South Burnett Tourism > Towns > Goomeri

Goomeri Accommodation · Dining Out In Goomeri · Goomeri's Attractions · Clubs & Venues · All Goomeri Listings

Where is Goomeri? Goomeri is located on the Burnett Highway approximately 265 kilometres north-west of Brisbane (or 235km if you take the Burnett Highway which runs between Nanango and Goomeri). It's also 78km from Gympie. You can get to Goomeri by following: the D'Aguilar Highway from Caboolture the Brisbane Valley Highway through Esk the New England Highway via Yarraman the Bunya Highway via Dalby and Kingaroy the Burnett Highway via Gayndah or the Wide Bay Highway via Gympie and Kilkivan   How big is Goomeri? Goomeri is one of the two principal towns of the southern Gympie Region (the other is Kilkivan, 25km to the north) and it has a population of about 500 residents. Goomeri has its own hotel, motel, caravan park, B&B's, cafes, art gallery, restaurants, convenience and food stores, petrol outlets, golf and bowling clubs, swimming pool, newsagency and showgrounds. A Tourist Information Centre operates from Lions Park at the southern entrance to town during busy periods. A major feature of Goomeri - for which it's becoming increasingly well-known - are the fine antique stores located in its CBD. Another is the "Lest We Forget" clock which dominates the centre of town (see further below). The small village of Tansey - located 6km north of Goomeri on the Burnett Highway - has a bowling club as well as rest areas and toilet facilities. Springbrook - located 28km north-west - is home to Springbrook Farm, a host farm which also operates the VisitOz scheme that provides training and work for young tourists on outback properties all over the country; and Spring Gully Olives. Booubyjan (30km north) is the site of Booubyjan Homestead, one of the district's original stations. Booubyjan now operates as a museum and function venue and is open to the public. Booubyjan also has its own hall, tennis court, community centre and schoolhouse.   What is Goomeri like? Goomeri is a small, friendly country town with a typical low-humidity South Burnett climate of warm summers and cool winters. The town itself is surrounded by beef cattle grazing and dairy farming country intersected by numerous small ranges, occasionally interrupted by stands of eucalyptus scrub. The "Lest We Forget" town clock - built in 1939 - has become a local landmark (Goomeri is also sometimes known as "Clocktown"). The clock has the words "Lest We Forget" in place of numerals on the clock face. Goomeri also has two very pretty parks and a small but quite charming rest area immediately opposite the clock in the centre of town which has a local tourist map, tables, seats and toilet facilities. Major annual events include the Goomeri Show (held over two days at the Goomeri Showgrounds every March); the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival (held on the last Sunday in May each year - this festival routinely draws thousands of visitors); the Goomeri-Manumbar Campdraft (most Octobers) and the Lions' Christmas Carnival (each December).   When was Goomeri established? The earliest European settlements in the Goomeri area were at Booubyjan Homestead and Boonara Station, both established around 1846. Each of the stations grew to become self-sufficient villages during the latter part of the 19th century (Boonara itself had more than 100 employees in the late 1880s). However, both slowly faded away in the early 20th century with the arrival of the railways. Goomeri is a quiet and pleasant place with a surprisingly relaxed old-world atmosphere. Many of its buildings were constructed in the 1920s and retain all the charm of that bygone era to this day. Goomeri itself was originally a railway siding used primarily by timber hauliers and local farmers, and its name is allegedly derived from an aboriginal word for "broken shield". A land sale in 1911 opened up 12,000 hectares of rural allotments and town blocks for settlement. This drew hundreds of new residents to the area and permanently established the township (Goomeri is also sometimes known as the "Town of 1911" in honour of this famous land sale). Goomeri's impressive Hall of Memory - still in use today - was built in 1926 and the art deco-inspired Memorial Clock in 1939. Many other buildings - such as the showgrounds, churches, the charming Goomeri Emporium and a now-defunct butter factory - were constructed during the town's agricultural heyday (1930s to 1960s). A Bicentennial Quilt which commemorates Goomeri's history and principal local industries is on permanent display at Goomeri Library.   Useful Goomeri information links Goomeri Accommodation Eating Out In Goomeri Goomeri's Attractions Clubs & Venues in Goomeri Above: Goomeri is home to Australia's only Pumpkin Festival, which is held late in May. The Pumpkin Festival draws thousands of people from all over south-east Queensland (photo courtesy of Bob Neville)   Above: Goomeri is steeped in history and many of its earliest buildings - such as historic Booubyjan Homestead, above -  are preserved as living museums. The town's buildings have an art deco style. (photo courtesy of Clive Lowe)   Above: The windmill in Lions Park is one of Goomeri's distinctive features. The Tourist Information Centre is located next to the windmill and is open during busy periods (photo courtesy of Clive Lowe).

Blackbutt-Benarkin · Yarraman · Nanango · Bunya Mountains · Kingaroy · Wondai · Proston & Lake Boondooma Murgon & The Bjelke-Petersen Dam · Cherbourg · Goomeri · Kilkivan

You can also find out more about the South Burnett through South Burnett Online and South Burnett Cuisine

Get more information from any of our South Burnett Visitor Information Centres:

NANANGO (07) 4189-9446  ·  KINGAROY (07) 4189-9172  ·  WONDAI (07) 4189-9251  ·  MURGON (07) 4189-9387

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