Welcome to Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi country and Imbil, “the jewel of the Mary Valley” [Joy King].
In the early 1850s the area now known as Imbil was established for sheep grazing. Cattle soon took over and the Imbil cattle station was formed in the 1860s. Gold was soon discovered in Gympie and Imbil, but the area remained ideal for farming once the alluvial gold supply ran out and area was ideal for farming.
A provisional school was opened in 1897 and once the railway opened in 1915 township lots and parts of the Imbil run were sold. By the 1920s the population was around 600, and by then there were several stores, a joinery works, three sawmills and a bank. [Pugh’s Almanac (1925)]. Through the middle of the 20th century, forestry was a large industry with several sawmill licences approved.
Today, Imbil is a popular destination for travellers, and as of the last census (2016) the population nears 924.
View the slideshow for a snapshot, see the difference of the two sets of photos taken over 70 years apart, and click on the photo gallery for all photos.
Imbil State School – new building c1940 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Yabba Homestead 25 April 1962 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
W.H Moynehan – Imbil 1926 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Imbil Railway Hotel – donated by Pam Hopkins 
Imbil Railway Hotel – donated by Pam Hopkins 
1945 cricket team visiting the Grainger farm – donated by Barry Grainger 
O’Leary’s Boarding House, Yabba Road, Imbil – donated by Ian Stehbens (web) 
Mary Valley senior football team – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Imbil viewed from Congregational Church 1919 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Imbil viewed from Congregational Church 1981 – donated by Ian Stehbens
Compare the difference
Look at the two sets of photos taken years apart – donated by Ian Stehbens
Photo Gallery of Imbil– click on an image to view full screen
W.H Moynehan – Imbil 1926 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
State sawmill and staff, Imbil – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Moynehans, Imbil c1948 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Roy Gilroy with logs at Imbil Railway Station – donated by Pam Hopkins Imbil Railway Hotel – donated by Pam Hopkins Imbil Railway Hotel – donated by Pam Hopkins 
Imbil Hotel – donated by Pam Hopkins 
Empire Cafe & Bakery, Imbil – donated by Pam Hopkins 
Gilroys General Store, Mary Valley Stores, Mrs H. N. Gilroy – donated by Pam Hopkins 
Doris and father Roy in Yabba Road – donated by Pam Hopkins 
Bullocky in front of Imbil Railway Hotel – donated by Pam Hopkins 
Railway Hotel Imbil 1981 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Imbil State School – new building c1940 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Railway bridge construction over Yabba Creek -Imbil – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Public Hall and schoolboys gardening at Imbil State School 1937 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Phil Wallanders Blacksmith Shop beside Moynehans first stores, Imbil – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Opening road and township improvements Imbil 2 July 1948 – donated by Ian Stehbens O’Leary’s Boarding House, Yabba Road, Imbil – donated by Ian Stehbens (web) 
Official opening of bowling green 2 July 1949 – donated by Ian Stehbens Mary Valley senior football team – donated by Ian Stehbens Imbil viewed from Congregational Church 1919 – donated by Ian Stehbens Imbil viewed from Congregational Church 1981 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Imbil State School 1920 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Imbil 1981 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Grade III Imbil State Schoool – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Arriving for the Imbil show – c1920s – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Anglican Church, Imbil 1981 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Church of England and Manse, Imbil, 1998, photo Ian Stehbens 
Bullock Team, Imbil. Imbil Railway. Source Lindsay Harris 
Imbil State School ca 1920, photo by Catherine J. Stehbens 
Church of England and Manse, Imbil, 1920’s 
Imbil Railway Bridge, ca 1920’s 
George Meyers Family and Carcass Butcher. Gomersell men. Mudford, father, Allan and Edgar (sons). Source. C. Zillman 
Moynehan’s, Imbil. Bill Moynehan on far right. Royal Bank on left. 
Roman Catholic Church, Meyers St, Imbil. Photo Catherine J. Stehbens 
Yabba Road from Meyers Street corner looking south-west. / Source L Harris 
Mount Grainger from R. G. Stehbens’ verandah, Yabba Road, Imbil. Taken by Jean, visitor. 
The day England came to town – Weekend, Gympie Times Saturday 9 February 1991, page 4 
Imbil toasts a century of Graingers – Gympie Times Sept 2015 page 10 – donated by Barry Grainger 1945 cricket team visiting the Grainger farm – donated by Barry Grainger 
Flood – Imbil – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Flood – Imbil – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Flood – Imbil – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Forestry workers – Imbil – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Imbil c1950s – possible the vice regal visit of Sir Henry Abel Smith – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Imbil Hall – still stand at the Imbil Showgrounds Edward Street – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Imbil Railway Station – early 1900s – possible special train fro the Mary Valley Show – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Moynehan’s Imbil – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Barsby Truck – Forest seedling truck – Imbil – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Kandanga 1000 horse ride to protest the proposed Traveston Dam – Madeline Price – Sophie Price – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Madeline 3yrs and Sophie Price 6 months – Imbil – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Mary Valley Race Club program – donated by Kaili Parker-Price
Click on a tab to view more images
References:
King, Joy (2001) “Imbil: jewel of the Mary Valley: a historical reference” [available for loan from the library]
Wild Heart Bountiful Land
Produced by the Queensland State Archives in partnership with Cooloola Shire Council, Wild Heart Bountiful Land is an historical overview of the Mary River Valley. [free eBook]
Mary Valley Rattler
A history of the railway in the Mary Valley [Web site]
Queensland Places
Centre for the Government of Queensland, contains all the places in Queensland with or has had a population over 500. [Web site]
Queensland Government – Place Names
Queensland place names database [Web site]
Regional Profile
A statistical snapshot of our region [Web site]
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Data from the 2016 Census [Web site]
University of Queensland
Pugh’s Queensland Almanac and Directory
Sponsorship
Proudly funded and supported by the Queensland Government and the State Library of Queensland.
Disclaimer
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that ‘Voices of the Valley’ may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, websites, film, audio recordings or printed material.
All opinions expressed in the Voices of the Valley interviews are those of the interviewee and do not reflect the views of Gympie Regional Council.
About Us
Gympie Regional Libraries provide a free, innovative library service to the residents, ratepayers and visitors of the Gympie region, boasting six service points located at:
* Gympie
* Goomeri
* Imbil
* Kilkivan
* Rainbow Beach
* Tin Can Bay
Get In Touch
Gympie Regional Libraries
8-14 Mellor Street
Gympie QLD 4570
(07) 5481 0859
library@gympie.qld.gov.au
In the Mary Valley
Imbil Library
123-125 Yabba Creek Road
Imbil QLD 4570
(07) 5484 5488
More Local History
Gympie Regional Memories
Local History blog – many more stories of our region
Curated Photo Collection
See more photos of our region organised by themes
The Past in Print
Free local history ebooks – download them to a device
Heritage Talks
View digitised versions of our heritage talks
Gympie Region Heritage Trails
Use QR codes to follow the heritage trails
Voices of the Valley 