- Rathdowney, Queensland
Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Rathdowney
state =Queensland
caption =
lga =Scenic Rim Regional Council
postcode = 4287
est =
pop = 198
pop_footnotes=
elevation=
maxtemp =
mintemp =
rainfall =
stategov = Beaudesert
fedgov = Forde
dist1 =
dir1 =
location1=Rathdowney is a small town in south-eastern
Queensland ,Australia . It is on theMount Lindesay Highway 32 km south of Beaudesert at the base of theMcPherson Range . It is located in the Scenic Rim Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Rathdowney had a population of 198.Census 2006 AUS|id=UCL348200|name=Rathdowney (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)|accessdate=2008-05-23|quick=on]The town was named after
Rathdowney ,Ireland . The Beaudesert railway line was extended to Rathdowney in 1911.cite book |title=Heritage Trails of the Great South East |last=Queensland Environmental Protection Agency |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2000 |publisher=State of Queensland |location= |isbn=0-7345-1008-X |pages=31 ] Timber clearing was the first major industry in the area.Cattle grazing anddairy farming are now the main industries.It also close to some of the areas of greatest biodiversity in Australia, and a gateway to variousNational Parks such asBorder Ranges National Park andMount Barney National Park with a variety of lush rainforest, eucalypt forest, mountain heath and other habitats. There are many tours, farm stays, guest houses and other opportunitries available for visitors to experience this region, which is about a 90 minute drive fromBrisbane or the Gold Coast. In Autumn every year the population rises by several thousand for one day at the Rathdowney Heritage Festival, organised by the Rathdowney and District Historical Association (RADHA), who also run an information centre with information on natural heritage, Indigenous heritage and history of white settlement from the time of the first pioneers to present day.Currently the small town has a police station, a small shop, a cafe, a pub, a service station, a post office, memorial grounds, information center, a bowls club and a small school. The Rathdowney Primary School has a 25 m swimming pool for which every spring and summer the swimming club gets together and has races every Friday night. The swimming club also has swimming training during the week after school.
ee also
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Boonah, Queensland References
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