Canungra, Queensland


Canungra is a small rural town and locality in the Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia. At the 2016 census, Canungra had a population of 1229.

Geography

Located in South East Queensland, Canungra is situated in the Gold Coast hinterland, west of the Gold Coast and south of Brisbane.
Nicknamed the "Valley of the Owls", one of the origins of the town's name comes from the Aboriginal word for small owls, "Caningera". The most notable owl found in the area is the Australian boobook owl, which appears in various logos and symbols associated with Canungra. However the word Cunungra comes from the Yugambeh word gungunga meaning "a long flat or clearing".
Residents and businesses in Canungra get their water supply from the Canungra Creek, a tributary of the Albert River. The slopes around Canungra are steep and forested, with some cleared farmlands and rural homes in the flatter valley areas.

History

Canungra Post Office was opened by May 1907.
Canungra owes its existence to the timber industry and once boasted one of the largest stands of timber in the colony. David Lahey, the father of Romeo Lahey, owned one of Queensland's largest sawmills at Canungra.
From 2 July 1915 until 1 July 1955 the Canungra railway line ran from the Beaudesert line at Logan Village to Canungra railway station.
On 1 May 1916 at the Canungra School of Arts auctioneers Isles, Love & Co offered for sale 107 town lots in the Cunungra Township Estate in Pine Street, Duncan Street, Appel Street, Kidston Street, Franklin Street, Tamborine Street, Strachan Street and King Street to the immediate south-east of the Canungra railway station. On the following day 2 May 1916, 30 farm lots were offered. Some of these lots were located to the west of Canungra Creek from the immediate south-west of the town through to the north almost to Benobble railway station. The bulk of the farm lots were to the west of Canungra Creek extending south of the town but bounded to the east by Coomera River. Many of the blocks were sold.
The Honour Board at the School of Arts Hall was unveiled by the Queensland Governor, Sir Matthew Nathan, on 17 June 1922. The School of Arts burned down on 3 March 1946.
On 25 April 1938, the Canungra War Memorial was unveiled by Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Fassifern, Adolph Gustav Muller.
By the 1940s most of the timber had been cut and sawmills were closing. The historic Laheys Tramway Tunnel is the only remnant of the past sawmilling activities in the area. Following this logging era came beef cattle and dairying.
In 2005, the local Post Office released a special limited-release frank featuring Canungra and the boobook owl.
At the 2016 census, Canungra had a population of 1229.

Heritage listings

Canungra has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
The nearby locality of Witheren is the location of a large military establishment called the Kokoda Barracks within the Canungra Military Area, which includes the Land Warfare Centre. It was established during World War II and revived in 1954 to train personnel for the South East Asia Treaty Organization commitment in Malaya and on through to the end of the Vietnam War. The base provides a substantial permanent resident population as well as an ever-changing transient population due to the extensive ongoing training courses on offer at the base.

Cultural references

In Redgum's No. 1 single "I Was Only Nineteen", Canungra is referred to as one of the bases used for training during the Vietnam War. The single was taken from Redgum's 1983 album Caught in the Act.

Facilities

The Scenic Rim Regional Council Library Service operates a branch library at 12 Kidston Street Canungra and provides access to public wifi. Current opening hours and services can be found at the Scenic Rim Regional Council website. Available collections and online resources can be accessed from the online library catalogue.

Economy

The town is home to a small but growing wine industry.

Tourism

Cangungra's economy depends on tourism, being a popular destination for short drives from the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Canungra is nestled in the middle of the four major tourist destinations, and is the gateway to the Gold Coast hinterland; Mount Tamborine, Lamington National Park, O'Reilly's Guesthouse and Binna Burra Lodge. The township is also a meeting place for motor bike club rides, hanggliders, paragliders, birdwatchers and bushwalkers who visit the area annually to take advantage of what the Canungra Valley has to offer. A rodeo is organised each year in July.

Demographics

Canungra has a population of 1229 at the. The locality contains 455 households, in which 50.2% of the population are males and 49.8% of the population are females with a median age of 39, 1 year above the national average. The average weekly household income is $1,458, $20 above the national average.
3.3% of Canungra's population is either of Aborigional or Torres Strait Islander descent. 65.0% of the population aged 15 or over is either registered or de facto married, while 35.0% of the population is not married. 30.3% of the population is currently attending some form of a compulsory education. The most common nominated ancestries were Australian, English and German, while the most common country of birth was Australia, and the most commonly spoken language at home was English. The most common nominated religions were No religion, Catholic and Anglican. The most common occupation was a technician/trades worker and the majority/plurality of residents worked 40 or more hours per week.

Notable residents