Vernor is a rural locality in the Somerset Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Vernor had a population of 235 people.[3]

Vernor
Somerset RegionQueensland
Forest Hill-Fernvale Road, 2014
Vernor is located in Queensland
Vernor
Vernor
Coordinates27°28′24″S 152°37′04″E / 27.4733°S 152.6177°E / -27.4733; 152.6177 (Vernor (centre of locality))
Population235 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)4306
Area9.0 km2 (3.5 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
  • 28.8 km (18 mi) NW of Ipswich
  • 41.8 km (26 mi) SSE of Esk
  • 68.5 km (43 mi) W of Brisbane
LGA(s)Somerset Region
State electorate(s)Lockyer
Federal division(s)Blair
Suburbs around Vernor:
Wivenhoe Pocket Wivenhoe Pocket Fernvale
Lowood Vernor Fernvale
Glamorgan Vale Glamorgan Vale Fairney View

Geography edit

Vernor is bounded to the north-west by the Brisbane River.[4]

Forest Hill Fernvale Road enters the locality from the west (Lowood) and exits to the north-east (Fernvale).[4]

History edit

 
Engraving of the Vernor family rescued during the February flood near Fernvale, 1893

Vernor takes its name from its former railway station, mnade after selector Robert Vernor, who took up Portion 39A parish of Burnett on 15 July 1868. Vernor was a soldier who had served in the Connaught Rangers in the British Army.[2][5][6]

 
Plaque for Vernor German Baptist Church, 2023

The Brisbane River Baptist Church (also known as Vernor German Baptist Church) opened on 5 September 1873.[7] It was a 30-by-20-foot (9.1 by 6.1 m) timber church and could seat 100 people. It was at 109-112 Fernvale Road (27°27′31″S 152°37′35″E / 27.45851°S 152.62625°E / -27.45851; 152.62625 (Vernor German Baptist Church (former))). The church closed in 1920.[8] A plaque was placed at the site by Baptist Heritage Queensland in 2004.[9]

 
Headstone for Wilhelmine Fredericke Schulz and husband Wilhelm Schulz, Vernon Baptist Cemetery, 2022

Associated with the church was the Vernor German Baptist Cemetery which was established in 1876 and operated until 1954.[10]

The first section of the Brisbane Valley railway line from Wulkuraka to Lowood was opened on 16 June 1884 with Vernor railway station (27°27′57″S 152°36′30″E / 27.4659°S 152.6082°E / -27.4659; 152.6082 (Vernor railway station (former))) being one of the stops along the route.[11] That section of the line closed in 1993 and the railway corridor repurposed as part of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. The Vernor railway station no longer exists.[12]

In the 1893 floods the Vernor family was initially unconcerned as they had not had difficulty in copy with the 1890 floods. However as the flood waters rose, Vernor rowed the eight people in his household to the stables in the belief that the loft in the stables would remain after the flood waters. However, the flood water rose so that they were not safe in the loft and Vernor rowed them to a tree where they tried to their boat to the tree hoping to ride out the flood in the boat. However, the flood was too powerful and they could not make fast to the tree so their boat was carried down out of their control down the river until it crashed into the upper branches of a gum tree, leaving the household struggling in the water, until some of them managed to climb onto the tree. They then proceeded to climb into higher and higher branches of the tree as the waters rose, ripping their clothing to twist into ropes to help them climb. They spent nearly a day and a half in the top of the tree until neighbours were able to rescue them in a boat.[13]

Demographics edit

In the 2006 census Vernor had a population of 279 people.[14]

In the 2016 census, Vernor had a population of 233 people.[15]

In the 2021 census, Vernor had a population of 235 people.[3]

Education edit

There are no schools in Vernor. The nearest government primary schools are Fernvale State School in neighbouring Fernvale to the north-east, Glamorgan Vale State School in neighbouring Glamorgan Vale to the south, and Lowood State School in Lowood to the west. The nearest government secondary school is Lowood State High School in neighbouring Lowood to the west.[4]

Facilities edit

Vernor German Baptist Cemetery is at 59 Old Fernvale Road (27°27′18″S 152°37′49″E / 27.4550°S 152.6304°E / -27.4550; 152.6304 (Vernor German Baptist Cemetery)).[16][17][18]

References edit

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Vernor (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
  2. ^ a b "Vernor – locality in Somerset Region (entry 44927)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Vernor (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  4. ^ a b c "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  5. ^ "LOCAL & GENERAL". Queensland Times. Vol. LXII, no. 10, 794. Queensland, Australia. 5 October 1920. p. 4 (DAILY.). Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "LATE CAPT. ROBT. VERNOR". Queensland Times. Vol. LXII, no. 10, 831. Queensland, Australia. 17 November 1920. p. 7 (DAILY.). Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Inglewood". The Queenslander. Vol. VIII, no. 397. Queensland, Australia. 13 September 1873. p. 10. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Vernor Baptist Church | Vernor (Fernvale)". Queensland Religious Places Database. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Plaque No 2". Baptist Heritage Queensland. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Cemeteries". Ipswich Genealogical Society Inc. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  12. ^ "About Brisbane Valley Rail Trail". Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  13. ^ "THE FLOOD IN WIVENHOE POCKET". Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald And General Advertiser. Vol. XXXIV, no. 4936. Queensland, Australia. 21 February 1893. p. 6. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Vernor (Esk Shire) (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
  15. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Vernor (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  16. ^ "Cemetery Areas - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  17. ^ Google (24 August 2023). "Vernor Baptist Cemetery" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Cemeteries". Somerset Regional Council. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.

External links edit

  Media related to Vernor, Queensland at Wikimedia Commons