The Gums, Queensland

The Gums is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of The Gums had a population of 165 people.^[1]

The Gums Queensland
The Gums
Coordinates	27.3402°S 150.205°E / -27.3402; 150.205 (The Gums (town centre))
Population	165 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	0.1522/km2 (0.3941/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4406
Area	1,084.4 km2 (418.7 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	83 km (52 mi) S of Miles 118 km (73 mi) W of Dalby 200 km (124 mi) W of Toowoomba 328 km (204 mi) W of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Western Downs Region
State electorate(s)	Warrego
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Localities around The Gums: Barramornie Condamine Wieambilla Hannaford The Gums Tara Hannaford Moonie Moonie

Geography

The town is at the junction of the Leichhardt Highway and the Surat Developmental Road^[4] on the Darling Downs, 329 kilometres (204 mi) west of the state capital, Brisbane.

The Glenmorgan railway line passes through the locality from east (Tara) to west (Hannaford). At one point, there were three stations serving the locality: The Gums railway station (which is north of but close to the town, 27.3286°S 150.1853°E / -27.3286; 150.1853 (The Gums railway station)),^[5] Cabawin railway station (27.3294°S 150.2503°E / -27.3294; 150.2503 (Cabawin railway station)),^[6] and South Glen railway station (27.3053°S 150.3167°E / -27.3053; 150.3167 (South Glen railway station)).^[7]

History

The name of the town was derived from The Gums railway station, on the Glenmorgan railway line from Dalby to Glenmorgan,^[8] used from 1924.^[2][3]

South Glen Provisional School opened in 1913 and closed circa 1921.^[9]

The Gums State School opened on 27 January 1913.^[9]

Circa February 1914, a Methodist church was opened at The Gums.^[10][11]

Cabawin Provisional School opened on 30 January 1934. In 1952 it became Cabawin State School. It closed in 1960.^[9] It was on Cabawin South Road (27.3644°S 150.2582°E / -27.3644; 150.2582 (Cabawin State School)).^[12]

Demographics

In the 2006 census, the locality of The Gums and the surrounding area had a population of 169 people.^[13]

In the 2016 census, the locality of The Gums had a population of 159 people.^[14]

In the 2021 census, the locality of The Gums had a population of 165 people.^[1]

Education

The Gums State School, 2016

The Gums State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 12051 Surat Developmental Road (27.3414°S 150.1994°E / -27.3414; 150.1994 (The Gums State School)).^[15][16] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 22 students with 4 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).^[17]

There is no secondary school in The Gums. The nearest secondary school is Tara Shire State College in Tara.^[18]

Facilities

The Gums Cemetery, 2016

Headstone for Alexander Davison, first headmaster of The Gums State School, 2016

The Gums has a small cemetery (27.3393°S 150.1960°E / -27.3393; 150.1960 (The Gums cemetery)). One of the headstones is for the first headmaster of The Gums State School, Alexander Davison who died on 7 November 1916.