Guluguba, Queensland


Guluguba is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the, the locality of Guluguba had a population of 86 people.

Geography

Guluguba is located on the Leichhardt Highway, north of Miles and south of Wandoan.
The now-closed Wandoan railway line traversed the locality with the town being served by the Guluguba railway station with the Giligulgul railway station at the south of the locality.

History

The name Guluguba is thought to be an Aboriginal word meaning squatter pigeon.
Guluguba Post Office opened by 1916.
Guluguba Provisional School opened on 1 February 1917 on a half-time basis with Downfall Creek Provisional School which opened in March 1917. When the Downfall Creek school closed in 1918, Guluguba became a full-time school.
The first stage of the Wandoan railway line opened from Miles to Giligulgul railway station on 20 December 1913. The second stage from Giligulgul to Juandah, including Guluguba railway station, opened on 16 December 1914.
In 1931, St John's Lutheran church was opened by a group of German settlers who had moved from South Australia.
In 1940 at Downfall Creek, the local Lutheran community established a Lutheran Day School. Meanwhile, Guluguba State School had two temporary closures in 1942 and 1944 due to a lack of teacher accommodation.
In 1957, the Queensland Education Department was willing to provide a teacher to Downfall Creek so the Lutheran Church school became Downfall Creek Provisional School once again. It finally closed in 1962.

Demographics

In the, the locality of Guluguba and neighbouring Wandoan had a combined population of 655 people.
In the, the locality of Guluguba had a population of 109 people.
In the, the locality of Guluguba had a population of 86 people.

Education

Guluguba State School is a government primary school for boys and girls on Fosters Road. In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 6 students with 2 teachers and 4 non-teaching staff. In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 13 students with 2 teachers and 6 non-teaching staff.
There are no secondary schools in Guluguba. The nearest government secondary schools are Wandoan State School in neighbouring Wandoan to the north and Miles State High School in Miles to the south.

Amenities

St John's Lutheran Church is at 654 Upper Downfall Creek Road.

Notable people