The town of Marburg is located 56 km west of Brisbane on the western edge of the rapidly developing Ipswich City Council local government area. Approximately 1,100 people live in the town and nearby. It is surrounded by a rural hinterland of mostly grazing, residential and lifestyle properties and is a diverse community with many people commuting to work in Ipswich, Gatton or Brisbane. There are also many retirees.
For much of its history, Marburg has been a small rural community. German settlers arrived in the region around the 1860s. The story goes that, when the station master of the nearby Walloon railway station asked the settlers where they lived, the settlers responded with 'ober dar'. He felt that 'ober dar' should have a proper name and since he had read an article about a town in Germany called 'Marburg' he decided to register their produce as coming from 'Marburg'. The settlers liked this solution and the name stuck.
The timber, sugar cane and dairy industries put Marburg on its feet. While Marburg in 1868 was a wilderness, by 1900 Marburg had a courthouse, police barracks, a post office, two hotels, five churches, a State school, a School of Arts, several stores, a blacksmith, a butter factory, a sugar factory and a rum distillery. At that time nearly 80 percent of Marburg's population came from Germany or was of German descent.
Marburg grew rapidly in the first half of the twentieth century, as the main road from Brisbane to Toowoomba passed through the town's centre. It was a popular stopover for travellers and many people remember driving through Marburg or stopping for a milkshake on family trips to Brisbane.
In 1912 a railway line from Rosewood to Marburg was opened, but only a few years later the railway began to suffer from the competition of highway traffic. The line was finally closed in 1965.
During World War One the name Marburg was changed to Townshend due to anti-German sentiment held by some State politicians. Local residents did not support this change and a campaign led by Dr. Sirois, the local General Practician at the time, resulted in a reversion to the original name after the war.
When the Warrego Highway was upgraded in the 1960s, most of the traffic from Brisbane to Toowoomba bypassed Marburg, and subsequently the level of business activity in the town declined.
Like many similar areas in SE Queensland, Marburg is now facing rapid change. Long term residents (farmers and townsfolk) have been joined by an influx of new residents who have migrated to the area because of its high amenity value, proximity to major urban centres and aesthetic values. A consequence of this change is a shift in the nature of the community and the nature of involvement in community activities. There are many potential benefits of living in an increasingly diverse area but these cannot be fully realised without a strong sense of community and community engagement amongst the residents.
Many residents are committed to the local community and are involved in a wide range of active community organisations. Environmental awareness is strong and there is a small but vibrant arts community. The community also reflects its rich German and European heritage in historic buildings.
The district is growing and changing with residents looking to maintain important rural and community values, and take advantage of opportunities in the face of considerable development pressure and change. Meeting these challenges prompted the Marburg and District Residents’ Association to develop a comprehensive community plan. The preferred future envisaged for Marburg was a community with involved and enthusiastic citizens living in a town with a village atmosphere and rural lifestyle. A series of goals and plans for achieving these were laid out. The process illustrated the regard with which the citizens of Marburg regard their town. People truly see it as “My Marburg” and are excited about and committed to its future.
Disclaimer
The Marburg and District Residents' Association hosts this site, but relies on information provided by other parties. We make every effort to keep information as up to date as possible. No responsibility is taken for misleading or inaccurate information provided by outside parties. Please contact us if you wish to correct any errors.
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