 m (358 ft) | ||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Bundaberg Region | ||||||
| State electorate(s) | Burnett | ||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Hinkler | ||||||
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Childers is a town in the Wide Bay-Burnett region of Queensland, Australia, situated on the Bruce Highway and lies 325 kilometres (202 mi) north of the state capital Brisbane and 52 kilometres (32 mi) south-west of Bundaberg. Childers is located within Bundaberg Region local government area. At the 2011 census, Childers had a population of 1,410.
The township is set on a ridge overlooking fields of rich volcanic soil. Childers is renowned for its heritage character and is classified a National Trust town. The historic colonial buildings of the main street (Bruce Highway) are set amongst large, shady leopard trees. The sugar cane industry features prominently in Childers and has sustained the town over the years. Fruit and vegetable cropping is common on the lands around town. Tourism is a growing industry in Childers, with a number of the preserved historic buildings in town becoming tourist attractions.
Europeans first arrived in the area in the 1850s. Pastoralists established properties soon after to raise cattle on the fertile lands. Back then, sugar was (as it is now) the key crop grown in the Isis. The town was established in 1885. The Isis railway line to Childers opened in 1887 and was pivotal in the early development of the area. Childers Post Office opened on 14 November 1887. The town is reportedly named after Hugh Childers, British statesman, who was the Auditor-General of Victoria in the 1850s. The railway line closed in 1964.
Childers has seen a number of serious fires over the years. The 1902 fire destroyed much of the town centre. The town made international headlines in June 2000, when an arsonist set fire to the Palace Backpackers Hostel, claiming the lives of 15 tourists. The Palace Building reopened in 2002, and includes a memorial to those lost in the blaze, a Regional Art Gallery and an Information Centre.
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