Bell, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bell Queensland
Bell, seen from the air in 2010
Bell Location in Queensland
Population	502 (2016 census)
• Density	3.910/km2 (10.13/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4408
Area	128.4 km2 (49.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	40.0 km (25 mi) NE of Dalby 109 km (68 mi) NW of Toowoomba 236 km (147 mi) WNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Western Downs Region
State electorate(s)	Callide
Federal Division(s)	Maranoa
Localities around Bell: Cooranga Cooranga Bunya Mountains Jimbour East Bell Bunya Mountains Kaimkillenbun Kaimkillenbun Moola

Bell is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census the locality of Bell had a population of 502 people.

Bell is in the western foothills of the Bunya Mountains, 39 kilometres (24 mi) north of Dalby.

Geography

Bell is on the Bunya Highway and lies between the agricultural areas of the Darling Downs and the South Burnett with rolling hills of quilt-like patterned farmland. The area's main industry is farming of beef cattle, grain, sheep and pigs.

History

Sketch of Sir Joshua Peter Bell, 1881

Originally the area around Bell was part of a large land holding called Jimbour Station. In the 1870s the area was opened up for closer settlement and Angus & Christina McPhee from Scotland became the first settlers nearest to what would become the village of Bell. Over time other families - including Bellingham, Bradley, Edwards, Ensor, Rush and Walker - settled in the vicinity of Cattle Creek and in 1878 a school was established at Maida Hill to cater for these families. In April 1906 the Bell Branch railway line was opened linking to the main line at Dalby. The first land sales in Bell were in May 1906. The village was named after Sir Joshua Peter Bell who, at that time, was owner of Jimbour Station. The railway continued to operated until 1994.

Maida Hill Post Office opened on 8 September 1877. It was renamed Bell by 1898, Malakoff in 1907 and closed in 1930. Bell Railway Station Post Office opened by December 1906 and was renamed Bell in 1907.

The Bell Provisional school opened on 4 November 1907. On 1 January 1909, it became Bell State School.

Facilities

Facilities available in Bell include a caravan park, a country hotel (pub), a swimming complex, tennis courts, a lawn bowls club, a 9-hole golf course and a horse racing track. The Bell Bunya Community Centre also houses the Bell Library, a branch of Western Downs Libraries. Fuel is available from the Bell Store. The main social gathering point in town is at the 'Bellvue' pub while at the Memorial Hall country dances and/or balls are hosted a number of times during each year. The Bell State (government) School, which caters for children in classes from Prep to Year 10, celebrated its centenary in 2007.

Attractions

The Railway Heritage Parkland, built on the site of the original railway terminus, features an early model diesel locomotive and a vintage passenger carriage as well as a historical mural painted on the shed wall. A number of Bell's early buildings were constructed from locally sourced sandstone - an example is a stone house which was built in 1913. The Bluebelles Art Gallery at the Bell Bunya Community Centre holds displays of local artists' works.

Events

Bell is known for its traditional country arts and crafts as well as rural-based activities such as horse race meetings, the rural show, rodeo and campdraft competitions. The local show, which celebrated its 50th consecutive year in 2008, is held annually on the first weekend in March. The show features wood chopping, displays of the area's livestock (including milking goats), and working cattle dog 'trials'.

Education

Bell State School is a government primary and secondary (Prep-10) school for boys and girls at 90 Dennis Street (26°56′23″S 151°27′10″E / 26.9397°S 151.4529°E / -26.9397; 151.4529 (Bell State School)). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 88 students with 16 teachers (11 full-time equivalent) and 13 non-teaching staff (8 full-time equivalent).

For education to Year 12, the nearest government school is Dalby State High School in Dalby to the south-west.

Images for kids

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  Barbed wire crucifix, in the Biblical Garden