Welcome to Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi country and the beautiful town of Kandanga.
The first township in the area of Kandanga was first called Bunya Creek. After the Mary Valley railway line opened in 1914 a township was formed: The Kandanga Hotel was built, the Catholic Church opened in 1918 and the war memorial was built in 1924.
Timber was cut and sent by rail to Gympie, as were bananas, cattle and cream. In 1923 a fruitgrowers’ association was formed and by 1942 the Kandanga Talkies picture palace was built.
Similar to other Mary Valley towns, pineapples were grown and the Kandanga Pineapple Festival was first held in 1956.
Kandanga has held its population over the years. In 1947 there were 525 people in the area, but by the 2016 census the population had grown to 665 people.
View the slideshow for a snapshot, but click on the photo gallery for all photos.
Kandanga Hotel c1915 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Palmers Store – Kandanga – originally built as Boyling’s Hall – Gympie Regional Libraries 
First members – Kandanga Bowls Club – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Kandanga School 1920 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Workmen at Kandanga Sawmill c1920 – Gympie Regional Libraries
Photo Gallery of Kandanga– click on an image to view full screen
Workmen at Kandanga Sawmill c1920 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Opening Kandanga War Memorial 1920 – Gympie Regional Libraries Kandanga Hotel c1915 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Debutantes – Kandanga Hall – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Upper Kandanga (John Doyle’s Hall on left) – Gympie Regional Libraries Palmers Store – Kandanga – originally built as Boyling’s Hall – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Isobel Jane Wherry STEPHENS, nee Sandercock, married John Schofield Richardson STEPHENS, lived Kandanga. – donated by Rochelle Bull 
Farrell Family, first Kandanga storekeeper – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Champion Bowlers, Kandanga Bowls Club – M. Watson, W. Worth, B. Worth, F. Worth, (front) N. Hasthorpe – Gympie Regional Libraries 
First members of ladies bowls club, Kandanga – Gympie Regional Libraries First members – Kandanga Bowls Club – Gympie Regional Libraries 
First bowl at the opening of Kandanga Bowling Green, Kandanga Bowls Club – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Kandanga School Principal Bob Paul with his wife and son Lionel – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Kandanga School choir 1945 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Fife and Drum Band – Kandanga School – Gympie Regional Libraries Kandanga School 1920 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Rear view of Kandanga Theatre – Kandanga Talkies, Picture Palace – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Kandanga township, c1950 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Kandanga Methodist Church – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Kandanga Methodist Sunday School – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Kandanga Methodist Sunday School – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Bullock Team Kandanga – Gympie Regional Libraries
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]
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 