Coominya - QLD

Population - 467

Originally known as Bellevue Station, a railway siding opened in 1886 on the Brisbane Valley Railway, Coominya is situated 83km west of Brisbane , 27km north of the Warrego Highway along the Forest Hill - Coominya Connection Road, or 2km south of the turn off 16km north of Fernvale on the Brisbane Valley Highway. The name Coominya is believed to be derived from the Yugarabul dialect to mean "I see water."
The Brisbane Valley Branch Railway was constructed through the Brisbane Valley after it was approved in 1882, it reached Lowood by 1884, and Esk by 1886, bringing better access to the area. Bellevue Homestead was a large pastoral property alongside the Brisbane River and it was decided to put a siding on the line nearby to serve the property, hence the original name Bellevue Station. Soon after Coominya was established it became a centre for shipping livestock from the region, saleyards were built and the community was built on livestock and timber which was cut locally and milled at the three timber mills that were soon established in the town. The area is also renowned for its watermelons and grapes, the wine industry is very strong at Coominya, try a drop and see for Yourself. Bellevue Homestead was moved from its original site by the Brisbane River between 1975 and 1980, to where it stands now in Coominya, this was because of the flooding of the Brisbane River Valley by the Wivenhoe Dam. The Homestead is now run by National Trust as a Museum, it's well worth a look.
After closing down in 1989, parts of the railway line have now been turned into a cycling, walking and horse trail, which is hoped to be completed to its full length by 2012. Visit www.railtrails.org.au and http://www.railtrail.com for more info on the Rail Trail.

Coominya today is becoming a popular area for day trips and weekends and also a convenient place to reside while commuting to the larger Centres of Toowoomba, Ipswich and Brisbane. There is a 4 Square store that is open every days of the year except Good Friday and Christmas Days. A Cafe and a Take Away, with fuel available.

Accommodation

There are many types of accommodation to choose from around Coominya, from Bed & Breakfast, Hotel, Camping, Cabins and Caravan Parks are available.

Whatever your style, you'll find a great place to stay near Coominya.

Tours at and to Coominya

There are a few Tours that visit the Coominya region, from both Brisbane and Ipswich.

Things To See and Do

There are many Things To See and Do around Coominya and it is a great place to base Yourself for Your stay.

Esk Visitor Information Centre

82 Ipswich Road,
Esk
Queensland, 4312
Phone 07 5424 2923
Email: tourism@esk.qld.gov.au www.somerset.qld.gov.au

Fernvale Visitor Information Centre

1483 Brisbane Valley Highway
Fernvale
Queensland, 4306
Phone 07 54270200
Fax 07 54270211
Email: fernvalefutures@esk.qld.gov.au
www.esk.qld.gov.au

Ipswich Visitor Information Centre

14 Queen Victoria Parade,
PO Box 243
Ipswich
Queensland, 4305
Phone 07 3281 0555
Fax 07 3281 0199
Email: info@ipswichtourism.com.au www.ipswichtourism.com.au

Coominya has a relaxed atmosphere with plenty to see and enjoy..
# Take a walk around the village of Coominya. Places of interest include:

• Bellevue Historic Homestead, built in the 1870's on the banks of the Brisbane River and moved to its present site in the late 1970's, the homestead is now run by the National Trust.
• Visit the Coominya Hotel with its quiet relaxing atmosphere.
• The railway station is worth a look, built in 1886 and moved west to more level ground later, it is now used as community meeting place.
• Visit Lake Wivenhoe.

# Make sure You get a copy of the Coominya Heritage Trail Brochure from the Info Centre.
# Have a round of Golf at the Lowood & District Golf Club - Ph(07) 5426 1365 - at Main St, Lowood.
# Sample some wines at Warrego Wines Winery at nearby Marburg.
# Have a roll at the Lowood & District Bowls Club - Ph(07) 5426 1860 - at 157 Main St, Lowood.
# Take a walk or a cycle along the Fernvale to Lowood section of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail.
# Visit the Australian Motorcycle Museum at Haigslea. The Museum is ideally located on 35 acres at Haigslea, 50km west of Brisbane on the Warrego Highway.
# The Brisbane Valley Lakes are all within an easy reach of Coominya. These include Lake Wivenhoe, Atkinson Dam and Lake Somerset. Fishing and Sailing are popular at all three, water skiing is allowed at Atkinson Dam and Lake Somerset.

Finding somewhere to Eat out at Coominya is fairly easy, with several excellent options to try.

• The Coominya Hotel Serves lunch and dinner.

For the Sports person both Golf and Bowls clubs are well situated within a short drive of Coominya at .

Local History

Coominya The European story of Coominya started in the 1848, with the establishment of Wivenhoe Run by J S Ferriter and E B Uhr. Two huts were built and these were the eastern hut, called Wivenhoe Homestead and the western slab hut called Bellevue Homestead. Major William North Snr and his son, Lieutenant Joseph North took over the Wivenhoe Run, Joseph North and his wife lived in the Wivenhoe Homestead and William North and his wife lived in the Bellevue Homestead hut. Over time with ownership changes the buildings have become one single entity. Bellevue Homestead was moved from its original site by the Brisbane River between 1975 and 1980, to where it stands now in Coominya, this was because of the flooding of the Brisbane River Valley by the Wivenhoe Dam.
With the coming of the Brisbane Valley Branch Railway by 1886, bringing better access to the area Bellevue Siding was established and soon became a centre for shipping livestock from the region. A saleyards were built, and the community began to expand, built around livestock and timber which was cut locally and milled at the three timber mills that were soon established in the town. The town soon had many small businesses including a Post office, Hotel and Blacksmith.
In 1917 Coominya was selected as a settlement for the 'Discharged Soldiers Land Settlement Act', and sections of Wivenhoe Station were split up into "Soldier Settler" blocks. A 'Bush Nursing Association' was also established bringing better health to the smaller communities.
The Coominya area continued to be a farming and timber region, slowly reducing its population as people moved closer to the city. With the completion of Wivenhoe Dam in the 1980's and the flooding of the Brisbane River Valley, Coominya has seen yet more changes, putting it in a prime location for Tourism as well as being an easy commute to the major centres for workers looking to get away from city living.