Marburg

Marburg is a rural town in the City of Ipswich and a locality split between the City of Ipswich and the Somerset Region, both in Queensland, Australia.

Marburg is a rural townin the City of Ipswich and a locality split between the City of Ipswich and the Somerset Region, both in Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Marburg had a population of 873 people.

German settlers arrived around the 1860s in the region, which is part of the land of the Indigenous Jagera people. The district was initially named Sally Owens Plains, but the town itself takes its present name from Marburg in Hesse, Germany.The story goes that the settlers used to respond with 'ober dar' when asked where they lived. Eventually they named their settlement after the German town of Marburg, which was well known at the time.The timber, sugar cane and dairy industries put Marburg on its feet and the town grew over time. About 46 acres, sub-divided into 200 allotments, were offered for sale by auction on 29 November 1884. Advertising included details of the clearing of the Rosewood Scrub, of close-by townships, and the future rail and telegraph services, following "the establishment of the police station". In 1900 Marburg had a courthouse, police barracks, a post office, two hotels, five churches, a State school, a School of Arts, several stores, a blacksmith, a butter factory, a sugar factory and a rum distillery.At that time nearly 80 percent of Marburg's population came from Germany or were of German descent.Frederick State School opened on 18 March 1879. In 1888 the name was changed to Marburg State School. From 1920 to 1934 it incorporated a rural school, which taught practical skills needed for farming. In 1977 a pre-school centre was added.Marburg Post Office opened on 1 October 1879 (a receiving office named Frederick had been open from 1878), was renamed Townshend in 1917 during World War 1 and reverted to Marburg in 1919.

On 4 July 1891 All Saints' Anglican Church was officially dedicated by Bishop William Webber. It was built at 2-6 Seminary Road (27.5662°S 152.6117°E? / -27.5662; 152.6117? (All Saints' Anglican Church (original site))) adjacent to the present Warrego Highway on 2 acres (0.81 ha) of land donated by Thomas Lorimer Smith, the owner of the mansion Woodlands, also in Seminary Road. It was designed by architect George Brockwell Gill of Ipswich and built by W. Luder for £225. On Wednesday 9 November 1892, Bishop Webber returned to consecrate the church's burial ground. Not being located in the town itself led to requests to relocate the church. In 1956 land was bought in Queen Street and a church hall was built on the site, opening in February 1959, but the church remained at its original location. However in the 1970s the plan to make the Warrego Highway four lanes wide required the resumption of part of the church's land. The last service was held at the original location on22 May 1977 after which it was moved onto the Queen Street site beside the hall. On 22 October 1879 the church re-opened with a service conducted by Reverend John Magee. The cemetery remains at the original site.Marburg grew rapidly in the first half of the twentieth century, as the main road from Brisbane to Toowoomba passed through the town's centre.Marburg became popular as a stopover for travellers.

Marburg was the administrative centre for local government in the area, composing Walloon Division (1879-1903) and Shire of Walloon (1903-1917).In 1912 the Marburg branch line from Rosewood to Marburg was opened but only a few years later the railway began to suffer from the competition of highway traffic.It still survived until 1965 when the line was closed.

Because of an anti-German sentiment of some State politicians the name of Marburg was changed during the First World War into Townshend, a name change the locals did not support.Dr. Sirois, the local General Practician at the time, was instrumental in having the name Marburg be re-introduced after the war in 1920, which created a storm of protest but the name Marburg prevailed.

When the Warrego Highway was built in the 1960s, most of the traffic from Brisbane to Toowoomba bypassed Marburg, and subsequently the town has become less populated.

In 2011 census, Marburg had a population of 567 people.

'Woodlands' is Marburg's finest building.It is an example of the nineteenth century plantation owner's residence and for its historic significance in relation to the development of various primary industries in Queensland. It was built between 1888 and 1891 by Thomas Lorrimar Smith who was the owner of the sawmill, sugarmill, distillery and other business interests in the region.

At present the property serves as a centre for functions such as weddings, business meetings and conferences.