Watsons Crossing, Queensland

Watsons Crossing
Queensland
Watsons Crossing
Coordinates29°06′45″S 151°19′32″E / 29.1125°S 151.3255°E / -29.1125; 151.3255 (Watsons Crossing (centre of locality))
Population16 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density0.241/km2 (0.625/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4385
Area66.3 km2 (25.6 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Goondiwindi Region
State electorate(s)Southern Downs
Federal division(s)Maranoa
Suburbs around Watsons Crossing:
Bonshaw Bonshaw Maidenhead
Bonshaw (NSW) Watsons Crossing Maidenhead
Bonshaw (NSW) Bonshaw (NSW) Bonshaw (NSW)

Watsons Crossing is a rural locality in the Goondiwindi Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] It is on the Queensland border with New South Wales.[3] In the 2021 census, Watsons Crossing had a population of 16 people.[1]

Geography

The Dumaresq River (the border with New South Wales) forms the western and southern boundaries of the locality.[4]

Riverton Road enters the locality from the north (Bonshaw) and loosely follows the course of the Dumaresq River but 1 to 2 kilometres (0.62 to 1.24 mi) inland of the river. It exits to the east (Maidenhead).[5]

Watsons Crossing has the following mountains:[4]

The land use is mostly grazing on native vegetation with crop growing near the Dumaresq River.[7]

History

Lagoon Flat Provisional School opened on 30 October 1894.[8] It became Lagoon Flat State School on 1 Jan 1909. It was closed from 5 May 1924 to about October 1924 as families moved away from the area due to the drought. The school closed permanently about June 1926.[9][10] It was on the eastern side of Riverton Road (29°05′31″S 151°17′20″E / 29.0919°S 151.2889°E / -29.0919; 151.2889 (Lagoon Flat State School (former))).[11][12]

Watson's Crossing State School opened on 20 March 1939. It closed on 31 December 1985.[13][14] It was at the western end of Watsons Crossing Road (29°08′31″S 151°19′19″E / 29.14195°S 151.32202°E / -29.14195; 151.32202 (Watsons Crossing State School (former))).[15][16][17]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Watsons Crossing had a population of 15 people.[18]

In the 2021 census, Watsons Crossing had a population of 16 people.[1]

Education

There are no schools in Watsons Crossing. The nearest school is Texas State School (Prep to Year 10) in Texas to the north-west. There are no schools providing education to Year 12 nearby; the alternatives are distance education and boarding school.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Watsons Crossing (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Watsons Crossing – locality in Goondiwindi Region (entry 47835)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourses; State border". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Railways; Railway stations". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use; Sugarcane areas". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Darling Downs Schools". Warwick Examiner And Times. Vol. 29, no. 3041. Queensland, Australia. 3 July 1895. p. 2. Retrieved 10 July 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  10. ^ "Agency ID 9094, Lagoon Flat State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  11. ^ "County of Clive" (Map). Queensland Government. 1921. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Land parcel". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Agency ID 5810, Watson's Crossing State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  14. ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  15. ^ "Parish of Bonshaw" (Map). Queensland Government. 1938. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  16. ^ "Parish of Bonshaw" (Map). Queensland Government. 1971. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  17. ^ "Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Land parcel; Watercourse". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  18. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Watsons Crossing (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  19. ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 9 July 2025.