Giru, Queensland

Giru is a town and coastal locality in the Shire of Burdekin, Queensland, Australia,[2][3] situated on the Haughton River, 54 kilometres (34 mi) south-east of Townsville. In the 2016 census, Giru had a population of 354 people.[1]

Giru
Queensland
Sugar mill at Giru
Giru
Coordinates19.5125°S 147.1072°E / -19.5125; 147.1072
Population354 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density4.550/km2 (11.785/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4809
Area77.8 km2 (30.0 sq mi)
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Burdekin
State electorate(s)Burderkin
Federal Division(s)Dawson
Localities around Giru:
Cape Cleveland Coral Sea Jerona
Cromarty Giru Jerona
Mount Surround Shirbourne Horseshoe Lagoon

Geography

Giru is mainly sugarcane farms. The Invicta sugar mill in Giru is owned by Wilmar Sugar Cane Limited with three iconic chimney stacks.[4]

The Bruce Highway bypasses the town.[5]

History
Giru grocery store

The name of the town and the locality derives from the railway station name, assigned on 31 March 1916, derived from "goru", a type name for a species of sugarcane from New Guinea which was successfully experimented with and widely grown in the district.[2][6]

The Invicta Sugar Mill was originally located in Bucca near the Kolan River in the Bundaberg Region. In 1919 it was relocated to Giru where it continues to operate under the same name.[7][8][9]

The Giru Post Office opened by 1922.[10]

Giru State School opened on 1 October 1924.[11] The school celebrated its golden jubilee (50th anniversary) in 1974.[12]

St Joseph's School opened in 1945 and closed in 1998.[13]

Economy

Giru is noted for the Invicta Sugar Mill, which is owned by Wilmar Sugar. The company crushes 3.67 million tonnes of sugar cane annually, the second largest amount in the Southern Hemisphere after Victoria Mill in Ingham.

Education

Giru State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Luxton Street (19.5129°S 147.1096°E / -19.5129; 147.1096 (Giru State School)).[14][15] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 46 students with 4 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 4 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).[16]

Amenities
Queensland Country Women's Association rooms, Giru
Giru International Hotel

There is a bowling club, and the main source of accommodation is the Giru International Hotel.

The Giru branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the CWA Hall at 9 Carey Street.[17]

Attractions

There is serious game fishing in the region, as the barramundi and grunter are highly sought after. The boat ramp is a fishing hot spot and many people travel to fish there.

In September every year, the Giru Show is held, offering activities such as food stalls, homemade cake shops and show rides, horse rides, and an animal farm, as well as a display of several pieces of farming equipment.

The Palm Creek Folk Festival is an annual event held in Giru on the Queen's Birthday public holiday, and spans four days. It commonly features known and up-and-coming bands from several music genres, ranging from folk to alternative.[18][19]

See also

Notes and references
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Giru (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Giru – town in Shire of Burdekin (entry 13850)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  3. "Giru – locality in Shire of Burdekin (entry 42307)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  4. "Invicta Sugar Mill". Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  5. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  6. "The Sugar industry". Cairns Post. XXVI (1542). Queensland, Australia. 15 February 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 21 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Invicta Mill Site and Tram Tracks" (PDF). Bundaberg Regional Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  8. "History". Australian Sugar Cane Railway. Archived from the original on 23 February 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  9. "THE INVICTA MILL". The Bundaberg Mail. Queensland, Australia. 15 March 1919. p. 3. Retrieved 23 February 2020 – via Trove.
  10. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  11. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  12. Giru State School (1974), Golden jubilee 1924-1974, Giru, retrieved 3 February 2018
  13. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  14. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  15. "Giru State School". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  16. "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  17. "Branch Locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  18. "Home". Palm Creek Folk Festival. Archived from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  19. "Palm Creek Folk Festival". NQ Arts Directory. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
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